stacker trailer

[jack14r]

I am thinking about a stacker trailer again,even though I sold one 2 years ago.The one I had was a 1998 Champion Trailer and it weighed 10,200 LBS empty,I did not like the way it towed and I generally just disliked it.I need info to help me decide if I really want to do this.
1 Do airbag trailers tow better than torsional axles?
2 Is a V nose better or sort of awkward?
3 Is a 30 footer too long?
4 My coach is about 12'6" will a 13'2" trailer be too tall from a visual point of view?
5 The aluminum trailers like ATC Trailers are lighter but are they as durable?
6 Are there any configurations that I should stay away from? Any info will be appreciated.Thanks in advance

[Kevin Erion]

Jack, I would NOT do it again! Mine weight in at about 13,000lb empty. If you have 20 ' of space you find 22' of stuff to bring. I have found my 4 door pickup with an 8' bed has worked out great. I put on a shell and have plenty of room for lots of stuff and a great car when we get to our destination, OH and it's way easy!

[Toy Box]

We are on our fourth trailer. First was flatbed for small car or four motorcycles. Second was a 18' box with the same space for the car or bikes, but kept them away from prying eyes. Third was a custom built Featherlite, the box was 18' plus a v-nose. I used the v-nose to build a top and bottom storage cabinet set up which had a large triangle shaped work bench. The inside height was 6'2''. We had room inside for four full dresser motorcycles, or a corvette or an escalade. In 2005, we ordered a new custom Featherlite. This time we made the total height 10'. This way we have a small storage attic. We also went to a box length of 23' and still have the v-nose. Same cabinets and work bench. Now, we can load the escalade and have room in the front for either a motorcycle or a full size golf cart sideways. We went with the triple axle just for looks and I am glad we did. It really looks cool. Our empty weight is 6200 pounds. Gross weight is about 15,000. I have a couple of friends who have stackers, but I will probably never be an owner myself. Just seems like too much stuff to carry. As it is, we can carry the above load or just four or five bikes and not feel like we have a half empty trailer. It;s still small enough to tow with our F250 and I like the look of the trailer being a little less in height than the bus. I'll always have a v-nose enclosed trailer...it just suits us best.

[Sid Tuls]

Jack, If you get a trailer higher than your bus wouldn't the wind be a factor? I'm just wondering & would like to hear the responses. Thanks

[Petervs]

Less is more.

If you live in Florida and mostly travel flat highways towing a big heavy trailer might be doable. In the west you come to mountains every hundred miles or so and going up the hills at 42 mph or less sucks.

Do you really need to take all that stuff with you?

Have you forgotten what you learned the first time? Even if you find a lighter weight trailer, by the time you fill it your total weight difference will not be a very large percentage of the total gross weight. Performance will suffer regardless.

[donniev]

I as well as many have pulled Stacker trailers all over. They are a Problem when it comes to RV Resorts but quite honestly the end results of taking what you want with you outweigh the aerodynamics or weight, as long as your within your limits! weight wise, You can never be to safe!!

[billbunch47]

Jack, I have a Featherlite stacker that needs a new home. It has a 20' box with a V nose, small frt lift for a couple of bikes or a golf cart. Triple axle towes like a dream, weighs less than 6000 lbs empty. I'm in Columbia so if you want to try it out on a trip just let me know. I'm in the west right now should be home by the 29th lets talk, Bill

[jack14r]

Thanks Bill,I need more space than 20 feet.I do think that the V nose makes a lot of sense,you get several square feet for very little money.The trailer hitch is rated for 20,000 LBS but I can't find a receiver rated for more than 15,000 Lbs.help me Jim.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Hi Jack, I think you were reffering to me? Right now I don't have an answer for you. I had assumed that the receiver was part of the Prevost hitch. Wouldn't that make sense? Since they're concerned about the liability issues, I would think they would want to take charge of the whole thing.

You might call Liberty or Prevost on that item, I'm sure you wouldn't be the first!

JIM

[jack14r]

Yep I was calling you Jim,the hitch is rated for 20k but I can only find a 14k receiver,balls are easy to find over 20k.I like to make sure that I am never out of bounds but this one is hard to overcome,I think that I will call Liberty.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

The Prevost engine cradle kit 410805 looks to contain the draw bar receiver that the draw bar with ball (supplied by others) goes into.

