Safari 30 bunkhouse owners club! - Page 30

rluhr · 06-01-2009, 12:21 AM

Has anyone weighed their bunkhouse's tongue?

I've weighed the trailer several times at CAT Scales, so I know what it weighs in total (about 7300 lbs loaded with full water and gear). But I've never disconnected the trailer from the truck while at the scale, nor have I ever weighed the truck without the trailer. Either of those methods would yield the tongue weight, which is a crucial measurement. I plan to do one of them soon.

Another method would be to buy an accurate tongue scale (such as the Sherline scale) but $150 or so is more than I want to spend just for a one-time measurement. The CAT Scale is just $9 per weighing.

Yet another method would be the old "bathroom scale method" but I don't happen to own a bathroom scale, nor the requisite 4x4 board, pipes, and bricks.

I'm asking because I'm curious how much tongue weight our trailer may have picked up as a result of modifications over the years. For example, we've added a Hensley hitch, and two AGM (group 24) batteries in the front compartment. We've also deleted a few things, and modified others, so it's hard to say where the tongue weight has ended up. I'd be interested to compare it to other Safari 30 bunkhouses, if anyone has accurately weighed theirs.

Minnie's Mate · 06-01-2009, 10:53 PM

I'll dig out my CAT scale weight receipts tomorrow. I remember the tongue weight came out to be around 730-750 LBS. Overall weight was 7,400 LBS, IIRC.

rluhr · 06-03-2009, 06:37 PM

I now have an actual tongue weight for my trailer. I weighed the tow vehicle (empty) at a local truck scale, and then came back with trailer in tow. The difference on the tow vehicle was 760 lbs, which is 10.1% of the trailer weight.

We have numerous modifications on our trailer, so your bunkhouse tongue weight may be different. I weighed with full water, empty black/gray, two extra batteries in the front compartment, full 30# propane tanks, and a Hensley hitch.

wkerfoot · 06-03-2009, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rluhr

I now have an actual tongue weight for my trailer. I weighed the tow vehicle (empty) at a local truck scale, and then came back with trailer in tow. The difference on the tow vehicle was 760 lbs, which is 10.1% of the trailer weight.

We have numerous modifications on our trailer, so your bunkhouse tongue weight may be different. I weighed with full water, empty black/gray, two extra batteries in the front compartment, full 30# propane tanks, and a Hensley hitch.

Rich,

If the trailer was hooked up to the tow vehicle, wouldn't the difference in weight be only the amount of tongue weight transferred to the tow vehicle and not the amount transferred to the trailer axles? I would think that an accurate tongue weight could only be determined by disconnecting the trailer and weighing the trailer with only the jack on the scale.

Bill

rluhr · 06-03-2009, 06:53 PM

Yes, you're right. But the tongue weight I measured is the one that matters for purposes of getting the weight distribution right on the tow vehicle. I was interested in ensuring that I wasn't overloading the tow vehicle. Static tongue weight (disconnected) isn't relevant to the tow vehicle if it gets transferred back to the trailer axles.

I assume my static tongue weight is higher, perhaps by 100 lbs or even more, which still puts the ratio of tongue/trailer in the proper range for good balance and towing performance. Someday if I encounter an accurate tongue scale I'll find out.

FlaFountain · 06-03-2009, 11:07 PM

Hello,

The Airstream is still for sale and has now been successfully serviced and is ready for the road. The wheel bearings have been repacked, the brakes inspected, 4 seals, grease, tires checked out and inflated for travel. Mr. Charlie Guisasola of Gulf Coast Mobile Services who performed the services has over 20 years of experience and reports that it is in great shape. He is also available to transport it and charges $2.50 per mile. I can provide his number to you if you would like to discuss his opinion of the Airstream and the services he provided.

It is available to the first party for purchase at the reduced price of $30,000 which is below the Blue Book value. It is in perfect condition and has had very little use and is like new.

I have moved it to my office parking lot in Navarre, Florida which will make it easier to view.

Please contact me if you are interested in purchasing or arranging to view the Airstream at FountainLaw@GMail.com or by phone at 850-939-3535.

Thank you,

Ken Fountain

Minnie's Mate · 06-05-2009, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minnie's Mate

Does anybody know how to remove the motor from the bathroom fan? I can't seem to get it to budge. It doesn't seem to be attached with screws that I can see and it doesn't seem to screw into the bracket. But it is firmly anchored in place. I ordered a new motor from an Airstream dealer and the motor is all I got...no mounting instructions!

