Rivets in 2006 Bambi

[pagoff]

We've had several interior rivets (4 total) fail in the area of the door and above the frig in our 19 ft Bambi SE. I've replaced them but wonder is this a normal occurance in these trailers or is it symptomatic of some type structural problem.

Thanks
Paul

[crazylev]

Hi Paul.

I was going to write something as well. After finding these little metal donut things on the floor of our 19' CCD I realized that they were interior rivets that looked like they were sheared off by movement. And it sounds like yours came undone in almost exactly the same location as ours.

So far I have two that are missing: One is just above the shelf against the wall on top of refridge counter. And the other is a couple of rows closer to the door and a little lower.

This is disturbing.

How did you fix yours: pop rivet gun, size, etc. Do you need to drill out old rivets, and more importantly why this is happening.

Jonathan

[Foiled Again]

I've found two or three in each unit that weren't installed right, 2 not deep enough, and a couple with the head sheared off. I drilled them out (slowly & carefully, then replaced them. The new ones haven't failed.

My guess? Sloppy and fast work at the factory. If they failed again I'd look at it as a structural issue.

Paula Ford

By the way, I'm heading to Penn Wood in N.W. Pennsylvania for a few days visiting family and just hanging out at my first "Airstream Only" campground.

[bradk]

We've lost 2 rivets so far, one over the doorway and one was found on the floor in the bathroom but I haven't done a thorough check.

I sort of expected this considering the jostling the trailer would take on some highways, a couple just work themselves loose. Hopefully it's not much more than that.

In terms of installing rivets, I installed a doorguard with a rivet gun and it's simple as pie. The rivets internally on our bambi have a hole in the centre, not shaved like the externals, which is much easier. I'm just going to match the rivet size.

What I do want to know is that if I am using a pneumatic rivet gun, what type of pressure does airstream use to install? They're on my list to call but if anyone knows the answer to this one...I'd hate to put one in too hard and make it more unsightly.

thanks!
brad.

[redeagle313]

We have found two rivets (one that failed and one that we have no idea where it is from) in the year and change that we have had our trailer. We also still have a little assembly debris shake out of joints and hidden areas almost every trip. I would proclaim it normal and not much to worry about.

[pagoff]

Sounds like a systemic problem with this the "cadillac" of trailers. I had three in the same places as Crazylev with a 4th occurring most recently between the door and the closed pantry by the frig.

In any case I drilled out the residual of the rivet and replaced them. It's too early to say whether there will be a recurrence.

Hopefully it doesn't signal some more ominous.

Best regards
Paul

[Tim A.]

It is unfortunately very easy for the heads of aluminum pop rivets to "pop" off. In non-Airstream applications, this has happened to me any number of times when setting pop rivets. In other words, I suspect this is not a significant structural problem, but an unfortunate feature of pop rivets.

In our 2002 19' Bambi, several locations near the door have had aluminum "dust" work through the fuzzy wall covering. The covering instead of bare aluminum means we cannot see the rivets. The spots are probably some of the same rivets failing, but we do not see the popped-off head because of the fuzzy covering.