Category Archives: rig maintenance

The Balmoreah Triangle

The wind advisory for southern New Mexico was not kidding: Saturday we endured one of the tougher nights we’ve had with winds gusting off the lake at 50 mph or more, and the Airstream shaking and making all sorts of groans and bumps. At one point, I went out with a light to see if my belly pan and back bumper repairs were holding – and they were. Our neighboors, a young family with three boys, lost their tent in the melee and had to crowd into the grandparents’ small RV next door. You could taste the dust in the air; Mary and I were glad to hitch up in the early morning darkness and be on the way to Texas.

Winds were high on Sunday but they were out of the north and directly behind us. The trip through boring oil fields was mercifully short and we arrived at Balmoreah State Park, a small CCC-built park featuring wonderful wonderful spring water in thee midst of a desert. This "oasis" turned out to be our Bermuda Triangle and we could not wait to get out of there.

The first issue, which by itself would have been a small annoyance, was the internet situation. Here we were, four miles from I-10, and the At&T signal was either weak or when available, some version that was unuseable for either email or web. And unlike our present site, you could not drive a few miles and find a signal. I needed to make reservations for later in the week but Nada.

Then, a real stress-inducing event hit. After we had just parked but not unhitched or set up, the truck alarm went off with Mary sitting in the truck with the door open. I got my keys, reached in to turn the ignition on to stop the noise, and then tossed my keys on the seat saying "In case it happens again." I then took Penny for a walk since she’d been cooped up for several hours.

I returned to find an ashen-faced wife saying, "We are in serious trouble – the truck is locked." I freaked out, trying to blame her (it was my fault), realizing that on a Sunday in a town with 649 people, help was miles, and perhaps days away. Her pocketbook, my glasses, and our phones and Ipads were securely locked away. And then I noticed that my window was down about a little less than an inch.

I took two wire coat hangars from the trailer, made a three foot- long snake with a hook on the end. Carefully, with a number of misses, I hooked the ring and slowly started dragging it toward me. My heart sank as the contraption slid off the neat nearly hitting the floor but soon the keys were nearly at the opening and I got hold of the ring. I don’t recall breathing but must have. I got the small accompanying key through the opening but the thick plastic end of the truck key jammed. Carefully, I worked it through, with literally no room to spare, and had the key, the door open, and a victory horn toot that drew Mary from the trailer with relief. If the window had been up another eighth of an inch, we would have been hosed.

The third event, about which I’ll write more later, happened just afterward. The refrigerator would not turn on and the stuff in the freezer – particularly ice cream, was thawing fast. I checked fuses, power supply – it was dead. I went in town to the only store – no RV repairs in area, nearest store for a cooler about 50 miles away, so I bought a bag of ice and returned.

We had planned two night so I had unhitched in preparation for some birding on Monday (I was looking for a Clark’s Grebe which are often seen at a nearby lake.) We decided to leave this cursed place so I did some quick birding in late afternoon – and got the grebe – and came back and hitched back up for a quick getaway in the morning.

So, we are in the cooler/ice mode but our spirits are good and we are exploring options. We are in a beautiful small park in the hill country (Lost Maples State Natural Area) and hope to see the Golden-cheeked Warbler here. We’ve tossed out the map and literature from Balmoreah – don’t think we’ll be visiting there again this trip, or this lifetime.

Wrapping up the Lower Valley birding

We had guys from a RV repair service out of Tennessee, who winter in the Valley, come by to size up the work on our sagging belly pan. I had devised a plan to fix it but it was a two-person job so when Casey showed up alone, I pitched in and we got it buttoned up fine in less than an hour. Mary and I leave for Falcon Lake State Park in a couple of days so it’s nice to have it done.

Meanwhile, I’ve been trying to pick off some birds I have missed. Let me share with you some of the diverse birds that make this place so special.

Perhaps my favorite is the Vermillion Flycatcher. They are my kind of bird – active in their flycatching and brilliant in coloration. Unlike their Least, Willow and Ash cousins who are impossible to identify without calls, these hotshots just put on a show.

Just as brilliant are the Great Egrets.

We see six doves here: White-tipped, White-winged, Inca, Mourning, Eurasion-collard, and Common Ground. These three young Commons were hanging out yesterday morning – begging for a caption.

One of the ineresting fishing birds here is the Anhinga, aptly known as "Snake Bird."

