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M2HB · 05-05-2012, 10:13 PM

This C11 has been in the family since it was new. It has been sitting in my back yard for over 25 years and I didn't know that the rear vent lid was rotted so it did get some water in it. Fortunately it is fairly dry in AZ.

I decided to build a trailer for it and the first step was to buy a new Ford truck bed and build a frame for the bed with storage in front of the truck bed. Once that is done (hopefully in about 2-3 weeks) I will put the camper on it and move it to where it can be worked on. I'm planning on having it done by the end of summer, but the heat may slow me down.
I have had the chance to check out this forum and it is a great place to find info on these old gems.

**Kevin245** · 05-06-2012, 08:16 AM

Welcome to Airforums. Glad to have you with us and it's good to hear of another classic kin being brought back to life. There are a couple of Cayo restorations in progress that are documented here. Keep us posted on your efforts.

Kevin

slowmover · 05-06-2012, 07:41 PM

Look forward to what you come up with!

M2HB · 05-06-2012, 09:30 PM

The trailer frame is almost done. I've been on it for about a week. I am now waiting for the axle to arrive. It is a custom made Flexiride rubber torsion, 7000# axle. I will paint the bottom of the frame this week while the frame is upside down and I'm waiting for the axle. I'm making it to take a frame mounted water tank and a frame mounted gas tank between the frame rails. I am putting a quad storage area right in front of the truck bed (under the camper bed) and I am installing 2 - 30# propane tanks on the tongue. I am also installing a Camp Chef 3 burner grill that slides out from under the quad rack.
For those who rebuild the C-11 campers and put the battery back in the camper, we did away with that idea in the early 1970s. We use a secondary truck battery for the camper and we just wire to the truck battery. The thought of smelling that acid smell in the camper is not a good idea. In this case, I'm installing a battery on the trailer tongue and it will also be wired to the truck.
I can't wait to get the trailer done and start on the camper.

M2HB · 05-17-2012, 10:13 PM

The axle finally arrived and I welded it onto the trailer. Next, I used my tractor (front end loader) to turn the trailer upright. I then finished painting it. Now to finish the wiring, which is almost done.
Tomorrow it will be time to drop the new Ford 8' truck bed onto the trailer. We will see if it fits.

This isn't my first Rodeo, but you never know when you will make a mistake.

I figure that the trailer will weigh about 1750# with the truck bed on it. The Camper is about 2500# wet. I will install a larger water tank so it will be around 2600#. I am installing another fresh water tank under the trailer and a gas tank for the quads and generator. Those tanks when full will add about 350# or so. I'm also adding two 30 LP tanks on the front and an external battery so those items will add about 150#. I built a slide out Camp Chef 3 burner stove that will run off of the trailer LP. That is quite a nice stove.
The quad is over 600# which brings the total to about 5500 # without anything in the camper. By the time the camper is loaded I figure that the trailer will weigh a little over 6000#. The trailer is designed for 7000# and it has enough ground clearance that I can go quite a ways off road without a problem. There is over 14" of clearance at it's lowest point. We will soon see how it tows.

M2HB · 05-22-2012, 10:19 PM

The trailer is almost done and wired for the camper. I licensed it a couple of days ago. The permanent licenses in AZ are nice. I still have a couple of days of work to do when I get my two 16 gallon water tanks that go under the trailer bed. By the time I put a 42 gallon water tank in the camper and 32 gallons under the trailer, I will have 74 usable gallons of water. That is a lot better than the original 30 gallons.
I need to get the roof sealer on the camper, the new LED lights on the camper and the bottom of the camper preped and painted. It will then be ready to put on the trailer and take to the upholstery shop for some seriously needed work.
I would post pictures if I knew how to do it here. I figured that I could link to photobucket but it didn't work.

Next question. What is the best foam mattress to get for the Avion camper? Give me the reasons for your recommendation if you don't mind.

M2HB · 05-24-2012, 09:10 PM

Pictures of trailer, not quite finished.

Diesel1 · 05-24-2012, 09:37 PM

Looking good so far!

Avion C-11 · 05-26-2012, 10:51 PM

I am looking forward to more of your project pics! Cool!

M2HB · 05-27-2012, 06:39 PM

I finished the truck bed with the camper guides and front bed stop. All the trailer wiring is done and I put the camper on it today. I pulled it around the block and it towed just fine but I haven't tied it down yet so I only went around the block. I then took it to my concrete driveway and unloaded it off of the trailer. I blocked it up and removed all the runners under it. It had three factory runners and my grandfather had added two more. I removed everything so that I can put so good quality exterior stain on the plywood and then I am putting the modern plastic deck material on it for runners. It doesn't look too bad on the new trailer.
This is the first time that it has been on moveable wheels in 25 to 30 years. The last truck that it was regularly moved with was a 1977 Chevy K-30 dually.

Jammer · 05-27-2012, 07:59 PM

Interesting approach. I have a 1971 C-11 and am looking forward to seeing more pics of your rig. Like you I have installed a coach battery in the truck, but on the other hand I also kept the one in the camper.

M2HB · 05-27-2012, 09:22 PM

More pictures from earlier today.

Truck bed with bed stop and guides and plugs.

Trailer being backed under camper that has been in that spot for 25-30 years.

Camper moved to a location where I can work on it.

Avion C-11 · 05-28-2012, 06:51 AM

That's a very neat rig! I like the storage area infront of the camper. That will be very handy.

M2HB · 05-28-2012, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Avion C-11

That's a very neat rig! I like the storage area infront of the camper. That will be very handy.

That was built to carry a second quad and there is a large 3 burner stove that pulls out from the right side that sits under that area.

