[VAC] Re: stronger frames in '59??

["Scott & Lise Scheuermann" <schrmnns@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Yes, by '59 they had switched to the ladder type frame. They are stronger
than the pipe frame, but they too can be overloaded. Look at the early to
mid 70's models. They have an even stronger frame than our trailers, but
when Airstream added the gray water tank to the rear of some of them, frame
problems were encountered. Some people did not empty the tank before
traveling. Their frames were overloaded and over time bent (or had the
sag/separation problem). I would like to stress that the frames in these
models are even stronger than the frame you and I have in our trailers, so I
would be careful as to how much weight you add to your trailer and where
that weight is located. Bill is right about the reality check. These
trailers were only designed to hold so much additional weight. Usually
around 1000 pounds. This number is easy to reach by only adding propane,
water, food, clothing and misc stuff. Today we seem to need much more stuff
in our lives than they did back when our trailers were designed and
manufactured. We need to be reminded from time to time to keep it light!

Scott Scheuermann
1960 Overlander