Digging My Own Grave; Or, If I Could Only Take it Back!

[silverleeper]

Originally Posted by Dumpster

Dump is home safe, but not very sound. That was 90 of the most paranoid miles of towing in my life.

Best,
Chris

Glad to see you and the "Dump" home safe. I can't even imagine the stress of the tow home.

[MJMarkhams70]

I am glad that you made it back with the "dump" without further incident...

YOU CAN DO IT!

MJM

[ScoobyShack]

Hey Chris,

Glad you and Dump made it home without further mayhem.

You said that 9 months of hard work are basically down the drain, but that isn't true.
Everything great about your trailer, all the hard work you put into it, is still great.

Chris, you tackled this initial project with a fearlessness and a gusto (not to mention, a wonderful self-depricating sense of humor) that had all of us cheering for you.
The project looked like it was done, but now you have more work to do.

You can fix this damage. The wonderful men and women of this forum will help you.

Repair those studs, check out your systems, and get this thing travel-ready for Yellowstone. Go have a great time. And tackle repair this when once you are rested and ready.

Don't let this get you down. You are up to this new challenge.

David

[Dumpster]

I decided it was time to get back on the proverbial horse. Enough self-pity. And despite Dumpster’s glaring physical handicap, I have to treat her with respect. She needs my attention.

The last major project on the docket was to replace the old, leaky, clapped out Armstrong A/C. This is another project that I have been dreading. I have procrastinated as long as I possibly can, but Mother Nature finally forced my hand; it got up to 88 degrees yesterday. So I climbed up the ladder and didn’t come down until:



Exactly how things lay after each peace was hurled from the roof. Doing it all in one piece would have been more gratifying (especially on to the driveway), but this put a solid grin on my face. P.O.S. You won’t be missed.

The plan was to leave the Armstrong base in place to give me a nice level surface to mount the new unit. However I ultimately decided against it, as it is considerably larger than the Carrier unit I bought, and it turned out to be the source of most of my leaks. Kind of a bad design, in my humblest opinion. I don’t know what thickness the aluminum is, but it is totally under-engineered. I counted several places that were the source of leaking. The worst is that they mounted a 60+ pound compressor right to it with nothing under it to help support the weight. Gee, what do you think happened? Over the years, the vibration from travel caused the metal to stress and crack around the mounting holes. I think this was the bulk of my leaking problems.

Anyway, I am one of those people who refuse to ask for help. That, and I couldn’t think of how anyone was going to help me get this thing up the ladder, so I did it myself. One of these days, my stubbornness is going to get me in trouble. Not today, however. So here she is, sitting on the roof, cooling the interior of Ole Dump-



I don’t know what possessed me to paint it black, but I think I like it. I guess what I was hoping for was to make it unobtrusive, if not unnoticeable. That is a stretch, but I still like it. Besides, I can’t seem to find silver-colored plastic paint around here.

I guess I better acknowledge the 800 pound elephant in the room, and get busy dealing with that damage now………..

[Gypsy Jo]

Am glad to hear you are back on the horse. I was saddened by your misfortune after all the work you had put into The Dumpster.I like the black ac unit it kind of blends into the background. Good Luck and Good Thoughts for you .

[MJMarkhams70]

Your just tearing stuff up right and left... i like the black cover...

[biggoofball]

I always think my '73 would look really good without the AC. The black cover helps hide it (at least in your photos)

Nice work!!

[Dumpster]

This might qualify as off-topic, but I don’t care. Working on Dumpster is great, but I bought her to use.

We just finished up a 7 night, eight day trip to Yellowstone/Teton in the Ole girl. I should mention that I patched her up as best I could before we left:



Some of you might look at that and think – “what’s the big deal?” Let’s just say you don’t want to see the profile shot. Yikes! I didn’t notice the shnoze on her from the front! Yes, this still pains me.

But that is not the point of my post. The point is- we had a fantastic time. And Dumpster is the most comfortable trailer we have ever owned. I can’t imagine spending that much time in any of our previous trailers and not killing each other. It is so wide-open, easy to maneuver around (even with 4 people. Well, two people, and two half people). There was a point where there were 3 people in the bathroom at once! Try that in a refrigerator. Everything worked reasonably well (aside from some issues noted below).

