Our Journey Begins - 2018 AI TB Lounge

[LB_3]

Originally Posted by Alex AVI

Sorry you had to pare down the design. But 160 lbs. is huge savings. That's more than I weigh. Definitely worth the compromise, given our limited GVWR. That's one reason I have minimized my rear tv articulating mount to a simple fixed mount and my hitch-step to a bare minimum single-bike mount. Every pound adds up.

Do you have a pic of when you had the double receiver mounted on AI or was that only in design stages?

It was just some drawings on scratch paper. I CADed up a pair of bracket to mount to the chassis frame rails and purchased the receiver tubes and hinge but never progressed past calculating the weight of some heavy gauge box tubes.

[Tobbun]

Originally Posted by wachuko

Installation of the front SumoSprings was straight forward... no need to take the wheel off... no need to get under the AI at all...

• Take all safety precautions. Place chocks in rear wheels.
• Turn the steering wheel all the way to the right
• Use a 13mm long socket to undo stock stop. If you are lucky the nut will stay with the socket, if it falls just stick your finger and slide it to the hole and it drops to the floor.
• Lift AI via front lift support (in the Mercedes Owners Manual you will find the location of the lift points). Lift just enough for inserting the SumoSprings. In my case the wheel/tire was not even up in the air...
• Insert SumoSpring.
• I placed some teflon tape around the nut so that is was held in the socket. You can also use one of those magnets that you can insert in the socket to keep the nut in there as well... I was too lazy to use two sockets (short socket works best with these magnets to start the nut on the bolt)...
• Tighten nut. I was able to do so until the whole thing started turning
• Slowly lower back in place until the SumoSpring touches the A-arm and keeps it from turning. Finish tightening the nut.
• Lower the AI
• Turn steering wheel all the way to the left
• Rinse and repeat for the other side.

Finally got this done today on my AI. The tip on Teflon tape was huge. I started this after reading through this before and after dropping that dang bolt several times I went back and re-read this... Teflon was the trick and for me using the shorter socket to be able to get it started.

Also got did some additional caulking around the fan cover screws and the sliding door half way stop.

Felt productive...

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by Alex AVI

Sorry you had to pare down the design. But 160 lbs. is huge savings. That's more than I weigh. ...

We are not sorry we pared down the design. Hold your nose for the unavoidable cliche -- sometimes less is more, and the Plan B design turned out to be perfect. Originally I wanted both back doors to be open-able at all times. Now I have one door that is open-able at all times and it's perfect. No swing-arms, no excess weight, no fuss.

[Alex AVI]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

- sometimes less is more, and the Plan B design turned out to be perfect. Originally I wanted both back doors to be open-able at all times. Now I have one door that is open-able at all times and it's perfect. No swing-arms, no excess weight, no fuss.

That is so true. I really like the simple approach to hitch racks. As a cyclist for all my adult life, I have gone through iterations of hitch mounted bike racks. One of the funniest thing I have ever done is buy an amazing bike rack that could carry 4 bikes, but it weighed 4x the weight of a single bike, had many articulating contraptions I seldom used, and cost me tons of money. So what's the funny part? I only had 1 bike to carry. And all the while, that buddy who built his own scooter rack, could've welded me a 6"×48" metal platform for a steak & couple beers.

In my eyes, the big return for your minor compromise was the look of your rack, where it is tight and as snug to the bumper as safely possible. Simple clean lines. That is exactly what I want my buddy to weld me for my 2-bike hitch rack

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by Alex AVI

.... You think your scooter can benefit from the extra setup?

Yes, it would. But the rear end of the AI is so clean... I would not want to mess with the hitch and ruin the rear bumper trim... sounds shallow, but I like the clean looks the stock setup has when not in use. Even if I just keep the step there.

For now I just make sure that I use this to get rid of any play of anything that I mount. Works wonder to avoid any wobble



Will see how it behaves with just that... trip from dealer to our house was fine when we used the X5 with it...

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by Tobbun

Finally got this done today on my AI. The tip on Teflon tape was huge. I started this after reading through this before and after dropping that dang bolt several times I went back and re-read this... Teflon was the trick and for me using the shorter socket to be able to get it started.

Also got did some additional caulking around the fan cover screws and the sliding door half way stop.

Felt productive...

Cool! Happy you were able to get that done.

I wonder if DNM was able to get the correct ones to do the install...

[Alex AVI]

Originally Posted by wachuko

Yes, it would. But the rear end of the AI is so clean... I would not want to mess with the hitch and ruin the rear bumper trim... sounds shallow, but I like the clean looks the stock setup has when not in use. Even if I just keep the step there...

Not shallow at all and I completely agree with you. I told my buddy I would only do it if it does not interfere with hitch cover and bumper trim and also needs to fit inside hitch cover and not be visible under bumper trim. He said he could do it. Will see how it looks when we dry fit next week or two.

I don't care for how RoadTrek rear end looks. It's one of the things I did not like about some of the other class B when we were still shopping. The unfinished look of RoadTrek is a turn off for me. It sounds trivial, but when AI is side by side with RoadTrek, it makes it even stand out more.

[mefly2]

Originally Posted by Lotus54

I put lights on my motorcycle carrier, since the bike blocks much of the brake and turn signals.
Just power them off the trailer outlet.

We are bringing a vintage Honda 100 on our trip- it is very gutless, but should be fun for putting around.
(Some of my bikes have had right side shifters and left foot brakes- actually my preference).

I’ll have to take a picture of the little bike on the back of the Interstate.
Although it is heavier than the bikes I usually ride! (It is about 190lbs, my others are 142, 158 and 163lbs.)

