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05-04-2016, 02:25 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south bend
Posts: 83
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Current Mods
I have had our 2015 Whitehawk 28DSBH for one full season now. Going into season two I decided to add some more cargo space. On the tongue of the trailer I added a Kobalt truck box. Moved the battery into the box and also went from a group 24 to group 27. On the back of the trailer I had a 24"deep cargo deck fabricated with a bike rack. Both use 2" receivers and are easily removable. The plates for the rack are welded to the trailer frame rails as well as the bumper to lock everything in. I added a larger delta tool chest on the deck and filled with lighter items. Total spent was $135 for the kobalt box, $260 for the delta and $250 for the deck and bike rack.
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05-05-2016, 05:59 AM
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#2
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south bend
Posts: 83
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So my next task will be adding a back up camera to rear of the travel trailer. I think I am going to go with the furion wireless camera. Looks like I will have to find a way to power the camera off of the rear marker lights. Not sure if any one has done this? Maybe they can chime in.
http://www.amazon.com/Furrion-FOS48T...=ALL4KQ853O570
Will also be adding a vortex II bathroom fan.
Kitchen skylight broke when I was washing the trailer. Called dealer and a factory replacement is only $20. They seem pretty cheap and flimsy. Found a translucent white lexan replacement from eztopsworld from around $100. Not sure if anyone on here has ordered from them or can give their opinion on the quality?
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05-05-2016, 06:59 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Saskatoon Sask Canada
Posts: 10,714
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Watch your tongue weight.. with all that stuff on the rear bumper it takes weight off the tongue and can cause sway..
__________________
Seann
2004 Chev Silverado Duramax optioned past the max. 2009 Jayco Eagle 308 RLS 900watts of solar, Lithium batteries (400amp hour), 2000 watt (4000 surge) whole house inverter.
145days boondockinig in2023 2022/151 2021[/COLOR]
93/2020,157/2019219/2018 206/2017,215/2016, 211/2015, 196/14, 247/13, 193/12
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05-05-2016, 07:17 AM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south bend
Posts: 83
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The front is loaded pretty heavy. The front pass through has my camp chef grill and steel griddle (85lbs) all the way towards the front. Plus the tool box and items in it on the tongue. Rear has lighter items, camp chairs, mats and such. Hopefully once i get everything in I can get a tongue weight. If I understand correctly I want between 10%-15% of the trailers weight? Somewhere between 600-900lbs on the 6000lb trailer. Probably shoot towards the higher end. Chime in if I am wrong.
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05-05-2016, 07:39 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 1,588
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You are correct in your target tongue weight - 10-15% is the acceptable range, most people finding that the better tow comes from the 13-15% range. With all of those changes you made I would definitely visit a scale to confirm your weights.
Does that front box have good ventilation for the battery?
__________________
2013 F-150 EcoBoost MaxTow, Roush tuned (415hp 506tq), lifted on 33s, R.A.S.
2013 Jay Flight 28BHS Elite (Equalizer 10K hitch)
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05-05-2016, 08:00 AM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south bend
Posts: 83
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SkyBound
You are correct in your target tongue weight - 10-15% is the acceptable range, most people finding that the better tow comes from the 13-15% range. With all of those changes you made I would definitely visit a scale to confirm your weights.
Does that front box have good ventilation for the battery?
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I hope so. There is slots on the right and left side of the box where you would mount it to a truck bed. The battery has been in for about three weeks with no issues so far.
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05-05-2016, 08:23 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Albany, OR
Posts: 692
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How did you mount the carrier on the back of the trailer? In one of your pictures I see what appears to be a hitch receiver welded to the bumper. If only the bumper is holding the weight, be aware that they are not rated very high. More than one person has had their bumper fall off.
__________________
2015 Jayco 27RLS
2015 Ford F250 6.7PSD
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05-05-2016, 08:37 AM
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#8
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south bend
Posts: 83
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DanNJanice
How did you mount the carrier on the back of the trailer? In one of your pictures I see what appears to be a hitch receiver welded to the bumper. If only the bumper is holding the weight, be aware that they are not rated very high. More than one person has had their bumper fall off.
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The plates for the rack are welded to the trailer frame rails as well as the bumper to lock everything in. In the picture the plate is on the bottom and the 2" receiver runs along the plate all the way back to the frame rails.
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05-05-2016, 09:40 AM
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#9
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south bend
Posts: 83
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After looking at the camera install some more, I pulled the trigger on the furrion observation system. One idea I had was to remove the third marker light in the middle and add the camera using the existing 12v electrical. ANy thoughts on why this would be a bad idea?
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05-09-2016, 05:54 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: McKean, PA
Posts: 1,071
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Quote:
Originally Posted by crtc_01
The plates for the rack are welded to the trailer frame rails as well as the bumper to lock everything in. In the picture the plate is on the bottom and the 2" receiver runs along the plate all the way back to the frame rails.
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I don't know who did your welding, but I wouldn't trust it. The beads are lumpy indicating poor technique and most likely a very weak weld.
__________________
2011 Skylark 21FKV
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05-09-2016, 06:39 AM
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#11
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south bend
Posts: 83
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Quote:
Originally Posted by us71na
I don't know who did your welding, but I wouldn't trust it. The beads are lumpy indicating poor technique and most likely a very weak weld.
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I wasn't impressed with the welds either, but I am not a welder. It was friend who welds and fabricates for a company. He has done it his whole life and has his own really nice shop with really nice equipment. The rack is extremely solid and I don't see any problems with it. The space is confined and I don't image it was easy to get in there and weld.
