VAL Digest V1 #259

VAL Digest           Wednesday, May 26 2004           Volume 01 : Number 259




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Topics in Today's Digest:

[VAL] "CAM OUT"
[VAL] Re: cabinet screws
Re: [VAL] "CAM OUT"
Re: [VAL] Toilet part
Re: [VAL] Toilet part
[VAL] vintage fischer gas regulator
Re: [VAL] vintage fischer gas regulator
[VAL] Brakes
Re: [VAL] Brakes
Re: [VAL] Brakes
[VAL] 67 door locks and other stuff
Re: [VAL] loose pan on 69 caravel
Re: [VAL] 67 door locks and other stuff

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Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 00:41:24 -0600
From: "Ralph Wardlaw" <rwardla@xxxxxxxxxx.net>
Subject: [VAL] "CAM OUT"

The cam out problem with slotted screws can also be avoided by using an
appropriate screwdriver. Commonly called Gunsmiths screwdrivers, they have
either a blade that is flat on both sides (no taper), or a more expensive
hollow ground blade. The hollow ground blade is actually somewhat concave
above the tip, assuring that the torque is applied only at the bottom of the
slot. There is  no cam action with either one.
RW
'72 25' A/S Land Yacht

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Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 08:07:57 -0500
From: Chris Koehn <timberguides@xxxxxxxxxx.com>
Subject: [VAL] Re: cabinet screws

I just reinstalled our couch (on top of new cork flooring) and used a 
hex head screw designed for installing metal roofs. They are double hot 
dipped galvanized, have a neoprene washer (which on a barn roof seals 
the penetration but in other applications acts as a lock washer) and 
best of all they have a 1/4" hex head that can be driven with a nut 
driver. These are virtually impossible to strip and very easy to drive 
in awkward places. They can even be driven with a socket wrench in a 
pinch. Only downside is they stick up ~ 3/16" above the floor, but 
under the couch and most cabinet locations that's not an issue.
Available at farm supply (lots of those here in WI) and may building 
centers in a variety of lengths.
My second choice, for lower profile applications, is a torx style drive 
pan head. Easier to drive and harder to strip than square drive.

Chris K.
1979 Int'l
#8638

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Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 09:11:42 -0500
From: "Dr. Gerald N. Johnson, electrical engineer" <geraldj@xxxxxxxxxx.net>
Subject: Re: [VAL] "CAM OUT"

Square and hollow tipped drivers work for a while, but soon wear or
twist. Most rarely are they the correct size for the ordinary wood screw
in both thickness and width.

In my experience, flat blade screwdrivers are more often wrecked than
improved at the grinding wheel. Actually they are improved the best at
the vice with a flat file. They should be held vertical in the vice,
handle down and only the tip (not the faces) filed until the corners are
nearly square. Takes less time that grinding and can be far more precise
with sharper corners.

But there's no good use for a slightly worn Phillips driver other than
making it into a hollow ground flat blade or pointing it for a scribe or
awl. And the biggest problem with Phillips is using the wrong size. In
US Phillips the smaller sized driver will go into the larger screws and
both the screw and driver are worn quickly. In Japanese metric Phillips
that's not true and US screw drivers fit Japanese metric Phillips poorly
leading to early screw damage. ISO Phillips drivers are more rare than
gunsmiths' drivers for flat blades. But the proper Japanese Phillips fit
Japanese made electronics much better than US Phillips fit.

Gerald J.
- -- 
Entire content copyright Dr. Gerald N. Johnson, electrical engineer.
Reproduction by permission only.

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Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 09:37:39 -0700
From: "Gary Quamen" <g_quamen@xxxxxxxxxx.net>
Subject: Re: [VAL] Toilet part

> Are the parts that you got on the website?

Yep.

> If so, which parts?  I don't think we have the same toilets.
>
> Tom Fairbank
> 1969 Tradewind sans toilet


Nope.  I have the AM IV hand flush.  But before you toss the Supreme you
might consider what I ended up doing.  Like I said, I replaced the valve
package.  But then I decided to disconnect the toilet from the water supply
entirely.  I installed instead a hand spray.  I have it mounted on the rear
wall next to the unit.  It connects to the same supply valve.  A much more
efficient way to deal with the "problem".  I wouldn't consider going back to
the way it was.  Uses VERY little (or even no) water per flush (WPF) and
does a super job of it.

