Tow and Haul RV transporter build
- Thread starter tonkadoctor
- Start date
Freightrain
Just "B" it........
Sorry to hear about the house and the pets. You never know when things like this will happen. Glad to hear the insurance is taking care of things promptly.
tonkadoctor
Full Access Member
Thanks everybody. Parents are doing fine.
Fire was mostly in the kitchen, still waiting on investigation to determine the cause so they can't work in that area of the house yet. It was a low temperature sooty, smokey fire that put itself out. The kitchen is destroyed but most everything else in that half of the house is smoke and soot damage, they will have to also rebuild the master bathroom that backs up to the kitchen because of heat damage to the shower and tub.
The other half where my sister was staying (house is like a duplex) is fine as the french doors separating the 2 halves of the house kept out the smoke. They are going to try to redistribute power in the house so that my parents and sister can move back into that side of the house and the contractors will have power to work.
Back to the build after a few days off due to chit happens and bad weather on the east coast.
Finished making all the parts for the ball stand, assembly has removable stands for different ball sizes. I have built a 2" and a 2-5/16", skipped the 1-7/8" because it isn't really needed with RVs but it's easy enough to make one later if for some odd chance I ever need one, never used one on my pickup and don't even own a ball that small...... There are 47 parts total in this assembly.
All welded together, assembled and pinned to the center channel. Still need to tweek it a bit as the heat from welding caused some shrinkage in the metal (yea I really poured the heat to this part with some deep penetrating 6011 1/8" rod) and I can't get the removable tubes to go all the way to the bottom which is where I need them when I am loading a trailer. Ball stands are used both to winch the trailer onto the trucks using the trailers coupler as well as secure the tounge to the truck for transport.
Fire was mostly in the kitchen, still waiting on investigation to determine the cause so they can't work in that area of the house yet. It was a low temperature sooty, smokey fire that put itself out. The kitchen is destroyed but most everything else in that half of the house is smoke and soot damage, they will have to also rebuild the master bathroom that backs up to the kitchen because of heat damage to the shower and tub.
The other half where my sister was staying (house is like a duplex) is fine as the french doors separating the 2 halves of the house kept out the smoke. They are going to try to redistribute power in the house so that my parents and sister can move back into that side of the house and the contractors will have power to work.
Back to the build after a few days off due to chit happens and bad weather on the east coast.
Finished making all the parts for the ball stand, assembly has removable stands for different ball sizes. I have built a 2" and a 2-5/16", skipped the 1-7/8" because it isn't really needed with RVs but it's easy enough to make one later if for some odd chance I ever need one, never used one on my pickup and don't even own a ball that small...... There are 47 parts total in this assembly.
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All welded together, assembled and pinned to the center channel. Still need to tweek it a bit as the heat from welding caused some shrinkage in the metal (yea I really poured the heat to this part with some deep penetrating 6011 1/8" rod) and I can't get the removable tubes to go all the way to the bottom which is where I need them when I am loading a trailer. Ball stands are used both to winch the trailer onto the trucks using the trailers coupler as well as secure the tounge to the truck for transport.
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tonkadoctor
Full Access Member
Moving forward.
Broke out the grinders and got the ball stands working like they should now, can check this off the list as finished.
Fabricated tool box mounts and bolted them to the frame.
The only bling. bling on the truck besides the grill, mirrors and front bumper
. This box will eventually be replaced with an 18" deep box with side mounted doors when I eventually extend the bed forward.
Tomorrow will wrap up the fabrication and get paint on the frame and bed. Only need to move a light bracket, weld the ramps together (parts are already cut) and drill a few adjustment holes in the stinger. Then it's time to clean things up a bit and shoot paint.
Supposed to be nice the next several days with temps in the 60s and 70s so I hope to finish it up early next week so I can get it packed out and ready to make some $$$$$..... we'll see how that goes.
Broke out the grinders and got the ball stands working like they should now, can check this off the list as finished.
You must be registered for see images attach
Fabricated tool box mounts and bolted them to the frame.
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
The only bling. bling on the truck besides the grill, mirrors and front bumper
. This box will eventually be replaced with an 18" deep box with side mounted doors when I eventually extend the bed forward.
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
Tomorrow will wrap up the fabrication and get paint on the frame and bed. Only need to move a light bracket, weld the ramps together (parts are already cut) and drill a few adjustment holes in the stinger. Then it's time to clean things up a bit and shoot paint.
Supposed to be nice the next several days with temps in the 60s and 70s so I hope to finish it up early next week so I can get it packed out and ready to make some $$$$$..... we'll see how that goes.
tonka-
sorry to hear about what happened to your folks. where in TX are they at?
shakedown cruises after a major refit is always nerve racking.
there's always small bugs to be squashed.
sorry to hear about what happened to your folks. where in TX are they at?
shakedown cruises after a major refit is always nerve racking.
there's always small bugs to be squashed.
tonkadoctor
Full Access Member
tonka-
sorry to hear about what happened to your folks. where in TX are they at?
shakedown cruises after a major refit is always nerve racking.
there's always small bugs to be squashed.
Thanks TC. They are on the north side of McKinney which is just north of Dallas.
Small bugs to be squashed is OK as long as it isn't an infestation. I'm trying to be as careful and precise as I can and if I see something I need to do or change I add it to my never ending "truck to do" list hoping to cut down on snags as much as I can.
When I started this "to do" list 4 or 5 months ago there were about 50 things to do...... Today I am down to 45 so I'm making progress
flatlander
plays dirty when losing
The ball stands slide up a rail in the center of the bed by way of the winch, right? And then they are used during transport to hold the nose of the trailer in place.
tonkadoctor
Full Access Member
No and Yes......... and yea and yes
The pinned ball stand like I have is used to provide a connection on the trailer to winch it up and holds the tounge in place during transport. You don't slide this style down the channel. We put a wheel on the trailer tounge jack and that rides up the channel, this allows us to raise or lower the front of the trailer as needed so we don't drag the rear bumper or break the steps or plumbing underneith them by hanging it up on something.
Now on the wedge and step deck trailers like TAKE3 makes, their center channel is basicly a rectangular steel tubing with just the center part of the top cut out for the length of the track and only one or 2 places where the ball stand can slip into it to ride up the channel. These are used to both ride up the channel and secure it for transport. All you have to do to lock these in place is tighten one bolt to wedge it into the channel. This is a much simpler, easier to use system but doesn't have the flexibility I need.
I have an idea to combine the adjustability I have and need with the ease of use of the Take3 style I may implement once funds get flowing again and I start changing things to suit me better.
Russ
Idont do injectors
Lookin' good Mike.
geonc
SPIDER BAIT
Mike, speaking of "shakedown" runs, you ever ****** the back of the engine to find that leak?
...be a shame to have oil ******* all over them nice campers
I gots a pressure washer ......
...be a shame to have oil ******* all over them nice campers
I gots a pressure washer ......
tonkadoctor
Full Access Member
Mike, speaking of "shakedown" runs, you ever ****** the back of the engine to find that leak?
...be a shame to have oil ******* all over them nice campers
I gots a pressure washer ......
I think it's all coming from a loose hydroboost hose up by the master cylinder dribbling ATF all over the place. Hopefully my cheapo pressure washer is still working, like to ****** it this weekend.
tonkadoctor
Full Access Member
Trolley
..... There ain't nothing on this bed that slides other than the stinger and ball stand height adjustment.