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05-09-2016, 07:37 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Saskatoon Sask Canada
Posts: 10,714
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Welding on your frame is NOT good idea.. it messes with the heat treating/tempering and may loose strength...
__________________
Seann
2004 Chev Silverado Duramax optioned past the max. 2009 Jayco Eagle 308 RLS 900watts of solar, Lithium batteries (400amp hour), 2000 watt (4000 surge) whole house inverter.
145days boondockinig in2023 2022/151 2021[/COLOR]
93/2020,157/2019219/2018 206/2017,215/2016, 211/2015, 196/14, 247/13, 193/12
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05-09-2016, 08:00 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Dayton
Posts: 378
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Used the center marker light on our Pinnacle for our Voyager Camera
It has worked out well. Only thing is that you will need to travel with your lights on. The other great thing is when you sell your unit you can remove the camera and reinstall the light. Good luck with the installation.
__________________
Craig & Terry in Tennessee
2018 Pinnacle 36 KPTS,
2012 F350 CC LB King Ranch, 6.7L TD, Ford 25K hitch, TM TPMS, Diesel Site Coolant Filtration System
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05-09-2016, 08:35 AM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south bend
Posts: 83
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TNCraig
It has worked out well. Only thing is that you will need to travel with your lights on. The other great thing is when you sell your unit you can remove the camera and reinstall the light. Good luck with the installation.
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Thanks for the picture. I will have it tomorrow, shouldn't take too long to install.
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05-09-2016, 11:01 AM
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#15
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south bend
Posts: 83
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Seann45
Welding on your frame is NOT good idea.. it messes with the heat treating/tempering and may loose strength...
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I should clarify. There is two I beams bolted to the main frame section using four bolts and a few welds that the bumper connects to. These were factory. There is also a rear I beam that runs the width of the trailer. Most of the bracket is welded to the Ibeams that are bolted to the main fame rails. It also welded along the Ibeam that runs the width of the trailer. So it wont affect the main frame section at all.
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05-10-2016, 06:26 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: McKean, PA
Posts: 1,071
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Quote:
Originally Posted by crtc_01
I wasn't impressed with the welds either, but I am not a welder. It was friend who welds and fabricates for a company. He has done it his whole life and has his own really nice shop with really nice equipment. The rack is extremely solid and I don't see any problems with it. The space is confined and I don't image it was easy to get in there and weld.
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Here are some typical weld problems:
__________________
2011 Skylark 21FKV
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05-10-2016, 07:03 AM
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#17
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Tulsa
Posts: 70
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TNCraig
It has worked out well. Only thing is that you will need to travel with your lights on. The other great thing is when you sell your unit you can remove the camera and reinstall the light. Good luck with the installation.
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I really like that idea. I had purchased a wireless "WiFi" camera by Rear View Safety, I believe it is a GoVue. Not a very good unit for the back of my rig. I mounted it on the bumper, ran the power/video wires underneath to the front, and mounted the WiFi transmitter in the front cubby. The picture quality was very grainy and the range even worse. Once I got inside the TV and synced it up, it would loose connection when put in reverse (it was powered directly off the TT battery). I plan to mount a plastic outdoor box in the front by the LP tanks with the WiFi transmitter in that. I want to see if that makes any difference. If not, I will purchase another camera.
What wireless camera are you using? What kind of range do you get? Is the picture quality good?
Thanks in advance.
__________________
-----------------------------------------------
2015 JayFlight SLX 264BHW
2005 Toyota Sequoia SR5 4.7 V8 trans cooler, elect fans, auto rear leveling system (bags) towing package. Rated to pull (according to dealer) 6700lbs.
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05-10-2016, 08:53 AM
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#18
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south bend
Posts: 83
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lakehound
I really like that idea. I had purchased a wireless "WiFi" camera by Rear View Safety, I believe it is a GoVue. Not a very good unit for the back of my rig. I mounted it on the bumper, ran the power/video wires underneath to the front, and mounted the WiFi transmitter in the front cubby. The picture quality was very grainy and the range even worse. Once I got inside the TV and synced it up, it would loose connection when put in reverse (it was powered directly off the TT battery). I plan to mount a plastic outdoor box in the front by the LP tanks with the WiFi transmitter in that. I want to see if that makes any difference. If not, I will purchase another camera.
What wireless camera are you using? What kind of range do you get? Is the picture quality good?
Thanks in advance.
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It looks like they are using a voyager. I ordered this camera. Will get hooked up next week. It was $349 from amazon. The model I ordered has the bracket, they have a verion with no bracket if your trailer was prepped for camera.
Furrion FOS48TAPK-BL Wireless High-Speed RV Observation System with Mounting Bracket
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07-06-2016, 10:14 PM
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#19
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: In the sticks
Posts: 22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by us71na
Here are some typical weld problems:
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Quote:
Originally Posted by us71na
I don't know who did your welding, but I wouldn't trust it. The beads are lumpy indicating poor technique and most likely a very weak weld.
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I usually bite my tongue on things like this- but I would take all that off until getting the welding redone. There are a lot of people who may make a living doing things like that, but those welds are unsafe.
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07-07-2016, 07:34 AM
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#20
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south bend
Posts: 83
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VTSummit
I usually bite my tongue on things like this- but I would take all that off until getting the welding redone. There are a lot of people who may make a living doing things like that, but those welds are unsafe.
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He also made the rack and bike rack and all those welds are fine. He does do this for a living. I just got back from a 2week trip and put 1600mi on the trailer. Probably 400lbs on the rack with the bikes on the back and not one issue. Bikes don't don't move at all once strapped. It's a really tight space to weld in. I'll keep checking it and if I see any cracks I'll have it redone, but I don't foresee any issues.
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