It is possible to purchase a draw bar and ball with up to 30,000, which is what I personally would do. (over kill here is good)
I also would only buy from a trusted manufacturing source, such as, but not limited to Draw-tite.

Some general Google searching for--30,000# hitch ball-- etc will reveal many selections.

This post is aimed at a specific question and is not to imply that anyone could or should increase their towing capacity simply by using a higher rated draw bar and ball than the receiver and cradle.

Check the specifications and ratings and condition of your tow receiver before you begin to tow.

I will try to insert a previous post here as it pertains.




Well according to Kevin it takes a new engine cradle when one installs a 20,000# hitch.

Kevin did his own install, wow, very commendable, and it took 8 hrs!

Checked pricing on a 20,000# kit from Prevo today and they verified the need for a new engine cradle.

The kit part number is: 410805, priced at $1,368.97. Non stocking, made to order only @ 40 days lead time. (The factory is on two week shutdown now, so add that in)

They now have a policy of: The kit is not sold to anyone for a do it yourself installation.

Prevost must do the install, due to liability issues!

This will not be happening any time soon for me if ever.

Still gathering information on toads and trailer.


NOTE: The cradle assenbly part number pertains to my vintage XLV .


JIM

[jack14r]

Jim,I talked to Frank K from Liberty today and he said that they had removed 20,000 LBS hitches in the past and removed the 2X2 sleeve and replaced it with a 2.5X2.5 sleeve which will take a draw bar rated at 18,000 LBS.I have been told today that Curt manufacturing should have a 15,000 draw bar real soon,Putnam that made them but they went out of business.He said that he had towed many trailers with a variety of draw bars and never saw any wear or had any problems,I think that my gross will be right at 15,000 but I would really like some margin and I don't want to remove the hitch and replace the sleeve.I have some time and I can make this decision later.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Why wait Jack, if they have it buy it now.

I hope this is what you want/need!

The first is 1 1/4" hole, the second is 1" hole.

http://store.besttruckeq.com/hesobamo4max1.html

http://store.besttruckeq.com/hesobamo4max.html


JIM:)

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Jack, are you having any trouble finding balls :rolleyes: :D


JIM

[jack14r]

Jim,I knew you could find it,I have looked for 2 nights and the best I could find was 15,000,the balls are easy to find.Thanks again I will buy one today,and they have a 1" drop which is what I need.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Good goin Jack, maybe buy two in case one breaks, :eek::rolleyes::D

JIM;)

[PLSNTVLE2]

Jack,
It doesn,t sound like you have purchased the trailer yet? If not
before you purchase the Ball and Ball mount, you should know the TOB (top of ball) height that suits the trailer. This is available from the manufacturer.

You will then need to measure your centerline of your receiver hitch with the bus aired up to ride height to be able to calculate the drop needed.

Too much tongue weight will be a big problem for the hitch and towing.

[jack14r]

I did that yesterday and the C/L of the receiver is 17" and the trailer manufacturer specs 20",the ball to the center is about 2 5/8" so I purchased a 1" rise receiver because they do not have a 0" receiver.

[PLSNTVLE2]

Good deal. I thought you had a handle on it but I was just checking. Have fun......

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Knowing you Jack, you probably already have this neat tool, but some future viewer might not.

The tool will make it easy to check and adjust your tongue weight, much better than the bathroom scale and levers.

http://www.sherline.com/lm.htm





JIM

[jack14r]

I bought an ATC and it comes with one.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Good luck with the ATC trailer, very fine, very pricey.

My favorite brand.

JIM

[fixrim]

Hello All,

Trailer towing is something I have a lot of experience with, having been a racer for 15 years with 30,000 miles a year towing, and usually heavy trailers. I have towed overweight trailers, undertired trailers, etc. When I got my Prevost I had to sell my Renegade and trailer because the Renegade stacker is 17000 empty.

There simply were not any trailers on the market I was happy with. Almost all of them cut a lot of corners and almost without exception they are very, very heavy. I needed to tow two stock cars, plus spares, plus tools and a 4 wheeler ATV, and I needed it all to be under 14,000 lbs total. The trailer neededa stacker in it, and needed work space, and needed to haul cars and spares, and not be hard to tow.