Mark

We often have an XT250 Yamaha inside our AS ... it really is fun to be able to scoot around on it and not have to go from the site in the full rig ...

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by mefly2

We often have an XT250 Yamaha inside our AS ... it really is fun to be able to scoot around on it and not have to go from the site in the full rig ...

I really wanted to take the Triumph with us... but too heavy to use on a hitch carrier... and I do not want to tow anything...

On a side note, since I am still exited about being able to check something off my bucket list... Had fun this weekend riding through the Cherohala Skyway and Tail of the Dragon... woohoo!!

[Boom23]

Hi all,

I just want to say THANK YOU to Wachuko and everyone who contributed to this thread. I have read it more than once and I have a long shopping list for my new 2018 Tommy Bahama AI Grand Tour with Air-ride suspension!!! This is my first RV and I can't wait to take delivery today (hopefully).

I am a boat person (sailing) but I love any kind of exploring.

As many of you, I have to improve whatever I buy. Thanks to you and this forum, I bought upgrades (solar controller and battery isolator, among many other things) for a RV I do not have yet... My wife thinks I am very weird.

Thank you again

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by Boom23

Hi all,

I just want to say THANK YOU to Wachuko and everyone who contributed to this thread. I have read it more than once and I have a long shopping list for my new 2018 Tommy Bahama AI Grand Tour with Air-ride suspension!!! This is my first RV and I can't wait to take delivery today (hopefully).

I am a boat person (sailing) but I love any kind of exploring.

As many of you, I have to improve whatever I buy. Thanks to you and this forum, I bought upgrades (solar controller and battery isolator, among many other things) for a RV I do not have yet... My wife thinks I am very weird.

Thank you again

Welcome to the forum!!! And congratulations on your new Airstream Interstate!!!!

[Boom23]

Thank you! The dealer scheduled the orientation for this Monday. I am super excited but I was hoping to use our new RV this weekend...

I was wondering if anyone has figured out how to install a Generator Autostart system (triggered by temp or maybe just the batt level)?
I believe Pleasure-Way has this option on their Plateau RV's with the Firefly setup.
Also, Onan advertises an Autostart add-on called Energy Command 30 (EC-30) and from what I can tell works on the Interstate generator.

All of the generator control wires come out of the Firefly display, or control board. I would think that it would be easy to connect the Energy Command 30 at the same location and replace the existing generator start panel.

Does anyone have the firefly wiring info?
Has anyone implemented the generator autostart?

We have a little dog that we may want to leave in the RV sometimes...

[Tronadora]

Originally Posted by Boom23

Thank you! The dealer scheduled the orientation for this Monday. I am super excited but I was hoping to use our new RV this weekend...

I was wondering if anyone has figured out how to install a Generator Autostart system (triggered by temp or maybe just the batt level)?
I believe Pleasure-Way has this option on their Plateau RV's with the Firefly setup.
Also, Onan advertises an Autostart add-on called Energy Command 30 (EC-30) and from what I can tell works on the Interstate generator.

All of the generator control wires come out of the Firefly display, or control board. I would think that it would be easy to connect the Energy Command 30 at the same location and replace the existing generator start panel.


Does anyone have the firefly wiring info?
Has anyone implemented the generator autostart?

We have a little dog that we may want to leave in the RV sometimes...

Boom23:
I'd love to see your inquiry become a new thread so we can all target this specific issue; would you like to start that?. We too have a small dog and are hitting the road full time in May so it would be a big deal to see how this feature might become incorporated. Cheers.

[Boom23]

Just started a new thread.


http://www.airforums.com/forums/f240...rt-180769.html

[wachuko]

Next stop...Siesta Key!!!

[Lily&Me]

Yeeaayyy!!!

Have a great trip!

Maggie

[InterBlog]

That scooter mount is sooo classy! It's one of the nicest I've seen. The whole package looks like it was assembled with careful planning, and it all belongs together. (Although if you come to a jurisdiction like Texas, you'll be at high risk of getting nailed by law enforcement for not having a visible rear license plate.)

Speaking of classy presentations, here's a counterpoint. I'm sorry if this insults any of the lurkers, but here's my front-runner for Worst Interstate Hitch Assembly Ever (I probably posted this to "Interstate Spotted" or some other thread, but it's been a few years now). Ingonish Nova Scotia, and I don't know how far along in the journey this owner got before that contraption disintegrated. I didn't have time to shoot video, but the moment arm had it bouncing up and down impossibly. I doubt that it lasted, because it did not appear to be safe.

[Alex AVI]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

That scooter mount is sooo classy! It's one of the nicest I've seen. The whole package looks like it was assembled with careful planning, and it all belongs together.

+1 👍 especially the color of scooter & rack

[FlyFishinRVr]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

I doubt that it lasted, because it did not appear to be safe.

I just scratch my head at stuff like this. Spend upwards of $150K on a Interstate but refuse to spend $500 on a well-built, safe hitch carrier and risk losing whatever "treasures" they just couldn't leave home without and endanger everyone else on the road in the process..... .

For better or worse, around here, that would be a citation and mandatory removal before that rig could move another inch down the road.

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

...Although if you come to a jurisdiction like Texas, you'll be at high risk of getting nailed by law enforcement for not having a visible rear license plate...

What would I do without you guys!!?? That completely escaped me!!

I will fix that. I will make a tag mount on the carrier with lights. The harness from that can connect to the hitch electric plug...

How did I not notice that....???

Thank you!!!