|
05-05-2013, 11:53 PM
|
#1
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: MILLINGTON
Posts: 227
Michigan
|
Tire balancing
Very quick and easy question for everyone:
1. Did anyone have their tires balanced on your trailer/fifth wheel?
2. How far off balance were they, how much weight had to be added to correct?
3. Has anyone installed or had installed a hitch to carry bikes on; or how do you carry your bikes?
4. Is anyone "double bottoming"?
Thanking all you fine people in advance for your help.
__________________
__________________
Rick and Debbie & Ted E. Bear too
SUMMER MICHIGANDERS/WINTER TEXANS
INSTEAD OF GUEST TO OUR FORUM, REGISTER AND BECOME A MEMBER. COST IS FREE! YOUR INSIGHT, IDEAS AND PROBLEMS: PRICELESS!!]
|
|
|
05-06-2013, 12:17 AM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Jellystone
Posts: 489
Wyoming
|
I plan to balance my tires when I replace them after this summers trip. There has been some discussion already regarding bike carriers so I would do a search to find them.
What is 'double bottoming', I hate to guess on that one! I won't ask my wife either....
__________________
|
|
|
05-06-2013, 01:00 AM
|
#3
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Goshen
Posts: 363
Indiana
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by GOLDENYEARS
Very quick and easy question for everyone:
1. Did anyone have their tires balanced on your trailer/fifth wheel?
2. How far off balance were they, how much weight had to be added to correct?
3. Has anyone installed or had installed a hitch to carry bikes on; or how do you carry your bikes?
4. Is anyone "double bottoming"?
Thanking all you fine people in advance for your help.
|
I'm more about balancing steer tires then rear tires on larger trucks or trailers. I have tandem axle equipment trailers and have never balanced those tires. Also, I have had three other 5th wheel camper trailers previous the one I have now. I have never balanced the tires on any of these trailers. I have put 6000 miles in this 5er that I have now.
I have no need to place a hitch on the rear of my 5er. Redwood places them on theirs right from the factory. I believe your infinity and Redwood frames are the same. Lippert. So, it can be done with no issue.
I'm also, unsure what "double bottoming" is. Please explain.
__________________
Dave
2012 Dutchmen 3850RL
|
|
|
05-06-2013, 12:28 PM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: MILLINGTON
Posts: 227
Michigan
|
I guess "double bottom" is the correct term to use. That is when you have a small trailer behind your fifthwheel trailer. I think some would call it a "pup". your fifthwheel trailer would be the "lead" Again I am just guessing. Also those terms are used in the trucking industry.
__________________
Rick and Debbie & Ted E. Bear too
SUMMER MICHIGANDERS/WINTER TEXANS
INSTEAD OF GUEST TO OUR FORUM, REGISTER AND BECOME A MEMBER. COST IS FREE! YOUR INSIGHT, IDEAS AND PROBLEMS: PRICELESS!!]
|
|
|
05-06-2013, 12:43 PM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: East Bolton
Posts: 167
Quebec
|
1) I have never had symptoms which would indicate balancing was necessary on either of my 5th wheels. My previous one (Jayco Designer), however, had a serious misalignment of the axles which I had repaired at a truck alignment shop. Tires were wearing fast and unevenly until this was fixed.
2) N/A
3) We use folding bikes which fit in the 'basement'.
4) That's a new term to me, too, but I've never done it.
Hope this helps!
|
|
|
05-06-2013, 06:25 PM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Jellystone
Posts: 489
Wyoming
|
Double bottoming then would be illegal in British Columbia.
|
|
|
05-06-2013, 08:01 PM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Kamloops,
Posts: 647
British Columbia
|
Time Horton 's "Double Double " coffee yes....double bottoming no....carry enough crap in the truck and trailer as it is...no need to bring more with a pup...lol lol
Bike rack attached to TT bumper...do search on this forum for pics of my bike rack.
Coops
__________________
2012 Dodge 3500 Laramie Crew Cab: Cummins: exhaust brake: tow haul:
Kamloops
British Columbia
Canada
|
|
|
05-06-2013, 08:59 PM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: MILLINGTON
Posts: 227
Michigan
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wanderer
Double bottoming then would be illegal in British Columbia.
|
Double bottoming is a sick bird in a lot of the states also.
Just wondering if anyone had done it.
__________________
Rick and Debbie & Ted E. Bear too
SUMMER MICHIGANDERS/WINTER TEXANS
INSTEAD OF GUEST TO OUR FORUM, REGISTER AND BECOME A MEMBER. COST IS FREE! YOUR INSIGHT, IDEAS AND PROBLEMS: PRICELESS!!]
|
|
|
05-07-2013, 11:35 PM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Carleton
Posts: 107
Michigan
|
I pulled a verity of trailers behind my fiver most of the time in Michigan over the years until we got the Voltage. Tis legal in Michigan but only if you have a class "A" or a Recreational Doubles on your operators license. Length is limited to 65 feet from the tugger front bumper to the rear bumper on the back trailer. Depends on who is doing the inspecting/measuring whether a bike rack hanging off the last bumper would count in the length.