I am glad to report I designed and built a trailer myself (I have done this before). It is 24 long, meets all my requirements, is totally aluminum, no wood or steel anywhere except for the axles and internal stacker lift, and weighs 4500 emply, with the lift inside. Lots of storage all in the floor with belly pans, electric doors and winches, and about 1/2 the cost of a new trailer that I wouldn't by anyway!

Weight is the killer so my advice is to go light. My first Renegade busted the tongue off and flipped over on the side of the road due to an inferior frame (yes it was NOT overloaded!) and of course with a heavy trailer all sorts of issues come into play.

I'd be glad to share any data on my current trailer, or even build another if anyone is so inclined...

It took about 2.5 months, and I have towed it at full capacity about 4000 miles so far.... it's working very well!

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Bob,

As you are undoubtedly very much aware a welded aluminum trailer requires a lot of skills to construct. Aluminum welds are highly susceptible to cracking if not done properly. To add to that, vibrations at the right frequency can disassemble anything. As a racer I am sure your deal with that all the time.

I would suggest a very careful inspection of all welds for a while until you are confident the range of frequencies and potential fatigue at the welds is a non issue. We used to build products for shipping engines and they had to undergo the full range of impact and frequency testing. During one of the days we were to undergo testing we watched a Chrysler team of engineers witness their shipping rack for body panels disassemble itself within a minute of the start of their freequency test. It started by peeling the panels off like cards from a deck, and before the test could be stopped the entire weldment started to fail at the joints. (Our engine stand withstood all testing because it was light enough to flex, unlike the Chrysler rack)

Ever since I have been very alert to inspecting my coach for weld failures, especially around the engine cradle and hitch. I would be especially vigilant with an aluminum trailer.

[michaeldterry]

I am glad to report I designed and built a trailer myself (I have done this before). It is 24 long, meets all my requirements, is totally aluminum, no wood or steel anywhere except for the axles and internal stacker lift, and weighs 4500 emply, with the lift inside. Lots of storage all in the floor with belly pans, electric doors and winches, and about 1/2 the cost of a new trailer that I wouldn't by anyway!



Bob - post some pictures so that we can admire your creation!

[dsaylrn]

Question,.........has anyone had a problem pulling a 24' stacker? I just found out that in Alabama the max length you can have is 57'. And if you get caught they make you drop the treailer. Has this been a problem for anyone or am i just paronoid?

[jack14r]

I am always over length,whether pulling a truck or trailer,I think that California is the real enforcer on length.

[Ray Davis]

I found two sites on the internet which had towing length laws

http://www.towingworld.com/articles/TowingLaws.htm
and
http://www.freetrip.com/rules_fr1.html

Both of them indicated 65 foot is the restriction in Alabama. 65 foot was common in most states. As stated above, CA is definitely cracking down on over-length vehicles, especially on I-10 entering at Blythe.

You certainly run the risk in many states of being illegal. Whether you are stopped or not I can't say.

[dsaylrn]

I'm thinking about buying a 24' stacker but after exploring max length to be legal i'm finding unless you have a permit in many states you could find yourself having to drop the trailer if you're pulled over. Has this ever happened to anyone here? I've seen many 24' trailers being pulled by 45' coaches. Are they just the lucky ones that haven't been caught? I live in Alabama and was told by DOT that max here is 57'. Iowa is 65'.
Are you suppose to get permits in each state?

[PLSNTVLE2]

Dwight.
I use this link for a referance. It was issued in 2007 and some of the data may not be up to date.
I pull a 24' stacker and that puts me at a little over 74' combined length. I have not had a chance to test the California State Troopers yet, but I think if you are just passing through and not causing any safety concerns, they might just ignore it. Also I can't imagine they would make you un-hook on the road side.
I HOPE.....

http://www.woodalls.com/articledetails.aspx?articleID=1195129

[Toy Box]

We have traveled from Florida to Maine to Utah. We almost always pull our trailer. We currently have a 45' bus and pull a triple axle featherlite. Our combined length is 73'. We have never been pulled over or even looked at regarding this issue. We sometimes overnight in Pilot or Flying J. Have you noticed the current crop of 18 wheelers ? Most are 75 to 80' long. We have never been in California with our bus and probably never will. The various experts and authorities we have spoken to regarding this say the length rules apply to state roads and not interstate. Don't know if this helps you any, but just our experience. We even had a state trooper in New Mexico stop once to offer help with a blowout...not a single comment about our 73' length.