The fridge is barely adequate. It ran constantly the entire trip. However, between that, the water heater, and the furnace, we didn’t even empty one propane cylinder. So perhaps there is a flame adjustment. But it works well enough for me not to spend $1,200 and remodel the interior to get a new one.

The water heater also works, but it scares me. Flames come back out of the burner tube and float up the outside. It has obviously been doing this for some time, as there is black soot to prove it. This is another thing that perhaps can be overcome. A new one was in the plans, but the cost of needed repairs is going to negate that purchase this year. I will just continue my ritual of sitting right next to it drinking beer for an hour, baby sitting it each night before shower time. This is the price I pay for vintage.

The oven did a marvelous job on chicken pot pies one night, and cinnamon rolls one morning. Someone mentioned previously that I would grow to love it. This could happen, although it was the source of one of my mishaps. And the 4-burner stove performed like a champ. Once shined up, I can’t imagine replacing with a newer 3-burner version. Just my 2 cents.

And the crusty old Suburban furnace is my new hero. It worked flawlessly, and is so quiet. We had an NT-3X in our last trailer, and every cycle woke me up. This thing never woke me up once (CO induced coma, perhaps?). I also notice it draws about 30% fewer amps than a 30SP. Oh, I would also like to report that the new A/C kept the interior bone dry during a torrential down pour, unlike its predecessor.

The other thing that amazed me is a non-AS item(s); the Trojan AGM batteries. As previously mentioned, we were out 8 days and 7 nights. We only had AC the first night. So we went 7 days and 6 nights on these batteries with very little towing in between. These are rated at about 225 amp hours, the same as the T-105’s I have had previously. The big difference, I think, is that these are inside where it is nice and warm. I can’t remember the exact numbers for temperature effects on batteries, but it is pretty staggering. I can’t imagine these things lasting any where near as long if they had to produce juice all night when it is in the high 30’s – low 40’s.

Bad stuff-

The H & H Super Jack ain’t so super. Despite replacing the fiber gear, something continues to skip. I can get to the bottom of that later. The problem was what I do in the meantime. I had a screw jack handle, but it wouldn’t fit in the slots to crank manually. A gentleman (and fellow AS owner) at the Grant Village service center was happy to grind it down to fit for the shop minimum ($40), which took 2 minutes. Regardless, I think a new jack is in my future. The DW actually suggested that Dumpster was bad luck at this point. But fear not, this was only our second night, so Dump had plenty of time to redeem herself.

The next thing that happened was entirely my fault. While at the Dump station getting fresh water, I heard the water pump running. Uh oh. I jumped in, only to find water all over the floor. “What the F----?” The kitchen faucet is running, but the spout isn’t over the sink, so water is going all over the place. I have no idea how long this has been going on because we have been en route for the last 2 hours. Regardless, the standing theory is that the oven door flew open, pushed the spout to the side, and miraculously turned on the faucet. Yeah, I am lucky. Since then, we now have added two things to the pre-departure check list: 1) secure oven door with bungee cord. 2) Turn off the friggin’ water pump, dummy!

The last thing centers around Dexter self-adjusting brakes, and is then amplified by what I think is the most over-rated pile of junk in existence: the Prodigy brake controller. I have hated this thing since the day I bought it 6 years ago. Now I realize that it is probably the best one available of its type, so I don’t want to start a pissing match about that. But the installation of a Brakesmart I picked up off the classifieds just moved up to position #1 on my To Do list.

The potential issue with the self-adjusting brakes has been well documented by someone with a far better vernacular and measuring tools than I. To boil it down- out of round drums + self adjusting brakes = bad. If a drum is too out of spec, the brakes can actually over adjust themselves. What that means for the people in the cheap seats is that you have one brake that actuates well in advance of the other 3. This causes unpredictable jerking, which actuates the electric gizmo in the Prodigy, which further amplifies said jerking. This is particularly a problem at slow speeds. Take for example – You have checked into the campground. This is a great time for the kids to get unbuckled from their car seats and sit on your lap for the slow, peaceful, 5 MPH cruise to your designated campsite. You come to a corner and just touch the brake, then you go from 5 MPH to 0 in .23 seconds. If you are lucky, the kids don’t hit their heads on the dashboard. No matter how lucky you are, the wife definitely uses the Lord’s name in vain. I have it narrowed down on which side, but not which drum yet. Once I do, hopefully I can find a good shop to have it properly turned and things will be right as rain again.

