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Date Posted |
Forum
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RE: Brake Inspection - Point of "No Return"
Hi BC,
I'm "assuming" (and we know how that goes...) that you want to pull "a" drum, look and see, make sure you have the right size bearing etc and get the lay of the land before you tear into the entire rig and have all parts on hand. Did I get this right?
As was stated by prior posters, when you pull the drum, hold the drum very much on center and do not let it drop down or left to right which could tear the lip on an aging seal. Then when putting it back in wipe any dirt for sure off the spindle by the brake plate and gently put it back on. For sure inspect the seal lip before putting it back on.
Now the unknown, your camper is a 2004, it may have been built in late 2003. You have no idea what the prior owner did or did not do. If they never pulled this apart before and just did the EZ lube, well the seal may be blown, deteriorated or actually OK. This is a real risk. You might get lucky or not.
I myself would only risk this on 1 wheel to check parts. I would have a new seal ready to go on in the event you need it. Yes, you may waste $3 to $8 bucks on a seal, but you are up agasint time and not sure you have all the right parts. You may find you need entire brake shoes, magnets etc. If you find you nicked the seal or it just plain let loose when you pulled the drum, you for sure do not want to on purpose put a drum back on with a damaged seal. It is almost a guarantee that grease will fly out of a nicked seal, especially on EZ lube spindles.
Here is what a nicked seal looks like on standard manual grease bearing setup. I found this on my camper which I bought used from the prior owner. Odds are this came from the place that did the annual inspection. They did a quick drum and tire pull at once not separating the 2 parts. With all that weight the seal dropped hard and nicked it. The shoes were greased soaked and this is from a standard bearing pack. A EZ lube has lots more grease to fly out.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/JBarca/T310SR%20Camper%20Upgrades/Axle%20Rebuild/Blowngreaseseal.jpg
I have a bunch of extra seals on hand and bearing too. This is after you know for sure the right parts. This way you are all set the next time. If you need new shoes, search for an entire brake plate. You can buy the entire thing new cheaper than the parts. You get new shoes, new adjusters, new magnets, the pivot arm bushing etc. Here is one place I have used with good service and pricing. http://www.easternmarine.com/Electric-Trailer-Brake-Assemblies/ The are real Dexter new parts and not a knock off private label brand.
Good luck and hope this helps
John
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JBarca
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05/13/12 09:01am |
Towing
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RE: Dometic Refer Recall - Possible Fire Hazard -Update 2/13/07
Here are the pics
http://lakeboon.com/trailer-2001-sierra/refrigerator-elements-1.JPG width=640
http://lakeboon.com/trailer-2001-sierra/refrigerator-elements-2.JPG width=640
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JBarca
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05/11/12 09:34pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: breakaway cable mount conflict?
So my quesion, is there any science to beakaway mount location. I get that is has to have adaquate ply to navigate turns but other than that can I mount it anywhere on the unside of the frame that has free room to "pull out"?
Hi John,
Actually there is some science to where it is located. There are 2 camps of thought about "when" the emergency breakaway cable should pull out.
1. Some want the breakaway to only pull put "after" the chains and TT have totally separated from the truck. The thought is they want to control the situation and the brakes on the TT.
2. Some want the breakaway to pull out "before" the chains reach full extension upon a decoupling of TV & TT. The thought is this is a better setup to automatically activate the breakaway when ever the TT becomes detached from the truck.
This topic has been discussed in length many times. And interweaves with the saftey chains belief that on a WD hitch with standard commercial components that crossing the chains will catch the tongue before it hits the ground. And this discussion surrounding these topics can become more heated in opposing opinions then gas verses diesel...
I myself subscribe to no 2 above. Cross the safety chains, the tongue will hit the ground upon a decoupling and pull the emerg breakaway before the chains reach full extension.
Now why?
Here see this post complete with pics and how I came to this conclusion.
WD Hitch Safety Chains Hook Up (Pic's)
See this post with more discussion on why to pull the emerg breakaway before the chains reach full extension.
Breakaway Cable Routing
And yes I had to move the location of the breakaway switch to make all this work. It was right in the way of the snap up for the chain and my DC.
Good luck and hope this helps.
John
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JBarca
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05/10/12 08:11pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: breakaway cable mount conflict?
What's a shock cord? I probably recognize the item but not the term.
Sorry... Shock cord = bungee cord = rubber band cord with stretchy material on the outside.
I have since switched to a piece of rubber radiator type hose, slit it long ways, put over the 7 wire cord and emerg breakaway cable and then used 3M 33 electrical tape to hold it closed. The cable can slide as needed and the hose grip does not wear out. The bungee cord sort of rotted after a 1 1/2 years but it as cheap and quick.
