Archive - Aluminium Camper Forum

On a shorter/lighter trailer like the 6.0, it wouldn't surprise me to see there was some slight rearward wheel positioning to compensate for the weight of the rear deck and gear.  As you move the wheels rearward, you add tongue weight that counterbalances the trailer.  A smaller trailer won't overload the tongue of the smaller cars/larger motorcycles this trailer is designed to be towed behind.  

On an 8.1 or larger, moving the wheels rearward even a slight amount could/would add a lot more tongue weight.  I don't think 200 pounds of rack/gear adds enough weight to justify having to modify the balance point of the trailer.

So in towing the 8.1 with 150+ pounds of gear weight on the 20 pound rack, I really haven't noticed any change in how the trailer tows.  Have been out with a full rack of wood/coolers/etc. 3 times this month already.  :-)

Solved my mattress issue. Purchased a pair of ALPS Mountaineering Self-Inflating 3" pads. They come in a set that velcro together. Together they measure 47" x 75" (by 3", of course). Spec sheet says the set weighs over 9 lbs for the set, but I don't think they're that heavy.

I slipped them under the stock mattress, and slept better in my QS8.1 this past weekend than ever. They also insulate the stock mattress from the cold metal, so they don't get wet on the bottom. And having two separate mattresses, one for me and one for the wife, prevents me bouncing her 3 feet into the air any time I turn over.

I found I can leave them fully open in the camper during the season. I'll take them out and roll them up for the winter.

www.alpsmountaineering.com/alps/products/pads/self-inflating-air-pads/lightweight-double-air-pad

-Jim

Solved my mattress issue.  Purchased a pair of ALPS Mountaineering Self-Inflating 3" pads.  They come in a set that velcro together.  Together they measure 47" x 75" (by 3", of course).  Spec sheet says the set weighs over 9 lbs for the set, but I don't think they're that heavy.

I slipped them under the stock mattress, and slept better in my QS8.1 this past weekend than ever.  They also insulate the stock mattress from the cold metal, so they don't get wet on the bottom.  And having two separate mattresses, one for me and one for the wife, prevents me bouncing her 3 feet into the air any time I turn over.  

I found I can leave them fully open in the camper during the season.  I'll take them out and roll them up for the winter.

http://www.alpsmountaineering.com/alps/products/pads/self-inflating-air-pads/lightweight-double-air-pad

[quote source="/post/4141/thread" timestamp="1412712354" author="@jammo"]Apologies for the crummy pic.  Trailer is in the garage, behind the bike.  To get it out for a pic is a lot of work.

You get the idea.  I'll try to get a better pic when I take get it out next weekend.


[/quote]Better pics of the rack I created when my dealer missed the stock deck in the order.  

First pic.  You can see the L bracket mounted to the back of the QS under the rack.  This pic also shows the small spacer I cut out of square aluminum stock.  There is one of these on either side of the rack.  They're needed because the 2" tube that the steel receiver bar would have been bolted into is still on the rack.  That can be seen in the 3rd pic.

Second pic shows the bolts drilled down through the rack and L bracket.  I used flat washers and nyloc nuts on all the bolts.

Third pic shows the rack and the receiver bar tube that I hope to use to add a bike rack.  

As mentioned, I've carried wood, coolers, and anything I don't want inside the car, or won't fit in the QS.  It's not as strong as the stock platform would be, but i've carried 200lbs of wood, coolers, and other sundry items.  It's also very easy to strap items down to this rack with ratchet-style straps.  And it fits nicely between the bed support brackets.
 

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[quote source="/post/4207/thread" timestamp="1412963774" author="@jammo"][quote source="/post/4195/thread" timestamp="1412878476" author="@david"]jammo:

Letting the battery discharge for 1-2 months and then recharging before the next camping trip isn't good for battery life. As the battery discharges, lead sulfate precipitates out of the electrolyte. If it stays that way long, it builds up a hard layer on the bottom that won't go back into solution when recharged.

Two things happen, both bad. You lose some of your capacity. And if the sulfate layer builds up too high it will short the plates and the battery becomes toast.

So, the moral is don't let deep cycle batteries stay partially discharged very long.

The disconnect switch is a great idea. But I am cheap, lazy and dumb- I disconnect the pos battery lead to accomplish the same thing.

