So many people would be scared to death to tackle a job like that. I'm willing to bet that if you took it in to be fixed, it would have cost you a small fortune. What you did might not be the official way of repairing all that damage but I think it is way better then what was there to begin with. Congratulations on a job well done!
I put the total cost in the description, Including buying all the tools it was half the cost and the job it better. I actually did take it to the dealer to fix, they had it for 2 weeks and did nothing, they were more concerned about the original parts being replaced than fixing the problems. They estimated $2000 to fixe the spring and replace it, but with the caveat that if other issues were found it might double. NO!! Glad I did it. I'll be finishing it up this 4th weekend!
@@GoingNoWhereFast And I hope you do a video on the 'finishing up' part! I am really interested in that too! I'm amazed at how easy you made this look. You are an inspiration, Rick!
@@GoingNoWhereFast Gotta' say I don't like where the description is now. I always seem to miss it. I agree if the dealer said $2k, he really meant $4k after "finding" more problems. Sometimes I wish they'd just say they don't want to deal with it instead of quoting ridiculous prices to scare you away. Seems like the only people with honesty and integrity are you, me, and all your subscribers. Yeah, I know...brownie points.
Well, I understand. When it come to water damage, you never know ntil you strip away all the outside covers and laminates. SO he has to protect himself and not get tied to a gross under estimate. But really, his biggest priority for fixing it was to return it to "original" which I wanted better than original!!
I know an individual on FB who would probably have a stroke if he saw this vid. I remember watching your repair from last year and you knew you were covering up some rot but the great outdoors was beckoning! Last winter I replaced the spring boxes on both rear corners with hardwood. I did it without removing the roof and it was no small task. Hopefully it will last a good long time. You were very helpful and encouraging and I appreciated your help a lot! As the old saying goes, "there is more than one way to skin a cat". ( disclaimer: I do not approve of skinning cats ) . Anyhow, I appreciate both your ingenuity and your humility. Thanks for putting your vids up there so we can learn what to do, and what NOT to do. Cheers from New Hampshire!!
You know, I watch his videos and enjoy his answers to "Newbie Questions", But he is definitely not one to consider anything he didn't think up or done in the past. He isn't even a member of the Aliner Owners Club, which says a lot. But as a resource, I don't discount anyone or thing. The really big question on my repair is I used Pressure treated lumber. We shall see if it shrinks much as that wood always does. Or if it just eliminates any chance of rot! With your repair you stayed with corner springs?? I'm changing to the Gas strut springs. Much easier to repair!
@@GoingNoWhereFast Yes, I stayed with the springs. I read somewhere (forget where) that the struts cause a lot of stress on the Aluminum (where it is mounted) and can cause problems. The spring boxes were a pain but I had all winter to do it and I was fixing a ton of water damage to other areas at the same time. Time will tell how well I did. I've learned a ton from the chap on FB. He's as "by the book" as you can get. But as the saying goes "it ain't rocket science". Some basic understanding and good ole common sense and can fix an Aliner :-)
That's was the problem that Aliner found with the original struts they installed which went the opposite way we install them. And like the regular springs, if you leave it up most of the time, the struts are "Relaxed" and not placing any stress on any part.
Rick - l made the same repair last year. Same corner. I put the spring back it. Hope i don’t regret it. Covered the entire back of the trailer with diamond plate. Lots of interest in using gas struts and taking out the springs. Will consider doing that in future. Let us know how the roof works without the springs. Thanks, enjoy your summer.
That Sika-Flex is incredible! An idiot at work thought he could use Sika-Flex instead of a gasket to seal a 24-inch inspection manway lid on a steel tank. The only way we got it off the next year for the tank's annual inspection was to heat the manway lid red hot with two big oxy-acetylene torches, while using 3 crowbars to pry it off a little bit at a time. It took a 4-man crew all day to get that lid off!
Wish I could do repairs like that. I just had some work done at my local rv place. Had to make an appointment several weeks in advance just to drop it off for a then 4 week possible work window. They did do it in 4 weeks. Can’t complain. I couldn’t do the work myself. Great video.
Thanks, It isn't really that hard. Having the right tools helps (See description). It just took a lot of teeth gritting and head scratching to figure out how I wanted to put it back together. At one point I was going to take it to the dealer to put back together.....lol Decided I'd like them fix what I totally messed up if I didn't get it right !! :-)
Having a spring blow is an Aliner owner’s nightmare! You handled it with patience and ingenuity. The repair looks great and I’m looking forward to seeing the next video. We keep our 2016 Aliner Scout closed and covered with a tarp when we aren’t using it. So far, so good.