[dsaylrn]

Thanks for the feedback and website. After looking at website...it appears we're illegal but according to others apparently law enforcement overlooks it. Now what do i do with my 50 caliber rifle? lol

[dsaylrn]

I appreciate the info..... thanks, the whole "trucking" situation is confusing.

[Kenneth Brewer]

Maryland is (not) arguably the toughest on length, width, and LP/propane.

[bonhall41]

We have a 24-foot stacker trailer that we have towed with the bus throughout the Southeast with no problems. We also tow a 32-foot stacker with a 44-foot Haulmark and have never been stopped.
Bonnie

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I have one toad that puts me overlength, and one that keeps me at 65'. Like George I have never been bothered, but have spoken to several Prevost owners that have been ticketed. The thing consistent with those that have been ticketed is they did something to draw attention to themselves such as speeding. One owner I spoke to got a substantial fine in SD, a state that we know will cut recreational vehicles a substantial amount of slack. When we had the rally in Spearfish the state police weighed our coaches and then met with us afterward. They were very much aware of how many tourist dollars flow into the state and knew that RVs are to be below their radar. The Prevost owner I spoke to admitted he was speeding and maybe the overlength fine was actually a blessing because he probably did not get points.

With the exception of CA I suspect almost every state will look the other way at overlength rigs unless the Prevost driver is speeding, tailgating, or otherwise doing something a cop might find objectionable. Weight is another issue. For many years Ohio has been keeping coaches that exceed the Ohio axle weight limits off the Ohio Turnpike for example. They apparently have sensors in the ground and if the coach exceeds their limits it is denied access. I am not aware of any fines as a result however.

[jack14r]

North Carolina has a new general statute 20-116 that states that a motor vehicle with a living quarters pulling a trailer that is involved with motor sports can be 90 feet long.The combination can be traveling to or from a race or for service or for any other reason that is related to the sport.

[dogear]

First off, hello everyone, this is my first post to the forum and I am also a VERY new owner of an '08 H3-45 Vantare. I also am a complete novice driver of the coach and am pulling a stacker which makes the overall rig 75 ft long (sometimes I feel like I have bitten off more than I can chew). We were in a traffic jam in Tennessee just recently and got pulled over along with a trucker next to us. We were told that we were going too slow if you can believe that! Anyway no ticket in the end just a warning and nothing was ever mentioned about the overall length being 75 feet. The issue that I have had dragging the stacker is backing. I have had incidents where calling a head about room in RV parks have proven to be useless as the operators say that they have the room and they actually do not. In the case of one who has as little experience as me, getting the rig into the spot requires a lot of effort. Having said all that my coach has busair so that eliminates a bay and half for storage. It is nice to have a vehicle that I can get around easily with when I arrive at a destination. Long story short the benefits of the trailer outweigh the tribulations. Cheers everyone

[michaeldterry]

Jim - welcome to POG and congratulations on your new Prevost! We have a '96 XLV Vantare and we love it! As a new Prevost owner, you've done a very smart thing by joining POG! two years ago, I was sort of in your shoes (had been driving buses for almost 30 years, but Eagles & MCI's, not Prevosts). POG has proved invaluable as a resource for knowledge, assistance, comraderie, and plain old fun! Be sure to create a signature on your profile for your posts that gives the particulars of your coach (conversion year, converter, model, tow vehicle, etc) and anything else you want. An avatar and a picture of your bus would be nice. The more info you put in your sig, the more specific responses you'll get relative to any questions you may ask. Also, the more you tell us - the less we'll make up! :p

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Dog,

I got to admit I admire your guts on being a novice driver of big rigs and jumping up to an H3 with a trailer.

