[VACList] Re: Frame separation in a '67 22' Safari

[Terry Tyler <tylerbears@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Jim,

Here's a copy of any post I wrote last year. I'm sending it because of your
note >>>>>>>  (below)

on 7/26/03 10:22 AM, jjw@ttc-cmc.net wrote:

> I can't find the original message here, but Terry is describing a problem
> that I have on my 20 foot 77 Argosy.  Charlie Burk of Airstream fame (hope
> that spelling is right) told me to take off the strip of aluminum betwee the
> bumper and shell, open up the gap, and fill it with Vulkem.  He said he did
> this to one of his Argosy's, but a much larger trailer, and it worked great.

Jim, maybe some of my experience (below - dated 08/20/02) will be useful. If
you'd like a picture of the outside, rattle my cage,

Terry

mailto:tylerbears@airstream.net

-------------------------------

on 8/20/02 10:06 PM, tylerbears@mac.com wrote:

> on 08/19/02 8:46 PM, theprofileco@dwx.com wrote:
> 
>> If there's no evidence of frame separation now, and you tow carefully,
>> minimize weight in the rear, I think you'll be fine. My guess is that shorter
>> trailers such as the 22 are much less susceptible.
>> 
> Hi Dan,
> 
> Your comments mirrored my experience for 15 years UNTIL I added a second
> battery to our 1967 22' Safari. That occurred when the Tim Allen part of my
> ego got the better of me. I wanted more power. The problem with more
> electrical power meant more weight.  Another battery was placed alongside
> the original battery. Unfortunately, that weight was enough to break one of
> the stringers extending out from the frame beneath the batteries.
> 
> All would have been fine after I had that stringer re-welded ($25) at a
> horse trailer welding shop in Wyoming on a blistering hot Summer's day,
> EXCEPT I didn't know rust had begun to eat through the top portion of the
> frame near that stringer.
> 
> After another three years of towing this Airstream around the mountains in
> New England, the Rockies and across the continent twice, the frame decided
> enough was enough and began to bend (imperceptably at first), which in turn,
> allowed the shell to separate from the frame at the rear - on the street
> side. For a year, I tried to ignore it and to deny the gap was widening.
> Sometimes, I can be stubborn about choosing to be blind to the obvious.
> 
> Finally last month, I asked the Airstream dealer in Cedar Falls, Iowa
> (Fogdall) to straighten the frame's slight bend, to weld the break shut and
> to reinforce the underside of the frame on both sides. The curb side was
> reinforced for continuity in spite of no separation being evident.
> 
> To reinforce the frame, the serviceman (Noel) used an additional 3' long by
> 4" wide iron strengthener plate on each side, attaching them to the main
> frame and the factory original 3' strengthener plate in the axle area.
> 
> Also, he hand crafted two 18" X 2" metal strips (shaped like a long, tall
> letter L) and attached them to the frame (inside the shell). These hold the
> shell tight against the frame. They were positioned directly at the rear of
> the shell where it mated with the frame. How did he do it?
> 
> No cutting of aluminum skin was involved. The existing rivets were removed
> where the curved portion of skin was connected to flat skin at the rear
> compartment door border. This gave him access to tenderly pull the curved
> portion of skin away from the flat part without bending the aluminum. His
> hands could then reach inside and attach the metal strips to each frame.
> 
> With that done, he re-connected the curved and flat pieces of aluminum with
> olympic rivets and secured the strips to the shell with 12 olympic
> rivets on each side. The job was done without a single wrinkle or blemish in
> the skin. Piece of cake, you say? Maybe, but it required considerable
> attention to detail, planning, having the right tools, knowing exactly what
> he was doing and having only one day's worth of time in which to do it.
> 
> Looking at the fix from the outside, the additional 3' frame strengtheners
> are barely discernable when I shine a flash light up under the frame.  When
> looking directly at the rear of the trailer, there is an 18" high double row
> of 12 rivets directly above the frame on each side where the two strips of
> metal are attached inside the shell and anchored to the frame.
> 
> The olympic rivets are polished to match all other rivets on the trailer.
> Only someone familiar with Airstreams would notice the rivet pattern.
> 
> Since Iowa, I've towed this trailer across the continent to our property in
> Upstate New York. Some of the mid western Interstate highways were rough and
> bouncy even at 40 mph. Even so, the vulcum seam of caulk across the rear
> (between the shell and the frame) is still solid with no evidence of
> parting. When I stand on the bumper and jump up and down, the entire trailer
> moves as one solid unit.
> 
> Why am I mentioning all this? Simple. In my opinion, frame separation is not
> sufficient reason to get rid of a trailer or to think less of it or to
> discount it as a potential purchace. The fix is straight forward and it
> results in the trailer becoming considerably stronger than when first built.
> A few hundred dollars to have this job done is peanuts compared to what I've
> spent on other aspects of this restoration.
> 
> Now - with the frame correctly repaired - the Safari easily handles the
> weight of two batteries behind the streetside wheel.  The many interior
> modifications I've made over the years will last even longer on their newly
> solid platform.  And....., next Spring when we bring the Safari home from
> P&S with a mirror shine, it'll be the cat's meow in all respects (for us).
> 
> BUT - best of all, we can confidently continue our exciting lifestyle of
> exploring unexpected byways around the country. Like many Airstreamers,
> we're inclined to drive down any old dirt or bumpy road in our search for
> lost gold mines and hidden treasures.
> 
> Wally Byam used to say something to the effect that his Airstreams would
> follow any tow vehicle on any road the owner wished to take it.  We'll
> continue to do just that -  especially now that our frame and shell are
> mated more strongly than when originally manufactured.
> 
> Terry