You found it just in time . Fix looks great . Hopefully no more water can get in. You may do it differently than some,but looked like it worked out pretty well. Happy camping in the future 👍👍👍👍👍🙏❤️🐾🐾🐾🐾☕
The future is NOW!! WE NEED CAMPING!! Next weekend! After this crazy noisy holiday weekend. I'm really temped to leave the pretty wood open and visible. Love that look!!
I have the same aliner - your videos are super helpful, and your instructions are very easy to understand!! Thank you so much for taking the time to make your videos.
Yeah.. first time i've heard a video talking about folks not having accoiunts.. with the inability to subscribe or comment/like. Thanks for mentioning that!! Looks like a very solid repair! Thanks for the info on the paint bucket.. very cool! Would like a video on removign the spirng and the air strut install.
I did a video on the Air Strut last year when I added ones to help lift my solar panels. As for removing the springs, that is on the end of the video. While I did it while the camper was up, its easier to do it when the camper is down and just lean it against a tree, house, garage, or whatever. And Thanks for a great comment !
Following in your footsteps! New springs blew out the corner which was rotted in exactly the same place. Your video is very helpful in showing what's under the skin, and your results are very encouraging. Thanks and well done!
@@TheBudLab No, the struts only work after the roof is up about a foot, and work the most when they are perpendicular to the roof. The springs get the roof moving at the initial lift. So the springs are important
@GoingNoWhereFast I went to look at a 2008 with both back spring boxes totally rotted out. I'm young soo I was hoping to just remove the springs & add heavy duty 200lb struts.
I have exact same aliner. Currently the wood at 3 springs are rotted. I wonder if easier to add a strut on each rotted corner that is always vertical to help with the initial lifting in addition to the horizontal (when roof is flat) strut
You're so calm, I get nervous just watching. And reading camping with aliners on Facebook. I wish I knew about solar and just the essentials like, the fridge. I just get a sick feeling. Started older, we always tented, now we have this tent on wheels. Love your videos.
You can do it! You get used to the sick feeling. Its like seasickness, eventually you just learn to live with it. The freedom it brings is awesome, even if it is fleeting!!
Thats a heck of a job and the repair looks great. I bought new springs for my Chalet a-frame a few years back. After watching your struggles with changing the springs and the aftermath, I've decided not to open Pandora's box and will just leave the original springs as is. If the need arises I'll just install struts like you did. Cheers!
I have the same issue with my camper. I removed the roof spring and going to replace the rotten wood the best I can. And use a gas strut. Thanks for your informative video.
If you completely remove the springs, the roof will be very heavy to open. The springs lift the roof during the initial lift, the struts power the roof up after the roof is open 1/2 way. I did not realize this until after I did this video. Its best to replace the rotten wood with a good piece of maple or cherry hardwood. Replace the springs, and remember how you did it so you can do it again in 5-10years. It also helps to add a drip edge to the roof so the water doesn't run down to the hinge and into the corner. I'll show this in a future video.
I had to completely redo my 1989. Replaced floor, had to redo all 4 corners from water damage. Removed top completely, had to rebuild where springs were with new wood and metal plates.
That's probably a good idea. But do remember that what people post on UA-cam is usually ways to fix things, DYI videos. They don't usually show all the fun and places they went with the trailer, unless they have a full time channel about it!
Oh, thats too bad. While it was a lot of work and took me 4 weeks to think through it. I'm very pleased and believe it will give me another 5-10 years of service. At a total cost of just around $1000
That was awesome!!! I want to see how that little vibrating cutter works! I will re-watch this and try to pick up the name of that cool little tool! Great job really informative fun to watch!!
Hope you enjoy it! They are a special kind of trailer. For Special people! Join the Aliner Owners Club. You'll find great peopleand lots of ideas for making it best
Wish I was half as handy as you. All the vids are great tips. Also, love the dog! My parents used to breed GSs and we've had as many as 6 in the house. I had one through college that I used to take to school and work with me. He was stick crazy too. :D Do you ever come out west? Happy trails...
I feel your pain. This is why I sold my Aliner after a lot of repairs. Although I loved my Aliner I don't think they are made very well. I think they could make improvement and make them worth what they are asking for them. I now have built my own camper.
Its a pretty unique little camper. I think it works for a certain number of people, not everyone who buys them is fit for it. But the price and the weight is about right for what I see. September I will be at the Hershey RV show, and We will compare prices and worthiness.. lol They may never let me back!
