Looking for a stone guard -1976 Argosy

[James Martin]

I am looking for a stone guard for the 1976 Argosy I just bought. This is my first trailer and my first time to get involved with an Airstream and I have no idea where to look for parts. Where can I find a stone guard for my trailer?? Thanks, James Martin

[davidz71]

Check www.inlandrv.com for a stoneguard. Also check the vendor portion of this forum where FrankR has posted all kinds of sources of parts such as salvage yards for Airstream coaches.

[krashline]

The manual on my 76Argosy 22 states that the front windows are unbreakable,& rockproof. But I have never thrown a rock To prove this to be true! Good luck in finding a rock guard. Karl

[MontanaArgy]

Congratulations on the new Argosy! I am needing to do the same project on mine.

If you are looking for the window shields I think they are called rock guards by Airstream. "Janet" had a post on nomenclature awhile back. I think "Segment protectors" are the stainless shields which cover the lower front of the trailer. Rock guards are still available, I got a quote about a month ago. Each of the curved pieces was about 320 and the center was about 250. Plus shipping! A single curved front window costs about the same as the rock guard. Search for Minuette rock guard thread in these forums by "Janet" or "Janet's Husband". They show how to convert for the Minuette which is a year newer than our trailers, and 8" narrower. We don't have to do the conversion portion of this thread, but the part numbers and installation are documented and there are lots of photos.

Also look for some posts on the subject by Pattersontoo. He has both an Argosy and an Argosy Minuette. He enjoys finding alternative ways and sources for parts which seem to be more expensive than they need to be. He has mentioned duplicating the Airstream Rock Guards using locally available materials, but I don't think he has gotten to that project yet.

[overlander64]

Greetings James Martin!

Welcome to the Forums and the world of Vintage Argosy ownership!

Originally Posted by James Martin

I am looking for a stone guard for the 1976 Argosy I just bought. This is my first trailer and my first time to get involved with an Airstream and I have no idea where to look for parts. Where can I find a stone guard for my trailer?? Thanks, James Martin

While Argosy may have advertised the deep-wrap wing window as "rock-proof and un-breakable", there have been multiple reports of broken windows. Replacement glass for the deep-wrap wing windows is quite expensive (in excess of $500/side last report that I heard), and is no longer available in the non-tinted version used in our Vintage Argosys (the only version currently available as of the last report that I heard is the solar gray that is utilized in the current Classic series coaches). Having a current three-piece rock guard modified to fit my Minuet was one of the first projects completed after its purchase as I wanted to avoid the possibilitiy of breaking one of the wing windows -- the down side is that with the solar gray rock guard you loose the see-through capability that is so nice if both the front and rear windows are clear.

The three-piece rock guard utilized on the pre-wide-body Classic Airstreams should be a near exact fit for Argosys other than Minuet series coaches. The three-piece rock guard from a wide-body Classic would require modification to the flat center-window panel to fit any of the Argosy coaches. According to my notes, the deep-wrap wing windows are all supposed to be the same dimensions. Any Airstream dealer or service center should be able to order a rock guard for your coach.

Good luck with your search!

Kevin

[kooblekidz]

I put together a very cheap, effective alternative to rockguards. I bought 2 padded windshield shades at Walmart, the kind you put on the inside of your windshield when you're parking in the sun and want to keep your car 2 degrees cooler. They are made of shiny padded metallic padding of some kind. Anyway, I put snaps on them and matching snaps on the window molding on my trailer. I had to cut a piece off of one and used contact cement to make a big enough cover for the 3 front windows. I fortified the snaps with strips of double sided velcro. This window guard made a cross country trip, lots of highway driving and stayed on for a hurricane. The silvery material actually made it look like an Airstream product.
Cheers,
Eric

[nickclifford]

Originally Posted by kooblekidz

I put together a very cheap, effective alternative to rockguards. I bought 2 padded windshield shades at Walmart, the kind you put on the inside of your windshield when you're parking in the sun and want to keep your car 2 degrees cooler. They are made of shiny padded metallic padding of some kind. Anyway, I put snaps on them and matching snaps on the window molding on my trailer. I had to cut a piece off of one and used contact cement to make a big enough cover for the 3 front windows. I fortified the snaps with strips of double sided velcro. This window guard made a cross country trip, lots of highway driving and stayed on for a hurricane. The silvery material actually made it look like an Airstream product.
Cheers,
Eric

This is exactly what I want to do .. fabricate myself and use snaps so can take off at campground and see through the beautiful windows .. what type of snaps and just drill into the window frame? sounds sketchy ... advice / pics appreciated

[nickclifford]

Originally Posted by kooblekidz

I put together a very cheap, effective alternative to rockguards. I bought 2 padded windshield shades at Walmart, the kind you put on the inside of your windshield when you're parking in the sun and want to keep your car 2 degrees cooler. They are made of shiny padded metallic padding of some kind. Anyway, I put snaps on them and matching snaps on the window molding on my trailer. I had to cut a piece off of one and used contact cement to make a big enough cover for the 3 front windows. I fortified the snaps with strips of double sided velcro. This window guard made a cross country trip, lots of highway driving and stayed on for a hurricane. The silvery material actually made it look like an Airstream product.
Cheers,
Eric

I wonder if strong velcro strips would hold in place?

[richard5933]

I fully understand the notion to DIY a rock guard, but after seeing some of the damage averted by the solid ones I'd be leery of using something soft.

Over the time I've been on Air Forums I have read at least a few threads about objects thrown up from the road and striking the rock guards. The rock guards give their all and get damaged, but the hard-to-replace glass behind it survives.

Or rock guards also help shade the frobt windows... Easy to see out but some of the sun's heat is deflected. The center section also makes an awning when open.

[nickclifford]

Originally Posted by richard5933

I fully understand the notion to DIY a rock guard, but after seeing some of the damage averted by the solid ones I'd be leery of using something soft.

Over the time I've been on Air Forums I have read at least a few threads about objects thrown up from the road and striking the rock guards. The rock guards give their all and get damaged, but the hard-to-replace glass behind it survives.

Or rock guards also help shade the frobt windows... Easy to see out but some of the sun's heat is deflected. The center section also makes an awning when open.

there's always that possibility of being hit by lightening .. I've driven for 40+ years and never been hit by anything ... 99.99% never do .. but those stone chips, that's much more real

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by nickclifford

there's always that possibility of being hit by lightening .. I've driven for 40+ years and never been hit by anything ... 99.99% never do .. but those stone chips, that's much more real

You've been quite lucky - I can't count the number of times I've had junk from the highway bounce up and strike a vehicle. Last year the excitement was watching a fist sized chunk of asphalt get thrown at my car's windshield while traveling about 70mph. Can imagine what that would have done had it hit the front window in the Airstream. In just the couple of years we've had our Airstream there at least a few larger dents that came from more than just small stones.

You're correct - it's not possible or necessary to protect against every possible calamity out there. But the glass in an Airstream is not known to be all that durable and can be quite difficult to locate, especially for the older trailers. The more difficult something is to replace, the more I try to protect it.