Pimp my 19RR!

[heytomgraywolf]

Originally Posted by Smithee

Got a question for the folks who haul motorcycles in the Toy Hauler, particularly the heavier ones.

How do you load the bike? Do you ride it up the ramp? Get half dozen people to help push it up?

My Victory Vision tips the scales around 900 lbs and I'd sure hate to have it get away from me when loading. There's a lot of plastic on the bike to get smushed up in a loading (or unloading) mishap.

Another tip is to put two cinder block laying down on either side of the ramp where the ramp meets the ground (leaving enough room between the blocks to allow room for your bike, fairings, pegs, etc. This way while you are straddling your bike, walking it up under power, when you get to the "half-way" point with your front wheel on the ramp and the back wheel on the ground, this is the point some can't touch ground or are "tippy-toed" to reach where the ramp meets the ground. With the blocks, you can place your feet on the cinder blocks or something similar to a cinder block laying on its side at this "hard to reach" point.

[Toby]

Originally Posted by Smithee

Got a question for the folks who haul motorcycles in the Toy Hauler, particularly the heavier ones.

How do you load the bike? Do you ride it up the ramp? Get half dozen people to help push it up?

My Victory Vision tips the scales around 900 lbs and I'd sure hate to have it get away from me when loading. There's a lot of plastic on the bike to get smushed up in a loading (or unloading) mishap.

I have a GL1800 and I ride it right up the ramp. It clears with about an inch to spare (which isn't much) so the trailer has to be level or tilted back a little.

[PeteG]

I ride mine up trailer has to be tilted back as much as you can. I have a Honda VTX 1300 works ok for me and mine is 800 lbs

[WolfWhistle]

Rodcop, lookin' good... Hollywood! It still amazes me how poopy FR makes the bed platform... I figured it was no big deal and easy to redo. I extended mine (to 78") so a full queen works better, have a swing up access and a lift off top to get to the WH from topside. My door under the bed is towards the hallway. But, a Simmons pillow top now in it, is so heavy that I will probably not lift it up much. I thought of doing a similar wood mount like yours for the TV, but I thought it should be angled down. I opted for a tilt-swivel mount from Wally world. I stayed with the 20" LED model. Again, nice job.

[WolfWhistle]

You guys know to use the clutch with the tranny in first gear (without the engine runny) to unload safely? I just read about it myself and tried it... it works much better than trying to use the front brake... using the front brake, I had the front tire skid and rolled off... actually out of control... the ramp was slightly damp. I darn near laid it over that time. The only thing that is odd about using the clutch... is you let it out to stop you from rolling and pull in to roll. I just loaded and unloaded my 900 Vulcan... even with a nearly 11' long ramp and the ramp lifted 11" off the ground at the rubber bumpers, it still drug slightly... and that is with me off the seat straddling and walking as it cleared the diamond plate. I bet without the diamond plate it would be better. It only take a slight tongue high attitude to make it better. Maybe I could tell the little lady that the bike won't load and I need a bike with more ground clearance.... like a Wing! What'cha think?

[Smithee]

Originally Posted by WolfWhistle

Maybe I could tell the little lady that the bike won't load and I need a bike with more ground clearance.... like a Wing! What'cha think?

My feeling is you can never have too many motorcycles! Go for it.

Thanks all for the suggestions. I think what I'm going to do is get some practice loading my 425 lb. BMW 650. Once I'm confident doing that, I'll move to the Vision. I am going to make or get some sort of ramp extension, because I know clearance is going to be an issue with the Vision.

[Toby]

Originally Posted by WolfWhistle

You guys know to use the clutch with the tranny in first gear (without the engine runny) to unload safely? I just read about it myself and tried it... it works much better than trying to use the front brake... using the front brake, I had the front tire skid and rolled off... actually out of control... the ramp was slightly damp. I darn near laid it over that time. The only thing that is odd about using the clutch... is you let it out to stop you from rolling and pull in to roll. I just loaded and unloaded my 900 Vulcan... even with a nearly 11' long ramp and the ramp lifted 11" off the ground at the rubber bumpers, it still drug slightly... and that is with me off the seat straddling and walking as it cleared the diamond plate. I bet without the diamond plate it would be better. It only take a slight tongue high attitude to make it better. Maybe I could tell the little lady that the bike won't load and I need a bike with more ground clearance.... like a Wing! What'cha think?

My dealer flipped my diamond plate around the other way. The top part now fits into the hinge area and flush with the floor of the trailer. It gives you a little extra clearance (which I needed). The only bad part is closing the door you have to keep the diamond plate up so it can slide in. I put a block of wood in there and it works great. Somewhere back there I have a photo of it. Let me know if you need to see another one.