Nice work. I have a 1987 Jayco popup that currently is just a flatbed trailer. Years of leaks and all wood was bad. Plan on rebuilding as a enclosed trailer. All aluminum, no wood, fibreboard, MDF or particle board. Saw Slim had issues with particleboard floor. Can't believe they went so cheap. For what they charge, they should have used marine-grade plywood. I see Akila like most GSD's is right there: I HELP! ;)
Ya, Akela subdues the swearing for sure. Always good to have a smiling helper. If they built it right, it would weigh twice as much and cost $40,000. I think for most people they are a good little trailer for dragging behind a small SUV for a twice a year vacation. And Stored in a garage. Mine definitely aged better when stored inside.
I have a 2003 same issue, same place. I really admire your work ethic. Patience and detailed. I can only guess how many hours you spent on this and how much an rv dealer would have charged to fix it$$$$$
Most likely an RV dealer would refuse to do it. There are some things wrong, but not critical that I did. The Replacement wood is best if you use hardwood instead of pressure treated pine. I totally removed my springs. The roof lift is much harder and I am replacing my spring back in where they belong. But all in all. I think it works and it looks great !! Thanks for the comment!
No, the bungees are to keep the roof halves together by equalizing the lift and they also keep it from blowing over if the wind takes one roof panel. The Gas struts are too low to stop the wind from destroying a roof panel.
As a fiberglasser you should first paint the timber with two coats of laminate To stop the air in the timber as it will delaminate Then lay your chop mate then the 4oz mat with laminate resin then a filler to fill the matten We made wood surf board fins and that’s how it’s done Hope anyone can use this method best
On the very top, no. But its pretty easy. Put the roofs up and place a 2x6 in the crack at the top. The hard part is getting to the peak without walking on the walls. You can raise the walls and hold them up with a pole from one to the other while you replace the foam weatherstrip. But just personally, I've never replaced mine in 10yrs and don't really know why you would want to. I like the little crack up there,
@@GoingNoWhereFast thank you for the quick response, yes I’m talking about the rubber across the very top, I was washing my camper and noticed a few frayed areas and didn’t know what kind of stripping to use. I am having to rehome my beautiful AFrame due to medical issues.
So did you put the rusty spring back in? If you didn't put it back in are you going to rely on the gas strut? And did you take the left side spring out while you had the roof in the air? So many questions.
I'm experimenting with the springs/struts. I only didt the one on the repair side is replaced with the gas strut. The other side is stock. We will see if that works!! And It will tell me if it needs to be done on both sides. I'm afraid the strut I installed is too strong (50#). We shall see.
Hello. I found the video where you mentioned waterproofing the fabric over the hinge. I asked the question in a different video by accident a couple of weeks ago. Is there a specific product that you used? I'm sure my fabric is permeable after 14 years and contributed to my corner rotting.
I didn't do anything to mine as I need to replace the hinges anyway. When I do that I will replace the cloth hinge cover with a new waterproof one. I am pretty sure there are waterproof paints you can add over the original that would last a few years. Depending on how often you open and close. But I don't have anything off the top of my head. You might also call Aliner or John Pfeil to see what they recommend.
Every Axle has a tag in the middle of the axle. You can get the number off it and any axle company can tell you which axles will fit. Depending on your year, the Axles were AL-KO, then Dexter Bought AL-KO, Then later the axles became dexter axles. When you order your axle, just tell them you want more angle on the torsion arm. 25degrees down is a nice tall axle with great suspension. Also your might want to upgrade to a 3500 or 4400lb axle depending on where you drive.
rick I have a problem, i bought a 2012 ranger 3-4 months back and have done several repairs watching your videos. the side wall with the front door has pulled apart at the piano hinge on front part and seems to be hitting the spring that lifts top . the side panel seems warped slightly that has door on it. I think i can repair it using some flat aluminum and rivets where it has separated wall from hinge.my question is have u ever had hinge pull loose from styrofoam before? dont seem to be any rot or water damage but the hinge on door has been damaged from previous owner.. Im thinking of removing springs like u did and use shocks.
Hi Larry, I've not seen that, but I only work on my own camper. John Pfeil has a facebook page where he answers all kinds of questions and he has been fixing Aliners and Aframes for over 20 years. So you might look him up. He is pretty good about answering questions and even takes phone calls.. facebook.com/groups/1842300225998632/
Aloha, I just bought a Chalet 17ft. I have same issue, entire rear has moved 3-4 inches off of main frame. about to remove the duck tape the guy I bought it from put there LOL. For sure I have wood rot. MY question would be if you had any advice to push the back, back into place?
Just do it. It will either go or you’ll have to replace it like you would anyway. Also replace rotted wood with maple or cherry boards. They will hold up 10 yrs longer.
trying to find a specific camper with a bathroom and room for 2-3. Currently looking at Camplite Trailers by Livin Lite. Thor bought them out in 2016 and shut them down. Its a all aluminum trailer with Adsel walls making it almost indestructible.
