Thank you both. :)
Today - Axle alignment results, securing objects in the moving trailer, installing entry door hold-open catch, no - no curtains -
yet.
A couple of days ago, when I went shopping, I stopped by the alignment shop and learned what I needed to do to be first in line on my Wednesday morning alignment appointment, set up now since the previous Wednesday. Be there at 8, no - 7:45. Check!
Their place was filled; I parked on the road. Gave me a chance to check flashers, again.
The technician backed it all in to the rack. He must have done that before, as he was quite adept at short trailer backing. Either that, or Tow-Mater is taking serious his name sake, for he is the fastest backing trailer in the world!
They chain down the axle, securing it. Then they place an air operated hydraulic jack that lifts against the chained portions in just the chosen spots, slightly bending the axle into a bow at those places. Here is the technician setting it up.
Jack and chains in place.
And after a bending operation, they put an instrument into the wheel rims to determine camber.
Caster isn't a factor. Camber is the top to bottom angle. Straight up and down would wear tires tread evenly, so that's the goal. But with weight pushing down on the axle, and the wheel bearing adjustment or worn parts, etc. there's just a bit of positive camber adjusted in, to shape the wheels into a bit of a Vee. The target adjustment, and how they set Tow-Mater, was 1/2 a degree on each side. The incorrect starting level was 2.5 degrees on the driver side,and 2 degrees on the curbside. So 4-5 times MORE NEGATIVE than the targeted positive adjustment. That's why we could see a "splay".
Then time to set toe-in. That's the vee shape applied to the forward moving geometry. Since the axle is now upside down from where it started, the axle is pointing to it's previous backside, giving the trailer tow-out, or negative toe-in. It was at 1/8" negative toe-in, and was adjusted to the target of 1/8" positive toe-in - with a sledge hammer. Yes, the axle is struck from the front or the back, which bends the middle, and angles the ends (wheel spindles) the correct direction.
I spoke with the technician when he was done. He said I have a soft axle. This can be a difficult observation for one guy to hear from another. But he said it is simply the type of steel from the era, and what he really meant is that I can set my own toe-in at home, because the steel is soft enough for shade tree mechanics.
BTW, in measuring the toe-in? The total number of the measurement is irrelevant, so you pick your own best points to measure against (obvious tire tread). Just do it the same on front and back, and get a friend's help to hold the tape. The difference between what you measure front and back of the tire tread tells you which way to whack it.
I paid my price for a ticket to the show and left to find a fast lane - found it. The very highway the kids will be taking on Friday after work when they head out to find the group campsite (we drop it off Thursday - today, so they can load). And at that hour, I suspect they will want to drive relatively close to the speed limit.
I started out at 55 mph and the trailer felt just right. 60 - good, 65 good. These are truck tires, not trailer tires. What about 70? Oh yeah, just fine. 75? Feels good. If there's going to be a higher speed issue, I want to be the discoverer, not them on their way to camp - 80 mph! Speed limit reached. Hey, that feels pretty good! Niiiiice!
Now I'll tell them 75 mph max! See, if you will drive at or just below the speed limit, the other cars will pass and pull away. Frequently, in less populated states and less trafficked highways, that will give you an open vista ahead, cars pulling away. And while you may get a reputation from drivers behind you as an old, slow senior in an RV, that will pass as they do, and then you'll have a clear shot at their license plate and car, their speed, compared to yours - and your speedometer reading.
A 10 second video can be forwarded to law enforcement really easy these days. Hold the phone sideways though, for those of us who like to watch the news later. I just HATE it when people shoot video while holding their phone upright. Seriously though, don't take pictures and drive. Let the passenger do it. ;)
But back at home, I found objects could shift and move. That's not good - especially for a trailer that is going to see a lot of off-highway, rougher surfaces use. For instance, the front bench, and the rear sofa, both slid down into bed setup position. And the rear sofa had another problem; the sliding platform extends too far forward and falls off at it's back, preventing easy push back into sofa form, from bed setup. I needed to restrict the distance ever so slightly. Here's one of two spots where it rubbed because of that.
At the same time, I wanted to "lock" the sofa into a proper back angle (for best comfort), keeping it from going back any further than that, and yet far enough to keep it just past the toilet, so it can be easily used in position when the sofa is up. "What has it got in it's coffee cans-es?"
These long eye-bolts were originally on our huge swing set I made one year, after we hauled firewood and bought pole permits. 16' long lodge poles. Cool swing-set, for adults. We let the kids use it too. But all good things...
So these have been in my cans for awhile now. Don't they just "look" like Tow-Mater?
Upon drilling the holes, they now secure the platform in the sofa set up position. To make the bed, pull the pin, slide out the board, stow the pin back in the hole.
Then I put one rubber bumper foot thing (no idea where these came from) on each side.
That fixed the falling platform thing. Now the bed makes up and down in 10 seconds or less. And the pin keeps the platform from interfering with the toilet use.
The toilet hadn't been in the trailer during the test drive, but I knew it would slide out of here. DW had already mentioned (beer-thirty talk) how bungee corded tie-downs were appropriate in Tow-Mater, with hooks or eyelet attachment points. So I devised my plan, got her involvement, and we made our choices. One more eye screw in that one spot, and the cord can do this.
And the garbage can on the other side?
Two new eyelets in this case, to get the correct angle on the bungee.
That's the original water tank BTW.
When making up the bed, both toilet and trash can are moved out into the galley walkway for overnight convenience. Every camper must plan in the trash can! And this can is portable. It can be taken outside between the lawn chairs and used not just for empties, but as an end table. It still needs further completion - just you wait!
Until now, the door hold-open was a previous owner's bungee cord, one end hooked to the door knob, the other end to the window framing. And that allowed the door knob to hit the siding. So this was ordered and installed.
I installed closer to the hinge side due to wood found behind the mount plate. That fact, and the narrower door to start with, required a bend that I put in with a hammer at the vice.
Nicely clears the window, no strike on the siding...
One more interior aluminum trim window frame to place. Now I know why these are installed before windows, it's a tight fit!
I had to use the oscillator tool to cut wood for spacing, on both the galley window, and on this bunk window. Next time I'll install the trim first before re-inserting the windows.
But that's what they make shop vacs for.
Countdown to camping - 1 day!
