By
Cree Vicar Dave ~ SASS Life #49907
During our first trip with our restored 1969 Airstream trailer we attended four different state shoots and shot at clubs in Georgia and Alabama through the winter. When we got set up at an RV park in Georgia I noticed a problem occurring on the trailer rear frame. We were attending a little country Church and at one of our gatherings I mentioned the problem. One of the gals present said that she knew someone that restored Airstream trailers on a regular basis and she got me his phone number. What he told me was disheartening. It was something like this. Back then Airstream used the same size sheet metal bent channel on all their trailer frames. The longer the trailer, the farther the overhang behind the axles. As a result if there was a little extra weight in the back or a little rust on the steel channel the frame would bend. Our 1969 trailer is 29 foot long and you guessed it, the frame was bent. They do make repair kits for them but he advised me to part company with it. I told him that was not an option as I had already spent too much time and money on it and it would be like getting rid of an old friend.
Now an adequate frame or foundation is very important. It says in Matthew 7:25, “The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” The foundation of a trailer is its frame. If it fails going down the road at 60 MPH in a rain storm it would be a “great crash”.
So I prayed about it and made some inquiries. Then I put my God given talents and 30 + years of experience as a millwright/welder into use. I consulted our son, Gold Tooth Dave, who is also a millwright/welder about what I had come up with. We talked it over and ended up with a final plan.
I bought a length of 3” standard channel iron. The original frame is “C” channel made out of what looked like 10 gauge steel around 5 inches high. We cut open the aluminum under belly around 18 inches deep (cross ways to trailer) and 30 inches long (running with trailer length) right behind the rear wheels. Upon inspection the frame was bent on both sides right behind plate that holds the axles in place. We jacked up the rear frame on both sides and set it on jack stands to the point that it was pushed up in place. The measurements were taken between the axle plate and 3” channel that is welded onto the bottom of the original frame at the back of the trailer. The 3” standard channel was cut to match the angle at the back and overlap the axle plate in the front, around 9”. Then two 1/2" holes were drilled in the axle plate and channel on the front and bolted in place. A 1/4" by 3” by 24” fish plate was welded on the back to connect the 3” standard channel to the existing 3” channel. Then a floor jack was used to push the 3” channel up to the trailer frame and two 1/4” by 3” by 7” steel hangers were placed evenly on each side. They have a 1/2" hole in the top and are bolted to the original trailer frame. The bottom was welded to the new piece of 3” channel. Silicone caulk was placed behind the tops of the hangers where they are bolted onto the trailer frame. The channel was bolted and welded to the axle plate. Some type of lock tight should be used on all bolts and nuts. CAUTION: There is foam insulation above the frame that can catch on fire. We wetted it down and had adequate fire protection available.
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All this resulted in a bridge work that increased the depth of the back of the frame to around 8” and greatly improved the integrity of the trailer. The structure was primed and then painted an aluminum color. It is hardly noticed and looks like it belongs there.
In retrospect, 4” standard channel iron might be a better choice. The bottom 1” of the channel could extend under the existing 3” channel in the back another 12” to 16” and a 1/4” by 4” by proper length fish plate could be welded on giving it a little more strength. If the trailer is over 29’ this might be a wiser choice. Happy camping and keep the greasy side down.
Hope ta see ya on the trail
God Bless,