The bungee tie the roof halfs together and "coordinate" them matching up when fully up. They also keep the roof halves from opening too far and being blow apart. You can actually replace them with a proper length of rope if you would like to.
Wow, didn't know you were into planes - EAA. Have you built anything? Was always interested in the Rutan home builts but never had the money or skill to attempt it.
Wow thats a pretty big repair job, not something i would tackle. Hopefully the newer models don’t have that issue. Mine is a 2021 35th anniversary model.
I'll trade you!?!? Is it a off road model!! I begged them to "GIVE ME" one for 6 months, finally they told me they were all sold!! You think they would throw me a bone for all I do to promote their campers. And that's all they do, is throw chicken bones at me!! lol
You mean instead of the fiberglass reinforcement. You would have to have a really skilled plate bender to fit it on, and the trailer does "Flex" a bit when I go off roading with it. So cost, ease of repair, and final quality say probably not.
I should have been wearing a tyvek suit and a hood. A week later I am itchy all over and my face it painfully itchy. Wrong sander! It was blowing the dust right into my face!
Why didnt you just buy a pair of hinge seals from Avan in the first place to stop the damage, they arent expensive and not hard to replace. And now you are going to use gorilla tape? Also the triangles t the corners are missing so its still going to leak
I'm not sure what you mean by "Hinge Seals"? And the little "Ears" that go on the corners are on the trailer when I was finished. Thanks for the comment. Very helpful!
Well maybe it's time to consider a newer A-liner. Sorry forgive me for laughing just a bit, some times saying "Uncle " is needed.🙃 You certainly have run that poor thing through the wringer.
They are very cheaply made and they have NO warrantee or legal protection for the buyer. The Appliances are often covered, but not always for more than 30days. But if you like to tinker... its fun!
I'll re-enforce it with some gorilla tape and do a better job of sealing it up and put it back so it looks like it should. I might also add rain gutter to divert the rain from coming over the edge into the hinge.
So many people would be scared to death to tackle a job like that. I'm willing to bet that if you took it in to be fixed, it would have cost you a small fortune. What you did might not be the official way of repairing all that damage but I think it is way better then what was there to begin with. Congratulations on a job well done!
I put the total cost in the description, Including buying all the tools it was half the cost and the job it better. I actually did take it to the dealer to fix, they had it for 2 weeks and did nothing, they were more concerned about the original parts being replaced than fixing the problems. They estimated $2000 to fixe the spring and replace it, but with the caveat that if other issues were found it might double. NO!! Glad I did it. I'll be finishing it up this 4th weekend!
@@GoingNoWhereFast And I hope you do a video on the 'finishing up' part! I am really interested in that too! I'm amazed at how easy you made this look. You are an inspiration, Rick!
@@GoingNoWhereFast Gotta' say I don't like where the description is now. I always seem to miss it. I agree if the dealer said $2k, he really meant $4k after "finding" more problems. Sometimes I wish they'd just say they don't want to deal with it instead of quoting ridiculous prices to scare you away. Seems like the only people with honesty and integrity are you, me, and all your subscribers. Yeah, I know...brownie points.
I won't do another separate video, but in the next video I will have the final finishing touches.
Well, I understand. When it come to water damage, you never know ntil you strip away all the outside covers and laminates. SO he has to protect himself and not get tied to a gross under estimate. But really, his biggest priority for fixing it was to return it to "original" which I wanted better than original!!
I know an individual on FB who would probably have a stroke if he saw this vid. I remember watching your repair from last year and you knew you were covering up some rot but the great outdoors was beckoning! Last winter I replaced the spring boxes on both rear corners with hardwood. I did it without removing the roof and it was no small task. Hopefully it will last a good long time. You were very helpful and encouraging and I appreciated your help a lot! As the old saying goes, "there is more than one way to skin a cat". ( disclaimer: I do not approve of skinning cats ) . Anyhow, I appreciate both your ingenuity and your humility. Thanks for putting your vids up there so we can learn what to do, and what NOT to do. Cheers from New Hampshire!!
You know, I watch his videos and enjoy his answers to "Newbie Questions", But he is definitely not one to consider anything he didn't think up or done in the past. He isn't even a member of the Aliner Owners Club, which says a lot. But as a resource, I don't discount anyone or thing. The really big question on my repair is I used Pressure treated lumber. We shall see if it shrinks much as that wood always does. Or if it just eliminates any chance of rot! With your repair you stayed with corner springs?? I'm changing to the Gas strut springs. Much easier to repair!