David[/quote][/quote]Thanks for the good explanation about why you should keep the batteries charged.  I have had lead acid batteries short between plates because of the lead sulfate precipitation.  Result = dead battery, and $80 out of pocket to replace it.

I used to disconnect the positive terminal when using a wrench, but as you may/may not be able to see in the pic, the propane tank is quite close to the battery box.  I had to be extra careful not to short the wrench to the tank.  I only had a small amount of space to move the wrench before I had to take it off the terminal, reposition it, then wrench again.  

So the switch was MY method of being lazy.  :-)  And I can put a charger on the battery when I get home, and know it isn't going to discharge between trips.  

Also, I discovered that the disconnect switches should be attached to the negative terminal.  Not sure how, but it's supposedly safer.  So as you'll notice in the pic, I put the cutoff switch on the negative terminal.

Jim

[quote source="/post/4195/thread" timestamp="1412878476" author="@david"]jammo:

Letting the battery discharge for 1-2 months and then recharging before the next camping trip isn't good for battery life. As the battery discharges, lead sulfate precipitates out of the electrolyte. If it stays that way long, it builds up a hard layer on the bottom that won't go back into solution when recharged.

Two things happen, both bad. You lose some of your capacity. And if the sulfate layer builds up too high it will short the plates and the battery becomes toast.

So, the moral is don't let deep cycle batteries stay partially discharged very long.

The disconnect switch is a great idea. But I am cheap, lazy and dumb- I disconnect the pos battery lead to accomplish the same thing.

David[/quote]

[quote source="/post/4159/thread" timestamp="1412793245" author="@paul"]Just curious on how much time in between trip you noticed your battery was dead? Because I leave my camper sometime 2 weeks without charging, didn't noticed if the battery went down or not, I wonder if I should plug it more often. [/quote]Sometimes I'll go a month or two between trips.  Part of my pre-camping checklist has been to put a 2A charger on the battery a couple days in advance.  Will always do that.  But on longer trips when I am not going to be near an electric campsite, it gives me peace of mind.

[quote source="/post/2532/thread" timestamp="1407932951" author="@gregcolumbus"]thanks Tim. I have Rav4 V6 but I am also considering the additions of the brakes. I already wired for 7 pin and I wired brake controller as well, just need to add the brake controller and the brakes to the trailer. Could you please give me more info on the brakes that you used and whether the installation was in any way complicated?

Driving on flat ohio I see only a little brake performance issue, but I am worried that in west virginia this will be more of a problem.

Greg[/quote]
I towed the 8.1 up Pike's Peak and over the Continental Divide in Colorado in July, with my 4-cyl Outback, 3 adults, and a week's worth of groceries, water, and gear.  I don't have a brake controller, and felt completely in control the whole time.  Used a lower gear, kept the speed way down, and touched the brakes instead of riding them to keep them from overheating.  They did warm up, but never faded.  

Where did you get the brake controller, and how tough is it to put the brakes on the trailer?

I noticed that when I left the battery connected on my QS long enough, it'd end up dead before the next trip.  Haven't bothered to find out what's using the juice, but when I connected/disconnected between trips, or when moving between campsites, it always sparked.  So I knew something was draining it.

I bought one of those inexpensive battery shutoffs like they use in race cars, all of $5 on Amazon, with 2 keys, and a 12" pre-made battery wire from eBay for $8.  I cut a hole in the top of the battery case, bolted and sealed it with silicone (probably overkill), connected the negative terminal through the switch, and problem solved.

I keep one of the keys in the pocket I put inside the door so I didn't lose the darn jack tool.  I can connect/disconnect the battery easily now.


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Outstanding ideas.  I have a 2014 8.1 with the factory AC.  It sticks farther outside, and the outside of the unit has a cover made out of the same material as the tonneau.  This gives us more space inside, and no worries about making sure the unit is breathing right (or dripping inside).  The plug is a pain as there is no place to store it.  It sits on the floor when not plugged in, or gets in the way when it is plugged in.

I'm going to look into a small door, and do what you did.  

Apologies for the crummy pic.  Trailer is in the garage, behind the bike.  To get it out for a pic is a lot of work.

You get the idea.  I'll try to get a better pic when I take get it out next weekend.

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