The easiest way to learn how to back a trailer is to go out and do it. Find an empty parking lot and just practice. If you want a tip that eliminates going through the long process of digesting information in your mirrors and converting that into steering wheel motion just try this.

Place your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel. Which ever way you want the trailer to go when backing is the way you push your hand. Lets say you are just backing in a straight line. If the trailer starts to show up in the LH mirror, you know you want it to move to the right, so push the bottom of the steering wheel to the right. If you want the trailer to go back to the left, push the bottom of the steering wheel to the left.

There are far too many things to learn about backing, but unless you can autiomatically move the trailer left or right without thinking (by using tricks such as described above) everything else is going to be brain overload. You just need to practice. Experienced drivers also learn to think waaaaaay ahead. If you bring a car driver's mentality to the driver's seat you are already in trouble. You have to be thinking far ahead and setting yourself up to make turns and to avoid certain backing conditions. Watch an experieced local truck driver and you will see he tries to always back into a spot with the turn of the trailer to the driver's side. Rarely will a driver try to back on his blind side.

Take things slow, make sure you have walked around the area you are backing so you avoid the low things (like big decorative rocks) that will keep your favorite body shop in work, and most importantly, use your mirrors. Don't hang your head out the window because it means you have no clue what is happening on the other side and that will bite you at some point. Try not to rely on people with walkie talkiies or campground personell. They just tend to confuse the issue and at some point you need to learn how to do this by yourself, without any help, or seriously consider just towing a toad, four wheels down.

[dogear]

Can't thank you enough for the tips. Have learned some of those things the hard way especially backing on the blind side and relying on "innocent bystanders" for guidance. Taking one's time and getting out during the backing process has been a great big help. Situational awareness seems to be key. The parking lot advice is a great idea. Gotta wait until the Sturgis rally is over and we get the place back to ourselves for that! Anyway thanks very much for your advice, I need all the help I can get! Cheers

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Dog,

One of the things you will find with experience is that backing becomes intuitive. But so does driving the bus. You really have jumped in with both feet so here is some free advice. Take your time. The cop may think you are too slow, but rushing things before you have your confidence is a sure bet you are going to get in trouble. You not only have the learning curve related to steering a 45 foot coach around corners, you also have to know where the trailer will track around the same corners.

Before you become the ace of the place with regard to going backwards, get comfortable going forward. Every one of us has had to get used to where the corners of our bus are. We all have been forced through tight construction zones so I would think you first need to be able to place your coach in the center of a 10 foot wide lane. You will learn how your peripheral vision somehow magically knows exactly where to place your reference point to place the coach exactly where you need it to be. When on the open road you will learn to look far in the distance and the coach will always track where you want it to be.

At that point you don't care about your trailer or backing up. Right now it may be scary but with time and experience you actually don't even think about it.

Backing up is the same thing. As you practice you will soon realize your hands will move automatically to get your trailer to track a path. But while you are watching the trailer you need to allow that voice in your head that is screaming at you to be aware your front of the bus can swing very wide while making small trailer corrections and it is those wide swings that will bite you in your donkey. That is why you need to walk around the rig to see exactly what hidden dangers you need to be aware of. Remember, in a campground a Prevost is going to attract attention, and especially one with a 30 foot stacker. You will draw a crowd and that crowd will be pressure on you. Ignore them and take your time. The day will come when you can show off. Not that any of us would do that.

[GDeen]

Yeah, one of the quickest ways to terminate my 28 year marriage would be to have my wife in back of me waving her arms in circles or giving me unkown hand signals. It likely would revert to a highly recognized hand signal given to one another, and an unpleasant start to the stay. I get out, survey the location, get a picture in my mind and use the mirrors and camera to get in. Any questions, get out and re-survey.

Edit - and congrats on the new rig. Sounds very nice.

[dogear]

Resurvey being the salient point, preferably by one's self instead of an "innocent bystander" or as you aptly point out, one's wife. I do not have one of those (wives) so it becomes a moot point however well meaning "helpers" seem to materialize out of the mist when I appear at an RV park with my 75 foot rig, as if sensing that I am a neophyte. As Jon mentioned a crowd just intensifies the butterflies, at least in my case. So far I have been able to defer the pressure and just park the damn thing no matter how long it takes. I have gotten some extremely competent advice from this forum. I only wish I had joined sooner, no body work on the coach just frayed nerves. Thanks So Much All. Cheers.......JR

[-Karl-]

Well according to Kevin it takes a new engine cradle when one installs a 20,000# hitch.