@@GoingNoWhereFast Yes, I stayed with the springs. I read somewhere (forget where) that the struts cause a lot of stress on the Aluminum (where it is mounted) and can cause problems. The spring boxes were a pain but I had all winter to do it and I was fixing a ton of water damage to other areas at the same time. Time will tell how well I did. I've learned a ton from the chap on FB. He's as "by the book" as you can get. But as the saying goes "it ain't rocket science". Some basic understanding and good ole common sense and can fix an Aliner :-)
That's was the problem that Aliner found with the original struts they installed which went the opposite way we install them. And like the regular springs, if you leave it up most of the time, the struts are "Relaxed" and not placing any stress on any part.
Wow! What a great repair! I would have just cried if I had discovered that on our A liner. Congrats on such excellent repair work.
I cried for a while, trying to decide where to bury it in the back yard was the real problem. So had to fix it. It is now my cyborg trailer!!
Rick - l made the same repair last year. Same corner. I put the spring back it. Hope i don’t regret it. Covered the entire back of the trailer with diamond plate. Lots of interest in using gas struts and taking out the springs. Will consider doing that in future. Let us know how the roof works without the springs. Thanks, enjoy your summer.
You too Ken, Summer only comes once a year!! Make good use of it! We will be camping as soon as the fireworks weekend is over!!
I am impressed! My old Aliner had the same issue. If I had the knowledge and ability to fix it like you do I would still have it. I loved that thing.
The knowledge is gained through many mistakes...lol Its a heavily edited video!
We had the same problem as well . We loved the Aliner it’s just to bad that these trailers can’t be better made, they are definitely expensive enough.
That Sika-Flex is incredible! An idiot at work thought he could use Sika-Flex instead of a gasket to seal a 24-inch inspection manway lid on a steel tank. The only way we got it off the next year for the tank's annual inspection was to heat the manway lid red hot with two big oxy-acetylene torches, while using 3 crowbars to pry it off a little bit at a time. It took a 4-man crew all day to get that lid off!
The Sika Company makes a lot of good stuff, but they tend to only sell to big manufacturers. You really have to look for it!
Wish I could do repairs like that. I just had some work done at my local rv place. Had to make an appointment several weeks in advance just to drop it off for a then 4 week possible work window. They did do it in 4 weeks. Can’t complain. I couldn’t do the work myself. Great video.
Thanks, It isn't really that hard. Having the right tools helps (See description). It just took a lot of teeth gritting and head scratching to figure out how I wanted to put it back together. At one point I was going to take it to the dealer to put back together.....lol Decided I'd like them fix what I totally messed up if I didn't get it right !! :-)
Having a spring blow is an Aliner owner’s nightmare! You handled it with patience and ingenuity. The repair looks great and I’m looking forward to seeing the next video. We keep our 2016 Aliner Scout closed and covered with a tarp when we aren’t using it. So far, so good.
Thanks 👍
Not only articulate, but resourceful as well!! Thanks for all you do!!
I appreciate that!
Rick you seem to catch Aliner quickly I so look forward each week
Of watching you and Akela having adv adventures..
Thanks Roger, I look forward to everyone watching and letting me know what they think! Akela just loves being a ham!!
Wow! Awesome job on your Aliner. The repairs were great. You make it look so simple. Keep on sharing your video.
Thanks, will do!
You found it just in time . Fix looks great . Hopefully no more water can get in. You may do it differently than some,but looked like it worked out pretty well. Happy camping in the future 👍👍👍👍👍🙏❤️🐾🐾🐾🐾☕
The future is NOW!! WE NEED CAMPING!! Next weekend! After this crazy noisy holiday weekend. I'm really temped to leave the pretty wood open and visible. Love that look!!
I have the same aliner - your videos are super helpful, and your instructions are very easy to understand!! Thank you so much for taking the time to make your videos.
Thanks for the nice comments and for watching along.
Yeah.. first time i've heard a video talking about folks not having accoiunts.. with the inability to subscribe or comment/like. Thanks for mentioning that!! Looks like a very solid repair! Thanks for the info on the paint bucket.. very cool! Would like a video on removign the spirng and the air strut install.
I did a video on the Air Strut last year when I added ones to help lift my solar panels. As for removing the springs, that is on the end of the video. While I did it while the camper was up, its easier to do it when the camper is down and just lean it against a tree, house, garage, or whatever. And Thanks for a great comment !
Following in your footsteps! New springs blew out the corner which was rotted in exactly the same place. Your video is very helpful in showing what's under the skin, and your results are very encouraging. Thanks and well done!
Put the springs back in, I'm not satisfied with the way it works without springs.
@GoingNoWhereFast if your side struts were rated for more LB would that help better?
