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RE: Towing With Air Bags.
WHY are you unloaded your front axle when hitched with a tow behind???
Every vehicle has it's limits. Considering my OEM hitch was rated at 1000 pounds TW. And I upgraded the hitch to a 15000 1500 pound TW.
This will give a idea on how my truck carries the weight.
This is fully loaded with 35 psi in the bags. You can see there is a noticeable squat in the truck.
https://i.imgur.com/TvVMn2w.jpg height=380 width=640
Unloaded
https://i.imgur.com/dETaQHE.jpg height=480 width=640
60 psi will bring me up to level.
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1L243
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07/14/22 08:24pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Towing With Air Bags.
I wanted to get down to scales again I went once with truck and trailer loaded and again with just the truck loaded with what I typically carry when towing my Toy Hauler. Also keep in mind that I have a 8 foot bed with a ARE truck canopy with weight around 200 pounds. I carry about 400 pounds of cargo in the truck bed.
I have a Sherline TW scale that says my TW on the Toy Hauler alone is 1220 pounds
Weights
Truck Loaded without Toy Hauler
Front Axle 4250#
Rear Axle 3900#
Truck 8100#
Truck Loaded With Loaded Toy Hauler
Front Axle 3700#
Rear Axle 5300#
Trailer Axles 9100#
According to these numbers my TW could be more in the area of 1400lbs.
My GVWR is 8800#
The GCWR is 20000#
I may be able to grab one more link on my WDH. I have tilted the head of the hitch to keep my tow bars level but I think I can go one more washer.
Air bags have a max pressure of 100 psi.
Right now 60 psi seems to work pretty good. Ride seems firm and level.
My inquiry was to get a idea of what others run in their airbags. Understanding that everyone's setup is a little different but I would take that into consideration when looking at the numbers.
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1L243
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07/14/22 05:10pm |
Tech Issues
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Towing With Air Bags.
I was curious on what kind of air pressure your running in your airbags?
I have a 1999 2WD 7.3 F250. I tow a 10,000 pound bumper pull Toy Hauler with 1220 pounds of tongue weight. I use a 15,000/1500 pound WDH
I have had my air bags on for several years and with 5 different trailers. It's hit and miss on the right air pressure. Typically I have ran 35 psi. But recently I experimented with 60psi and I have to say the truck felt much better. I have Air Lift bags which go up to 100psi.
At 60psi my truck is more level. I tend to get a 2 inch squat after connecting the WDH and running 35psi.
Anyway chime in if you run air bags I would be interested to hear what your running.
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1L243
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07/09/22 07:12pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Portable 12k BTU Installed In Toy Hauler
This is a dog with fleas. Been there, done that. Will not work as you are hoping.
Chris
In my case it is working just fine. Especially for how much money I
have into it.
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1L243
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07/05/22 07:52pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Portable 12k BTU Installed In Toy Hauler
I tried one of those and ran into 2 problems. One was the condensation. It filled a bucket with water every day. If I forget to dump the bucket I had a flood inside the motorhome. The second was the air that gets discharged outside has to come from somewhere. It drew in so much hot outside air in through every vent and hole it pretty much defeated the purpose.
I'm running a drain tube so no bucket. I imagine it depends on the humidity on how fast a bucket will fill up.
Not unlike the Roof AC air which also sucks in air from inside the cabin..
I close all vents and windows so what ever leaks in in not noticeable.
Keep in mind this is a 12k BTU AC in a small 8x10 garage.. I reached a comfortable temp in 90 degree whether in about 45 minutes.
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1L243
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07/05/22 07:51pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Portable 12k BTU Installed In Toy Hauler
Please describe what you are doing with the condensation. I have a portable but it is rarely used and have never hooked anything to the AC other than the large hose. It does have a small 1/2 inch fitting with a cap on the end.
I'm using clear tubing on the fitting with the cap on it. Remove the cap and mine also has a plug inside the tube and screw on the clear tubing. I am running about 5 feet of tubing out the same vent as the AC exhaust.
I'm using larger clear tubing to go over the 1/2 inch fitting. It's a tight fit it kind of screws on. I use smaller clear tubing that fits tightly inside that tubing so I don't have to use such large tubing to where it exits the trailer through the side vent.
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1L243
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07/05/22 07:44pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Portable 12k BTU Installed In Toy Hauler
Those A/C units produce a high volume of air that needs to exit that vent. You might want to check the amount of back pressure of the exhaust air as that exit vent has lots of holes but it has much more solid space. I had a similar setup for an Cruisair unit and it could only be made to work properly once the vent was opened up. Changed it out to an expanded metal grid and everything was great.
Thanks for the input. The surface area of the vent is far greater than the diameter of the vent tube 5 inches. The actual vent opening on the back of the AC is even smaller than the vent tube.
I don't feel any escaping air from the airbox as you mightrhink if air was being restricted.
Other than that I don't have any way to measure back pressure.
I would not modify the air vent on the side of the trailer as I want it to remain stock. should I take the AC out.
I am confident the exhaust air has ample area to exit.
