Propride Power WD engineering

[rmkrum]

Got the position sensors. About 3600 ohms end to end. Still characterizing the voltage swing, etc.

Mechanical setup will be the hard bit. Linkage will take a lot of figuring out. Still need to crawl under rear and see what’s going on there.

Anybody know maximum suspension travel on a 2012 Toyota Tacoma 4x4, front and rear?

[slowmover]

No, but you can do some guessing with shock absorber specs. Deduct a little. (Monroe, Div. of Tenneco)

[rmkrum]

Good idea! Hadn’t thought of that... Group think engineering technique works well, doesn’t it! Or I could see if the Toyota website has some specs...

I was considering jacking up the body to measure suspension drop, then measuring distance to bump stops and adding a bit for compression. Nothing like a brute force approach, huh?

[slowmover]

The other way is a lot more work. Jacking each end of vehicle onto stands, and then using jack to move axle back to stops. The shock absorber is ideally a little longer than this, but didn’t take into account when body is at angle from ground.

The guys in the online world of your model truck can likely find “accepted” data.

[rmkrum]

Google is your friend. 8” front, 8.5” rear is stock travel on a 2012 4x4 per a Popular Mechanics article on the 2012 Baja TRD version which has slightly more travel. Close enough for my purposes.

[rmkrum]

Just got a minor technical update from Sean at ProPride.

Maximum WD jack travel is about 9 inches, however that risks hanging up the WD bars on the A-frame or other parts in tight turns.

I've never had to pull the bars that high to get good weight restored to the TV front axle...

Now if it just warms up enough around here to actually WORK on the AS...

[rmkrum]

Just did a bunch of digging around on how headlight aim sensor works on Toyota Prius. Apparently they only have a suspension height sensor on the left rear suspension. I bet they assume the only real suspension height that needed to be checked is in the rear, which would be most sensitive to rear seat and trunk loading. Suspension 'squat' in the rear is most likely in a vehicle that carries people and stuff in the trunk only. Makes some sense in this context.

More digging for similar parts and pieces to fit to a Tacoma. No luck there yet, of course...

[bapp1236]

Hello everyone, I recently traded in my AS for new Keystone 30' 5er because I wanted more room. I was amazed at the way this thing tows in adverse and windy conditions even though its almost 12' tall. I removed my PP and stored it before I traded the AS because I had so much invested (if this works as planned, the PP will be for sale). All this said, the super handling and ease of maneuverability of the 5er started me thinking about the possibility of converting a bumper pull TT to a fifth-wheel or a gooseneck. I searched the internet and came up with this video: https://youtu.be/eMyYZjdSCXE. This guy has a 30' bumper pull toy hauler that he puts a 1500 pound Harley trike behind the axels and pulls it with a 1500 series Chevy. Needles to say, when he first tried to pull the combination, it was dangerous. According to the video, his conversion cured the problem and he now can run 56-70 in windy conditions and turn loose of the steering wheel.

After all the problems I had trying to dial in the PP and finally it to pull good unless the wind kicked up above 10, then it could be a handful, and watching this video, I decided to design an adapter to convert a regular TT to a gooseneck, which is easier to deal with, has the same pull characteristics, and doesn't take up the bed when not in use. I have it finished except painting it. My fried still has his Keystone 37' TT that we have used to experiment with and has agreed to give it a go. The big difference in my design and the one on the video is that mine is attached to the A frame via the ball and a set of clamps that go around the frame (no welding or damage to the TT). If this works out, it could be an answer that many people are looking for and sometimes don't find with the PP or Hensley. I'll update my progress with pictures and results in the next few weeks.

[Mike S.]

Hey Bapp. Great minds think alike. I started thinking about this @ a year ago. Bought the material. Just haven't had time to cut it up and start welding. Did a patent search on this idea. Apparently, someone is as intelligent as we are. On mine, I am thinking of having the goose part rotate up so it is out of the way when parked, if I so desire. And having the hitch removable, might make that a redundant feature. I know people will criticize our idea, but until they have towed a gooseneck trailer, they won't understand. Just my opinion. Mike

[bapp1236]

Here are some pics of the project. As seen in the pictures, it attaches with a ball and two clamps on the end. All that is left is to paint it and do some final testing, but a few preliminary trial runs, one at more than 85 mph on the interstate, were a resounding success. The difference in the way this 37’ TT pulls, even with the PP is day and night. It pulls exactly like my 5er, even when pulled by a F 150 it is just as stable as it is with my F 350 dually. Zero effect from the wind or big trucks. Hangs off ramps like a dream. The goose also folds back up out of the way when not in use by removing all but the top rear bolt. It seems that this may be the answer everyone is looking for. And as a bonus, no drilling, welding, or damage whatsoever is done to the A frame of the TT. When you don’t want it on there anymore, the original TT hitch is there ready to use.