See here.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/JBarca/Hitch%20Setup/Saftey%20Chains/Emergcabletie.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/JBarca/Hitch%20Setup/Saftey%20Chains/Emergcabletie2.jpg
Good luck
John
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JBarca
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05/10/12 07:49pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: breakaway cable mount conflict?
Here folks. See if this helps.
Ford looks like this.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/JBarca/Hitch%20Setup/Saftey%20Chains/Safteycableside.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/JBarca/Hitch%20Setup/Saftey%20Chains/Safteycabletop.jpg
To keep the cable out of the chains
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/JBarca/Hitch%20Setup/Saftey%20Chains/15completesetup.jpg
GM looks like this
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/JBarca/Hitch%20Setup/BreakAwayCablesetup-snapclip.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/JBarca/Hitch%20Setup/BreakAwayCablesetup.jpg
Sorry have not owned Dodge or other TV's....LOL
Hope this helps
John
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JBarca
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05/10/12 10:39am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Help, where can I find a new shank ASAP
If you need something in the next 12 hours.... well your choices are limited. A local RV dealer may have one.
You said cutting the shank for excess, this depends on the shank. If you have a all solid square bar steel shank, (not a cast steel one) Reese told me I could cut off excess below the welded gusset. Not to cut into or above the weld. That is for a Reese shank, do not know what brand or type you have and if it will apply.
We really need a pic of the problem to give better suggestions.
Good luck on your trip.
John
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JBarca
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05/09/12 08:34pm |
Towing
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RE: Safety Chains - extending
Hi Mr. D.
For the long term, you would need a chain connector rated to handle the full GVWR of your camper. I looked up the 2012 of your model and it was listed as a GVWR of 9,393#. Do not know if your is the same or not. In that case your saftey chain extensions should be be rated for 10,000# on "each" individual chain.
Be cautious in the Lowes/Home Depot as if there is no rated stamp on the connecting links, they are not rated. If you have a Tractor Supply near by they have more to offer and are grade rated. From what I have found trailer saftey chain is rated by the minimum breaking strength. This will help on grade and sizing. For your camper be looking for Grade 43 or Grade 70 components.
http://www.nacm.info/Downloads/NACM%20_Welded_Specs.pdf
Good luck, hope this helps and have a good trip.
John
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JBarca
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05/07/12 06:00pm |
Towing
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RE: Dexter HD Suspension & EZ-Flex Install (long w/ pictures)
Has anyone found a kit for the shocks? I remember there was a kit, but it went away, think it was with Monroe.
Yes, Monroe "use" to have a kit. They have all but stopped making them. Unless you can find some left overs.
See here I had to make my own. Adding TT Shock Absorbers (Long/lots of pics) I used the Monroe Gas Magnums.
Dexter does sell a kit that uses the axle u bolt plate and a weld on top mount. See the Dexter web site you can buy it direct or shop around. The shocks are not as good as the Magnums but it is better then nothing.
Hope this helps
John
I recently purchased the Monroe Shock kit for my trailer. I got them online from Shock Warehouse along with the Monroe magnum shocks. Price for all the parts was just over $200 for my tandem axle rig.
I will be starting the install of my EZ-flex and shocks this week.
Thanks for posting. Good to hear. Maybe they had enough complaints about lost sales trying to find them they started making them again.
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JBarca
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05/06/12 05:10pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Chain links on Reese Dual cam look to be pulling apart
The chain needs to be replaced.
Call Reese, they have a lifetime warranty on the hitch.
The loads of the WD hitch should not be any where near the strength of that chain. I do not see that as a sizing problem but a manufacturing defect. They will stand behind it.
And, good for you for inspecting and looking!! Any machine made needs inspection on some periodic basis.
Let us know how you make out
John
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JBarca
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05/03/12 08:15pm |
Towing
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RE: Axle spread uneven
Could be some suspension loading from parking after turning? You might, if you haven't already thought of that, pull it forward and back a few times in a straight line to get the suspension lined up and unloaded.
x3
The suspension flexes to steer some in turns and will stay that way until the trailer runs straight for a distance. It will correct itself forward or backward, just go straight.
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JBarca
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04/29/12 08:40pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Revived Trailer Tire Thread (formerly on the 5th Wheel Forum
Here is the data from this weekend. I went to Flying Jay today and created 4 new fresh sets of weights.
The camper was filled with fresh water. 32 gallon fresh tank over the front axle, 6 gallon HW heater plus water in the lines = 42 gallons total.
