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05-25-2009, 03:38 AM
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#1
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1 Rivet Member 
1973 31' Sovereign
4700 Vennesla
, Norway
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 12
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Ball size on trailer hitch
I`m waiting to get my `73 Sovereign that I bought on Ebay, home to Norway. I`ve read that there is two sizes on the hitch ball, 50 and 60 mm. The standard in Europe is 50 mm, but I don`t know what the old Airstream fits. The previous owner didn`t know...
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05-25-2009, 04:32 AM
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#2
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Rivet Master 
1971 27' Overlander
Central
, Ohio
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,365
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I've never seen a ball sized in mm - 2 5/16 inches is your Airstream ball size - so 58.7375 mm
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05-25-2009, 07:01 AM
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#3
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1 Rivet Member
1973 31' Sovereign
4700 Vennesla
, Norway
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 12
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It`s the 60 mm, then. Thanks!
I forgot to ask. What are the distance from the trailer coupler to the ground when the trailer is level?
I`m shopping for a new tow bar insert to my car, and could really need to know because of the drop on the ball mount.
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05-25-2009, 07:10 AM
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#4
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4 Rivet Member 
1977 25' Tradewind
Waskesiu Lake
, Saskatchewan
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 394
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__________________
Every home needs a dog, and every dog needs a home. 
1977 25' Tradewind (with two  ... three... FOUR  dogs)
2011 Ram 1500 Quad cab, 5.7 Hemi, tow pkg.
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05-25-2009, 07:52 AM
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#6
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Rivet Master
2011 34' Classic
Westchester Cty.NY
, / Miami FL
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,122
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the height will drop as the axles age so it should be measured. if it needs axles, you might want to have them put on here to avoid shipping them to Norway..
__________________
Ricky
2012 F150 Super Crew 5-1/2' bed Ecoboost 4x4 3.73 elec. lock diff. Propride hitch
give life. kidney & pancreas transplant 9/9/06
Ingrid-my unofficial '"World's Oldest Streamer" 1909-2008 R.I.P.
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05-25-2009, 03:01 PM
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#7
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1 Rivet Member
1973 31' Sovereign
4700 Vennesla
, Norway
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 12
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Thank you all for the feedback! It makes me feel welcome in here!
I`m going to replace the axels anyway. The electrical brakes are not allowed in Europe, so I have to find some with the standard mechanical ones, most likely from an old car transporter trailer or another camping trailer. (trailer parts are very expensive here!)
I can tow it with "test driving plates" (red stickers with printed numbers, that last a day or so before the numbers start going off...). But if I want it permanently registrated, I have to have it fitted with mechanical brakes. The german company "Airstream4u.de" may be having some tips there, as they have rebuilt those trailers for some years now. Ì will start taking some measurements on the width and height to compare different axels. It`s quite a job, but I`m in no rush. I will also have to get documentation on the load capacity, for when I am going to send it in for approval. I work as a car mechanic, and we also repair trailers there. We get most og the parts from Denmark, as we sell the brand "Brenderup" (don`t ask... It`s Danish)
If it turns out to be a dead-end project, I hope I`m not going to be in it with both legs when the **** hits the fan... :P
I will be taking a lot of pictures when I get it home, so don`t worry!
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05-26-2009, 04:12 AM
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#8
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1 Rivet Member
1973 31' Sovereign
4700 Vennesla
, Norway
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 12
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I just asked a technician at the norwegian Amcar club.
He said that I had to get papers for the electrical brakes that said that they were approved for the weight of the trailer. To get these papers, I must run the trailer on a "rolling highway" simulator. This test could not be done in Norway (don`t know why). The test would also be very expensive. (as in everything else in this country...)
I`m not in a hurry when it comes to the brakes, though.
I`ll just get it home at first, and then start to really look into things. First, I need a new ball mount for my hitch.
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05-26-2009, 08:12 AM
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#9
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Rivet Master
1999 23' Safari
Perrysburg
, Ann Arbor
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 916
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Good luck. It sounds as if you are going to have a big adventure.
Hope you can make the electrical brakes work for you, because they are quite good at helping to stop large trailers, at least when they are interfaced with a proper electric brake controller that is attached to the tow vehicle.
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05-27-2009, 12:17 AM
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#10
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1 Rivet Member
1973 31' Sovereign
4700 Vennesla
, Norway
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 12
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I`ve seen advertisement for those brake controllers. Do they recieve signal for how far down the brake pedal is pressed, and if nessecary apply more power to the trailer brakes?
If you don`t have one of those controllers, are the trailer brakes either on or off?
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05-27-2009, 06:27 AM
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#11
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Rivet Master
2011 34' Classic
Westchester Cty.NY
, / Miami FL
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,122
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__________________
Ricky
2012 F150 Super Crew 5-1/2' bed Ecoboost 4x4 3.73 elec. lock diff. Propride hitch
give life. kidney & pancreas transplant 9/9/06
Ingrid-my unofficial '"World's Oldest Streamer" 1909-2008 R.I.P.
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05-27-2009, 12:59 PM
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#12
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1 Rivet Member
1973 31' Sovereign
4700 Vennesla
, Norway
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 12
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What can I say? Thanks a lot, guys! you`re GREAT!
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06-19-2009, 01:54 AM
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#13
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1 Rivet Member
1973 31' Sovereign
4700 Vennesla
, Norway
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 12
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Since I already started a thread here... Does anyone know the tire size on this Sovereign?
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