Kevin did his own install, wow, very commendable, and it took 8 hrs!

Checked pricing on a 20,000# kit from Prevo today and they verified the need for a new engine cradle.

The kit part number is: 410805, priced at $1,368.97. Non stocking, made to order only @ 40 days lead time. (The factory is on two week shutdown now, so add that in)

They now have a policy of: The kit is not sold to anyone for a do it yourself installation.

Prevost must do the install, due to liability issues!

This will not be happening any time soon for me if ever.

Still gathering information on toads and trailer.


NOTE: The cradle assenbly part number pertains to my vintage XLV .


JIM

I own a '96 Marathon XL 45 with a 10k hitch and have purchased the 20k upgrade from Prevost (kit 410805). I'm planning on doing the install myself this coming weekend, for those of you who have completed this upgrade.....Would you have any tips or suggestions for me?

Naturally I've read through Prevosts list of instructions numerous times, my only fear comes when its time to get the motor mounts out. Prevost calls for 3" of clearance between the top of the forward motor mounts and the upper motor mount bracket on the engine, I don't believe there is enough room to achieve this 3 inches between the top of the valve cover and the dog house in the engine bay when I jack up the engine. My thinking is that I'll remove the engine mount brackets off the side of the engine if I don't have enough room. Any thoughts?

Shouldn't be a project that the average do-it-yourselfer can't knock out in a day.....right??? :D

And get this....the cradle arrived in a week after ordering......not 40 days....guess corporate isn't very busy.

[Kevin Erion]

Kral, be very careful how you lift the engine, do not use the oil pan! Even if you put somthing between the pan and the jack, you will be sorry! I think the easier way to get the job done is to remove the lower collant pipe on the driver side. I did this job 5 years ago so I don't want to bet on this but it makes you have to jack the motor up kind of higher than needed. When you weld in the cross tube, disconect all computers and batteries!

[Jon Wehrenberg]

On my 96 shell there is no way to raise the engine 3" without opening the cover over the engine, which due to my layout involves disassembling the rear cabinetry.

On a project of this magnitude I never work to a schedule. Rushing jobs like this usually ends up creating more problems. Those are just my thoughts.

Kevin's advice about disconnecting all computers before doing any welding is right on the money and is so important there should be permanent warnings about this on the coach. At the very least disconnect the engine, transmission and ABS plus any the converter installed.

[Jeff Bayley]

Warning on these hitches. I had a dual hitch (see pictures) break on me recently on the empty car hauler I'm towing. Trailer is empty so the part failed more so than the weight of the trailer I suspect. I like to try another one (maybe) and found these to choose from below. Of course I'd like to get the best made one now that one broke. It was serving well to use the bike rack and also hook the trailer up. Wondering if any others have seen these break. I was lucky to catch in in my camera at low speed at night and see sparks from the jack rubbing the pavement before it broke off all the way. This scares me enough to question whether to try the dual hitch receiver again at all.

http://www.hitchcorner.com/trailer-h...ccessories.htm

http://www.shopwiki.com/_Dual+Hitch+Receiver

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...3969_200333969

http://www.harborfreight.com/automot...unt-66966.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/dual-hi...der-99591.html

http://www.shopwiki.com/_Dual+2%22+H...tension+4000lb

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

The Prevost engine cradle kit 410805 looks to contain the draw bar receiver that the draw bar with ball (supplied by others) goes into.

It is possible to purchase a draw bar and ball with up to 30,000, which is what I personally would do. (over kill here is good)
I also would only buy from a trusted manufacturing source, such as, but not limited to Draw-tite.

Some general Google searching for--30,000# hitch ball-- etc will reveal many selections.

This post is aimed at a specific question and is not to imply that anyone could or should increase their towing capacity simply by using a higher rated draw bar and ball than the receiver and cradle.

Check the specifications and ratings and condition of your tow receiver before you begin to tow.

I will try to insert a previous post here as it pertains.




