Where or When Jr. --Paint & New Tow Vehicle--update 5/17/15

[bdosborn]

Good looking frame you have there - but this picture has me worried - maybe i don't see all the welds on the tongue - but from what I see at the step up - A one inch weld and a few tack welds doesn't seem quite strong enough for an anticipated 300 lb tongue weightt.Maybe I'm not seeing this right?

I thought the same thing. I welded my riser all the way around as it's a catastrophe if that weld breaks.

I'd also attach the break away chains to the main rail, just in case, after its welded more.



Bruce

[DIY-Stu]

Thanks for mentioning the VA discount at HD. I just found out that also Lowes does it too. I called a good friend of mine who is a Vet and he appreciates the info.

[myoung]

Good looking frame you have there - but this picture has me worried - maybe i don't see all the welds on the tongue - but from what I see at the step up - A one inch weld and a few tack welds doesn't seem quite strong enough for an anticipated 300 lb tongue weight. Maybe I'm not seeing this right?

Thanks for your concern. There are other welds on the inside, but I'll certainly take another look at the total set of connections.

There are two half-inch diameter holes in the hitch connector that I would hope to use for bolting the three pieces together. I need something like a 7-inch bolt but I've only found 6- and 8-inch bolts so far. If I can't find bolts, I'll probably have to settle for threaded rod.

And, chains to be added later.

[bdosborn]

I wouldn't use threaded rod as I don't think its graded. See the 6 radial lines on the bolt heads I used for the hitch? That means they're grade 8 bolts. Just the stuff for critical areas like hitches. Here's a good article on bolt grades.:

Bolt Stuff

Bruce

[myoung]

I wouldn't use threaded rod as I don't think its graded. See the 6 radial lines on the bolt heads I used for the hitch? That means they're grade 8 bolts. Just the stuff for critical areas like hitches. Here's a good article on bolt grades.:

Thanks. I am quite familiar with bolt grades. Once upon a time I was a mechanical engineer.

[bdosborn]

Thanks. I am quite familiar with bolt grades. Once upon a time I was a mechanical engineer.

Well, if that's the case I expect to see some calculations showing the forces on the bolts and which grade can be safely used. Assume a safety factor of 3 times the expected forces.

Bruce

[myoung]

Well, if that's the case I expect to see some calculations showing the forces on the bolts and which grade can be safely used. Assume a safety factor of 3 times the expected forces.

Hey, I said I was a mechanical engineer not a civil engineer. We MEs are more precise and don't need the exaggerated safety factors to cover up our uncertainty.

[myoung]

Today I cut, assembled, and coated the wheel wells. These are made out of 3/4-inch plywood. From the three sheets I bought for the floor, I have used all but a few small pieces. Not as much waste as I had expected.

Later, I'll line the inside with flashing to withstand gravel and sand that the wheels will kick up.



The assembly ends fit into the wheel well opening and the inside pieces and the cleats that are attached to each end will rest on the inside floor. As I posted this image, I realized that I mistakenly notched for a 2-1/2-inch wall stringer but, in fact, the stringer will only be 1-1/2 inches. Small mistake that I hope isn't a harbinger of others to follow. Oops.



Lastly, for good measure, I gave the underside of the floor another coat of Henry 107.

[myoung]

Flipped over the floor today. Then, just for the fun of it, I put the wheel wells in place and spotted some of the equipment where it will be to see how much room would be left for me.

On the tongue, I'll have the battery and gas bottle with the battery on the sidewalk side to offset the weight of the fridge over on the other side.


Looking inward from the side door toward the L-shaped galley and moving from left to right, we have a small 3-way Dometic RM4223 fridge (which is a bit deeper that I would like so I might bump out the back and the grills by an inch or so), an Attwood two-burner gas stove that will be mounted diagonally across the corner of the galley, the sink, and lastly the Porta-Potti just inside the door on the right.