I’ll put up a few more shots in a day or so – the 4G system is completely overloaded here. We’re moving to the boonies next week so we will see how that works out.

A month from now, we’ll be in California. Time to start easing westward.

A Riveting Day

It’s never a good thing when a trucker passes you, tooting his truck’s horn, and pointing back toward your rig. The only time this has happened to us was on I-10 outside Baton Rouge and we made an emergency pullover to find our heavy electrical cord had got loose, had draged along chafing the plug connectors to nubbins. Well, we had a similar event today outside Knoxville.

I had thought that the trailer was acting a little squirrelly but once warned, I grabbed an exit, looking for a place to stop and look, and ended up in the parking lot of Tennessee RV Sales. As we stopped, I told Mary that I was almost afraid to go back and look.

The rear part of the belly pan had broken loose and was dragging on the road. Heavy rains had soaked the insulation and the weight had caused the collapse. I didn’t even think of trying to get the service guys to fix it – on the day before New Year’s Eve – plus, I’m a Vermonter – we fix things ourselves (sometimes not a smart idea.)

It was 38 degrees with a wind but Mary and I tackled it. She stuffed the insulation into garbage bags while I hunted for tools and stuff in the truck cap. Fortuntely, I had bought new drill bits and brought the riveting stuff and after a half hour of grunting, dropping rivets with numb fingers, I had four good rivets through the frame and we were on our way. I’ll look at the pan when I get to warmer climes but I think we are OK.

Yesterday’s trip was mostly in rain, very heavy at times. The truck traffic, even on a Sunday, was nasty as they threw up geysers of spray. We stopped overnight in the parking lot of a small Walmart in Marion, VA. It had this Sonic burger joint across the street so we had the faint noise of folks ordering from the takeout spots – always reminds us of that wonderful Peter, Paul, & Mary routine – called Paultalk.

Today’s leg, aside from the mishap, was easy. We finally got off I-81 and tonight, are in Harrison Bay State Park outside Chattanooga. We have stayed here before and it’s a little decrepit but there’s water, power, and hot showers. We de-winterized the trailer and are ready to rock and roll. I took Penny on a walk just before dark and saw a bunch of birds – including some real active Golden-crowned Kinglet and my first- of-year Carolina Chickadees. Off to Mississippi in the morning.

Getting Ready For Winter Traveling

With the exterior polishing project shut down due to my knee operation, there’s been a hiatus of sorts on Airstream work until the last few weeks, when I started to get serious about readying the rig for our upcoming trip.  Last week, with cold weather forecast, I drained the water system and winterized it with RV anti-freeze.  There is a sequence of isolating and draining the hot water tank, switching a valve so that the water pump pulls from a gallon jug, and then the pumping until pink liquid comes out the fixture.  I think everything is set — we will find out in late December when we hit warmer weather and get the water running (and hopefully not spraying through cracked pipes or joints) again.

In spite of only getting about 1/2 of the polishing process, the old girl looks ok. I'll bring the polishing gear and perhaps work on it in the SW -- otherwise next summer.

In spite of only getting about 1/2 of the polishing process, the old girl looks ok. I’ll bring the polishing gear and perhaps work on it in the SW — otherwise next summer.

Last trip, I built some shelving for the shower — which we seldom  use — and we found it handy for storing clean and dirty laundry.  This trip, we decided we might want to use the shower (rather than always relying on public facilities) so out the carefully-built wood came and I stored it overhead in the garage in case we change our mind after this jaunt.

I ordered a new latch, and a new air-relief valve for the shower from Out-of-Doors Mart, a fine mail order place for Airstream gear, and after those little tasks were done, I tackled some of the safety systems.

Checking fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, and LP detectors, I found that our aged LP unit was intermittent.  It was also too close to the door so I bought a new one and installed it in a better place — after quite a time finding 12v lines available to extend.  Now we need to look at CO monitors and buy a new smoke alarm.  (A lot of the gear is original which means it is 14 years old.)

LPDetectorW

We stopped using the gas furnace system several years ago because the electric blower was a real energy hog and drained the battery quite fast.  We installed a catalytic heater to take its place and it works quite well.  However, as we found in 2012, the first few nights in Walmart lots can be pretty cold — so I decided to see if we could resurrect the old furnace.