There is some scale error in these numbers. This is normal for semi scales. Here is the raw Data. All numbers are in pounds.
TV & TT with WD engaged
TV Front Axle: 4,020
TV Rear Axle: 5,480
TT Axles: 8,300
Gross Combined weight: 17,800
TV & TT with "NO" WD
TV Front Axle: 3,620
TV Rear Axle: 6,040
TT Axles: 8,120
Gross Combined weight: 17,780
TV & TT with WD engged - TT axles split on 2 scales.
TV Front Axle: Front of TV off the scale
TV Rear Axle: 5,500
TT Front Axle: 4,340
TT Rear Axle: 4,040
TV Only
TV Front Axle: 4,100
TV Rear Axle: 3,760
TV Gross weight: 7,860
I also redid all the force jack figures with fresh water. I was trying to find the 300# plus pound error. I made it better but cannot get it to match the Cat scale numbers. Some of this may be the rubber equalizer and the method. Today I saw the wheel load change right before my eyes. Watching the force gage it would slowly drop, in some cases by 200#. Finally figured it out with my calipers across the EZ flex equalizer. At time zero the weight was the highest and the rubber not as compressed. Then after a minute or two it changed and the equalizer came together more. That changes the axle loads. Jacking the camper up and letting it down the rubber flexes until it settles. The force jack is weighing heavy on the axles so it is a safer number in this location. I was able to get the force jack to within 220# total verses the Cat scale axle numbers.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/JBarca/T310SR%20Camper%20Upgrades/Tires%20Check%20-%20New%20Tires/Scaledweightandforcejack1.jpg
Here is a larger one, click it once it fires it will get bigger: Larger on Photo Bucket
If 15% reserve per location is the need, I have 3 tires locations not meeting this.
I also learned I am heavier then my last weight slip. I added hanger upgrades and a ladder and holder under the camper. And I'm sure some other things. It all adds up. The biggest eye opener was the loaded tongue weight. By using the force jack and a Sherline tongue scale it comes out at 1,500# here in my yard. Doing the math on the Cat scale slips comes out to be 1,800#. I have yet to figure out this difference since the force jack is weighing heavy at the axles and the Sherline matches it. I did measure the static load radius on each location just for data. It for sure is not conclusive.
New tires and rims will be in my future. The decision now comes down to E load range ST's in 15" that fit the camper or bit the bullet and go to 16" LT commercial truck tires and deal with the raising the camper. Both can do the loads with reserve however the commercial truck tire may be better in the reduction to cuts and other road hazards. These ST's sure seemed to get cuts which must be from camp ground stones and my driveway. Spending all this money and not addressing that keeps pushing me to the commercial tire.
Anyone seeing anything I missed please point it out.
A take away from this is direct to CapriRacers point. You need to know each wheels actual weight. Some how this needs to be an easier process then how I did it but this is what I had to work with.
I am also fortunate I have a camper built with the running gear to take the full GVWR of the camper. And even that is not enough if we want 15% or higher reserve capacity. Those who do not have this feature are even more at risk of being at or above the max of the tire in one or more locations.
Tireman9 and I are trying to work out something to analysis my failed tire to see if we can add to running it at only 12% reserve may or may not of affected it.
Hope this helps someone else working through this.
Thanks
John
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JBarca
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04/29/12 08:26pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Revived Trailer Tire Thread (formerly on the 5th Wheel Forum
CapriRacer,
I did make it to measuring my wheel loads today. The data is more eye opening then I had expected. I have 300# total error in the data that I want to find before I post the data. This could be accumulative error of 50# from each wheel location.
While there is a shift in the total weight, the learning is these loads are more then my last weight slip. And it shows your point that wheel locations have different loads. Even with the 300# error I am not over on any tires max capacity but the reserve is for sure not what I thought it was.
How I found this 300# error is I also sanitized my water system today. I measured the wheel loads dry and then filled the camper with water. 42 gallons of water only weighs so much, the weight gain is more then it should be summed by all 4 wheels.
Sunday if things work out right I will take the rig to the truck scales and measure the total combined axles weights and split the axle loads on 2 scales to at least get a total axle load to compare back to the force jack data.
The issue is how to get an actual scale that can read individual wheel loads that the calibration error is not large. Even the certified truck scales are only accurate to within 50#. Need to find someone with those portable scales the state troopers use.
Something as a cross check is using the static load radius to at least confirm I am not at full load. The problem is what is the SLR of a Denman ST225/75R15 D load range at 65psi?
Comparing other brands, The spread is large enough that it is inconclusive for me to use it.