Well according to Kevin it takes a new engine cradle when one installs a 20,000# hitch.

Kevin did his own install, wow, very commendable, and it took 8 hrs!

Checked pricing on a 20,000# kit from Prevo today and they verified the need for a new engine cradle.

The kit part number is: 410805, priced at $1,368.97. Non stocking, made to order only @ 40 days lead time. (The factory is on two week shutdown now, so add that in)

They now have a policy of: The kit is not sold to anyone for a do it yourself installation.

Prevost must do the install, due to liability issues!

This will not be happening any time soon for me if ever.

Still gathering information on toads and trailer.


NOTE: The cradle assenbly part number pertains to my vintage XLV .



JIM

lbriant, this is for you, hope it helps you make the right decision.

JIM :)

[BoaterAl]

There is an ongoing tread on another forum with a current discussion on trailers and towing. Here is a pretty complete site for what kind of issues states have with pulling behind the bus.
http://www.towingworld.com/articles/towinglaws.htm

[Joe Camper]

What is the reasonable service interval for packing wheel bearings on trailers with 2 5000lb axles. This would be most car trailers.

10,000 miles? 20,000miles??

[BadFitter]

Dexter EZ Lube Axles makes life simple. I did ours annually along with adjusting the electric brakes.

[Joe Camper]

Ez lube axles can make a mess i would prefer keeping them as they r. How r electric brakes adjusted Les?

[JCarrollJr]

I pull a 2008 model King Cobra 24 ft. stacker and love it. It goes almost every time the bus goes. The empty weight is 4680 with a 14,000 lb. GVW. It has no floor level cabinets so I have a full 24ft. of floor length. I built a loft in front of the elevator lift. I can carry two motorcycles, or one motorcycle and a golf cart, and a Jeep Cherokee Sport on the lower level and an E-Type Jag and one or two motorcycles on the upper level. I use a pintle hook type hitch. I wouldn't under any circumstances use a ball type. Obviously, when you hit the mountains pulling a load, even a toad, you're going to pay a price but under my normal towing conditions, in the Southeast, I never know the trailer is there except that it does get into the fuel mileage somewhat. It has brakes on all three axles and I can stop it and the bus together in less distance than I can stop the bus alone. I've been towing trailers all of my driving life and this is maybe the best overall handling rig that I've ever had.
Once again, just my two cents worth.

[Joe Camper]

How r electric trailer brakes adjusted? They r not auto adjusted?

[truxton]

On the back plate or inside of the brake assembly plate is a star wheel that you need a brake spoon to turn the star to expand the brake assembly so the brake pads are closer to the drums.

You can buy new bolt on brake assemblys with self adjusters for a 100 dollars an axle.

You can use a screwdriver in a pinch to turn that star if you had to. This is all related to Dexter axles but probably the same on most electric brakes. All you will see when your looking for the star is a few of the teeth, the adjusting star wheel is about the size of a quarter. There might be a black rubber oblong plug covering the star wheel.

Later
bv

[Joe Camper]

Thanks Bernie I am amazed they aren't all auto adjusting decades ago. Whats your opinion on bearng service intervals.

[truxton]

Once a year or 20k miles. More important is to just take the drums off to check the brake plates. Springs are known to break or loosen and they can come apart from bumpy roads and push out the pads and lock up the brakes.

It happened to me many moons ago, that's when I changed my old trl to auto adjust.

Yes the star adjust is very primitive.

Larer
bv

[Joe Camper]

Many trailer owners I enquired with either didnt know or never did it yet. Newer vehicles with the sealed hub assemblies they go a long way whats the difference? They spindle nuts r set in a more exact way. That's it. So if they r set right????

I think i need to get some spares before too many miles get racked up. Some bearings and some return springs maybe. Its got about another 3500 miles to go before ill get to it. Pulling a trailer like this is new to me. Question, would it be unnecessary to carry a spare set of drums and shoes for 1 axle? that dont take up a great deal of space. One of those deals where if I got it il never need them, right?

I'll inspect the brakes anually prob get auto adjusters and if there is no jiggle on the hub run it another year and do it again. Ill install a new set of bearings and races every 100000 weather they need it or not.

Thanks everyone