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06-11-2013, 05:14 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,770
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Pooneil's Mods
After just finished my first mod, I am taking a few minutes to show it off a bit.
On my Niagara I built a platform to make use of the space over the water heater, located in the storage trunk, to hold my Bal Leveler. While there heater in the AFrame trunk, the tall size makes for a lot of dead room. So I decided to make a Bal platform to make the space more efficient. It holds the Bal securely and has room for chocks, my torque wrench, a socket for the stabilisers and a gadget to crank the front jack with a drill.
Here is the before photo
IMG_0295 by b2220128, on Flickr
And After
IMG_0303 by b2220128, on Flickr
The whole set
Bal Storage Platform - a set on Flickr
__________________
Tom
2012 Rockwood A122S
2008 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 4X4
Former owner of a 2002 Coleman Niagara GTE
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06-11-2013, 06:21 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 180
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Nice mod!!!!!
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...and...we're camping!!
Glenn & Debbie
2013 Rockwood A127TH (aka Carl)
2012 Ford Raptor
Camping born-on date: 21 July 2012
Nights camped: 2014-3 (so far!!); 2013-16; 2012-2 nights
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06-11-2013, 07:33 PM
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#3
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Mostly Harmless
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Central Iowa
Posts: 835
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"...and a gadget to crank the front jack with a drill."
Please say more about this item, Tom. Did you make it, or buy it somewhere? It seems like the perfect new thing for me to get. Is it in one of the pictures on Flikr?
__________________
It's never too late to have a happy childhood!
Lee, WU0V, and Courtenay, N0ZDT
2011 Rockwood A128
2000 Silverado 1500 pickup
60W solar system
2000W inverter generator
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06-11-2013, 08:12 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,770
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thehamguy1
"...and a gadget to crank the front jack with a drill."
Please say more about this item, Tom. Did you make it, or buy it somewhere? It seems like the perfect new thing for me to get. Is it in one of the pictures on Flikr?
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I made it from stuff on hand. I took a piece of aluminum bar stock, made a notch in it that would go over the round part in the middle of the jack crank. Trimmed the other end to fit inside an old spark plug socket. Then drilled a hole in a socket and put a screw threw it into the aluminum. It isn't pretty, but on par with my metal working skills by being functional.
The only thing to add to it is some shrink tubing to make sure it holds together.
You can see it in the bottom right of this image.
IMG_0304 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
__________________
Tom
2012 Rockwood A122S
2008 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 4X4
Former owner of a 2002 Coleman Niagara GTE
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06-11-2013, 08:22 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Posts: 3,225
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pooneil
I made it from stuff on hand. I took a piece of aluminum bar stock, made a notch in it that would go over the round part in the middle of the jack crank. Trimmed the other end to fit inside an old spark plug socket. Then drilled a hole in a socket and put a screw threw it into the aluminum. It isn't pretty, but on par with my metal working skills by being functional.
The only thing to add to it is some shrink tubing to make sure it holds together.
You can see it in the bottom right of this image.
IMG_0304 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
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crunchman
Try here: Liftco Crank Handle Drill Attachments
__________________
2017 Salem Villa Estate 395RET-
2011 Coachmen Freedom Express 295RLDS- Sold
2015 F-250 FX4
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06-11-2013, 08:32 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,770
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Those seem to be for stabilizers. I needed one for the tongue jack. My stabilisers use a standard 3/4 socket.
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Tom
2012 Rockwood A122S
2008 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 4X4
Former owner of a 2002 Coleman Niagara GTE
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06-11-2013, 09:09 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 525
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Do you have anything for the Bal leveler? I used this a couple of times already and I get a good workout raising the rig.
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06-11-2013, 09:33 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,770
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I use my battery powered drill to raise it. You need a socket (3/4" IIRC) with a universal joint to raise it up very high or the camper side will interfere with the drill. A strong drill makes quick work of a tough job. I have the ratcheting wrench that came with the Bal somewhere, but haven't gotten all my stuff out of the garage and into the new trailer. Fortunately those drills are getting cheaper and better as time goes on.
__________________
Tom
2012 Rockwood A122S
2008 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 4X4
Former owner of a 2002 Coleman Niagara GTE
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06-16-2013, 04:15 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,770
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LED lights
I put in my LED lights last night. They will do quite nicely. Thanks to rawlus for leading me to them.
Like all LEDs I have used they have a slightly odd light. Looking directly at them they are brighter than the incandescent bulbs but they don't seem to light objects quite as well. I attribute this to a somewhat limited spectrum of light not providing as broad of a "bounce back" as the incandescent, but don't know for sure. Also like other LEDs, they have a slightly "sickly" cast much like the LEDs I have at home, when they are dimmed.
Not to worry, they light well and will sip power compared to the hot and thirsty incandescents. And of course are much higher tech with a more favorable cool factor, because we know what is really important.
OEM Lights by b2220128, on Flickr
LED LIghts by b2220128, on Flickr
__________________
Tom
2012 Rockwood A122S
2008 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 4X4
Former owner of a 2002 Coleman Niagara GTE
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06-25-2013, 05:08 PM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Houston
Posts: 75
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Very nice.
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06-25-2013, 05:44 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,770
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IndyRC
Very nice.
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Thanks. My battery kept the camper lit and cool this weekend despite the 95 degree daytime heat. Now I need to get a 12V outlet to power the indoor fan, instead of the 8 D cells.
__________________
Tom
2012 Rockwood A122S
2008 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 4X4
Former owner of a 2002 Coleman Niagara GTE
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07-19-2013, 09:47 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Washington state
Posts: 1,258
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What a smart way to use the space for the Bal!!
