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Post by Franklin1 on Dec 16, 2010 9:00:07 GMT 10
G'day Doug, Yes you are correct in thinking the Tare Mass is the unladen weight of the van including the ball weight. Unhooking the van on the weighbridge, and leaving it there resting on the jockey wheel as you've done, gives you the Tare Mass. And yes you are correct in using the "beam balance" method of determining the ball weight, as described by Geoff 'n jude in that other thread. Just remember to subtract the weight of the timber block(s) and beam that are on the bathroom scales (...or zero the scales, if it's possible, after setting up the timber balance.) When I used this method on my van, the set-up weight of the timber and a brick on the scales amounted to 7kgs. After lowering the drawbar onto the beam, the total on the scales was 49kgs. Subtract the initial 7kgs to give 42kgs. Multiply by 2 to give 84kgs. Then I put the scales directly under the jockey wheel (throw all the beam balance stuff away) and levelled the drawbar. The direct weighing method gave 85kgs, so it ended up being a good cross-check. I'm currently reading through a year's worth of 1990 Caravan World magazines I scored off ebay recently. Tom Olthoff was the Technical Advisor in the magazine for a good many years (I think he's retired now. Our very own Mark Taylor bought Tom's beautiful 1936 Paramount caravan
, which included Tom's collection of Caravan World magazines that I'm hoping Mark with leave me in his Will.  Mark??!  ) Anyhoo, in the May 1990 edition, Tom answered a reader's question with this information: "For safe stable towing normally 10 percent of the overall weight of the caravan should be supported by the towing vehicle. If not enough weight is at the front, or too much is at the rear, the caravan can become unstable. Generally speaking, if you can lift the front of the caravan, it is too light."Make sense? cheers, Al. |
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Post by cruisindoug on Dec 16, 2010 9:50:05 GMT 10
Thanks Al for the confirmation - sometimes when you are new to something you can get to a stage where you think you are right but then later find out that you missed / forgot / misinterpreted something and in this situation the outcomes could be really bad like an unstable towing van. As it turns out, I'm glad you mentioned about subtracting the weight of the blocks used when measuring towball weight as I possibly would have overlooked that but I think I can zero my scales or even use the direct method. That certainly is a beautiful van that Mark T has, when he leaves the mags in his will to you, maybe he can leave the van to me ;D ;D ;D. Poor bugger will start getting paranoid at this rate - checking over his shoulder at every turn!   Cheers Doug |
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Post by Franklin1 on Dec 16, 2010 10:37:19 GMT 10
Doug, my only caution with the bathroom scales is their accuracy and suitability at high loads (weights). I think the maximum capacity of most bathroom scales is 120kgs. They are probably accurate to say 100 or 110kgs, which means they are only useful for direct weighing of a van up to 1100kgs (...and by direct weighing I mean putting the scales under the jockey wheel). If your van is likely to be more than 1100kgs fully loaded, the beam balance method would be the more accurate result, I feel.
cheers,
Al.
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Post by cruisindoug on Jan 16, 2011 20:25:29 GMT 10
Well been trying to get the carport for the van underway but between the rain and Christmas / New year can't even get the pad cut yet! Maybe next week. So, took out the axle the other day and dropped off to a workshop to get the axle reproduced with electric brakes:  And decided if the van is to be on the road for Lennox Head in Feb then it was time to sort out some temporary shelter, especially with more rain predicted....  Spent a pleasurable hour or so underneath the van painting the underside of the floor with its second coat of primer, its comming along quite nicely. Now that the van is under shelter we will be able to pull the front window out, disassemble it and get it welded up, as well as make up the new hatch. Not too long to go now for Lennox Head, better get going! Cheers, Doug n Tracy. |
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Post by cruisindoug on Jan 25, 2011 18:16:27 GMT 10
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Post by humpyboy on Jan 26, 2011 20:09:23 GMT 10
Why not just replace the bushes yourself Doug?
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Post by cruisindoug on Jan 26, 2011 20:32:06 GMT 10
I will Derk I'm just running out of time before Lennox Head and they will be Ok for rego (pretty sure - especially once pumped up full of grease!), and after ringing around trying to get the right size (they are 1/2" and apparently they aren't readily available anymore??) and getting zero interest, I decided to put the springs back in and tackle it after Lennox Head. I thought it was a simple solution to just replace the whole shooting match with new springs and bushes since they are not expensive - I was just a bit disapointed the axle mob didn't tell me I wouldn't get the same size.  Not a big job to pull back out later once I find the right bits. Still have a fair bit of wiring to do and other bits and pieces including the towbar on the ute. I have put myself under a bit of pressure but its motivating for me to get there!  Cheers, Doug |
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Post by humpyboy on Jan 26, 2011 20:48:36 GMT 10
You'll need to go for 12mm and have it reamed out if you can't find any imperial ones but I'm sure someone will have them.
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Post by cruisindoug on Jan 26, 2011 21:13:41 GMT 10
Yep it shouldn't be too much of a drama I have just run out of time with the stuff around.
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Post by cruisindoug on Feb 1, 2011 17:22:44 GMT 10
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Post by drylander on Feb 1, 2011 20:22:26 GMT 10
If youre still looking for a jack I reckon 60's jag jack will fit ...same system
Pete
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Post by humpyboy on Feb 1, 2011 22:34:54 GMT 10
Looking good Doug.
