Build Thread "The Open Road"

[Chris R]

Originally Posted by Perryb67

I wish the pump in our 5.0 was as quiet as yours. I installed a SEAFLO Accumulator Tank and the tank is much less noticeable. It just has enough capacity for one complete flush of the toilet, but the pump is now either on or off, and that ratcheting sound is essentially gone. Finding the correct bladder psi took a few tries with our bike pump, but was easy to do.

Enjoy,

Perry

Perry, years ago when I installed our accumulator, there was still a loud tapping noise. Tracing the sound I found the cold and hot pex pipes behind/above the H/W tank were beside one another and the metal crimp bands at the corner connectors were hitting each other. Moving one of the pipes a bit made all the difference, it is hardly noticeable now.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by MichaelS78

I'm close to ordering one but still have some questions. Mainly about going down rougher forest roads and how well a Hensley handles pitch and yaw (or any WDH for that matter). I went boondocking/dispersed camping this weekend for the first time. Had a great time and definitely want to do a lot more of this style of camping. However I was really surprised at how big the dips (whoop dee doos) were! The pictures don't really do it justice, they were really deep and I can't see how the Hensley with its design of being a straight shank instead of a ball would work with this? Maybe there is something I'm not understanding? Maybe it can rotate more than it looks like it can? But even if it can rotate enough I wonder how the tension from the bars is dealt with? Do you just take them off when offroading?

Any Hensley design hitch system (the Hensley Arrow, ProPride 3P, and whatever else there might be now) pivots with the trailer's stock coupler on a ball, like any other conventional hitch... but that ball is located further back from the tow vehicle by the length of the large mechanism that handles yaw. Additional links (which Hensley calls "strut bars") keep the trailer from yawing on the ball (and pivot up and down for pitch), and the bulky mechanism (in what Hensley calls the "hitch box") to handle yaw tends to hide the ball.
How the Hensley Hitch Works

There's no reason for it to be more limited in pitch angle than other systems, and the spring bars flex like other systems, but the extra overhang (of the hitch behind the tow vehicle) will cause clearance issues in extreme enough situations. I doubt that many people off-road with a Hensley.

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by oldwave

Could you post a picture of the mounting location if possible?

I cut the main line, inserted a fitting on each end and added the same hose as ETI installed to the accumulator. A backing board was installed on the dinette wall underneath the battery shut-off switch to mount the accumulator. The pigtail loop to the worked best.







I have enough hose for another 10 installs.

It's hard to take pictures with so much in the way.

Enjoy,

Perry

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by Chris R

Perry, years ago when I installed our accumulator, there was still a loud tapping noise. Tracing the sound I found the cold and hot pex pipes behind/above the H/W tank were beside one another and the metal crimp bands at the corner connectors were hitting each other. Moving one of the pipes a bit made all the difference, it is hardly noticeable now.

I've looked and looked but nothing is touching, and definitely doesn't involve any metal sound. It's the pump going on and off.

Thanks anyway,

Perry

[oldwave]

Originally Posted by Perryb67

I cut the main line, inserted a fitting on each end and added the same hose as ETI installed to the accumulator. A backing board was installed on the dinette wall underneath the battery shut-off switch to mount the accumulator. The pigtail loop to the worked best.







I have enough hose for another 10 installs.

It's hard to take pictures with so much in the way.

Enjoy,

Perry

Thanks

[JeffreyG]

Well, I got pictures that the trailer has shipped today. It's due for me to pick up next Wednesday.

[gbaglo]

I don't see any awning straps to keep it from unravelling, if not properly secured.

[Centex]

Congrats, Jeffrey !

[Eggscape]

I have enjoyed doing a few mods to our 19 including under-bed storage and the accumulator.
Have fun with your mods.

[JeffreyG]

Today was delivery day. I spent 9 hours of it driving, plus another three waiting around for the freight driver, and then the tow company drivers. So it was all I could do to pick up the trailer and come home before dark.


Still, really exciting to finally get our trailer. I'm hot to start installing things, but telling myself to take my time. We're going to go camping and get used to all the systems and the trailer as-built first. All I've managed to complete so far it install my hitch, and that wore me out so much that I've deferred pictures of it until tomorrow.


I did manage to get these shots of the trailer at home finally, in the drive, just before the sun went down.

[Rossue]

Write on Jeff!

[JeffreyG]

I should mention one other thing, the tow was excellent. The assembled rig was completely stable and comfortable. The Boost mirrors gave excellent views around the narrow E-19. And I managed 18 mpg overall from Indianapolis to home at 70 mph.

[brroberts]

Nice. I have not set my hitch up yet, but soon.

[JeffreyG]

Originally Posted by brroberts

Nice. I have not set my hitch up yet, but soon.

Yeah, I set it up in the towing company's yard. That wound up being kind of a hassle because I was digging around in my truck bed for the parts (in three different boxes) and all my tools (in one giant tote).

Delivery was scheduled for 9:00, so I left home at 4:00AM to get there. But the truck didn't arrive until 10:30. No big deal, but by then the towing company guys were off towing cars or whatever, so they didn't get back until 11:30. The Escape was finally off the trailer and turned over to me at noon, and I had the hitch on it and was rolling home at 1:15.

Got home at 6:30. Now I'm kind of tired and it's raining.

[brroberts]

I just brought it home on a ball. I’ll set up the wdh up later. I can’t drive in the dark and just had to grab it and go. Glad it’s working well.

[MichaelS78]

The blue on the trailer looks really good with the blue on your truck! Looking forward to hearing more about your experiences with the trailer.

[JeffreyG]

I had a request for how much a Hensley could articulate off-road, so I'm attaching a picture. The head moves about this amount in all directions.

Any road that is going to move the head this much on any WDH, you will need to take the bars off. The ends of the bars want to displace an enormous amount.

[7Gentex]

Originally Posted by JeffreyG

I had a request for how much a Hensley could articulate off-road, so I'm attaching a picture. The head moves about this amount in all directions.

Any road that is going to move the head this much on any WDH, you will need to take the bars off. The ends of the bars want to displace an enormous amount.

You must have rattle canned your Hensley? (Cub?)


Check your tongue weight / payload post install.


GREAT hitches, but my PP was HEAVY!

[JeffreyG]

Originally Posted by 7Gentex

You must have rattle canned your Hensley? (Cub?)
Check your tongue weight / payload post install.
GREAT hitches, but my PP was HEAVY!

I prefer a subtle look with all running gear black. I'm aware of what the Hensley weighs, it was always considered in my allocations.

I spent the bulk of the day giving the trailer a wash (it was very dirty from the cross country trip) and then a coat of marine wax. I did manage to install an accumulator and put some strips across the medicine cabinet as well. I was not completely thrilled will all aspects of how these went so I might rework a bit.

The accumulator is fine functionally. I'd wanted to hang it with a $16 pre-fab hanger than I've seen. So of course there were none in stock anywhere around here. I made do with some pipe strap for the moment but I will either provide another support from the floor or I will replace the hanger.

The aluminum stock I used on the cabinet is a bit thick, I'm not sure I trust the rivets to have a great bite on the plastic. I may replace with some strips that are a bit wider and a bit thinner.

For now I'm just going to go camping for three days and test everything out.

[brroberts]

Those medicine cabinet shelves look better than mine. My shelves flex under their own weight. I’m considering what I’m going to do.