o1marc
Senior Member
So I officially have something to work with to get a bus. Got this Airstream as a finders fee for finding my buddy an impossible to find 78 Airstream Argosy 20 motorhome. Made the deal just before Christmas and priority was to get the MH to my property to ease my buddies mind. Took until today for me to go get this thing home. Murphy rode with me as I had thought I had everything I would need to accomplish the task today and not have to go back again, it was only 45 miles,but still didn't want to waste gas on un productive trips. Had a set of trailer lights wired and ready to tape to the aluminum bumper, sockets for what ever size lug nuts were on it. A jack to jack up to change tires if need be. 1/2" drive ratchet, cheater bar, gloves. I think that's everything. So I get there and one tire is flat and won't take air from my pump. Then I find a spare inside the empty shell (a plus as it's on a matching mag wheel), it's flat also and the valve threads messed up just enough so the pump nozzle won't screw on. So I go to jack it up and realize I forgot the blocks of wood to gain the height needed from my small jack. So I got out the scissor jack for my truck and had to jack from the axle from inside the trailer (no floor, bare frame). Go to get the sockets and realize all the sockets I brought were big , but were 3/8" drive, no biggie, I'll use my Ryobi impact driver and see if that will do it. Nope left the 3/8" adapter for the drill on the bench at home. Pulled out the standard L tire iron from the back of the truck and lo and behold it is the right size. Got eh tire off and loaded both in the back of the bed to go to the tire shop and have them aired up and see if they hold air. Decide to go ahead and hook the trailer to the truck to pull it forward to ease the tire change and notice the hitch on the trailer looks bigger than my 2" ball. I hook it up and take the jack and jack up the tongue and it slips right off the ball, text the seller and he tells me it's 2-5/16" Okay 2 stops to make, one to air the tires and one for a new ball. Hook up the lights and they work, OMG, something went right. I head into town to fill the tires, no charge, but they leak all around the bead. So we break the bead, clean up the sealing surface and fix the leak issue, $23. Go to Advance Auto on the way back to buy the ball, none on the shelf, finds one in the back and ask if I can install it there, guy at the tire shop removed my 2" from the mount. brings out the 2-5/16", it's $12.99, reasonable. But immediately find it has a 1" shaft and my mount a 3/4"shaft. So he offers me a 3 way for $44. I go to the shelf and see the 1" mount is only $23. So $24 and my $13 ball, $37, cheaper than the $44 3 way. I get back to the trailer and everything goes smoothly, tire mounted, lights work. Lay on my back to get under the truck to hook the safety chains and a cloud burst dumps a bunch of rain on me. Start heading down the road and it pulls fine, but I start to notice a pretty good vibration and notice the trailer acting like his a huge flat spot, oh well is what it is. Finally make it home without further issue. It's mine, well at least for a little while. Hopefully for a very sort while. I will clean it up and list it so I can get money to buy the bus. Airstream guys tell me this concession type shell is worth $3-$5K as is.