I’ve had really good success getting repair work done at Mekkelsen RV, a local dealer who seldom services an Airstream.  Systems are systems though and they are pros so next week, off we go to get furnace work done.  I also thought, “You know, I don’t want to be driving in West Texas thinking, ‘I wonder if I should have gotten those bearings greased?’ so that’s on the list as well.  They tuned up the rest of the gas system this spring so with this, we should be all set.

The game plan is to move the ‘stream to Merrimac, MA at Thanksgiving and launch from there right after Christmas.  Stay tuned, it’s always an adventure.

Airstream Dermatology

It’s well known that the clear coat used on Airstream exteriors weakens and starts peeling after UV exposure. Some say it starts in five or six years, others seem to do a little better. We had a little peeling when we bought the Safari five years ago but it has gotten steadily worse. It is just cosmetic but as we consider options, I know that potential buyers won’t be too impressed. Here’s what it looked like from the front.

The clear coat and Airstream name was looking pretty ratty.

I decided to strip the clearcoat and polish the aluminum on the top front where the situation was the worst. Steve at Vintage Trailer Supply recommends an environmentally-safe stripper and I’ll use that down the road, but I had an expensive gallon of brain-frying Strypeeze so I used that. At least it was outdoors and with purple nitrile gloves, I painted it on the panel. It looked like this.

The Strypeeze wrinkled up the clearcoat, which then could be wiped off.

After several applications of stripper, I hit it with some lacquer thinner and got most of the remnants off. The peeled areas are oxidized and so the whole panel needs to be polished. That’s next week’s task once the heavy rains scheduled here soon subside.

The non-oxidized areas look pretty good giving me hope for good polishing results.

I have the feeling that this is going to turn into a major project, but at least it doesn’t all have to be done this summer. The softer aluminum used in later Airstreams doesn’t shine up like the older ones, but it should look fine. We will see.

Shakedown Cruise Tomorrow

It’s been 14 months since we have used the Airstream so it’s no wonder that I have been dealing with glitch after glitch with the rig and our gear.  I got the furniture and the systems running and about everything inside cleaned up.  There was a lot of grime from the polishing of the aluminum and the floor was filthy from all the traveling in and out with work boots.

It just takes patience.  I found some gas pipes hanging a little loose underneath, and then noticed a nut missing off a bolt holding a pad on to its leg.

When I got our gear ready, my bike was in need of a little TLC and lubrication.  The tires were low and when I found my good bike pump, the hole had been plugged with a mud dauber — no big deal.  The fancy security cable for the kayaks had apparently been run over at some point – so kiss that baby goodbye.

I got hitched up this evening and tested the lights again (we just did it several weeks ago) and one turn signal was dead.  I changed the bulb — same thing.  A little scraping of the contacts got it going fine.

So, we will attend church tomorrow — it is the last Sunday this Spring for formal choir — and finish heading out mid-day tomorrow.  We have reservations at Ricker Pond State Park — a very small park with just a few RV sites — about an hour and a half away in Groton.  Thunderstorms are predicted so it may be an interesting journey — but we have plenty of time and no schedule.  It will be nice to get the boats out and do some paddling although I did get out yesterday for some birding by kayak.

There’s definitely no wifi and likely no 4G signal but we’ll survive.  Mary has downloaded two new books for her Kindle and I am bringing a thick book that I picked up at the library.  A real book – what a concept.  We’ll let you know how we did when we return next week.

Just a about ready to go.  Can you see the two or three items not ready for the road?  (The roof vents are open, the step is down, and the radio antenna, which you can barely see, needs to be stowed.)

Nearly Ready to Go

For the last several weeks, when it was not freezing or 8o degrees outside, I’ve been working away, polishing the inside of the trailer.  (Last Fall, I had taken off the grimy “mouse fur” lining the walls and fried a few brain cells getting the glue off the walls.) The polishing is just hard grimy work which requires removing the oxidation and rust with one compound, and then finishing up with another.  It looks pretty good.

The polished walls, with terrible reflections from outside, before I started re-installing beds and cabinets.

I had carefully marked most of the stuff I had removed and stored down cellar, putting the screws in small plastic bags and taping them to the item.  It worked pretty well although the rails to hold the curtains were a challenge.  I had multiple sets of holes in the walls but with Mary’s help holding the ends, and some retries, we got them in place.

Here is a similar shot after the bed, the cabinet, and the infamous curtain railing were installed.  Getting there.

Installing the curtains is a trick, especially with bifocals.  You have to thread little plastic holders into a rail while hunched over and working more by feel.  They are installed, the floor is cleaned up, and I only have Mary’s side to finish and the back end of the trailer is ready.