@@TheBudLab No, the struts only work after the roof is up about a foot, and work the most when they are perpendicular to the roof. The springs get the roof moving at the initial lift. So the springs are important
@GoingNoWhereFast I went to look at a 2008 with both back spring boxes totally rotted out. I'm young soo I was hoping to just remove the springs & add heavy duty 200lb struts.
I have exact same aliner. Currently the wood at 3 springs are rotted. I wonder if easier to add a strut on each rotted corner that is always vertical to help with the initial lifting in addition to the horizontal (when roof is flat) strut
You're so calm, I get nervous just watching. And reading camping with aliners on Facebook. I wish I knew about solar and just the essentials like, the fridge. I just get a sick feeling. Started older, we always tented, now we have this tent on wheels. Love your videos.
You can do it! You get used to the sick feeling. Its like seasickness, eventually you just learn to live with it. The freedom it brings is awesome, even if it is fleeting!!
@@GoingNoWhereFast funny too!
Thats a heck of a job and the repair looks great. I bought new springs for my Chalet a-frame a few years back. After watching your struggles with changing the springs and the aftermath, I've decided not to open Pandora's box and will just leave the original springs as is. If the need arises I'll just install struts like you did. Cheers!
Add struts when you have the time. Then if you have any sign of spring trouble pull them out and up the power on the struts. Easy and cheap.
I have the same issue with my camper. I removed the roof spring and going to replace the rotten wood the best I can. And use a gas strut. Thanks for your informative video.
If you completely remove the springs, the roof will be very heavy to open. The springs lift the roof during the initial lift, the struts power the roof up after the roof is open 1/2 way. I did not realize this until after I did this video. Its best to replace the rotten wood with a good piece of maple or cherry hardwood. Replace the springs, and remember how you did it so you can do it again in 5-10years. It also helps to add a drip edge to the roof so the water doesn't run down to the hinge and into the corner. I'll show this in a future video.
I had to completely redo my 1989. Replaced floor, had to redo all 4 corners from water damage. Removed top completely, had to rebuild where springs were with new wood and metal plates.
Oh you're really having fun with it!! You'll know it inside out and Upside down when your done! Hopefully you have had some time camping with it!
I learned a lot; the great results are what counts! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching!
I hope we will see the final finished repair? Awesome repair! 👍🏻
That's the plan!
I just love your ingenuity keep it coming
Thanks, will do!
Amazing work Rick. Better than new!!!
Definitely built stronger, we will see if better in 5 years! lol
After watching and reading all these damage stories I've decided to rent a trailer when the urge gets me.
That's probably a good idea. But do remember that what people post on UA-cam is usually ways to fix things, DYI videos. They don't usually show all the fun and places they went with the trailer, unless they have a full time channel about it!
Wow looks great! I got rid of my Aframe after the spring came through the wall!
Oh, thats too bad. While it was a lot of work and took me 4 weeks to think through it. I'm very pleased and believe it will give me another 5-10 years of service. At a total cost of just around $1000
That was awesome!!! I want to see how that little vibrating cutter works! I will re-watch this and try to pick up the name of that cool little tool! Great job really informative fun to watch!!
Its listed in the description below. They are very cool!
Good ideas. I bought a aliner last week
Hope you enjoy it! They are a special kind of trailer. For Special people! Join the Aliner Owners Club. You'll find great peopleand lots of ideas for making it best
Wish I was half as handy as you. All the vids are great tips. Also, love the dog! My parents used to breed GSs and we've had as many as 6 in the house. I had one through college that I used to take to school and work with me. He was stick crazy too. :D Do you ever come out west? Happy trails...
Planning out west for 2024, probably not before, still working full time PLUS
I feel your pain. This is why I sold my Aliner after a lot of repairs. Although I loved my Aliner I don't think they are made very well. I think they could make improvement and make them worth what they are asking for them. I now have built my own camper.
Its a pretty unique little camper. I think it works for a certain number of people, not everyone who buys them is fit for it. But the price and the weight is about right for what I see. September I will be at the Hershey RV show, and We will compare prices and worthiness.. lol They may never let me back!
Nice work.
I have a 1987 Jayco popup that currently is just a flatbed trailer. Years of leaks and all wood was bad. Plan on rebuilding as a enclosed trailer. All aluminum, no wood, fibreboard, MDF or particle board. Saw Slim had issues with particleboard floor. Can't believe they went so cheap. For what they charge, they should have used marine-grade plywood.
I see Akila like most GSD's is right there: I HELP! ;)
Ya, Akela subdues the swearing for sure. Always good to have a smiling helper. If they built it right, it would weigh twice as much and cost $40,000. I think for most people they are a good little trailer for dragging behind a small SUV for a twice a year vacation. And Stored in a garage. Mine definitely aged better when stored inside.