M2HB · 05-28-2012, 07:58 PM

I stripped the runners out from under the camper today and sanded the entire plywood bottom. The majority of the plumbing in the rear (under the fiberglass cover) was removed so that the plywood could be painted. I used premium gray exterior stain and it took several coats. The worst area was above the step for the doorway. It cleaned up like new and took many coats as it kept soaking up the stain. After it all dried I installed the new runners made out of that plastic deck material that never needs painting. I have 5, (1x6) runners when the factory only had three (1x4) runners. My grandfather had installed two extra runners many years ago and I disposed of all the old wood, even though most of it was still good. I wanted the 1x6 instead of the 1x4 material. I will post pictures later.

slowmover · 05-29-2012, 05:37 AM

I'd like to also recommend some reading on hitch rigging. The best WDH is never expensive . . . the FF/RR weight balance of this rig poses interesting questions that some time on a public weight scale will help with. The loaded versus empty (quads, water tanks) ought to be interesting changes on the tonque weight value.

Tell us about plans for trailer brakes, etc,. as the time is convenient.

An impressive re-do, thanks for the pics and descriptions.

.

M2HB · 05-29-2012, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by REDNAX

I'd like to also recommend some reading on hitch rigging. The best WDH is never expensive . . . the FF/RR weight balance of this rig poses interesting questions that some time on a public weight scale will help with. The loaded versus empty (quads, water tanks) ought to be interesting changes on the tonque weight value.

Tell us about plans for trailer brakes, etc,. as the time is convenient.

An impressive re-do, thanks for the pics and descriptions.

.

Your question is a good one. The tongue weight is very important. In fact, it is one of the reasons that most of the converted trucks (cutting a truck frame and bending the tongue) don't work well for hauling campers. The Avion C-11 has an even more interesting problem, and that is the fact that empty, the camper's balance point is sligtly behind the rear axle. Those are some of the reasons that I used a longer tongue with a strong frame. In the first slow tow, (without it tied down) it towed great. I need to get it up to 75 mph on a freeway with cross winds (tied down of course) to see how it will handle. I'll bet that it will handle great. The tongue weight (with camper empty) is probably around 400 - 450#. Keep in mind, I have the battery up front and I will be putting two 30 LP tanks up there. The extra water (32 gallons) sits between the frame rails, under the truck bed and just forward of the axle. The gas tank is between the frame rail, just in front of the water tanks. Since water is heavier (8.33 lbs per gallon) than gasoline, it goes closer to the axle. The quad weighs about 600 pounds and the tongue weight will be about a 60/40 weight distribution, so that will add about 360 # to the tongue. When it is fully loaded to the weight (6200#) that I plan to use it at, (axle rated at 7000#) the tongue weight will be about 1000 to 1200#. That is about 16 to 18% of the weight on the tongue. Without the quad, the tongue weight will be about 12-15% of the total weights. The coupler is rated at 25,000 pounds. It was leftover from my trailer building days over 30 years ago.

I went to pintle hitches on all my heavy trailers, many years ago.
It should tow great with the water and gas down low and that much tongue weight. Making the trailer shorter would create an unstable unit. I have built many trailers over the last 35 years and this one should tow fine.
As far as the brakes go, they are standard brakes on the 7,000 # flexiride axle. Those rubber torsion axles start riding good when they get about 40-50% of the rated capacity on them. The trailer should ride good with the camper on it, whether or not it is empty (4,500#) or full (6,200 to 7,000#). I don't like building trailers that are used at their maximum capacity most of the time. Pushing mechanical items to their rated capacity all the time is just asking for premature failure.
As far as trailer frames go, I checked out a short AS trailer that was rated at 4,500 # and it was built out of 3" structural channel. I would never build a 4,500# equipment trailer, of that lenth, out of 3" channel. I would use 4" channel for that much weight. Maybe I just overbuild, or maybe they figure that the body of the AS trailer adds to the structural rigidity. Either way, I would have used 4" channel, or even better yet, 5" channel and a 5,200" axle so they had some carrying capacity. The extra weight for the steel and axle is minimal. I'll bet (without calculating it) that the increased weight of the trailer would be around 150#.

slowmover · 05-29-2012, 03:36 PM

An impressive answer, with the kind of detail others will read with interest. Trailer dynamics are a very big deal, to use the colloquial. I'm glad to read it, and that torsion axles are part of that package. Will be interested, again, what the axle and tongue weights are once completed.

The "aero resistance" of the rig (both TV & TT) is also no small consideration. Any thoughts on enclosing the load platform to "meld" with the TC? If so, I highly recommend this build being shown in a thread on Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com in the "Aerodynamics" subforum for some well done advice on aero problems and solutions.

.

M2HB · 05-29-2012, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by REDNAX

An impressive answer, with the kind of detail others will read with interest. Trailer dynamics are a very big deal, to use the colloquial. I'm glad to read it, and that torsion axles are part of that package. Will be interested, again, what the axle and tongue weights are once completed.

The "aero resistance" of the rig (both TV & TT) is also no small consideration. Any thoughts on enclosing the load platform to "meld" with the TC? If so, I highly recommend this build being shown in a thread on Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com in the "Aerodynamics" subforum for some well done advice on aero problems and solutions.

.

That is funny that you metioned aerodynamics. I was thinking about some kind of shield on the front end but I couldn't come up with anything that I liked. It would have to be something that shielded the quad area and was attached to the tongue.

M2HB · 05-30-2012, 02:19 PM

I am now checking out all the electrical. The good news is that everything seems to work. The bad news is that when I went to put a new plug I realized that there was more shoddy workmanship on the original camper. The wiring isn't installed by color code. Did you know that "white" isn't ground, it is running lights. "Green" is ground, "black" is backup lights, etc. Whoever hooked up the wiring just picked random colors and started connecting wires. I would have fired them.