15 Sept 2014
Finely moved the trailer from the street to the backyard where the real rebuild work will start in the spring. For now tires off the dirt and covered, with holes covered for the winter. Need to plan the best way to get the skin up and out of the way so I can replace the whole floor and check the frame.
25 Jun 2014
Replaced the temporary Maryland tag and title with Colorado papers. Yes the move to high country is permanent.
8 May 2014
Now in Silverton, CO the end of the first road trip. It was an uneventful 2,363 miles, except for the license plate light. After about two hours on the road the marker lights went out; a blown fuses. With the trailer loaded and all that 55 year-old wiring in the walls, I feared the worst (see 21 April).
Moving things around I got access to the hole in the floor at the front of the trailer and isolated the front marker lights from the marker lights in the rear. As soon as I learned that the problem was in the rear, I remembered the license plate light. As I took that light apart the short went away. A little black tape fixed it and all was well for the remainder of the trip. No license plate light but the marker lights work and I could safely drive after dark again.
28 Apr 2014
The trailer now has proper Maryland title and tag!
26 Apr 2014
First time the trailer has been on the ground sense April 2012! Off the blocks with new 8x14.5 Loadstar, load range F tires. Why load range F you ask? Because the new axle, etc. from Dexter is designed for 5,000lbs. So that the tires are not the weak link in the undercarriage, 2 load range F tires can handle a total load of 5,660lbs.
Hitched-up to the truck so I could locate the snap up brackets of my Reese Weight Distribution Hitch and check the pigtail length. While at it I jacked up the tires one at a time to double check the breaks. Note the repaired rear window.
22 Apr 2014
Removed what looks like the original 110vac refrigerator. There is no point in buying gas to haul that to Colorado.
21 Apr 2014
Wouldn’t you know all is fine except the license plate light. The original fixture has power and ground however, the spring that should hold the center contact against the bulb has no spring left. So the one light that was a no brainer, isn’t.
20 Apr 2014
Two days of wiring and I now have power/connectivity from the truck to all the right places in the trailer! Well at least outside lights and breaks, enough for the one trip from MD to CO. Wouldn‘t want to live like this, but for a move its OK.
After clearing all(?) the old wasp nest out from under the front floor I found with my fingers where the wires for the breaks went through the frame front cross member. Without cutting more holes in the aluminum I assume the wires go over to the driver-side box frame member then back to the wheel well where there is an old grommet but no wires (hydraulic breaks remember?). I found an easer path, forward in the curb-side box frame to the hitch then back down the driver-side box to the wheel well.
This approach also works with where I located the break-away switch and battery/charger on the tongue. The pigtail from the truck runs up the curb-side box frame and out a hole under the floor in the front of the trailer.
In addition to light connections, from there I ran three wires (blue, white & black ~ breaks, ground & +12v) from under the floor back down the curb-side channel to the hitch. The power trickle charges the break-away batter. On the tongue is the single common ground point connecting the white wire from the pigtail, battery and ground for the breaks to the frame; A single point ground, out where I can see it. The break wire (blue) from the pigtail combines with one side of the break-away switch to provide power to apply the breaks. The two break wires, blue & white, cross over and go down the frame on the driver-side, through the grommet in the wheel well and to the electric breaks. Tomorrow install six lights then install the new axle.
18 Apr 2014
By cutting a strategic 2in hole in the belly pan where it rolls up to meet the back-wall, gave me access to the ends of the cut wires. Continuity from there to the tail lights checks good, noting the change in wire color. After drilling out what looks like the original hammered rivets holding the marker lights, continuity to all four, front and rear side lights, is good. ~~ thank goodness! Now I have a plan.
17 Apr 2014
The whole floor is to be replaced so started cutting big inspection holds in the floor to see what is left of the marker and break light wiring. The front two marker lights look fairly straight forward, just replace the fixtures.