GY Marathon is 12.5" GY Marathon
This site says the GY Marathon is 13" NW trailer GY Marathon
Tow max is 13.3" Tow max
Here is the method I used. Ex Rocket Scientist would be proud... this is his method that I compensated a little more with it.
Load up the truck, camper and engage the WD hitch so it is transferring weight to the TT axles. Using a concrete pad, get all tires on the camper and the truck up off the ground on a 2 x 8.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/JBarca/T310SR%20Camper%20Upgrades/Tires%20Check%20-%20New%20Tires/tiresuponwood.jpg
Using a force jack, preload it sightly under the axle seat. Measure frame to ground as a cross check.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/JBarca/T310SR%20Camper%20Upgrades/Tires%20Check%20-%20New%20Tires/carverjack.jpg
Jack up the camper and take the 2 x 8 out from that location.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/JBarca/T310SR%20Camper%20Upgrades/Tires%20Check%20-%20New%20Tires/Jackundercamper.jpg
After that pic I went to a bottle jack. The floor jack has an arc of travel with it and moves the camper.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/JBarca/T310SR%20Camper%20Upgrades/Tires%20Check%20-%20New%20Tires/bottlejack.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/JBarca/T310SR%20Camper%20Upgrades/Tires%20Check%20-%20New%20Tires/Tireoffground.jpg
Lower camper slowly onto force jack. Read gage. Check frame height to ground to confirm you are in the same place. It is.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/JBarca/T310SR%20Camper%20Upgrades/Tires%20Check%20-%20New%20Tires/carverjack.jpg
Do all wheel locations. Fill camper water system and fresh tank over front axle. Redo wheel locations.
Take data and do moment calculations to convert load at axle seat to load at center of tire. Sit back and go, h'mm this is more then I thought.... and all 4 wheels are different.
More on Sunday. If you have any idea what the static load radius for that Denman would be, that would help as a cross check.
I have seen enough to convince myself I need more reserve capacity.
Thanks
John
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JBarca
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04/28/12 09:11pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Revived Trailer Tire Thread (formerly on the 5th Wheel Forum
Tireman9,
I PM'ed you. Let see what we can do. It could be beneficial to all to learn what went on with my my rig. If I did something to cause the problem, then lets all learn from it to help save some fellow camper the same thing on their camper.
Plus I need to figure this out and take next steps to correct the problem.
Thanks for offering this to us.
John
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JBarca
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04/28/12 08:05pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Equalizer Setup
To add to Barney's ugly pics...
The infamous Burbman pin box failure going around a turn into his housing development
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/JBarca/Camper%20Friends%20Posts/Burbmanreciver1.jpg
Scooters accident
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/JBarca/Camper%20Friends%20Posts/Tubetear.jpg
I know, scarey isn't it. Hitch safe and tow safe and we pray this does not happen to anyone.
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JBarca
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04/28/12 08:41am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Equalizer Setup
You guys are losing me. I hook my breakaway throught he same hole as my safety chains on the receiving side of the hitch. That's not recommended? If so, why?
If your hitch breaks away from your tv your tt will still come to a stop
Isn't that the point? I must be missing something here, and I apologize if I am. We all know that the breakaway will apply the TT breaks if the line is pulled out, i.e. if the truck and TT separate from each other, the TT will stop. With that said, how would attaching the end of the cable to the hitch on the truck side cause any problems?
Hi Folks,
I'll try to add a few more words to help explain.
There have been truck "receiver" failures and we have seen some of them here on the forum. If you hook the breakaway to the "receiver" chain loops just like you do with the saftey chains, if the receiver breaks off by where it attaches to the truck or the pins box rips out etc, well it rips off and so does the breakaway cable still attached where the saftey chains hooked do. The broken part of the receiver is bouncing down the road with the TT hooked to it and the breakaway may or may not have pulled out in the process. Will it always happen this way? maybe/maybe not.
If you attach the breakaway to the truck independent of the chain loops and totally separate from the receiver, the odds have gone up a little more that the break away cable will yank out when the receiver rips free from the truck.
It is not that hooking up the break away to the chain loop is all bad, it is that hooking it to the truck independent from the chain loops can maybe buy you a step further in protection.
Here is mine
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/JBarca/Hitch%20Setup/Saftey%20Chains/Safteycableside.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/JBarca/Hitch%20Setup/Saftey%20Chains/Safteycabletop.jpg
PS. Do not thread the break away cable through saftey chain. That is worse regardless of where it is attached to the truck. Find a way to keep the cable from getting wrapped up in the hitch by holding it to the 7 wires cord.
