RV There Yet? Towed Hall Build Journal

[zapj]

Great Job!! I really like the idea and especially the pic's you posted showing the progress.

[Barefoot]

The weather has cooled, well, at least briefly in the mornings and evenings, and as promised, I set out to hook Towed Hall to the car. By the way, the hitch weight is 150 pounds but I haven't had the axle weighed yet.

As expected, with the frame lifted for clearance under the dropped floor (see first few posts and responses), the coupler came out too high and, with the car's hitch being somewhat lower than usual anyway, the difference was a full four inches with no weight on it! I considered a tall tow bar plus a tall ball but that would surely wind up denting the tailgate. I kept staring at and measuring the trailer coupler: suppose it would fit under the tongue instead of on top? You see the result. Kinda' proud of that. Yes, the latch works fine.

That 2-1/2" plus a 1/2" nut under the ball got the gap down to 1"and unloading the V-6 engine I had in the back of the car (duh!) brought it up enough that the weight of the tongue brought it all to a pinch nose-down, just the way it looks the best. Whew.

The good old HF trailer wires were too short to reach the connector just five inches off-center, but the car wires were long enough to move them to the middle. Problem solved, along with the usual yank and sag while turning. Oh, and I did have to move the jack back after all, but blocked firmly in place (note fancy wood scraps) it doesn't twist the frame even there, half-way between any supports.

[Barefoot]

I've not written in far too long, partly from having been deep in the next project, a dune buggy built, unlike the TT from junque I had around, but from junque found on Craigslist. Alas, in the meantime Mr. Toad has sat in the garage, which showed me that it really was about the journey of building, not the goal of completion. Besides, this winter has been increibley cold.

The funny thing I wanted to share tonight is that the other day I was inside the trailer to charge the battery again and actually thought, "Hey this would be a pretty neat place to stay for a weekend or a few days." DUH. Spring is trying to break through here in Florida and I had better head out then. I can even carry the recumbent three-wheeler inside the van. Watch for my next updates in the travels section.

[Wolffarmer]

Hey Barefoot

I just read the thread. Great trailer you have there. Lots of inspiration. The inside looks like it has plenty of room. How wide is your bunk/rack? Military cots are 30 inches. I am thinking of build a sleeping platform in my next build and wondering how narrow I can get. Thing about the old military cots. They sag so much under my weight and I would never fall or even get out.



Randy