stacker trailer

[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???

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