Stuck at home? Get started on that airstream project!

[turk123]

While we're at home it certainly is a time to clean or work on the Airstream. We just got back from a 6-month trip, and the trailer could use a little "dusting".

What have you done to your trailer or are you still sitting on the couch?

Here is our start.

My wife is a clean freak and started several days ago barking orders, er, asking nicely, get all your electronics together and get them out of here. We pulled out our depleted wine collection, Goal Zero battery, and of course all our clothes, food appliances, etc.

She set about washing down all the cabinets, cleaning out the drawers and cabinet insides, cleared out the fridge, sanitized the bathroom and on and on.

She asked (ordered) me to wash all the ceilings and metal walls.

I have to admit, it smells pretty good in there!

Meanwhile, my wife had all our pillows, mattress topper, bedspreads, and a few other items cryogenically, well actually vacuum-packed into flat little parcels stored on the bed. She's amazing!

[turk123]

I removed the teak flooring that has gone through some abuse over the months and cleaned it thoroughly and added a few coats of golden teak oil.

[azflycaster]

I have looked at these and wondered what effect they have on the finish of the shower enclosure. Was there any surface damage caused by the wood going down the road?

[link2dks]

Originally Posted by azflycaster

I have looked at these and wondered what effect they have on the finish of the shower enclosure. Was there any surface damage caused by the wood going down the road?

Not from ours. No wood touches the shower floor. The ribs on the bottom which sit on the floor are covered by a rubber strip. If the rubber wears out you can order replacements.

A bit pricey but I think it was worth it.

Dave S

[azflycaster]

Installing a cell booster in the Airstream. Antenna on the roof and coax down the fridge chimney. The amplifier is going in the cabinet above the refrigerator. The dish network reciever and the DVR will go back into the cabinet when the booster install is done.

[Gsmblue]

I am the clean freak in the family here. So I pulled all the soft furnishings out and washed them. vacuumed the floors, scrubbed the surfaces. Emptied the fridge and the freezer and cleaned them up. Changed the batteries in all the small widgets.

Now I need to install window poppers and de-squeak the overhead cabinets....

[GMFL]

Originally Posted by azflycaster

I have looked at these and wondered what effect they have on the finish of the shower enclosure. Was there any surface damage caused by the wood going down the road?

Same question?

[turk123]

The teak is great on the feet and gives you a secure grip on the floor. You lose about an inch and a half in height so if you are tall I would advise against.

Nothing smells like teak. I love the smell of teak. When done taking a shower you lift it up, spray the underside and spray down the floor. Very easy. We set it in the sun every few weeks to freshen it up.

I would buy it again.

[GMFL]

So not rub marks or scratches to the shower floor?

[drbrick]

We are a 10 mim drive to our AS storage so I can easily get there to get Blue Streak ready to go. Besides all the "normal" spring stuff to do my project list is a big one

https://www.marriedwithairstream.com/projects-for-spring/

[Grosspoluter]

5 weeks ago brought my 345 home from Rockford storage
Removed bent tandem axle then installed a good (unbent) used tandem axle, then worked on replacing a section of rotted floor where the water valves are, then replaced all the water valves and some “questionable” water lines using pex line and “shark bite” brass fittings absolutely no more leaks! Also new brakes on tandem axle and of course new grease and clean and repacked the wheel bearings...
looking at replacing water heater, definitely going to replace the wheel mud flap in front of the rear wheels (it’s rusted pretty bad) also on “to do” list is new battery cables, grease slides on outdoor storage drawers, lubricate all sliding windows, maybe I’ll even have time to install some of the outdoor rubber mounding and I might even get around to installing the window weeps I bought last year...
I’m sure there will be more because as we all know about the older campers if ya go looking for trouble your sure to find it!... wait, when did that light burn out?

[Airhead59]

I took advantage of the downtime (cancelled Grand Canyon trip with our grandson) to do spring maintenance. Pulled all four wheels, checked the brakes, cleaned and repacked bearings.

I found 15-yo brake wires to one wheel had broken under due to vibration and fatigue (I've seen this before). Reconnected wiring, but will need to replace the brake wiring sometime soon.

Took the wheels into Discount for balancing (after detecting vibration on a trip in Feb.). They pointed out that I had tread separation on two tires! Tires were 4 yo with fair tread remaining (cheap tires from previous owner). Four GY Endurance later, I'm ready for the season. Hope thing open up before too much of the season goes by. After all, the AS is the perfect mobile quarantine unit!

[robert claus]

1. Makes me anxious to get started! Still too cold to dewinterize here - below freezing nights for the next week. But...the week after that it should warm up, and I'm planning to bring the trailer to the house from our WI property where it wintered. Then, we can clean, wax and get it ready to use. Bearing grease and brake check, and finally install the e-z start I bought over a year ago! We were planning a trip around Lake Michigan in May, but that doesn't look likely now, so we'll drop it back in WI to use for weekend until we can travel safely.

[UncleBad]

Originally Posted by GMFL

So not rub marks or scratches to the shower floor?

We have the same teak mat. I just checked as I was curious too. No marks!

[WindyJim]

Unrelated to Airstream I thought I would share some teak comments.


The first submarine I was on was a WWII sub. They had teak decking. Teak is more dense than sea water, such that if blown off with depth charges the teak sinks instead of floating to the surface. I was at the helm in the conning tower when a 'pseudo' depth charge was dropped on us and it sounded like someone hit the front of the conning tower with a sledge hammer. When we later surfaced we found some of the teak was blown off.


Submarine was the SS-339, USS Catfish, later sold to the Argentinians and renamed the Santa Fe, then sank by the British during the Falkland Island war.

[azflycaster]

Finished the booster install and cleaned up some of the cables.

[starstruck08]

Oh boy I wish. I have the fortune of being stuck with my partner and his family in the UK, but my airstream is about 4200 miles away and we have no idea when we'll be able to travel back to the states to work on my truck and trailer. We had a whole roadtrip planned this summer that's probably going to be a wash.

[helwigc]

I have had a spit in my front panel for almost five years and had the part for over two years. Never was willing to give up the travel time in the warmer weather to fix. No excuses now. Just waiting for someone to help buck the rivets.

[johnparris]

My project has been trying to keep the massive amounts of pollen from accumulating too much.

[turk123]

Originally Posted by GMFL

So not rub marks or scratches to the shower floor?

Here are some images of the underside. Not rubber but some kind of vinyl strip on the cross pieces. Notice the cuts to stop water from getting trapped.