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ROBERT CROSS · 08-12-2011, 08:13 AM

DZ,

Well... they SHOULD match. I was within a 1/2" when I did ours on the Burb.

Although the the Burb is a 3/4, it's suspension is considerably softer than most, your probably right on the Dodge needing an 1"+.

One ?...2 & 5"15"

dznf0g · 08-12-2011, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

DZ,

Well... they SHOULD match. I was within a 1/2" when I did ours on the Burb.

Although the the Burb is a 3/4, it's suspension is considerably softer than most, your probably right on the Dodge needing an 1"+.

One ?...2 & 5"15"

Sorry, fat fingers! I edited previous post..

ROBERT CROSS · 08-12-2011, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dznf0g

Sorry, fat fingers! I edited previous post..

Yeah....my brain is three feet from my fingers. +/-... 2 & 5"15"

Silver Goose · 08-12-2011, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by palmtreegirl

... There is a hex bolt holding the bracket that snaps the chains - this is about 3" long......is there any reason I can't put a shorter bolt on? This is going to make moving the bracket difficult unless I shorten it. Do you need a picture?

I think they got a good price on extra long bolts (I'm assuming you're referring to the bolt that clamps the back side of the snap bracket to the a-frame). It only needs to be long enough to adequately secure the clamp. The spare tire on my previous white box trailer was mounted in the a-frame so I had to use shorter bolts.

palmtreegirl · 08-12-2011, 02:20 PM

Hi Experts,
Well, I have a problem brewing - I can't 'break' the bolt loose. I've sprayed it with WD40 and haven't tried again yet. It is such a knuckle buster situation.......I might need some suggestions to get it off. There's like zero room to work.

overlander64 · 08-12-2011, 02:36 PM

Greetings Palmtreegirl!

Quote:

Originally Posted by palmtreegirl

Hi Experts,
Well, I have a problem brewing - I can't 'break' the bolt loose. I've sprayed it with WD40 and haven't tried again yet. It is such a knuckle buster situation.......I might need some suggestions to get it off. There's like zero room to work.

You might want to try Kroil PB-Blaster as it is a much more effective penetrating oil than WD-40. You can read more about PB-Blaster at this link.

Good luck with your project!

Kevin

P.S.: You might consider using a pair of vise grip pliers with a breaker bar to gain some additional leverage. Also, don't be afraid to use the penetrating oil liberally and allow it to soak in for as much as 24 hours.

ROBERT CROSS · 08-12-2011, 05:57 PM

Try this.....AC Delco Part 10-6000
88900415
Rust Penetrant and Inhibitor, available at any GM Dealer, works well for rusted parts. You may have to make several applications thru the day, spray, whack the base of the bolt, (where it goes into the bracket), several times with a blunt drift rod. Be patient it may take time and several tries.

Bob

palmtreegirl · 08-12-2011, 06:18 PM

Well, the good news is: I got one of the bolts off.

The bad news is: the other one is not moving. I've had the closed end of a box wrench on it and pounded on it with a hammer - no way.

I'm going to have to look for that stuff....All I have at the moment is the wd40. It is pretty rusty - the one I did get off was really, really stiff all the way to the end. I think I'll find stainless steel to replace them.

It looks like the brackets are going to be able to move plenty - at least 3" if necessary.

What is a blunt drift rod?

ROBERT CROSS · 08-12-2011, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by palmtreegirl

Well, the good news is: I got one of the bolts off.

.....What is a blunt drift rod?

Liz,
if the tapered punch you used for the chain has a flat end use that.

What your trying to do is "shock" the threads in the bracket to break the rust tension.

Bob

AirHeadsRus · 08-12-2011, 06:35 PM

PB-Blaster will bust up the rust. Let it soak, it will work.
Good luck,
Joe

Quote:

Originally Posted by overlander64

Greetings Palmtreegirl!

You might want to try Kroil PB-Blaster as it is a much more effective penetrating oil than WD-40. You can read more about PB-Blaster at this link.

Good luck with your project!

Kevin

P.S.: You might consider using a pair of vise grip pliers with a breaker bar to gain some additional leverage. Also, don't be afraid to use the penetrating oil liberally and allow it to soak in for as much as 24 hours.

palmtreegirl · 08-13-2011, 08:38 AM

The local auto parts store carries the PB-Blaster - I'll be going over there after I get started on my building project - picking up anything I need at HD at the same time.

Thanks guys,
Liz

Gene · 08-13-2011, 10:49 AM

Replacement bolts should be the same hardness or more than the original ones. The hardness will be (should be, maybe rust has made it hard to see) on the head of the bolt. Hardest is #8. Stainless steel may be hard to find in that grade and size.

Some sort of breaker bar will make is easier to get the bolt to let go—any time you lengthen whatever you are using to loosen it will increase the power substantially. Without a lot of room, this requires innovative thinking and strange combinations of tools to create the lever that can move the earth—a long enough bar can turn the trailer upside down, but you might have trouble lifting the bar. A piece of steel or iron pipe big enough to fit over the wrench helps a lot. Heating the bolt with a torch sometimes works so long as you don't burn the trailer to the ground.

Gene

palmtreegirl · 08-14-2011, 05:05 AM

Good Morning Experts!

I've got a good one for you......I went into the local auto parts store to get a can of the PB Blaster. The young man helped me (as I was the only customer in the store) and as I was checking out we were discussing the product. He said "just spray it on.....it will eat up a styrofoam cup"......I said, "I'm not worried about the styrofoam, what does it do to the rust?"
Ha Ha.....this was funny to me.

