Re: [VAL] Sealing seams internally

["Tom" <tmeeker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Charlie,

Aircraft have been using sheetmetal that overlaps a minimum of at least two
rows of fasteners since they've been using aluminum to build them if it is a
structural part.  Seams on aircraft are sealed on the overlapped areas and
not the entire area skin area as you've described below.  Aircraft go
through much more physically than our travel trailers ever would - aircraft
actually *grow* in length and width at altitude which our Airstreams never
do even at sea-level.  It is very difficult for me to believe that Airstream
trailers weaken with age - they are priced from the beginning high enough so
that this should NEVER happen in my book.  I've yet to see enough torsion
and flexing to break a properly sealed joint on an Airstream short of
wrecking the trailer and shredding the metal.

I assume (I hate to use that word) that Airstream is putting sealer all over
the entire interior skin for several reasons the first of which is it is
F-A-S-T and cheaper to do rather than the way I feel is the only correct
method of sealing the joints.  Seal the joints, you have a water-tight
application that will last and you will have a clean area on the backside of
the exterior metal.  It is no wonder you can't find a leak - it could be
ANYWHERE due to the fact that water might be running down the INSIDE of this
skin sealer they use!

Maybe Airstream needs to rethink it's method of construction?  A slightly
wider/longer piece of aluminum would make allowance for a double row of
fasteners *everywhere* there is now a single row - then they could just seal
the overlapped metal rather than wasting material by trying to waterproof
plain metal skin.

You know if Airstream made their trailers like aircraft that they used to be
so fond of saying, there would be no need to treat the backside of the
exterior skin like they do.  Then again the sales of Vulkem would drop
dramatically if you didn't *need* to redo all the exterior seams because the
overlapped metal would have had sealant in place from the very beginning
like I would like to see them do.

Due to the fact that I have now learned that Airstream is NOT sealing
overlapped metal skins I now know the reason why it's a *complete waste of
time trying to track down a single water leak*.  Seeing as how Airstream
constructs their trailers with no sealant between the overlapped metal makes
it imperative that everyone purchase and keep on hand lots of Vulkem for the
future leaks that WILL certainly come to all our trailers.  I'm very
disappointed to say the least in learning that the best travel trailer on
the road is not built better - and they should be, the technology is there
and the price tags suggest the very best of everything which it is now
apparent it is not.

I will say this:  If any of the travel trailers I own need work done on them
the work will be up to aircraft standards or damn close to it if at all
possible.  If I ever need to replace sheetmetal, it WILL have sealant
between each and every layer - however it won't have bare metal covered with
sealant that serves no purpose like is used today by the factory.  I will
also use much better fasteners than the cheap Olympic rivets - on the order
of Cherry Max or Cherry-Lok.  I will also purchase the tools to do a better
job on my own trailers than the factory does at this time.  I'm very
disappointed in Airstream - they are the best, they need to BE the best in
their construction methods as well.

Tom
WBCCI 5303