[james.mileur]

"Hangs off ramps like a dream."
??

[slowmover]

Off-ramps.

A lot of trouble for a hitch. Nice work, but . . . . Still connected a bad tow vehicle. Now loses the bed. And still not in the league of an AS in a well-sorted combo.

Too bad you didn’t fix the hitch rigging with the AS.

Nothing will bandaid the acute-angle steering problems of two high COG vehicles on poor suspensions.

Crosswinds were — and are — the main problem. The best hitch is a help, not THE solution.

[Mike S.]

You really don't lose the bed for storage. And I'm thinking a bike mount here and a generator mount there, might solve a lot of problems people are having with where to store those items. Unless you have towed a gooseneck trailer, there really is no comparison to a bumper hitch. Especially if the ball is well forward of the rear axle. Just my opinion. Mike

[bapp1236]

Off ramps are for getting off an interstate and many have a decreasing or increasing radius.

[bapp1236]

Originally Posted by Mike S.

You really don't lose the bed for storage. And I'm thinking a bike mount here and a generator mount there, might solve a lot of problems people are having with where to store those items. Unless you have towed a gooseneck trailer, there really is no comparison to a bumper hitch. Especially if the ball is well forward of the rear axle. Just my opinion. Mike

You can now hang stuff off the rear bumper without fear , let the wife load stuff in the trailer any which way, no weight distribution, no more worry about how much water is in the tank tank .... it takes longer to get in the truck and back it up than to hook up and go, and 95% of the bed is still usable while towing and 100% while not towing. Once you've been goosed, you are never satisfied with another setup.

[bapp1236]

You do realize I'm typing on a phone. As such, most punctuation is optional. But I'll put My PhD up against the credentials of indivduals on most forums. I'm under the impression that this thread is for experimenting and keeping an open mind about engineering concepts that will also work with an AS and not not nitpicking.

[james.mileur]

Originally Posted by bapp1236

You do realize I'm typing on a phone. As such, most punctuation is optional. But I'll put My PhD up against the credentials of indivduals on most forums. I'm under the impression that this thread is for experimenting and keeping an open mind about engineering concepts that will also work with an AS and not not nitpicking.

Thx for the reminder of civility and life time learning. Perhaps a departure from this specific topic thread and start another with your golden goose conversation would be helpful.

[rmkrum]

As the OP and starter of this thread, it’s a bit of thread drift going from power WD jacks for ProPride systems to a full-on gooseneck conversion gadget. However, my only concern is that burying a clever idea in an unrelated thread will make it a bit hard to find.
Might be a good idea to start the “ gooseneck hitch conversion” thread and see if the moderators can move the applicable posts from here to the new thread.
That said, it’s sounding like one heck of a cool idea, and I plan to follow it.

[bapp1236]

Originally Posted by rmkrum

As the OP and starter of this thread, it’s a bit of thread drift going from power WD jacks for ProPride systems to a full-on gooseneck conversion gadget. However, my only concern is that burying a clever idea in an unrelated thread will make it a bit hard to find.
Might be a good idea to start the “ gooseneck hitch conversion” thread and see if the moderators can move the applicable posts from here to the new thread.
That said, it’s sounding like one heck of a cool idea, and I plan to follow it.

I didn't intend to step on any toes, but the thread had stalled out with the last post being back in the begining of February. Also, because the thread is based on one of my projects, I believed it totally appropriate to include another project related to making a TT tow better. Good or bad, it did get the thread moving again.

[crispyboy]

You have very good fabricating skills and a good idea for some folks who like the goose neck style of hitch.
Question - I notice that the existing trailer ball is utilized but are the beams fastened anywhere else to the trailer tongue?