I climbed up on a ladder and was able to reach the vent cover without having to get on top of the trailer. I removed the caulking and removed the screws holding the vent cover in place. When I removed the cover I saw the two screws Andy told me about. It was a simple process to remove the fan from its shaft and remove the screws and motor and replace the motor. After replacing the fan on the motor shaft, I replaced the cover and applied Sikoflex over the screws.

I couldn't find the Vulkem locally, but my local big orange box home improvement center had the Sikoflex. Then I just reconnected the wires from below and replaced the vent screen (after cleaning it, of course). The fan now works and there have been no leaks from the vent cover screws during any of the many rains we have had since I replace the motor a couple of weeks ago.

Minnie's Mate · 06-05-2009, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rluhr

I now have an actual tongue weight for my trailer. I weighed the tow vehicle (empty) at a local truck scale, and then came back with trailer in tow. The difference on the tow vehicle was 760 lbs, which is 10.1% of the trailer weight.

I haven't located my CAT Scale receipts with the weight results yet. They weren't in the Airstream in the owner's manual satchel like I thought. But as I recall, your results are pretty much the same as mine. I think mine may have been 760 LBS. I do carry four collapsible camp chairs plus all of my camping tools in the storage bay behind the gas bottles. The difference in our trailer vs. yours is that we haven't made the changes in batteries, or other modifications, but we replaced the factory mattress with an inner spring, pillow top mattress plus we have a feather topper on top of that. I'm sure that adds a good bit to the original tongue weight.

Rick Gillis · 07-02-2009, 02:42 PM

I am up in Madison, enjoying all the silver in a single location. Walking around the grounds, it appears that I am the sole representative of the Bunkhouse owners club! I have given quite a few tours to folks walking by.

Before leaving, I did a detailed wash of my trailer, including the roof. While up there I noticed that my skylight had begun to crack where the screws are used to mount to the roof. Looking closely, the plastic is very, very brittle after being in the sunlight for 4 years. I picked up a new skylight here for $71 and will install it when I get home.

I recommend that everyone with a 4 year old skylight craw up on the roof and examine it closely.

Rick

rluhr · 07-02-2009, 03:03 PM

Rick, look for us at the flea market on Saturday! We're not parked on site, but will commute in for the day.

Thanks for the tip on the skylight. I was looking up at mine last week and wondering how long it would last. Time to climb up on the roof, I guess.

Minnie's Mate · 07-05-2009, 10:49 PM

Looking forward to our next camping trip. We are going to Grayton Beach for the third week of this month. Anyone been there? We are staying in the State Park. My wife did the research so I don't really have a clue what we will find.

Mirthless · 07-07-2009, 01:26 PM

I'm taking my bunkhouse down to Port Aransas this weekend, with some of my rowdier friends in tow, ostensibly to fish. But really, I think we can all guess how that's going to go

. They tell me that the belt sander races are really quite moving this time of year, and of course chickensh**t bingo is always a crowd pleaser. We may actually even catch some fish. In any event, I believe this trip will be epic. Pics (the tame ones) will be forthcoming, assuming I survive.

Mirthless
Silicis sicco pervestri gallo sicco!

JDEJV · 07-08-2009, 06:31 PM

Hello,

We are newbies in the forum, in advance thanks to all who make this forum a wonderful resource for us who are in the process of learning.

We recently purchased a 2005 Bunkhouse and was wondering if someone knows what the weight limit is on the upper bunk bed.

All the best,

rluhr · 07-08-2009, 07:44 PM

I'm not sure on the weight limit on the upper bunk, but for some reason I seem to remember something about 100 lbs or so. In transit (storing stuff) I'd keep less weight up there, because of the "bounce" factor.

Overnight, the practical limit is more a matter of human size than weight. Most adults can't fit into the space. I'm 5' 9" and about 155 lbs and I can't sleep up there -- it's just too claustrophobic.

On a totally separate subject, the sales mgr at Can-Am RV told me yesterday that he sold two Safari 30 bunkhouses to an organization that shipped them to Baffin Island, just above the Arctic Circle. Those units probably won't be back, so that's two more off the potential re-sale market!