The lights in the rear are a whole other story. After getting past the jumble in the front under the patched and again rotten floor it get tougher. As I found before, the wires must have gotten in the way when fixing the plumbing under the bathroom sink. Looks like they used side cutters to cut the wires flush with where they come through a frame cross member and again cut flush with the last cross member before going up into the rear wall. This is going to be a pain! On the brighter side, the 1ft by 3ft "access hole" that was cut in the under belly to fix the drain may be helpful. Looks like they used a can opener. The patch was held on with a combination of slotted, Phillips, Robertson, clutch and 1/4" hex-external head screws. (having lots of tools it what it‘s all about.)
16 Apr 2014
Today‘s mission was mold control. Got rid of the old shag carpet, and most of the original tile. The (55 yrs) old tile flaked off the floor with a broom, it was not an objective. Removed the rear window to get new "glass." Something about ordinary glass in a moving trailer window just doesn’t seem right! And it’s broken.
15 Apr 2014
After moving more stick house stuff to Colorado and bring tools back to Maryland, the tools and trailer are in the same place. Work is starting in earnest because the daughter wanting the trailer out of what is now "her" driveway.
Tasks include: • mount the new axle, • get basic light working, • wire breaks, • buy new tires • title & plates, • get it to Colorado.
2013
Finely decided to stop "roughing it" in Colorado so started the move. Bad news is I took all the wrong things, including tools, so now the trailer and tools are in different states.
06 Dec 2012
Long summer in Colorado. After returning east, fixing the ‘Styx & brix‘ house damage from the June storm and "Supper Storm Sandy", I got back to the stubborn shackle bushing on the trailer.
With the right tools I managed to press out the remaining old, worn, rusted shackle bushing. With an 18" Flex Handle and socket I cranked a re-purposed ball joint service kit to press a 3/4" iron rod agents the bushing. That at last broke the rust lose and removed the bushing. It was fairly easy to then drive the iron rod out and install the new bushing.
12 May 2012
Finely have gotten all the parts and all but one of the old bushings replaced. I managed to replace one bushing which explained why I was having trouble with the others. The old bushings are steel on the outside and rusted in place. I took the springs to a shop to have those four bushings pressed out. Even they had to use a torch to get the fourth one out. The last bushing, which is on the frame will not budge. So I‘m using the bigger hammer approach with chisels. Time to head west for the summer, without the trailer this year.
09 Apr 2012
Got the trailer up on blocked and the old axle and springs removed. 50+ years gives a whole new meaning to rust! One bolt almost had no threads left by the time I twisted the nut off. The bad news is that it does not take a micrometer to see that the bushings are egg shaped not round and also need replacement. New bushings, bolts and shackles are in my future along with new U-bolts to hold the new axle onto the old springs.
05 Apr 2012
New Dexter axle was delivered today, time to stop procrastinating!
Decided to get the whole axle instead of just replacing the hydraulic breaks. This way I don't have to worry about the condition of the bearings, drums or finding seals. Also ordered E-Z lube spindles while I was at it.
Yes you read that correctly, hydraulic breaks. At some point hydraulic breaks were installed and a "master cylinder" welded to the tongue. There was a ring for a cable to activate the breaks in case of a breakaway. There was no provisions for normal breaking.
15 Mar 2012
Time to get the TT road worthy so I can get it out of the driveway and to Colorado where I may have more repair time.
The "repaired" floor from the door forward needs to be replaced again; correctly this time. ~ Later.
All running lights need replacement. Also all wiring needs to be replaced. Wires for the running lights must have gotten in the way when working on the plumbing in the bath. About 6" were cutout under the drain pipe. There are also two places under the replaced floor in front were the same wires were cut. The 7-wire cable to the tow vehicle must not have matched their plug. It was cut off and pushed back into the tongue.
There are pictures of how a double bed was installed in the front, with a single bed and other changes in the back. None done well. All needs to be removed along with the shag carpet to get rid of the mold and musty smell. High dry Colorado should help.
What would we do without previous owner to blame everything on?
24 Oct 2009
Brought the replacement trailer home from MI. Felt like I needed to drive only during the day; lights were marginal and no breaks. I wanted a fixer-upper, boy did I get my monies worth!
15 May 2008, 13:45
Headed to a TCT gathering and then onto Colorado, my newly refurbished 1960 Avion, Holiday-24, was touched by an 18-wheeler. May she RIP.