So unlike the previous 2-night, disaster trip, this was the official ‘shake-down’ cruise. When it is all said and done, I think things went swimmingly. I expected to have a punch list longer than the train of Paparazzi following Britney Spears into/out of rehab. Really, all I have is a very short list of ‘inconveniences’. Not too shabby.

For your viewing pleasure, I have included some pictures of a fairly rare species spotted in its natural habitat in Yellowstone. Enjoy.

[MJMarkhams70]

Most excellent my friend...I love the photos. I am glad that you guys had a great time.

[ScoobyShack]

Wow Chris!

Sounds like you guys had a great time! Your Overlander looks so wonderful!

You've been a real busy dude...new A/C, repaired the side damage and went camping.

The repair looks fantastic...like nothing ever happened!





You really are amazing! Nothing slows you down!

Job well done! (yeah, I know...they are never done)
Glad you are out having fun with it!

David

[tallytwo1994]

Nice to hear that things are on the upswing now.

Carol

[Dumpster]

Things are on the up because Dumpster is getting used. But when camping season is over this fall, the sad reality of the damage will again hit me like a ton of bricks. Although the patch job I did might appear visually appealing at a distance, I can assure you that up close it is still rather frightening. Not to mention, it is simply hiding a very sad reality underneath.

Actually doing the temporary repair gave me the opportunity to see what I face, up close and personal. Doing the repair properly is going to be a major undertaking.

The first thing, and easiest, is that I am going to have to replace all 4 of the outriggers from the wheel well back. They are literally destroyed. That welder I borrowed is now mine, thanks to rolling over 4 decades on Tuesday (thanks darling wifey!) Once this is done, the real work will begin. I am going to have to gut a large portion of the inside so I can remove the interior skin (which is buckled terribly at the floor). I have about 2 feet of completely mangled C-channel that likely isn’t salvageable. I am not sure yet what my options are there.

The last and most daunting issue is that the rib that is centered over this whole mess is bent very badly, almost all the way up to the window. It is so bad that there is a gap between the lower wall and the floor of about 6 inches. Dealing with this has me the most scared, as I won’t know what I am really dealing with until I get the inside skin off. Bending it back into shape might not be possible without causing further damage farther up. Blahhhhhhhhhh.

The only good news is that the floor actually appears ok, and shouldn’t require replacement. Instead of it being torn up like I thought, it is just pushed up where two pieces butt together over a stringer. Unless I am missing something, it really does appear sound.

When all of that is taken care of, Dumpster will still be left with a scar. The outer skin has a vertical tear about 6 inches long, and a horizontal crease about 20 inches long. This area will require a patch. There is simply no way around it. If I get really ambitious, I could consider doing a partial panel replacement (I would never consider doing the whole 17-18 feet). This would look the best and not be really noticeable unless you compared it to the other side. That, and the rub-rail is just beyond repair. I can’t imagine that stuff is growing on trees anywhere.

Well, this whole saga will unfold on these pages in due time. When it does, I will be looking for lots of advice and insight from those who have been in a similar situation. I can also assure you that it will read like a cheap novel, as I try and mask my anger, frustration, and ‘why-did-this-have-to-happen-to-me’ attitude.

You know, maybe I can just polish it all out.

[MJMarkhams70]

Originally Posted by Dumpster

I have about 2 feet of completely mangled C-channel that likely isn’t salvageable. I am not sure yet what my options are there.

I've got you covered on the 2 feet of c-channel... don't sweat that part my friend.

[ScoobyShack]

Happy 40th Birthday, Chris!

I still say it looks great! So the fix is a 20-footer...just keep everyone 20 feet away from it and you're good to go!

David

[Dumpster]

Originally Posted by wixom61

Happy 40th Birthday, Chris!

I still say it looks great! So the fix is a 20-footer...just keep everyone 20 feet away from it and you're good to go!

David

Dumpster is A.K.A. "Good from afar, but far from good"

[ScoobyShack]

Chris, what caused your wheel to come off? Do you have lug nuts or lug bolts?

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f465...lts-63627.html

Were you able to find your wayward wheel, or did you have to buy a new wheel and tire?

David

[Dumpster]

Originally Posted by wixom61

Chris, what caused your wheel to come off?