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Post by cruisindoug on Feb 3, 2011 18:20:23 GMT 10
Thanks Pete for the tip we will start looking around for that sort of stuff now the vans back on the road, and thanks Derk for the encouragement - you know how it feels when things are getting close to finished . We have done a few extras for the weekend, starting with just a basic 240V point:  And a "must have" for Qld!  And some new curtains as well  Doug and Tracy |
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Post by firefighter on Feb 3, 2011 18:50:46 GMT 10
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Post by cruisindoug on Feb 3, 2011 19:50:39 GMT 10
Why Lennox Head of course!
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Post by humpyboy on Feb 3, 2011 22:12:20 GMT 10
Damn gunna miss out on the FREE beer, no way can I make it there by tomorrow yes Doug your right it does get more exciting the closer you get, I get out in the shed almost every night after work now and work till around 9 fitting all those little bits and pieces on my Ute, the missus asked me the other night what the hurry was I'm so close now all I want to do is drive it. |
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Post by cruisindoug on Apr 17, 2011 22:25:37 GMT 10
The van at it's SECOND outing at Flanagan's Reserve a great weekend away. Still hasn't been all the way to an event behind the ute - had some transmission dramas on the way to Lennox Head and what turned out to be a bad seal on the radiator hose before this trip! Hopefully third time lucky to Millmeran! Forgot to take any pics of the van's MAIDEN voyage (for us) to Lennox Head  - don't suppose anyone took a pic there did they???  Turned out to be the top tank on the radiator, not the hose ... yep it was THIRD time lucky for getting the radiator sorted ...  Doug and Tracy |
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Post by cruisindoug on May 17, 2011 23:05:11 GMT 10
Been out on a couple more outings .... Millmerran Easter 2011 a great trip away:  And Maroochydore May 2011 another excellent trip:  |
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Post by cruisindoug on Jul 11, 2011 14:30:36 GMT 10
Overnight run to Bob and Jacquis for a shindig ... first sucessful run behind the ute!!  |
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Post by cruisindoug on Sept 12, 2011 20:35:37 GMT 10
Not much happening with work on the van, the ute has been taking all the attention! Still been out on a few trips away ... Crows Nest with the new tarp / awning  Evans Head  and Queen Mary Falls  Hopefully now that the ute seems to be sorted, I can get into getting the carport finished and get some more progress happening on the van... |
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Post by cruisindoug on Dec 10, 2011 19:32:52 GMT 10
Well, after a great Canungra trip ....  we have a few weeks to get some stuff done before Kenilworth, so ...  Started with the cupboard that fits between the two singles, this came out in one piece  , we want to go with a full size queen bed across the back (its ended up being about 100mm shorter than standard but pretty close) - we figure its best to aim for a good night's sleep when your away. Unfortunately, the cupboard wouldn't fit out the door or the window (by about 5mm in the window) so it ended up being dismantled to get it out!  The idea is to do any mods in a way that can be put back to original ... probably never happen but its always good to have options. Then, everything in the cupboards had to come out for some wiring ... can't believe we have accumulated this much 'stuff' in 12 months ...   Be a good opportunity to cull some of it back aye Wiring in progress ...  Lights!!!!   Out on the FX FJ club Christmas run, a mate said he had found an old style jack on the tip, that he reckoned would fit ...  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D More progress pics soon! Cheers Doug |
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Jellybean
Full Member
Any weekend away is a good weekend!!!
Posts: 392
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Post by Jellybean on Dec 10, 2011 19:48:52 GMT 10
Hope you don't get too carried away before christmas. It might get all gutted like our jellybean.
I spose as long as you still have a bed the rest doesn't matter.
Keep up the good work.
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Post by Franklin1 on Dec 11, 2011 10:11:32 GMT 10
G'day Doug, Have you sussed out whether you can physically manouvre a queen size mattress into position? Whenever I try to get the double mattress in or out of the poptop, it's a real challenge to bend the mattress like a contortionist to get it to slip past the wardrobe and overhead cupboards. The curtain rods also snag the edges of the mattress and get in the way. Damn frustrating exercise to get it to slip into position. I've learnt to swear in seven languages, but that still doesn't help. cheers, Al. |
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Post by cruisindoug on Dec 12, 2011 7:45:22 GMT 10
Al we have considered if we can get a queen sized mattress in, and we think we can, but wont be sure until it arrives! Wish us luck! |
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Post by cruisindoug on Dec 15, 2011 17:49:09 GMT 10
Got a bit more time on the van, the wiring is done has come up well and Elvis is now where he belongs …. Under a spotlight of course! ;D ;D ;D ;D  So got stuck into changing over to a queen size bed (well almost) the idea was to raise the bed frame so we can hide the porta potti away, as well as being able to undo the mods fairly easily just in case. Went down to the big green shed and got out enough 115 X 18mm timber to do what I wanted, and although reasonably light, I thought I’ll just get out double the length in 30 X 18mm, to check the weight comparison. It was a LOT lighter, so I made the decision to go with plan B even though it was a fair bit more work, I reckon its saved a fair bit of weight. I made the frame up in three stages for ease of assembly, the plan worked pretty well, had to drill a grand total of two holes into the van to hold it all together :    Then on to the front panel, not much left out of a sheet of ply!  But worth it I reckon …  Should be able to finish it off tomorrow bar paint – just in time the mattress is ready for pick up now. John and Di things are starting to go back in now, plenty of time before Christmas!! I have at least three days off before then! Cheers Doug |
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) Anyhoo, in the May 1990 edition, Tom answered a reader's question with this information:
;D 
