Re: [A/S] side or rear bath in 27'

["Harvey Barlow" <harveybarlow@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Barbara,

Early A/Ss had rear baths which were a good design because a fairly spacious
complete bathroom could be installed across the rear of the unit.  Vintage
A/Ss had the fresh water tank mounted at the extreme front of the trailer
and the black water (sewer) holding tank at the extreme rear, under the
toilet.  The thinking of the time was, reportedly, that the weight of one
tank balanced the other on opposite ends of the frame.

When A/S introduced an additional tank, the gray water tank, to contain sink
and bath water in 1973, the factory apparently failed to take into
consideration the additional weight added to the rear of the trailer.  Many
of the longer trailers in years '73 to ?? developed sagging of the rear
frame and in extreme cases, the frame sagged sufficiently to separate from
the trailer body at the rear.  I think the shorter trailers were not
effected as much by the additional weight.

The factory recognized the problem after a period of time and developed a
repair to correct it.  I have not seen the repair but Charlie Burke, who
writes on this list from time to time, has worked for A/S for many years and
has written about the modification.  As I understand the repair, it
consisted of welding or bolting (depending on whether the modification was
done at Jackson Center or by a dealer) a gusset to the frame immediately
behind the point where the rear axle assembly attaches to the frame to
provide additional support.

The factory also redesigned the trailer floor plans and began building
center bath trailers with the black and gray water tanks as well as the
fresh water tank installed between the frame rails, over the axles.  I don't
know when this redesign was implemented but I think it was around 1984.
Others will know with certainty.  I had a '83 Excella 31' trailer that was
rear bath and a friend has a '84 Excella 31' which is center bath.  Most
A/Ss have been center bath since that time.

In longer trailers, I think the center bath with the tanks installed over
the axles is probably a superior design because of the reduced stress on the
frame and better balance.

Frame sag can be identified by standing away from the trailer to one side
and looking along the bottom edge for droop behind the rear wheels or by
standing at the rear of the trailer and to either side and sighting down the
side.  If you notice bulging of the side skin down low on the body at a
point just behind the rear axle/wheel, you may have frame sag.

If you are considering a rear bath trailer after 1973 in a shorter length,
it may have never had the problem and would be fine.  A longer trailer after
1973 may have had the factory or dealer modification accomplished and would
also be perfectly acceptable.

I have a vintage A/S, a '66 Safari which has a rear bath and no gray tank.
It is a very practical floor plan and I look forward to lots of use when I
get it repaired sufficiently to use.  I also own a '93 Excella which is a
center bath.  The vintage trailer has a more spacious and comfortable bath.

I hope this helps.

Harvey Barlow
Lubbock, TX
WBCCI 1171, WDCU, VAC
and a couple of A/Ss