Toward the rear of the trailer will be drawers and cabinets over and around the wheel well on the street side. There will be a hanging locker in the rear corner with storage for bedding below. And, over on the sidewalk side there will be a gaucho for seating and sleeping. The seating area is L-shaped around the back to the hanging locker.


Here's the view from the rear.


Not shown, are cleats around the entire perimeter that will serve as anchors for the sidewalls. I should start constructing the front and rear walls tomorrow. Now I must sleep.

[doug hodder]

Mike....I'm kinda thinking like some others and while it's none of my business, I think I'd at least tie the 2 A members together at the end. I don't know what's under the coupler, but an end butt piece would help with any twisting between the 2. Just my thought, for what it's worth, other opinions may vary. Doug

[S. Heisley]

Isn't it wonderful that people care so much about you and your trailer's well being?!

That's going to be quite a trailer. The kitchen area seems so big that I'm trying to figure out how much room is left for the bed. The pictures are deceiving, making it look like a 37 inch wide space (twin bed) but I'm betting it's a 48" full sized bed, right?

[myoung]

The pictures are deceiving, making it look like a 37 inch wide space (twin bed) but I'm betting it's a 48" full sized bed, right?

The bed width when extended will be closer to 40 inches. It runs lengthwise along the sidewalk side. There are drawers and cabinets on the street side. I haven't decided on how deep to make the drawers and cabinets. Once the walls are up it should become more apparent. I want to leave some space for feet between the cabinets and the edge of the bed.

[pete42]

I try to see everyones galley layouts so I'll have a better Idea when I do mine.
have you moved things around to see if there is a different layout you might like?
porta-potty by fridge, stove and sink along front.
swap positions of stove and sink leave porta-potty where it is.
I know we all have to make up our minds about a layout and go with it
I just would hate to get finished and think I should have put this there and that here after I'm done.
pete

[myoung]

Have you moved things around to see if there is a different layout you might like?
porta-potty by fridge, stove and sink along front.
Swap positions of stove and sink leave porta-potty where it is.

Yes, Pete, I have played around with the locations of equipment on paper. I'll do a bit more once the walls are up.

One critical consideration is the placement of the fridge. This particular model is about 3-4 inches deeper than other models, which means that the countertop above it will be 3-4 inches deeper than the front counter, which I will keep the standard 22-inch depth.

Also, the back of the fridge must be vented, preferably with two vents: one high and one low. There will be a tongue box that makes it undesirable to put the vents in the front inside the box. In RVs, I believe that the near universal position is along one side or the other where the passing wind is parallel to the side rather than blowing into the vent as it would be if the back of the fridge faced forward.

Placing the stove on the diagonal has a small advantage of venting upward to the highest point when the pop top is in the up position. Also, I could put a vent out to the side if needed. Again, venting to the side is preferable to venting to the front, IMHO.

Lastly, putting all the equipment along the front would probably leave a vacant corner and little room between the sink and stove. The fridge would then have to go under the stove. My galley is L-shaped so spreading out the placement of equipment will leave plenty of room for drawers, cabinets, and maybe slots for trays or cutting boards.

[bdosborn]

Mike,

Be careful with the refrigerator venting. I have the same fridge and I've been unhappy with the performance while on propane. 120V and 12V performance is great but cooling on propane has been sketchy with temperatures up to and beyond 45F when outside temperatures get above 95. Here's a link about venting:

http://www.rvmobile.com/Tech/Trouble/vent.htm

Keep the top vent as high as you can. I have this setup and I wish I'd placed the top vent higher.



You'll find lots of articles on the net about fan assisted cooling. I've messed around with about every combination I can think of and its pretty tricky to get fan assist to work. A fan in the interior is good for another 2-3F, a fan on the outside at the condenser fins doesn't seem to do much of anything.

A 40" bed is pretty narrow. We sold out teardrop because the bed was only 45" wide. You should consider making it 60" wide if you even *think* 2 people will be sleeping in it. Resale will be much higher at 60" as well.

Bruce