I have a 2003 same issue, same place. I really admire your work ethic. Patience and detailed. I can only guess how many hours you spent on this and how much an rv dealer would have charged to fix it$$$$$
Most likely an RV dealer would refuse to do it. There are some things wrong, but not critical that I did. The Replacement wood is best if you use hardwood instead of pressure treated pine. I totally removed my springs. The roof lift is much harder and I am replacing my spring back in where they belong. But all in all. I think it works and it looks great !! Thanks for the comment!
Thanks Rick for another great video. If you put gas struts on both roof sections can you eliminate the bungee cords.
No, the bungees are to keep the roof halves together by equalizing the lift and they also keep it from blowing over if the wind takes one roof panel. The Gas struts are too low to stop the wind from destroying a roof panel.
@@GoingNoWhereFast thanks Rick. I think that Aliner has a bungee cord kit available to replace the old cords. I will check them out.
Another great video thank you!
Thanks for the kind comment !!
Awesome as usual!!! Thanks so much for sharing.
You are so welcome!
As a fiberglasser you should first paint the timber with two coats of laminate
To stop the air in the timber as it will delaminate
Then lay your chop mate then the 4oz mat with laminate resin then a filler to fill the matten
We made wood surf board fins and that’s how it’s done
Hope anyone can use this method best
Thanks, Good information
Great job, one thing about trailers is once you do a repair it better than the factory built!
Well, it definitely isn't assembly line quota driven..lol
Excellent! (I hope I never have to do that to my Ranger 12!)
Keep it clean and waxed and under cover when not in use! It definitely extends the life.
Rick, how did the fiberglass repair go? Would love to see some pics.
It went well, its a great repair, just looks a little "Country" since I didn't spend a ton of time smoothing and matching it
Do you have a video showing how to repair the rubber strip across the top peak
On the very top, no. But its pretty easy. Put the roofs up and place a 2x6 in the crack at the top. The hard part is getting to the peak without walking on the walls. You can raise the walls and hold them up with a pole from one to the other while you replace the foam weatherstrip. But just personally, I've never replaced mine in 10yrs and don't really know why you would want to. I like the little crack up there,
@@GoingNoWhereFast thank you for the quick response, yes I’m talking about the rubber across the very top, I was washing my camper and noticed a few frayed areas and didn’t know what kind of stripping to use. I am having to rehome my beautiful AFrame due to medical issues.
U did a great job !
Thank you, There is a lot more than a 20 minute video shows!! lol
Have virtually same damage on my 2009 Aliner Classic.
Well, You can fix it now!!
So did you put the rusty spring back in? If you didn't put it back in are you going to rely on the gas strut? And did you take the left side spring out while you had the roof in the air? So many questions.
I'm experimenting with the springs/struts. I only didt the one on the repair side is replaced with the gas strut. The other side is stock. We will see if that works!! And It will tell me if it needs to be done on both sides. I'm afraid the strut I installed is too strong (50#). We shall see.
Hello. I found the video where you mentioned waterproofing the fabric over the hinge. I asked the question in a different video by accident a couple of weeks ago. Is there a specific product that you used? I'm sure my fabric is permeable after 14 years and contributed to my corner rotting.
I didn't do anything to mine as I need to replace the hinges anyway. When I do that I will replace the cloth hinge cover with a new waterproof one. I am pretty sure there are waterproof paints you can add over the original that would last a few years. Depending on how often you open and close. But I don't have anything off the top of my head. You might also call Aliner or John Pfeil to see what they recommend.
When you replaced your axle. Do you have the part number for it
I need to replace mine. Would like to also get some more height on it
Every Axle has a tag in the middle of the axle. You can get the number off it and any axle company can tell you which axles will fit. Depending on your year, the Axles were AL-KO, then Dexter Bought AL-KO, Then later the axles became dexter axles. When you order your axle, just tell them you want more angle on the torsion arm. 25degrees down is a nice tall axle with great suspension. Also your might want to upgrade to a 3500 or 4400lb axle depending on where you drive.
rick I have a problem, i bought a 2012 ranger 3-4 months back and have done several repairs watching your videos. the side wall with the front door has pulled apart at the piano hinge on front part and seems to be hitting the spring that lifts top . the side panel seems warped slightly that has door on it. I think i can repair it using some flat aluminum and rivets where it has separated wall from hinge.my question is have u ever had hinge pull loose from styrofoam before? dont seem to be any rot or water damage but the hinge on door has been damaged from previous owner.. Im thinking of removing springs like u did and use shocks.
Hi Larry, I've not seen that, but I only work on my own camper. John Pfeil has a facebook page where he answers all kinds of questions and he has been fixing Aliners and Aframes for over 20 years. So you might look him up. He is pretty good about answering questions and even takes phone calls.. facebook.com/groups/1842300225998632/
Any chance you may have termites rather than water intrusion?