Ignorance. Shear ignorance. I have since learned that new aluminum wheels require re-torqueing every 25 miles until they won't tighten up anymore. On my recovery mission, I stopped every 15 miles and got about an 1/8 turn each time until the fifth time I stopped, where I got nothing. From that point on, they never loosened up anymore, and that includes our 700+ trip last week.

To answer the rest of your questions, I did recover the wheel, but the tire shop recommended replacement of it (due to the holes being rounded out) and the tire (due to a pretty good cut in it. It now serves as my spare.

When I ordered my new Dexter axles, I didn't have a choice on hubs. It came with studs, so I have nuts, which is what I prefer. Incidentally, that is what my original Hen axles had as well.

So although new aluminum wheels look really nice, they come with a warning that I wish I would have heard.

Best,
Chris

[Dumpster]

Since we are taking a little camping hiatus for a week or two, I thought I should tackle some of my list of inconveniences. Since I am so incredibly pragmatic (you know, polishing while I still have leaks), I decided that having good brakes was a good idea.

The first order of business was to figure out which road-side drum was out of round so I could have it turned. Simply jacking up both wheels and giving each a spin told the tale. The article I read about problems with Dexter self-adjusting brakes said that they needed to be turned out to about .05-.1”, but that Dexter’s spec to only .2”. The guy who turned my hub said it was really bad. But $10 later, that problem appears fixed. No more grabbing brakes.

The next order of business was stop lights. Several times while in Yellowstone, people who followed me into a parking lot, only after inflating my ego by telling me how cool Dumpster was, that my brake lights were rather dim. Now I can relate to this statement, as most people think I am dim as well. I figure I had two choices: 1) replace the old, faded lenses, or 2) go LED. I wasn’t too keen on the idea of putting LED’s on a vintage trailer, and I was also rather offended at what they cost. However, at Harbor Freight prices, I am will to try. I found 4 1/8” LED lights for $15 bucks each, regular price. I also happened to find new reflectors in a pack of 2 on close-out for 99 cents. These lights just required a little bit of trimming with the belt sander, and fit quite well. I pressure-fit them, and then sealed around the edges with aluminum colored sealant. The pictures don’t do it justice, but they are considerable brighter. So I am pleased.



The last order of business was to do away with the current bane of my existence:

No. I didn’t go through with it, although I was very tempted. I figure it can serve as a backup should this ever fail me:

To those who are wondering if the Brakesmart is really the cat’s A$$, it is. This is how trailer braking should really be. There really is no comparison at all.

Laters!

[Dumpster]

I guess that is actually a good thing. So I have been too busy with that to tackle any major projects lately. I do realize that I have done a lousy job of documenting finished, or almost finished projects. I figured winter would be a good time for that. Then I realized that someone had asked for additional pictures before Dumpster’s little mishap. So I thought I would oblige.

The front end is pretty much complete. Please. No one give me any crap about the curtains. Being male, I am not very domestic. As a result, I don’t know my way around a sewing machine very well. They block light from coming in, as well as provide privacy. A job well done, in my opinion. Besides, if they were too good, I might start questioning my manliness. What is left is a new control panel (good winter project), and for me to finally make a decision on how I am going to treat the wood. I think I already mentioned that little dilemma.

So this is the “cocktail” table-

We sometimes group camp, and find ‘scooching’ around the dinette difficult if lots of people want to come in out of the rain. This makes having crowds very easy, and still provides a place to set, wait for it…….cocktails. Ok. I’ll stop.

This is the dinner table-

As the name implies, we use this for meals. We typically travel with this in place, although it will fit in the rear ward. It is also necessary to turn the dinette into-

Mega-Bed.

This sleeps two adults and at least one crumb-muncher very comfortably. Conversion is simple, and very quick.

Lastly, the kids’ bunks-

I am sad about the wood species I selected here. Turns out Birch does a far better job of matching up to the walnut. So someday, I will have to replace this. The kids love their bunks. Actually, so does Daddy. I love it when my son wants to sleep with Mom and I get his lower bunk. Now that is sleepin’!

I will try and document the bathroom next. I have a few little finishing touches to put on there first. Tonight I am going to fix some road-rash the belly pan received last weekend going off-road, and I am going to take the opportunity to replace the now not-so-common Thetford black tank valve.

I also found one of the three windows I needed. The glass-to-plexi ratio on Dumpster is a little too low. Hopefully that will be here soon.

Best all,
Dump

[VIKING]

Nice looking work on the bunks, Dumpster.