Re: [A/S] On the roof?

["Mitch Hill - K1FH" <fmhill@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Folks, 

My experience in replacing vents, and installing SOLAR arrays etc. 
on my 1964 Ambassador's roof has proven to me that a word of  
caution is due here, the older larger Airstream models will NOT 
support a average man's weight on the roof in ALL locations. One 
must be very careful in placing their weight on the roof of the older 
Airstreams... You can NOT just get up there and walk around...  

The older Airstreams, my 1964 Ambassador as an example, do 
NOT have ribs under every row of rivets, the assumption that trying 
to stay on the rows of rivets will be safe is in error. Getting on the 
roof of these older Airstreams is very risky...

The comment of using boards and/or plywood and padding to 
distribute your weight is valid on these older Airstreams when 
working on the roof.  I have found the weight bearing ribs vary in 
spacing averaging about 32 inches apart mostly in a crossways 
direction. The rows of rivets running lengthways that join the 
aluminium panels only have support where they cross the 
vertical/crossways ribs, and between ribs have no support at all.

At what point the roofs of the Airstream trailer became safe to walk 
on is unknown to me, my experience is all with the pre 1969 trailers
but I think a safe assumption would be to investigate the fact for the 
age and model of your particular trailer before you make a very 
expensive mistake.   -- 

TNX, 73, Mitch Hill - K1FH...