__________________
2012 FR Flagstaff T12SDTH
1996 Shadowcruiser Pop Up Truck Camper
1967 Newell Motorcoach
2003 Ford F150 5.4 V8 Triton Super Cab
2004 Nissan Titan LE 5.6 V8 4x4 Crew Cab
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08-14-2013, 07:50 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,770
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Not really a camper mod, but... I had the camper at the shop to replace the apex seal, something they did in one day. The new seal is slightly thinner, so hopefully won't get caught when opening the top. Re-sourcing the seal might also explain the wait for the part, or it could just be FR was busy preparing for the rally.
On the way back, I swung by my local trailer shop and had them install a longer drawbar. So now the truck tailgate can be lowered without striking the jack, when the trailer is right behind. I had scratched my ball way too much, so they gave me a nice shiny new one.
I had them put the plate on where the sway bar ball is supposed to go, but without the ball on it. So now I have a step up to the bumper for use when loading kayaks.
__________________
Tom
2012 Rockwood A122S
2008 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 4X4
Former owner of a 2002 Coleman Niagara GTE
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08-14-2013, 07:21 PM
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#14
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Flagstaff 22FBS
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Rural Illinois
Posts: 344
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Sounds very convenient.
OK Pooneil, you know the drill...pics man! We need pics!!
Deb
__________________
Deb & Gary
2021 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5 EcoBoost, 2021 Flagstaff 22FBS
Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike._ John Muir
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08-14-2013, 08:54 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,770
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I thought the drawbar was a bit too mundane to deserve pics. Let me get some non skid material on their and I'll take one. It should come in handy on my Labor Day trip because we are taking boats.
__________________
Tom
2012 Rockwood A122S
2008 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 4X4
Former owner of a 2002 Coleman Niagara GTE
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08-17-2013, 07:25 PM
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#16
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 54
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Attached are three pictures of my mods that might interest the group:
1) rain guard or rain shield for the small side window......1x4 at sides attached to trailer with velcro. 1/2" PVC across bottom for strength. A dinner place mat stapled to the 1x4 edge. No velcro along top edge for now but might be needed. We'll see. I did leave a 1" overlap at top for the place mat. It is the thickest mat I could find at Walmart and was the exact size I needed.. After installing I was quite surprised at how sturdy it is even without velcro on the top edge.
2) Shelf under front dinette while retaining original dinette stand...... I travel alone so no need to take down the front table. I just place a bit of foam between the table top and the roadside front AFrame sidewall-to-top twist latch. This protects the table as I drive down the road. The plywood is 1/2". If the shelf needs more strength due to the large slot for the stand, I'll add a two piece shelf lip (will not cover the slot) and a quickly removable brace under the shelf for quick/easy the front dinete removal or lowering.
3) The dolly I use to push my trailer around at home........... Trailer fits into standard size garage by a two FULL incles on each side. In my dolly research I did notice that dollys are made that have gas powered engines (for when I get older).and that is not too far in the future.
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08-17-2013, 08:30 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Upstate (Albany Area) NY
Posts: 832
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Modifications are like a Zombie Apocalypse! Once bitten, you can't stop!!!!
__________________
Fire Instructor
2022 Coachmen Leprechaun 319MB
2022 Ford Ranger toad
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08-21-2013, 05:45 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,770
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By popular request
I use a folding hitch step on my truck to help in loading kayaks on top of the bed cover.
2013-08-21 15.49.16 by b2220128, on Flickr
When camping, I need the hitch ball in, but sometimes carry kayaks as well. So when I bought the longer draw bar needed to let my tail gate drop while hitched, I had the shop add a side mount for a sway control bar, but without the small ball. It makes a sturdy step and now has some non-slip tape to make it safe to use when wet. I also applied some tape to the tape of the draw bar.
2013-08-21 15.48.14 by b2220128, on Flickr
I show the can so all concerned that no drinking spirits were harmed in the making of this mod.
__________________
Tom
2012 Rockwood A122S
2008 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 4X4
Former owner of a 2002 Coleman Niagara GTE
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08-21-2013, 05:57 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,770
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Others have sung the praises of the Bal single tire chock. promising that it will stop the annoying for/aft rolling movement when walking about in a camping trailer. While I have always believed them, I never really thought it would be that noticeable. After my first trip, I decided to Amazon one. It arrived this week and my report is that even with one tire stabilized with the Bal chock and one with traditional chocks, trailer movement is almost nothing.
2013-08-21 16.50.05 by b2220128, on Flickr
I am looking forward to trying it with my Bal leveler. That should provide the rock solid feel others have noted. I am particularly interested in how it will hold when camping on the beach. I was concerned that a traditional chock would slip in the sand. This might also so I have cut a board to go under the tire and provide a stable platform for the Bal chock.
__________________
Tom
2012 Rockwood A122S
2008 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 4X4
Former owner of a 2002 Coleman Niagara GTE
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08-21-2013, 06:02 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,770
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Following in well tread steps, I mounted a power strip on the "nightstand" next to the bed.
2013-08-21 16.41.45 by b2220128, on Flickr
In retrospect, I should have run the excess cord down wall beside the bed. I will probably do just that when I install the power strip on the galley. I couldn't do it today because Home Depot didn't have enough command strips in stock. In fact after it is installed if there are a few strips left over, I'll just move the cord.
__________________
Tom
2012 Rockwood A122S
2008 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 4X4
Former owner of a 2002 Coleman Niagara GTE
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