[SlowerThanU]

So this little upgrade isn't going to be for everyone. I road race and do trackdays so I camp in the pit area of race tracks quite a bit during the summer. The problem this creates is they never have 30amp plug-ins so you have to use an adapter and you can't run too much at once or the breaker trips. I was talking with a buddy of mine that does this kind of stuff for a living and he came up with a brilliant idea.

We installed this power relay behind the main breaker panel. If an outside power source is applied to it the relay trips and routes the A/C off the main breaker and to the outside power source.



We used a marine receptacle with a standard male outlet connection and mounted it right next to the main shore power connection.



With the cord pulled out the relay flips back to its normal position and everything works as it normally would. When it's all buttoned up it looks like it came this way from the factory.



I realize for most this isn't necessary but for me at the racetrack this will be a life saver. Now I can run the microwave or our mini Keurig coffee maker without having to turn the A/C off first. If anyone else is interested let me know and I can post the part number for the relay, marine receptacle and schematic.

[brookside]

Originally Posted by SlowerThanU

So this little upgrade isn't going to be for everyone. I road race and do trackdays so I camp in the pit area of race tracks quite a bit during the summer. The problem this creates is they never have 30amp plug-ins so you have to use an adapter and you can't run too much at once or the breaker trips. I was talking with a buddy of mine that does this kind of stuff for a living and he came up with a brilliant idea.

We installed this power relay behind the main breaker panel. If an outside power source is applied to it the relay trips and routes the A/C off the main breaker and to the outside power source.



We used a marine receptacle with a standard male outlet connection and mounted it right next to the main shore power connection.



With the cord pulled out the relay flips back to its normal position and everything works as it normally would. When it's all buttoned up it looks like it came this way from the factory.



I realize for most this isn't necessary but for me at the racetrack this will be a life saver. Now I can run the microwave or our mini Keurig coffee maker without having to turn the A/C off first. If anyone else is interested let me know and I can post the part number for the relay, marine receptacle and schematic.

Can you clarify this again for me... I'm not entirely following what you've accomplished here..

Thx

[SlowerThanU]

Originally Posted by brookside

Can you clarify this again for me... I'm not entirely following what you've accomplished here..

Thx

The pit area in a race track only has standard 15amp plug ins. The camper requires a 30amp plug in. This relay essentially splits the A/C from the main circuit breaker on the camper, thus reducing the potential load from the camper. Basically I'm plugging the A/C into one 15amp hookup and the rest of the camper into a different 15amp hookup. This allows me to run what ever I want in the camper without having to worry about tripping a breaker.

[heytomgraywolf]

Originally Posted by SlowerThanU

Hey Tom,

.... I measured the collapsed length of the strut at 12 inches. I put a pencil mark on the outside of the bed frame where the ball mount was, then measured down 13 inches down....!

Slower,

My parts came in today, but what did you use to compress the strut to get the closed dimension?!? At 120lbs of force this weakling can't even compress it!

[SlowerThanU]

Originally Posted by heytomgraywolf

Slower,

My parts came in today, but what did you use to compress the strut to get the closed dimension?!? At 120lbs of force this weakling can't even compress it!

Ok, the full truth: I couldn't do it either for more than 3 seconds at a time. I measured from the end mounting point on the shaft to the shaft itself and added that to the length of the main body to the center of the mounting point on the other end. It came out to about 12" and I added one more for good measure. Hillbilly I know, but it worked.

If you ordered the exact same part number just go with 13", it'll work.

[brookside]

Originally Posted by SlowerThanU

The pit area in a race track only has standard 15amp plug ins. The camper requires a 30amp plug in. This relay essentially splits the A/C from the main circuit breaker on the camper, thus reducing the potential load from the camper. Basically I'm plugging the A/C into one 15amp hookup and the rest of the camper into a different 15amp hookup. This allows me to run what ever I want in the camper without having to worry about tripping a breaker.

Thx - now I get it ... Can you post a diag?

[heytomgraywolf]

Originally Posted by SlowerThanU

Ok, the full truth: I couldn't do it either for more than 3 seconds at a time. I measured from the end mounting point on the shaft to the shaft itself and added that to the length of the main body to the center of the mounting point on the other end. It came out to about 12" and I added one more for good measure. Hillbilly I know, but it worked.

If you ordered the exact same part number just go with 13", it'll work.