No, I actually have a degree in pest management. The water was causing mold , but not insects. The trailer never sat stil long enough!! lol
Aloha, I just bought a Chalet 17ft. I have same issue, entire rear has moved 3-4 inches off of main frame. about to remove the duck tape the guy I bought it from put there LOL. For sure I have wood rot. MY question would be if you had any advice to push the back, back into place?
Just do it. It will either go or you’ll have to replace it like you would anyway. Also replace rotted wood with maple or cherry boards. They will hold up 10 yrs longer.
Nice repair! I thought you had mentioned switching up your camper in a previous video. Forward plans on a new rig?
trying to find a specific camper with a bathroom and room for 2-3. Currently looking at Camplite Trailers by Livin Lite. Thor bought them out in 2016 and shut them down. Its a all aluminum trailer with Adsel walls making it almost indestructible.
Mine is 1989 I think it has that same tag number on it.
Might be the same axle model
OMG, Rick! You really need to hurry up and find a Livin’ Lite camper! 😂
Working on it! There is a possible one in Colorado... that might be too far though!
What is the purpose of the bungee cords ?
The bungee tie the roof halfs together and "coordinate" them matching up when fully up. They also keep the roof halves from opening too far and being blow apart. You can actually replace them with a proper length of rope if you would like to.
You took the guard off your table saw?
SSSHHHHHHhh!!! I'm a safety engineer you know!! Took the guard and the Splitter, that's even worse!
Wow, didn't know you were into planes - EAA. Have you built anything? Was always interested in the Rutan home builts but never had the money or skill to attempt it.
NO, I always wanted a Long E-Z, but decided to let it go. Joined EAA to go to AIr Venture and Sun and Fun. more than any other reason
Always try to get to Oshkosh but it never happens.
@ john Duxbury OH!! You have to go. It is so awesome!!! Even for just 2 days, you will remember it to your grave !!
I need those air shocks. Amazon?
Check the description below video. Mcmaster carr is best
Ricks Aliner Body Shop 😮
No! Rick's Aliner Tinkers Shop!!
Wow thats a pretty big repair job, not something i would tackle. Hopefully the newer models don’t have that issue. Mine is a 2021 35th anniversary model.
I'll trade you!?!? Is it a off road model!! I begged them to "GIVE ME" one for 6 months, finally they told me they were all sold!! You think they would throw me a bone for all I do to promote their campers. And that's all they do, is throw chicken bones at me!! lol
Wouldn’t it be better to diamond plate those corner pieces to give it more of a hefty instead of the plastic
You mean instead of the fiberglass reinforcement. You would have to have a really skilled plate bender to fit it on, and the trailer does "Flex" a bit when I go off roading with it. So cost, ease of repair, and final quality say probably not.
been there done that no fun
I will be happy when its done. But its good to be able to "Re-new it".
Salt Trail
No, just water getting whee it should not be.
sanding of fiber glass should be done with (at least) a face mask. But great job!
I should have been wearing a tyvek suit and a hood. A week later I am itchy all over and my face it painfully itchy. Wrong sander! It was blowing the dust right into my face!
Why didnt you just buy a pair of hinge seals from Avan in the first place to stop the damage, they arent expensive and not hard to replace. And now you are going to use gorilla tape? Also the triangles t the corners are missing so its still going to leak
I'm not sure what you mean by "Hinge Seals"? And the little "Ears" that go on the corners are on the trailer when I was finished. Thanks for the comment. Very helpful!
Well maybe it's time to consider a newer A-liner. Sorry forgive me for laughing just a bit, some times saying "Uncle " is needed.🙃 You certainly have run that poor thing through the wringer.
I'm just getting it the way I want it!!!
1st! Nice job!
Thanks
I don't own rv but from what hear they are cheaply made
They are very cheaply made and they have NO warrantee or legal protection for the buyer. The Appliances are often covered, but not always for more than 30days. But if you like to tinker... its fun!
@@GoingNoWhereFast what a rip off! What are you planning to do with the weather strip that goes across the back?
I'll re-enforce it with some gorilla tape and do a better job of sealing it up and put it back so it looks like it should. I might also add rain gutter to divert the rain from coming over the edge into the hinge.
Mask up. Don't want to be breathing that stuff.
Well, it was outside with the wind blowing it away. So not too bad. But your advice is smart advice!
Water damage; rot and mold; foam. . . . Mechanical issues with springs; leaking; high winds, etc. for over $20 K? -Uh, my DCF tent works better, imo!
All these issues happen with any camper used a lot and not carefully maintained