(No longer a freeze problem either)

Send you a pic if you like.  Lemme know.

Have fun,

GQ '67 Safari
4082 in CA

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Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 14:14:44 EDT
From: Tombhs@xxxxxxxxxx.com
Subject: Re: [VAL] Toilet part

Yes, send a picture! If I cannot find a good fit replacement I will consider 
your solution.  Thanks for the help.

Tom Fairbank

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Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 12:14:01 -0600
From: "Stan Truitt" <stan.truitt@xxxxxxxxxx.com>
Subject: [VAL] vintage fischer gas regulator

hello everyone
my old propane regulator seemed to have bit the dust a couple of weeks back.
in checking out the archives i saw that many sing the praise of fischer
regulators. by chance i saw a new fischer 966/114 auto changeover regulator on
ebay. i am the lucky (maybe) winner. i have not installed it yet.  when i say
new, i should say new old stock. i estimate it at about 15 or mores years old.
does anyone think that the diaphragm might have deteriorated over the years
being unused?  if it turns out to be bad, are there places that can repair
them? thanks in advance for your help

harry truitt
66 safari
franktown co

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Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 12:41:40 -0500
From: "Dr. Gerald N. Johnson, electrical engineer" <geraldj@xxxxxxxxxx.net>
Subject: Re: [VAL] vintage fischer gas regulator

An old regulator isn't safe. The local propane suppliers are now
insisting that house regulators have proof of not being over 10 years of
age before they will fill the tank. They won't repair them, only replace
them. Buying and old one on ebay is not good economics or safety.

Gerald J.
- -- 
Entire content copyright Dr. Gerald N. Johnson, electrical engineer.
Reproduction by permission only.

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Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 16:58:59 -0400
From: Jerry Jarrell <jdj2@xxxxxxxxxx.net>
Subject: [VAL] Brakes

Hey all you "Shade Tree Mechanics et al," I need to pull the wheels and
check my brakes. Does anyone know a place I could go to give me
instructions for this. I copied pics of the inside of the wheel from
Inland RV but need the steps to take to break the wheel and brakes down.
My TT is a 57 Overlander. Any help appreciated because I am a "Shade
Tree Mechanic's Helper!" :) Thanks!
Jerry

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Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 15:10:19 -0500
From: "Dr. Gerald N. Johnson, electrical engineer" <geraldj@xxxxxxxxxx.net>
Subject: Re: [VAL] Brakes

Unscrew the hub cap, take out the cotter key, take off the nut, then its
ust like any undriven car or trailer axle. There are good pictures in
the Roughneck Trailer's catalog.

Or go for Livingston's fine book on RV maintenance.

Gerald J.
- -- 
Entire content copyright Dr. Gerald N. Johnson, electrical engineer.
Reproduction by permission only.

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Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 16:36:32 -0500
From: Herb Spies <spies@xxxxxxxxxx.net>
Subject: Re: [VAL] Brakes

Review Dexter's resoruce page and  this RV bearing service "how to" 
 guide.  You have to take the outside bearing off to remove the drum. So 
service the bearings also when you  look at the brakes.  BTW Dexter is a 
good source for shoes, drums and magnets. Their "populated" backing 
plate is a good way to replace all the brake parts easily and economically.


Dexter - http://www.dexteraxle.com/resources
RV  http://www.rverscorner.com/articles/bearing1.html#Preload


Jerry Jarrell wrote:

>Hey all you "Shade Tree Mechanics et al," I need to pull the wheels and
>check my brakes. Does anyone know a place I could go to give me
>instructions for this. I copied pics of the inside of the wheel from
>Inland RV but need the steps to take to break the wheel and brakes down.
>My TT is a 57 Overlander. Any help appreciated because I am a "Shade
>Tree Mechanic's Helper!" :) Thanks!
>Jerry
>
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Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 19:02:46 -0700
From: Sharon Chaytor <sharonbc@xxxxxxxxxx.com>
Subject: [VAL] 67 door locks and other stuff

Well, I finally have my airstream home, after owning it for over a year! I 
even slept in it the other night, in my driveway, to test out the bed, and 
to see what other things need to be done, that I had no noticed before. A 
seal around the door is one, and the toilet installed! So, questions.

