[VAC] Frame separation in a '67 22' Safari

[Terry Tyler <tylerbears@xxxxxxx>]

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

mailto:tylerbears@airstream.net