Jimmc
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Re: Power tongue jack
BarneyS wrote: Jimmc wrote: Perhaps a naive question from someone who has never used a WDH and was wondering if a power jack was really necessary. Do you really have to raise the TV rear end using the jack? It seems like you could position the coupler over the ball and leave it high enough to attach the bars, then lower the jack and couple. That would require something a lot less than a 1000 lbs with a moderate weight trailer and should be do-able with a manual jack. Sorry, but that would make it even harder to raise up the bars with the chains. They are all do-able with a manual jack but the power one just makes it easier. If you are strong enough and/or young enough you do not even need to use the jack at all. Just use your arms and the pipe - and be careful. Barney I agree it wouldn't help if you raised the trailer tongue too high. Suppose you hitched up with the WDH disconnected, then started jacking the tongue up. At first there would be little weight since the TV is supporting most of it. Eventually you would reach a point where the jack is supporting the trailer tongue weight and the back of the TV has risen and the trailer coupler is just touching the ball. At that it should be easier to attach the chains. Beyond that, the weight on the jack starts getting bigger and you have more leeway to attach the chains. The question is whether or not that "just touching" point or something just slightly beyond it gives enough slack to attach the chains without too large a load on the jack.354Views0likes0CommentsRe: Power tongue jack
Perhaps a naive question from someone who has never used a WDH and was wondering if a power jack was really necessary. Do you really have to raise the TV rear end using the jack? It seems like you could position the coupler over the ball and leave it high enough to attach the bars, then lower the jack and couple. That would require something a lot less than a 1000 lbs with a moderate weight trailer and should be do-able with a manual jack.354Views0likes0CommentsNeed 15 inch wheels?
I am transitioning from a small single axle Casita trailer to something larger. The older Casita trailers came with 14 inch wheels which most people found pretty marginal for loads approaching 1500 lbs. I think you could only get C rated tires for that wheel size. Many people, including myself, updated to 15 inch wheels and load rated D or more tires. Now, I plan to upgrade to a trailer that will end up weighing twice as much loaded and get two axles. It seems like most of the trailers this weight still come with 14 inch wheels and the the same issue would arise from a pure weight viewpoint. Is that right or is there some compensating factor in the dual axles that make 14 inch wheels and C rated tires okay?4.5KViews0likes10CommentsRe: Suspension Options
I am the original poster and was looking at Lance trailers. They are pricey but appear well built. The Lance brochure and one site selling them touted that they have torflex torsion arm suspensions. I was wondering if that was really good or more hype. It was interesting since my old Casita has a torflex suspension and seemed to be pretty rough. Of course, that was a single axle suspension while the Lances have dual axles.430Views0likes0CommentsSuspension Options
I am in the process of buying a new trailer and have not been able to find a good source of information and recommendations for a dual axle trailer suspension. Here and there, a manufacturer will mention that they have some type or brand of suspension but don't explain what that buys you. I have also see something about wide width axle spacing which supposedly provides "stability". Most of the time, they don't say anything. Is there a good source of information on the alternatives where I can look? Also love to hear any personal recommendations? I plan to do some amount of driving on gravel roads and will expect some washboard road situations so would like to get a suspension that can help smooth things out a bit. My old Casita with a single axle trailing torsion bar suspension was pretty rough on cargo so hoping to do at least a bit better than that. I am looking at a trailer with overall length in the low to mid 20s. Jim8.2KViews0likes17Comments
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Prefer to camp in a travel trailer? You're not alone.Jan 21, 202544,029 Posts