__________________
Aaron & Laura
2012 Voltage V3905
2009 Chevy 3500HD Dually
Two Harleys
|
|
|
05-08-2013, 11:25 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Elkhart
Posts: 84
Indiana
|
Why not have the tires balanced? It only costs about ten bucks each and it will make the tire last longer and be better on your coach. Why beat the trailer to death if you don't have too? We have had every set of tires we put on the airstream balanced and the third weekend owning the Denali we had them done because the factory does not do it.
__________________
Mike
2013 Denali 311 bhs pos
Love the trailer, hate the dealer and manufacturer.
|
|
|
05-09-2013, 12:16 AM
|
#11
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Goshen
Posts: 363
Indiana
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by memgrove
Why not have the tires balanced? It only costs about ten bucks each and it will make the tire last longer and be better on your coach. Why beat the trailer to death if you don't have too? We have had every set of tires we put on the airstream balanced and the third weekend owning the Denali we had them done because the factory does not do it.
|
As I have explained earlier in the post, I've never balanced trailer tires, camper or otherwise.
I commend you for doing yours. I'm going to do some research and see if tire companies recommend it on trailers.
I'm also, hoping that other camper owners will chime in on trailer tire balancing.
__________________
Dave
2012 Dutchmen 3850RL
|
|
|
05-09-2013, 03:43 AM
|
#12
|
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Everett
Posts: 49
Washington
|
Had the trailer tires balanced when we upgraded to LT's.
I need a better rack before I start bringing the bikes. I don't trust the one we have that mounts around the spare on the rear bumper. Seems like too much weight.
Never double towed.
__________________
2011 Colorado 320BS-FW
2000 Dodge Ram 2500 CTD QCSB 2WD
|
|
|
05-09-2013, 04:05 AM
|
#13
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Kamloops,
Posts: 647
British Columbia
|
A pic of our back rack...works pretty good.
__________________
2012 Dodge 3500 Laramie Crew Cab: Cummins: exhaust brake: tow haul:
Kamloops
British Columbia
Canada
|
|
|
05-09-2013, 05:33 AM
|
#14
|
New Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Calgary
Posts: 9
Alberta
|
that is the same bike rack that i have but i am leery of putting that onto the back bumper of my Kodiak.
did you modify your bumper in any way? are you comfortable towing with that bike rack mounted to your trailers bumper?
|
|
|
05-09-2013, 04:34 PM
|
#15
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Kamloops,
Posts: 647
British Columbia
|
This is from the forum thread back in 2012
Sonofabeach.....( almost typed something else )
No complaints with the set up so far....made a couple of long trips
Hope this help......
"We have a 3 bike Swagman...had it modified by welding the bike rack and receiver adapter together. Originally they were 2 separate units. They were connected by the trailer ball going through the holes. The receiver unit is a common TT bumper hitch type. I would only use it for a bike rack..wouldn't trust the TT bumper for any thing else. Not made heavy enough in my opinion for anything other than the spare tire and a bike rack. Had to move the spare tire and sewer hose carrier so I could centre the bike rack. When the bikes are installed I use bungee cords to stop the bikes from swinging back and forth. The bikes do not reduce the visibility of the signal, brake, nor tail lights. They rack sticks straight out the back a bit so a put flagging tape on the end of the rack so cars coming up can see it."
Coops
__________________
2012 Dodge 3500 Laramie Crew Cab: Cummins: exhaust brake: tow haul:
Kamloops
British Columbia
Canada
|
|
|
05-09-2013, 06:15 PM
|
#16
|
New Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Calgary
Posts: 9
Alberta
|
thanks for the reply!
i did email Kodiak about this same thing and the customer service rep that replied to me said that they do not recommend having a bike rack on the bumper and also no recommedation for a hitch to be welded to the frame.
i think this is a "C.Y.A" thing on Kodiak's behalf but i just want to cover all my bases before i try to do this.
|
|
|
05-13-2013, 12:35 AM
|
#17
|
Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Labrador
Posts: 33
|
Someone once told me that the bumpers are not meant to take any weight too, not sure if this is valid but worth finding out before doing it.
__________________
2012 Aerolite 285BHG
2012 Ford F150 Ecoboost Crew Cab, 3.5L DOHC V-6 DI Twin-turbocharger, 3.73 gear ratio, Max Towing Package.
|
|
|
05-15-2013, 02:56 AM
|
#18
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: l
Posts: 431
Saskatchewan
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by arcabuddy
Someone once told me that the bumpers are not meant to take any weight too, not sure if this is valid but worth finding out before doing it.
|
You are correct. They're good for carrying a spare and a sewer hose and not much more. I know people that have added bike racks and reinforced them with supports welded to the I-Beam frame, but our dealer will not do it. I was told it could void the warranty. We carry our bikes in the trailer and it does just fine.
__________________
Dave & Sue
Kiley & Emily
Izzie (Beagle/Bichon/Mini Poodle)
2012 Ford F150 XLT EB SS CRW 6.5 Max Tow
'12 Dutchmen Kodiak 284BHSL
|
|
|
09-15-2013, 02:17 AM
|
#19
|
New Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Pewaukee
Posts: 2
Wisconsin
|
I had my replacement tires (Goodyear) balanced and one tire took more weight than the others, and all took my weight than my truck. I wish I would have had the axles aligned earlier, as I wore out two tires on a trip to Yellowstone when I came back home. Went to an frame alignment shop and he fixed me for under $250. He informed me most trailers have misaligned axles from the factory.
__________________
|
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|