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03-27-2006, 06:38 AM
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#1
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30' 1999 Excella
Kingwood
, Texas
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 295
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Turning radius
Executive summary:
Rig: F-250 4X4 and 1999 30' Excella WB.
Our inside turn radius is 57 feet and the trailer tracks about six feet inside the truck at the bottom of the U-turn. I could have turned a little bit tighter, but didn't want to stress things - maybe I could have made the U-turn in 50 feet?
Background:
This one is just to put a data point out there for those who might have a similar rig (we have to build a driveway up a hill with multiple switch-backs, and we need to know the turn radius).
We took our rig to the local high-school parking lot and lined it up on one of the parking stripes. I marked the left truck and trailer tire positions with chalk, then began a left U-turn, turning hard but not absolute maximum.
When the truck was at the bottom of the U, I marked the front truck tire position. When the trailer tires passed the bottom of the U, I also marked their positions.
The measurements above are on the 'inside' of the rig during the turn. To get parallel to our original position, we had to go a little further to straighten out (+20 feet), but were able to use the parking stripes to measure directly across the top of the U.
We'll plan for 60' turn radius. Guess what... that's what the fire department has as a building code!
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03-27-2006, 09:02 AM
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#2
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3 Rivet Member 

2004 25' Safari
1971 27' Overlander
1957 22' Caravanner
Jourdanton
, Texas
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 215
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Interesting. That is a piece of data I've always been curious about...especially how far "inside" the A/S wheels track. Wonder what the tracking difference is on a 90 degree turn.
Paula
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03-27-2006, 02:21 PM
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#3
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30' 1999 Excella
Kingwood
, Texas
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 295
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hitch makes a difference
I should have pointed out we have a Blue Ox WD hitch (which seems to be rare). It doesn't have the offset cams of the Hensley hitch. Apparently, with a Hensley, the trailer will track really close to the TV on a turn.
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03-27-2006, 04:53 PM
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#4
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Rivet Master 
2001 34' Limited S/O
Moyock
, North Carolina
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,010
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Paula I have a 34' and I try not to make hard right hand turns, the one coming into my drive way is about the hardest I make and its a good 5' inside the trucks tire track.
__________________
Keep the shiny side up.
WBCCI # 348
Past Region 3 President
Past President Tidewater Unit 111
Rick Bell in "Silverbell"
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02-20-2007, 06:53 PM
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#5
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30' 1999 Excella
Kingwood
, Texas
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 295
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New Turning Radius with HaHa hitch
I'm not trying to bump my own post here...
After we installed the new HaHa, we went back to the same school parking lot and recreated the turning radius test.
Our old hitch was a Blue Ox WD hitch, just for the record.
The new turning radius was down 6 feet to 51 feet (or is that diameter?). Again, not turning to the max, but turning hard. Interestingly, the trailer still tracked almost exactly the same 6 feet inside the truck. I thought that would improve some with the Hensley, but I've gotten used to it, so its OK.
Just for the record.....
__________________
Hey, its the only way to be sure!
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02-20-2007, 06:56 PM
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#6
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Always Airstreaming!
2005 22' Safari
1960 24' Tradewind
Anytown
, Connecticut
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,115
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With our Tahoe without the AS we turn in 21'. With the AS we are turning 43'. Gotta be very careful though and not have the friction control bar on!
__________________
J. Rick Cipot
Sandi Gould
NEU New England Unit
Airstream Life Magazine
Proud Member of WBCCI
WBCCI #3411
AIR #17099
2009 Silverado 2500HD
2004 22' Safari
1960 24' Tradewind
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02-20-2007, 07:10 PM
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#7
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Rivet Master 

2006 25' Safari FB SE
St. Cloud
, Minnesota
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 13,280
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Rick -- What type of WD/antisway do you have?
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02-20-2007, 07:14 PM
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#8
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Always Airstreaming!
2005 22' Safari
1960 24' Tradewind
Anytown
, Connecticut
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,115
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Canoe stream
Rick -- What type of WD/antisway do you have?
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We have the el'chepo Reese WD. It seems to work really well for our little 22' Safari. Still trying to figure out what to do with the Trade Wind.
__________________
J. Rick Cipot
Sandi Gould
NEU New England Unit
Airstream Life Magazine
Proud Member of WBCCI
WBCCI #3411
AIR #17099
2009 Silverado 2500HD
2004 22' Safari
1960 24' Tradewind
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02-20-2007, 08:59 PM
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#9
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Rivet Master 

2006 25' Safari FB SE
St. Cloud
, Minnesota
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 13,280
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My Dual Cam seems to handle tight turns or backing up without needing to be released.
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02-20-2007, 11:57 PM
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#10
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Rivet Master 
1992 34' Limited
Falls Church
, Virginia
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 945
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NO hingeing, unhitching needed here....
Hello all -
Interesting data. Great bump, since I NEVER would have found it otherwise - never even would have thought to "look"....
Having the Equl-I-zer hitch is THE BOMB since I don't need to do anything special for ANY maneuver, forward or back, side to side, or God forbid - anything else.... The hitch does its work, period. It DOES complain with moans and groans, but that means it working.
In fact, I had 2 people at the 4CU rally come over and discuss the hitch, and both decided that the EQ was the hitch they were going to get since they were underhitched. Both wow'ed over the ease of hook-up and over the lack of constant adjustments, and removal needed by other systems to get them to cooperate in anything other than straight ahead work. Both gentlemen had researched all the various products and decided that a personal demonstration, and personal experience from another ASer was just the ticket that needed punching before deciding on a new hitch for that baby AS they had - actually one was a baby, and the other a toddler. Since I have the granddaddy of the AS line with the EQ hitch, I guess I was qualified to offer an opinion.
I was humbled, and pleased to offer it. Hope it helped.
Axel
SilverToy
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02-21-2007, 07:11 AM
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#11
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Rivet Master 
1984 28' Funeral Coach
Belleview
, Florida
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,635
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Great data, got my juices flowing... now I've gotta go play in a parking lot to find out what my turn radius is. Generally I'm about making three right turns rather than a left.
I hear UPS or Fed-Ex (forgot which) has implemented a new routing that avoids left hand turns. Safety first.
__________________
Glen Coombe  AIR #8416
1984 28' Funeral Coach
Former Rolling Showroom & PuttLab (now party bus)
"I'm not an expert. But I did sleep in an Airstream last night."
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02-21-2007, 07:14 AM
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#12
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Always Airstreaming!
2005 22' Safari
1960 24' Tradewind
Anytown
, Connecticut
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,115
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GlenCoombe
I hear UPS or Fed-Ex (forgot which) has implemented a new routing that avoids left hand turns. Safety first.
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Hey, wasn't that a car commercial on TV? What if you drove making only left turns? Maybe Toyota?
__________________
J. Rick Cipot
Sandi Gould
NEU New England Unit
Airstream Life Magazine
Proud Member of WBCCI
WBCCI #3411
AIR #17099
2009 Silverado 2500HD
2004 22' Safari
1960 24' Tradewind
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