SO, I sprayed it on last night before I came in.....it's raining now so once it stops, I'll probably spray it on again.....

Thanks for the tip on bolt hardness - I wouldn't have known that - the auto parts guy said he can get just about anything in that department if they don't carry it in stock.

My interior project is coming along - I'm not a carpenter and I'm dealing with the curves and odd shapes of the front of the AS the best I can - so far, so good. I'm trying to make a frame around the batteries and other electrical looking stuff. Got to re-mount the battery-kill switch - I'm going to put it vertical on the paneling I use to close in the front of the box - the top is going to be a bench. Woo Hoo, I finally bought myself a new circular saw - I've purchased two different ones at garage sales and neither one worked.

Will update on the bolt.

palmtreegirl · 08-16-2011, 07:01 AM

Hello Experts!

Well, I can't get that dang bolt off - my last chance is coming over in a little while - men! I'm hoping that they will be stronger (most likely) than me and can strong-arm the stupid thing off. I PB Blasted it to death - not moving..........AAAARRRRRGGGGG! This is frustrating!

palmtreegirl · 08-16-2011, 09:17 AM

Good news - I had the electrician help me - he could barely get the bolt off with a pipe wrench, but we did it! I'll be heading over the the fastener place to get shorter ones later or tomorrow.

palmtreegirl · 08-17-2011, 06:47 AM

Good morning Experts.

I had to move the trailer yesterday - only down to the end of the driveway - since I don't have the clamps on that hold the chains for the weight distribution part of the hitch, I just put the whole tongue weight on the ball on the truck.

I have got to tell you.....that trailer almost seemed level.......of course the front wheels of the tow vehicle were just about off the ground!

Either later today or tomorrow I will be getting new bolts - #8 hardness and 1 1/4" or 1 1/2" long. When I reassemble it, do I want the chains to hang straight down with or without the cam arm in the saddle or doesn't it matter. To get the chains to hang straight without the bars, I have to move the bracket about 2" closer to the propane tank cover.

ROBERT CROSS · 08-18-2011, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by palmtreegirl

Good morning Experts.

....... When I reassemble it, do I want the chains to hang straight down with or without the cam arm in the saddle or doesn't it matter. To get the chains to hang straight without the bars, I have to move the bracket about 2" closer to the propane tank cover.

Liz,

Your chains are basically the same as the jack tubes on the haha.
When tensioned you want them as vertical as possible with the cam in the center of the saddle.

Bob.

overlander64 · 08-18-2011, 08:08 AM

Greetings Liz!

I was browsing through some of my links, bookmarks, etc., and ran across these links and documents that might help to explain some of the theory and process behind setting-up your Reese Strait-Line Hitch:

While I haven't yet completed this project, my plan is to print this information and place it in my travel binders with the manuals that stay in my trailers. It seems like I end up referring to one or more of these documents at least once or twice a year.

Good luck with your setup!

Kevin

P.S.: I don't know whether these photos of the Strait-Line Hitch on my Minuet/Cadillac combination will help, but the setup made the round-trip between Illinois and Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks without problems:

The pull on the snap-up bracket isn't as straight as I would like, but I was short of time and didn't want to remove the old friction sway control bracket (it was removed as part of my pre-season adjustments this year):

Trunion and Saddle meeting is illustrated below:

Almost ready to tow status . . . umbilical cord isn't yet attached, and ball grease cover needs to be stored . . . .

Inland RV Center, In · 08-18-2011, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by palmtreegirl

Good morning Experts.

I had to move the trailer yesterday - only down to the end of the driveway - since I don't have the clamps on that hold the chains for the weight distribution part of the hitch, I just put the whole tongue weight on the ball on the truck.

I have got to tell you.....that trailer almost seemed level.......of course the front wheels of the tow vehicle were just about off the ground!

Either later today or tomorrow I will be getting new bolts - #8 hardness and 1 1/4" or 1 1/2" long. When I reassemble it, do I want the chains to hang straight down with or without the cam arm in the saddle or doesn't it matter. To get the chains to hang straight without the bars, I have to move the bracket about 2" closer to the propane tank cover.

The angle of the chains, has absolutely "nothing" to do with the effectiveness of the sway control.

However, you must make super sure that the chain is in the same exact position, on both sides of the "A" frame.

Also, always count how many chain links are under stress, and never how many links are dropped.

Keeping your eyes on the business end of the chain, will also make sure that you never put more than a one half twist in the chain, if at all, so that both chains are exactly the same length.

Andy

palmtreegirl · 08-19-2011, 07:05 AM

Good morning!

Yesterday I purchased 1 1/2" (hardness #8) 1/2" bolts to replace the really long ones on the chain snap-up bracket. I installed these - moving the bracket closer to the propane bottles (about 1 1/2-2" closer).

Additionally, I replaced the coupler link for the safety chains with 3500# stainless steel ones. I used a hammer, socket and punch and widened the last link just enough to put the new coupler on (the reason the PO had smaller couplers was probably because bigger ones would not fit in the link).

The trailer is not hooked up right now, I have the chains just dangling and they appear straight.

I printed out the information that 'overlander64' suggested - that was very good info - I'm going to be able to tell you exactly what tension size the bars are as soon as I can go out and measure them - the PO gave me another set as well - might be a smaller size. I will report after I take the measurement.

As far as measuring the trailer on level ground - that's very hard to find in my driveway, so I'll be taking measurements this weekend while we are parked on a level concrete campsite. I'm thinking that I will require some sort of drop - probably at least an inch.

I will report the size of those bars shortly.
Thanks for your help everyone.