What is “rear end sag” or droop?
It is a chassis to shell separation on longer Airstreams, usually Ambassadors and Sovereigns prior to 1982. It was caused by the installation of gray (1973+) and black water tanks, along with the battery and weight of the bathroom fixtures in the back end of these long trailers. This combined weight, especially when the trailer was towed with the tanks left full, caused the shell to separate from the frame in the back from all the dynamic flexing, and ultimately bent the frame just aft of the wheel wells. The fix is to install Airstream bulletin #29. It consists of two perforated plates, notched and pre-drilled to fit over the axles on both sides. You need to go through an Airstream dealer or authorized repair service to have the work done. If the shell is detached from the frame or the frame is bent, that will have to be corrected also. The bulletin is in the VAC Online Library if you wish to see if the mod has been done to your trailer. Ways to recognize the condition is to stand on
