RE: DIY Insulating with spray foam kit
You are correct, it is the same foam used in homes. I don't know if they trim flush to the walls or leave that to the installer - you will have to ask them.
Home installs they usually use a hand saw to bring the foam flush with the wall surface. A good foam guy will have no problem spraying and filling the cavity but not overfilling it.
RE: DIY Insulating with spray foam kit
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IMO, stay away from the diluted DIY Spray foam kits. Hire a contractor and ask them to use Closed Cell 2 lbs (aka: Medium density) Professional grade stuff. The DIY kits is water compared to the professional grade formula.
Note: Spray foam now comes in fire resistant version. Great for inside TT walls and roof cavity area.
If wondering, I got professional grade Spray Foam under my TT. Before and after is like comparing night and day. IMO, all RVs should be use Spray Foam (instead of water sucking / water holding fibreglass bat) insulation. Contractor Grade Spray Foam is amazing stuff.
Spot On. 2# densisty is very strong and durable stuff. Stuff in a can is 1/2# or less and NOTHING like the 2#. The stuff in a can can be grabbed with your bare hand and chipped/pulled apart. The 2# density is mega tough and not easy to tear by hand at all. Expansion is crazy - a thin 1/4" sprayed can jump out to 3-4" relatively quickly.
A camper lined top/bottom and walls with that stuff would be incredibly well insulated.
RE: CAMCO EAZ-LIFT
A few things:
1. As mentioned, drop your hitch down one notch. THIS WILL NOT AFFECT WD settings!
2. Sounds like the drop/rise on your truck is about right. But you don't really know until you get before/after measurements on the tow vehicle. Compared unloaded front/rear fender height to loaded front/rear fender height and tell us the differences.
3. From the pix, it looks like the spring bars are pointing to the ground. Which means you really need to pick up at least one or two more links. However, you say that it drops the front too much. So, you would need to take some angle out of the hitch head (remove a washer or two) and then you can pick up an extra link or two on the chains. This will require using the tongue jack to raise the truck/tt up in the rear enough to do so.
As you are starting to figure out, it isn't a one size fits all kind of deal with WDH. They truly need dialing in. Getting your weights as mentioned, as well as fenderwell measurements is a good start. There is actually a stickied thread at the top of this forum with a good set of "how to" instructions on setting up your hitch properly.
RE: Airbags
I don't know that I am using the right term. It's like having worn shocks. Just 2 or 3 gentle undulating motions. In no way does it feel dangerous, or that it is causing any loss of control at all. Heck it may be normal for all I know. I have never towed a tt before. I have towed equipment trailers, carhaulers utility trailers, and boats, but never for any great distance at a time.
I am about 200 pounds shy of max capacity passengers, cargo, and tounge weight.
If the same event is repeating itself like you suggest, then definitely shocks. Sounds like it is repeating (bouncing) after the initial compression of the suspension. In other words, you hit a bump, the back dips, comes back up and bounces again once or twice.
Unfortunately, OEM shocks are tuned for mostly unloaded ride in trucks. Put a bit of weight in them and they are quickly outpaced.
RE: Airbags
520# tongue weight and a WDH and you are getting porpoising!
I think you need a good set of shocks on our TV. Does the TT have shocks, that would help also.
What is the weight of the TT, you might have too little tongue weight.
Good point about the tongue weight - 520 isn't a lot to get porpoising. I've always heard the dodge 1500 ride soft in the back. OP didn't mention if he has any other cargo in the bed of the truck.
RE: Airbags
It is kind of like your description 93 Cobra. I have not towed this rig a lot so it is hard to tell how much of a problem this is going to be.
I want to avoid a stiff shock if I can avoid it,possibly an air shock?
I am a Newbie at rv towing, I have more experience with utility trailers and car haulers ,but even with those it has all been short trips.
The bags will stop the "wallow" in that they reduce the amount of suspension drop in the rear due to their increased spring rate. They virtually eliminated the porpoising action in my truck. Be advised that you SHOULD NOT raise the rear of the truck any higher than it's normal unloaded height. Also be advised that you will need to adjust your WDH - raising the rear up changes the angle and reduces the amount of weight on the front axle.
Adjustability of the air springs are a big plus. Aired down to 5psi, you can hardly tell they are there.