Thanks Slower. I completed the "pimp" this morning. Works great. My only suggestion for others (and I don't want to start an argument) would be if you have the cheap standard mattress that is fairly light or have put a larger, heavier mattress in there. We still have the factory mattress (we put a really comfy mattress pad on and we are OK with the feel), but I wonder if the 120# 20" gas strut is a little much for the small/light mattress we have. To close it, we have to push down pretty firmly to get it going down. CW offers that 20" strut in 80, 90, 100, 120 and 150 lbs. It would be a complete guess, but I think the 100 would be fine for the factory mattress. Again, no slam to Slower on this great idea. Just a friendly suggestion for others. Thanks for the idea Slower!

Tom

[SlowerThanU]

Originally Posted by heytomgraywolf

Thanks Slower. I completed the "pimp" this morning. Works great. My only suggestion for others (and I don't want to start an argument) would be if you have the cheap standard mattress that is fairly light or have put a larger, heavier mattress in there. We still have the factory mattress (we put a really comfy mattress pad on and we are OK with the feel), but I wonder if the 120# 20" gas strut is a little much for the small/light mattress we have. To close it, we have to push down pretty firmly to get it going down. CW offers that 20" strut in 80, 90, 100, 120 and 150 lbs. It would be a complete guess, but I think the 100 would be fine for the factory mattress. Again, no slam to Slower on this great idea. Just a friendly suggestion for others. Thanks for the idea Slower!

Tom

I think your insight is spot on when it comes to weight. I have a full size, pillow top queen mattress in ours and the 120lbs is spot on. I barely have to lift up on it and the strut does the rest. For closing just a firm push at the center of the mattress and it will ease itself down nice and gently with a firm close.

Since the factory mattress is probably half the weight it makes sense that a lower rated strut would probably work better. Glad it worked out for you regardless!

[brookside]

Originally Posted by SlowerThanU

The pit area in a race track only has standard 15amp plug ins. The camper requires a 30amp plug in. This relay essentially splits the A/C from the main circuit breaker on the camper, thus reducing the potential load from the camper. Basically I'm plugging the A/C into one 15amp hookup and the rest of the camper into a different 15amp hookup. This allows me to run what ever I want in the camper without having to worry about tripping a breaker.

I've been noodling over your mod.. In retrospect would it not be easier to simply build a Y adapter that was 30a female to two 15a male Edisons? It would have the same net result and you didn't have to monkey with your panel.

Not sure if anyone sells that adapter but I bet someone does ... A trip to home depot and a few bucks and you could easily build one

[SlowerThanU]

Originally Posted by brookside

I've been noodling over your mod.. In retrospect would it not be easier to simply build a Y adapter that was 30a female to two 15a male Edisons? It would have the same net result and you didn't have to monkey with your panel.

Not sure if anyone sells that adapter but I bet someone does ... A trip to home depot and a few bucks and you could easily build one

I started a thread with this same question last year, apparently it can't be done. You can't combine two 15a into one 30a. Splitting the A/C from the circuit was the only way to accomplish my goals and this was the coolest way I knew to do it.

The original thread: http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...amp-15211.html

[camperdemint]

[QUOTE=heytomgraywolf;118540]My next project today (can you tell this is the first weekend I was home in 5 weekends?) was to mount the spare tire to the rear door (wanted to have the storage under the bed for other stuff and if I do get a flat, if the motorcycle was in the trailer, I wouldn't want to try and get the tire out from under the bed with the cycle in the trailer. I bought a "U bolt" spare tire mount at a local boat trailer supply. I did not really want the "U bolt" as much as the threaded flanges that let you lock the tire in place:



Since the rear door is not in the center of the 19RR, I mounted the tire so that it would be in the center of the trailer, but skewed to the right side of the door since the door is closer to the drivers side of the trailer than the passenger side:


I mounted the tire not so low so that it would touch to bumper with the gate down and not so high that if the gate was on "higher ground" than the trailer that the tire would not touch the ground before the top edge of the door. This is what kind of clearance I have with the gate down on a level surface:


Last, I had a $25 gift certificate from buying the trailer at the OutPost RV, so I used it towards a spare tire cover. I think this cover is normally $30 plus tax and shipping, but with the $25 gift certificate, I paid around $16 with tax and shipping. Here is what the final spare tire looks like mounted on the rear door:

Was wondering how this has been holding up for you? Very interested in mounting the spare tire to ramp. Thanks!

[brookside]

Mounted mine under the trailer with a winch bought from FR/Lipert

[recon33alpha]

You all rock, glad I found this thread, I'll be doing some of these pimps for sure. I have a 25rr but it has alot of the same designs. I would like to see more of the framing done for the door under the bed, and I think the shock idea on the bed, I must of missed those pics, easy to do, this thread is huge!! Happy Camping