Hope this helps
John
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JBarca
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04/28/12 07:07am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: New Oxygenics Shower Head
double post - deleted
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JBarca
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04/27/12 08:00pm |
Do It Yourself Modifications and Upgrades (DIY)
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RE: New Oxygenics Shower Head
Hi Folks,
I will get a pic tomorrow. I used a budgie cord to tie ours in. The kind that has a knob and a loop cord on it. If has not yet ever come out of the holder. And ours is plastic.
We really like it. And like another poster said, I reused the OEM hose and screw it to the new head. Our OEM hose flexed better then the Ozy hose. And we have a push shut off down on the faucet. Does not 100% shut off.
Hope this helps
John
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JBarca
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04/27/12 08:00pm |
Do It Yourself Modifications and Upgrades (DIY)
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RE: WD Hitch Set Up with new (to me) Dually
Hi Jeremiah,
Congrats on your new ride. This it is good truck. If I remember right 99 was the 1st year of the Super Duty. What is the GVWR on your truck? The Super Duty up'ed the ratings. My last F350 Dually was a 10,000# GVWR but it also only had a 360 V8 back in 1975. They have come a long way since.
Now to the WD hitch. Yes use it. Your receiver needs it and your DC provides the sway control.
Mine has rear springs good for a 7,000# GAWR-RR. Including helper springs when the bed weight get down far enough.
See here my smaller camper. Boy I miss that camper. I had separation anxiety from it so we still used it a little until she went to a new home.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/JBarca/F350%20and%20TT/F350andT2499.jpg
That camper when empty like it was in the pics had a 800# scaled tongue weight. I still used the WD hitch even when the TW was 800#. I had my 1,200# WD bars still as when that camper was loaded it went up to 1,200#. We used it as a spare bedroom at DW's Mom's place 500 miles away when we went to visit.
You adjust the WD the same as always. The weight is still there and if you pull out the tape measure the rear is compressing and the front rising. Without a tape measure it may not seem like much but it is. Yes, mine is not a dually, but that is why I asked what your GAWR-RR was so I can compare it. Even if you have an 8,000# GAWR-RR the weight is still coming off the front of the truck. If it isn't, then something is flexing in the truck not allowing it to.
Here is the hitch. 1,200# WD bars, 800# tongue.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/JBarca/Hitch%20Setup/ReeseDCandF350left.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/JBarca/Hitch%20Setup/ReeseDCandF350right.jpg
In my case I have upgraded the receiver so it could handle the full dead load if I wanted it to. The truck drives better for me with it.
Good luck with your new ride and hope this helps.
John
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JBarca
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04/27/12 07:19pm |
Towing
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RE: Revived Trailer Tire Thread (formerly on the 5th Wheel Forum
Check out this tire at Tire Rack( Continental Vanco 225/70/15.)
Vanco 2(Highway Rib Summer)
Diam. is 27.4 load range D 2470 .They are wider but it worked for me so far with about 1200 miles on them.
Thanks, I did. The down side is they declare these to not use near freezing temperatures which in my case is a problem since we winter camp. Thanks for the lead though.
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JBarca
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04/26/12 11:11am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Revived Trailer Tire Thread (formerly on the 5th Wheel Forum
......John I think those are P tires. You would have to divide the load capacity by 1.1. So the one that is 2535 at 75 psi would give you only 2305 pounds.
No, those tires are "C" type tires - the European equivalent to LT tires. They are as suitable for trailer usage as LT tires are.
CapriRacer,
Thanks!!! This opens up other options short of lifting the camper.
I'm assuming the C at the end of the tire number is how this is declared?
They also list this as:
Premium rubber compound and extra plies* resist cuts, punctures and abrasions
Which in my case is a plus afer seeing the cuts I have just going camping.
I also noticed this
Rib-type tread design with deep shoulder grooves provides all-season capability.
Since we do winter camp, I'm making an assumption these can be used in cold weather. Until you mentioned that not all tires are able to be used near freezing I never thought to look for this but now do.
I also have to find rims. This company who my TT maker also used, (just not mine) listed both psi and load. http://www.dexstarwheel.com/products.html#changer
It appears if I'm reading the Maxxis site correct the 205/75R16C requires a 5.5" wide rim which is not a normal trailer rim. This tire OD works in the existing space of my wheel wells.
The 215/75R16C uses a 6" wide rim which is standard. Just I have a slight height issue to work on.
Both have the same laod rating.
When we go to an LT tire, do we need add in extra load capacity margin (15%) like we do on the ST's?
Thanks
John
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JBarca
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04/26/12 11:02am |
Tech Issues
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