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1L243
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07/04/22 09:53am |
Tech Issues
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Portable 12k BTU Installed In Toy Hauler
I recently did the AC ducting Mod on my 13.5 Dometic AC. I posted earlier that I found that the ducts inside the AC compartment were barely open not allowing much cold air to travel though the duct system. Just repairing that alone made a big difference. I decided to go ahead with the Ducting mod and was very pleased with the air flow I now have.
I have a Honda 2000 watt Inverter generator. Not big enough to run the Dometic AC. This last weekend I installed the Easy Start Which reduces amps at start up allowing you to run smaller generators
I purchased the Easy Start from Hutchmountain.com. They make a great youtube installation video which was the same AC as mine.
I checked amp draw at the main panel before Easy start and it was around 32 amps After Easy Start it was 18.2 amps.
I can now start and run my roof AC on my 2000 watt generator.
Which brings me to my most recent Mod a Portable AC unit for the garage of my Toy Hauler
I purchased the 12k BTU Portable AC at a garage sale for $40! It did not come with the ducting kit. Luckily I found that the company still sold parts even though the AC unit has been discontinued. Parts about $89
I tested the unit before ordering the parts and it works fine. The filter was clean and did not show much use.
For the installation in my Toy Hauler the problem I had there is a happyjack bed in the ceiling of the Toy Hauler. When it is in the up position it covers the only AC vent in the garage.
My garage has two vents that vent inside air outside one high on the right side and one low on the left side of the trailer. This makes for a perfect spot to vent the AC.
https://i.imgur.com/qFm7WKa.jpg height=460 width=640
on the inside of the trailer I used a plastic storage box aprrox 7x13x4 with locking lid. I bolted the lid around the vent frame on the inside after I cut a hole in the lid the same size as the vent opening.
https://i.imgur.com/DbYYORs.jpg height=460 width=640
I cut a round circle to fit the flange for the vent tubing in the box.
https://i.imgur.com/oggZZRK.jpg height=460 width=640
I snapped the box onto the lid using the latches. I then ran the AC ducting from the AC to the Vent Box.
https://i.imgur.com/XsLkFK2.jpg height=460 width=640
https://i.imgur.com/oLbJ69a.jpg height=460 width=640
To collect condensation a drain hose it attached to the AC and fed into a container or can exit the same way as the AC ducting tube though the vent.
It works great and probably about 1/4 the cost of a new Portable AC unit.
https://i.imgur.com/dkggBaZ.jpg height=780 width=460
PS. I tested and it will run on my Honda Generator but only one AC at a time.
I have a 30 amp trailer so If I want to run both AC's at the same time I will need to plug into the pedestal separately.
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1L243
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07/03/22 11:38pm |
Tech Issues
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Air Conditiioning Air Flow Mod
My 13.5 Ducted Dometic Brisk Air 2 Air Conditioner has been a disappointment since the day I bought the trailer (new).
The air would be cold when I used the Dump feature but who wants to listen to that noise. The AC would be on for hours with little improvement. The AC air ducts in the ceiling produce little air flow.
If it was 100 outside I would be lucky to get the trailer down to 90. Hardly even worth it. I thought the system just sucked.
I watched a few youtube videos Where the inside of the AC was modified with foam board to create a more direct flow into the AC Duct vents. I decided to try the MOD and see what happens.
When I pulled everything down from the AC and looked inside the I could see my main problme right away.
When the AC was installed they used a thin foam inside the cavity covering the AC Duct. It looks like they just used a razor knife to cut a slit. Needless to say this does not promote good air flow.
I could have just fixed the Ducts and probably would have mnade a big difference in improving my AC air flow but I decided to go on with the MOD.
I will include the link to the video I used which was a great help. There are other videos for your particular AC unit Plus there is a company that makes a Plug in Foam insert already made. It costs somewhere around $170. The MOD is about $20 in materials.
Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TusVLTNm7_s
AC Duct
https://i.imgur.com/zhd5s0V.jpg height=480 width=640
Here's what the Duct should look like
https://i.imgur.com/I8A5DP7.jpg height=460 width=640
You will see in the video that you will use foam board to separate the hot side from the cold side.
You will seal everything up with tin foil tape. You will create a ramps on the top out of foam board that will direct the air better to the AC duct.
On the bottom you will create a defuser or a dog house that will channel the air into the AC duct more directly.
https://i.imgur.com/vBugbSH.jpg height=480 width=640
As in the video you will need to tape the electrical box out of the way since it can't go back into it's original position.
https://i.imgur.com/vtkgUrS.jpg height=480 width=640
You will be creating a air tight box that leaves the air from the AC nowhere else to go except in the AC Duct. The dump feature will no longer work with this mod.
https://i.imgur.com/99IGFwe.jpg height=460 width=640
You will have to remove the divider from the metal frame. In the video this seems to be held on my tape. Mine was spot welded in 6 places. I just had to drill them out.
I have to say when completed the airflow is a huge improvement.
I don't know if the video will come out but take my word for it.
https://i.imgur.com/2cbfCDl.mp4
Even if you decide not to do the mod it would be worth it to pull it down to check the openings in your AC ducts.
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1L243
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06/11/22 02:25pm |
Tech Issues
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