RE: Airbags
Bags will increase the spring rate in the rear.
Is the up and down occurring in the back only or is it compressing enough in the back that additional weight is transferring to the front during the downstroke? That is what I call porpoising - back compresses enough so that more weight is sent to the front so you get a kind of "wallow" from front to back.
In my case, the bags stiffened the rear enough to stop most of that.
Sometimes, though, expansion joints play havoc with setups when the wheelbase of the truck and the trailer are just right...
Are new Sunset Trails by Crossroads
As bad now as "the internet says"? Researching them for our next purchase, and it seems that they had a great reputation until a year or two ago, and now they have really declined.
Are there just a few people out there that don't like their warranty changes and simply have a lot of posts on various forums, or have they truly gone downhill that fast?
Quality gone downhill? Build construction downhill?
Looking at Sunset Trailer Reserve, by the way.
RE: Why Yes - Found another used Hensely
There is a stickied topic at the top of this forum "how a hensley works". That's good for some light reading. :)
Cliff notes: Arguably one of the best hitches out there to prevent sway. It, the ProPride, and the PullRite are in a similar class of hitch as far as price and performance. The ProPride and Hensley are pretty much the same principal, the Pullrite is similar to a 5th wheel but mounted under the bed of the your truck.
RE: Why Yes - Found another used Hensely
Honestly, I thought it was either a typo or it was in really bad shape. Paint on this one is in better shape than my current one. Had plenty of grease in the spring bar ends, and the end links aren't ovaled out or anything.
Never seen one with drawtite bars with the angled end, anyone else?
RE: Why Yes - Found another used Hensely
Barney - yep, I agree with the sandblasting option. My first Hensley find (craigslist for $450) I spent well over two weeks getting than old junk off. This one, I may just go ahead and get it stripped. However, I don't plan on breaking it down all the way, just going to pop the caps off and look at the bearings. So I am a bit concerned about sand getting somewhere it shouldn't. I guess a good tape job around all the seals would be the way to go.
Like you, my first one I did in solid black.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8041/8032794043_3fe258b6e1.jpg
photo by 93Cobra#2771, on Flickr
Why Yes - Found another used Hensely
Browsing the rv section on my local craigslist, come across an ad for "nearly new" Hensley Hitch. No photo, but were only asking $200? Ad was posted around noon on Friday.
Needless to say, I got a bit giddy at that thought.
No phone number, only an email. So I email.
Get a reply in an hour, say they have it, the price isn't a typo. I'm ready to jump in truck and get as soon as leave work at four. But they won't be there, so they want me to come on Saturday morning for their moving sale from 8:00-12:00. I ask if I can be there early, the nice (older lady) says that I can. I tell her I'll sit in her driveway until she comes out the door. Gave her my name, the vehicle I'm driving, etc.
It's located an hour and a half from my location, so I grab my dad and we leave my house at 6:00.
2 hours later, this is loaded in my truck:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8403/8691662761_9b5c842e59.jpg
small photo by 93Cobra#2771, on Flickr
And yes, I got it for $200. The lady said "I'm giving you a steal in that hitch". I tell her "I know".
They are selling their TT and moving up to a fifth wheel.
Since I already have a Hensley, my normal plan would be to refurb it like I did my other one and then flip it for some good profit.
However, my parents decided about two weeks ago to get their first TT, so I guess I'll be refurbishing this one for them to use.
Paint is actually in better condition than my current hitch. I was a bit surprised to find drawtite 1000# bars on it. They have the bend ends compared to my current hitch with 1400# straight end bars. I'll be replacing pretty much the same items as my current hitch, basically the wearables, a few pins, forgot to get the darn OCL wrench (I never saw it so it probably was still in their camper). Get to go through and get all that crappy orange paint off (again).
Still can't believe I got such a good deal in this hitch.
RE: Farewell to a friend
Wow, hate to hear that, he has been an invaluable resource in the short time I've been on this forum.
However, I'm willing to bet that he will be back here and there. Moderating a forum often takes the "fun" our of being on a forum, and sometimes stepping back from those duties can allow the fun to return without the day to day "chores" of moderating and needing to be on the site every day.
Irregardless, best wishes to Les!!!