1967 Safari international

The door seal looks to be not difficult, per the archives, but a small 
problem with the locking mechanism also needs to be dealt with. The door 
has a locking doorknob, but this only locks from the outside. Below the 
locking doorknob, there is a deadbolt affair, but it is missing the outside 
piece, and the inside piece does not turn the middle pieces. I went and 
looked on the VAC faq page, but the page does not seem to address the 
separate lock below the hand set. I gather that the bargman L-200 is the 
handset part. Is there a special type of bolt to go in this hole? Or do I 
just go down to the not-so-local locksmith?


On my trailer, there is a water tank filler at the front, and in the 
manual, it shows a picture in the back of a water inlet hose, along with 
pressure relief valves, ect. I gather that you fill up the tank in the 
front with your own trusty hose, and the water pump pumps water out of it. 
The hose in the back is where you attach the city/whatever water, and the 
pressure from that line is what pressurizes the trailer. Correct?


The nasty...
The toilet is off, as I gather something broke/leaked. It looks like I have 
the original, which is all plastic, and a replacement, which is porcelain. 
Before I go and put a pot back on the hole, I figure that I should inspect 
the black tank for leaks, ect. Is the easiest way to do this to simply put 
some water down the hole, and see where it goes. But, before I do that, I 
imagine I should look to see if I will be able to get the water and 
assorted nasties *out* first! Hopefully, the PO had drained the tank and 
given it a wash before taking the pot off!

That should do for starters...

Sharon, in BC
1967 Safari 

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Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 22:39:09 EDT
From: M1492@xxxxxxxxxx.com
Subject: Re: [VAL] loose pan on 69 caravel

use a punch to pop out stub & replace with a new one


mark
67 safari

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Date: Tue, 25 May 2004 22:26:25 -0500
From: "Dr. Gerald N. Johnson, electrical engineer" <geraldj@xxxxxxxxxx.net>
Subject: Re: [VAL] 67 door locks and other stuff

The dead bolt is not a standard Airstream device. A few trailers do have
the, the door's internal frame is pretty much chewed away making a large
enough hole for one. The neatest installation I've seen put the dead
bolt in the wall with the bolt sticking into a small hole in the door.
One of the group here from Dallas picked up a Caravel with that neat
arrangement. If he doesn't speak up, I have copied his pictures from his
web page and can send them off list.

The Bargman L-200 lock fits the hole left by the original Airstream
Lock. Its bolt (connected to its yoke) is too short. Some Airstream
dealers carry the longer bolt. I paid $13.50 or so for the long yoke and
about $65 for the Bargman lock with the short bolt. Someday I'll take
the new lock apart and put in the long yoke, but in the meantime I took
the original lock apart and cleaned it up and with it back together the
little button down below on the inside seems to lock it.

The dead bolt is probably a standard piece from any hardware store or
home center.

In vintage trailers after you fill the water tank, you pressure it with
the air compressor next to the water tank. That limits your water
carrying capacity but gives you a few quiet glassfuls of water during
the night. If you connect to city water, that pressures the plumbing in
the trailer but probably not the water tank, there often being a check
valve in the tank line to prevent the water tank being so pressurized.
That way the water tank doesn't get overly expanded by excess city water
pressure.

In later trailers the water tank is never pressurized, but the water
pump pumps water when there's demand. The pump has a pressure switch
(pump quite often made by Flojet or Shurflo) to hold up pressure. That
lets you carry the water tank full of water and the pump acts as the
check valve to keep city pressure (as reduced by the pressure regulator)
from the water tank.

Many vintage trailers have been converted from the air compressor to the
water pump.

Vintage black water tanks tend to not pass inspection when tested for
leaks. Some leaks will be on top and so just filling with water may not
show them until you travel a little with the tank full.

There is a book on RV Maintenance by Livingston. It is very good about
plumbing, wiring, and appliances.

Gerald J.
- -- 
Entire content copyright Dr. Gerald N. Johnson, electrical engineer.
Reproduction by permission only.

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End of VAL Digest V1 #259
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