My side is about ready to go with mattress in place.  All it needs is the dog sleeping on it.

I got the rig de-winterized with fresh water on board — only one problem so far with a spray hose in the sink which sprays me instead of the sink.  I tested out the water heater and finally got the refrigerator going on gas.

Our game plan is to finish up the repairs this week and take a short trip over to Ricker Pond State Park next week for a few days of shakedown.  Feels good to get it this far.

All Jacked Up but not yet ready to go.

The small bruises and cuts on my fingers signify the completion of a repair project — the replacement of the front jack.  Like most efforts with our old trailer, it was not easy or without “issues.”

So, here is the culprit prior to replacement.  The gears had stripped, the motor had given out, and I was stuck with using a log to keep the tongue of the trailer out of the mud.

What you can’t see is the rusted bolts holding the jack to the tongue.

There was no way that the three bolts threaded into the tongue were going to move and I had about resolved to cut them off with an angle grinder when I got smart and posted a query on a wonderful online Airstream group called Air Forums.  Here’s the question I raised:

I got several responses back that said first use a penetration oil like PB Blaster, then heat if needed.  They all said don’t cut the bolts off.  So, down to our local hardware store I went and talked to one of the knowledgeable guys who further cautioned me to take my time and don’t use too much force or “you’ll snap off the bolt.”
So, I soaked the bolts, tried to move them, heated them, and later that day, got one to budge.  I carefully extracted two of the bolts, breaking the rust with oil and heat.  Of course, the third one snapped when I put an extender on my ratchet wrench — so I was left with two nice threaded holes and a stub of a hardened bolt.
The two bolts and on the right, the snapped-off bolt.  At least the old jack of off the rig.
I ground down the bolt prior to trying to drill it out.

So, the next morning it was back to the store and confessing to my advisor.  He sold me a drill bit/tapping set and some new bolts and soon I was back at the task, trying to get a small drill bit to center on the bolt.  I finally got it drilled and rethreaded.

The final tasks were rather uneventful – the jack fit the hole, the new bolts worked fine, and when I connected the power, the whole thing worked.  It was a lot of work but it was wonderful to have the help of folks who know what they are doing.  After a few additional fixes due to the differences in the new jack, the Airstream is now ready to hook up to the truck again.  Of course, the list of tasks grew as I worked around the unit, noticing items needing repair.  So, we’ll tackle them one at a time but this major one is great to have out of the way.

New jack ready to go.

Getting the Rig Back Together

The snow has melted, mud season is over, and the pinched nerve in my neck has been somewhat relieved.  It is time to tackle the many tasks needed to get the Airstream back on the road.  Recall that I finally got the repairs made to the exterior last fall but all the cabinets, beds, and accessories that I removed and stored down cellar have to be reinstalled.

The snow has finally melted and it’s time to tackle a myriad of projects to get the rig roadworthy again.

But first, I need to deal with the front jack whose motor and gearing failed last year, after several years of burned connections and emergency fixes.  It no longer works at all, which makes it a little tricky to get hitched up.

The jack has been on the rig since 1999 so the three bolts holding it on are rusted in place.  I suspect that I am going to have to cut them off so I borrowed my neighbor’s angle grinder and bought a cutting wheel.  Not sure how I’ll open up the three holes to bolt the new one on.

I ordered a replacement jack from my friends at Vintage Trailer Supply and since they are based in Montpelier, will pick it up on Thursday.  I’m sure they can give me a little advice on steps ahead.  Stay tuned — or if you have ideas, leave a comment.

Renovation Going Slowly

Having removed the carpet and much of the “mouse fur” from the walls in the dining/living area, I fried a few brain cells removing the glue backing with a solvent. Then, I began polishing the interior aluminum with mixed results. Have to get some more aggressive Nuvite polishing cream to work on the roughest areas but getting there slowly. Here’s a progress photo.

I took a break from polishing and worked on tapping into the propane system and connecting up a catalytic heater to use when we are boondocking. My brother Barry had advised me on fittings and a general scheme and with patience and some “measure twice/cut once” technique, I got it installed on the front of the gas stove with a swinging door so that we can aim it rearward as well. Leak checks with soapy water and we’re good to go.

The couch has been delivered to an upholsterer for recovering and should be ready by late June. Camping season is here — time to get these projects buttoned up.