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Another hack today. This site needs to go. It is a zombie site now with no moderation. Whoever owns it needs to shut it down or start moderating it. I am no longer going to follow it. Aluminumcamperforum.com is a great alternative.

David

So we have a big hack going on- a dozen crazy posts yesterday and today. With no moderation obviously, this site is getting hacked to pieces.

I would recommend that everyone switch to aluminumcamperforum.com. It is very well moderated by Paul and is 99.5% about LLs.

David

See the subject line.

David

Sounds like a bad fan. I can't hear mine.

David

Not sure what you mean about portable power station. It could mean extra battery capacity,
portable generator or a battery/inverter pack to produce 120V power.

Here is an article that discusses the latter two: https://www.bestpowerstation.com/best-generator-for-rv/

If you mean batteries, you can change the typical single group 24 battery (about 70 AHs) to a single group 31 and get about 100 amp hours. Or go with two 6V golf cart batteries wired in parallel and get 220 amp hours.

David

Solar panel article here: https://mailchi.mp/fc579d244794/aluminum-camper-forum-newsletter?e=098d190c6d

Since I wrote it, Victron has come out with a series of MPPT controllers that are priced competitively with quality PWM controllers and I would recommend the Victron.

David

It was a dealer item, but most Camplites were delivered with an Interstate Group 24, the smallest (and cheapest) of the full size batteries. That one is 60-65 AHs capacity.

If I wanted to go bigger I would use a Group 31 AGM battery with about 100 AHs of capacity. Why an AGM; they are double the cost of FLAs? Well because I don't trust any FLA (other than GCs) to be a true deep cycle battery with heavy plates, more room for acid over and below the plates, fill caps, etc. For AGMs those issues don't matter.

The next step would be two GC2 golf cart batteries wired in series. All GC batteries are deep cycle.

Any more than that and you need a generator.

David

I am not sure that the roof is the best place for a solar panel on an RV. Do you always camp in sunny spots? If so ok, but most who boondock (which is where you would need solar) camp in shady spots. Merlin on the aluminumcamperforum and a friend of mine both installed portable panels that work well for them. These let you move the panels to follow the shade.

But if you want to install them on the roof, ok. I would use thickened epoxy to glue the mounting brackets to the aluminum roof if that is what you have. If you have the elastomer roof, I don't know. Maybe screw through the elastomer to the subroof.

Running the cable is another problem with a roof installation. Maybe through an existing item on the roof like the antenna or fan and down inside of the wall down to below the floor where you can run it to a controller near your battery.

In one of the newsletters on the aluminumcamperforum I wrote an article about how to install a portable 100-200 watt solar panel system which should be plenty for most users needs. Note that the article first tries to talk you out of solar by installing bigger batteries first  .

David

Wheel bearing grease from your local auto parts store.

David

If that end cap isn't removable, and it looks like on the top it is but on the side it isn't (the pic seems to show that it is on a bit crooked), then remove the wheel. Also your end cap looks like it is a metal snap on whereas some are rubber. The zerk fitting should be obvious with the wheel removed. If no zerk fitting then you have to manually pack the bearing with grease.

See the attached pic of the wheel removed with a grease gun attached to the zerk fitting.

David

If the hub of each bearing has a black rubber plug insert on the end then you have grease gun greaseable bearings. Pop off the rubber plug and you will see a zerk fitting inisde. Use a grease gun with a wheel bearing grease cartridge and pump grease until the spring gets compressed and grease leaks around the edges inside. That is all it takes.

If you don't have this type of bearing, let us know. I greased lots of bearings that way several decades ago can help you with that. But I think almost all modern campers have grease gun bearings.

David

Remind me not to camp near you!!!

David

I think that the 16DBS has a central member that goes aft from the coupler, past the front of the unit's cabin all the way aft to about midships (how about that nautical terminology!!), as my 16TBS does. If so sight along it and it should be straight all the way aft.

If it is bent then I wouldn't try to straighten it but I would strengthen the central member with angle aluminum welded from the coupler aft past the cabin so it doesn't bend more. The cabin is the fulcrum and the point of the highest stress along the members.

David

There should be a sticker on the axle giving its model number and weight rating. If it really is a 2,500 lb rated single axle on a 16TBS then take it back to the dealer, park it on his lot until LL replaces that axle. The dry weight of the 16TBS was approximately 3,000 lbs. The GVWR of the single axle 16TBS was about 4,000 lbs. It would take at least a 3,600 lb rated single axle to carry that weight.

Also check your tire rating. They should be about 2,000 lbs each.

David

[I am a little confused. Do you have tandem axles or not. A single axle with a rating of 2,500 lbs won't carry a 16 TBS. So here are my answers for a tandem axle trailer:]

I am a little confused. Do you have tandem axles or not. A single axle with a rating of 2,500 lbs won't carry a 16 TBS. So here are my answers for a tandem axle trailer:

So, to my questions:

• If the maximum load of the single axle is 2,500 lbs. - how can it be that the "dry" weight of the trailer exceeds that number by 870 lbs.?

This question doesn't make any sense with tandem axles.

• If the maximum load of the single axle is 2,500 lbs. - how can the gross vehicle weight rating be 4,842 lbs.?

Gross vehicle weight is generally axle ratings x2 = 5,000 lbs or tire rating x 4 plus 10% for tongue weight

• If the maximum load of the single axle is 2,500 lbs. - how can the manufacturer put a sticker (as required by law) on the trailer stating that "the weight of cargo should never exceed 2,250 lbs."?

Cargo load is GVW less trailer dry weight.

• If this were your trailer, what would you consider a maximum & safe weight to tow?

Probably tire rating x 4 or axle rating x2, whichever is lower. Forget the +10% for tongue weight.

Thanks.............David