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-   -   I Don't Need No Stinking Truck!!! (https://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.php/i-dont-need-no-stinking-truck-12610.html)

Frank Lee 03-13-2010 07:31 PM

I Don't Need No Stinking Truck!!!
 
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...cher/94564.gif

Take wunna those prior to assembly (it's only 272 lbs) and load 'er up on yer bike for the trip home! :eek:

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...r/31310001.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...31310002-1.jpg

Made it! :thumbup::D

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...31310003-1.jpg

Ryland 03-13-2010 07:44 PM

Looks like it that bike would tow that trailer once it's all together as well, put some trailer brakes on it and you would be all set.

Frank Lee 03-13-2010 07:58 PM

Ultimately the wagon will pull the trailer with the bike on it!

4 x 8 bed, 1720 lbs capacity.

Ha Ha, the employees at the store I bought it from had a betting pool going on whether this would work or not! Went 30 miles down the freeway @ 45-55 mph. Was on reserve; saved 20 lbs weight on the bike with nearly empty tank.

Christ 03-13-2010 10:57 PM

LMAO. Dude... Did you hit a Harbor Freight to get that?

I've been checking into building a trailer like that, but I think it will be cheaper to just buy one, because of having to get custom title and registration for the trailer.

Are you back "home" home, or still "visiting"?

Ya know, my GL1000 has a hitch bar on it... I could take some pics to show you how it's on there, if you'd be interested in seeing it, to maybe make one for yourself?

cfg83 03-13-2010 11:03 PM

Frank -

With this you could have the ultimate redundancy. You could have a "spare bike" on the trailer. First bike goes out, swap 'em and keep going, :p .

CarloSW2

Christ 03-13-2010 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cfg83 (Post 165937)
Frank -

With this you could have the ultimate redundancy. You could have a "spare bike" on the trailer. First bike goes out, swap 'em and keep going, :p .

CarloSW2

Get 35 MPG towing the trailer w/ a bike on it, and when the lead bike dies, get 35 MPG towing it home? LOL.

Those 1000/1200's aren't known for fuel economy, from what I've read about them (anecdotal). I'm sure Frank's doing much better than average, though.

Frank Lee 03-13-2010 11:39 PM

That would be funny to see: the Wing pulling the Sable on the trailer! :eek: I know the Japanese have Gold Wing car wrecker units; someone posted that up here recently too.

Ryland and Carlos: no plan to put a hitch on the bike... but you never know...

Sadly, I'm only getting average fe with the Honda. The tires and suspension are over-inflated, the carbs' idle jets leaned and idle speed minimized, stereo removed, brakes serviced so no excess drag, etc., but so far ave fe is 32.22 and I hear 32 is average for these. Oftentimes I'm sitting there idling in Cali traffic; if I know the light is real long I'll shut down, and on occasion going down a mountain I'll EOffC, but it doesn't seem to help much. I think it needs a taller top gear, drum brakes or caliper retractors, EFI would really be nice, and of course sleeker bodywork, none of which is likely to happen. Well, maybe the brake mod. Maybe a rejet too after I look at the plugs.

The bike handled the weight fairly well although that heavy weight, that high up sure made itself known at stops. Strong wind tried to throw it around today too. I scooted forward as far as my gangly legs would allow, and laid down on the "tank" to get my weight forward as much as possible and to remove myself from the airstream.

And... the urgency of it. I did hit Harbor Freight for their awesome outdoor sale; 1720 lb trailer reduced to $349, then I found a 20% off coupon so it still ended up about $349 with taxes and ****. Same here- I didn't think I could build my own for that money, especially out here with none of my tools, junk stash, connections, and known places to scavenge. I'd been hunting on Craigslist for some time and the USED and icky homebuilt stuff only started at $500 and went up from there! :eek: :mad:

Ha Ha, remember I said "outdoor sale"? See that dumpster full of tarps in the first pic? They had their inventory tarped up then tossed all the tarps when they opened. I grabbed two of 'em but could have had dozens. :rolleyes:

Christ 03-13-2010 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank Lee (Post 165940)
That would be funny to see: the Wing pulling the Sable on the trailer! :eek: I know the Japanese have Gold Wing car wrecker units; someone posted that up here recently too.

Sadly, I'm only getting average fe with the Honda. The tires and suspension are over-inflated, the carbs' idle jets leaned and idle speed minimized, stereo removed, brakes serviced so no excess drag, etc., but so far ave fe is 32.22 and I hear 32 is average for these. Oftentimes I'm sitting there idling in Cali traffic; if I know the light is real long I'll shut down, and on occasion going down a mountain I'll EOC, but it doesn't seem to help much. I think it needs a taller top gear, drum brakes or caliper retractors, EFI would really be nice, and of course sleeker bodywork, none of which is likely to happen. Well, maybe the brake mod. Maybe a rejet too after I look at the plugs.

The bike handled the weight fairly well although that heavy weight, that high up sure made itself known at stops. Strong wind tried to throw it around today too.

And... the urgency of it. I did hit Harbor Freight for their awesome outdoor sale; 1720 lb trailer reduced to $349, then I found a 20% off coupon so it still ended up about $349 with taxes and ****. Same here- I didn't think I could build my own for that money, especially out here with none of my tools, junk stash, connections, and known places to scavenge. I'd been hunting on Craigslist for some time and the USED and icky homebuilt stuff only started at $500 and went up from there! :eek: :mad:

Ha Ha, remember I said "outdoor sale"? See that dumpster full of tarps in the first pic? They had their inventory tarped up then tossed all the tarps when they opened. I grabbed two of 'em but could have had dozens. :rolleyes:

I grabbed a hitch for my F150 tonite from a Tractor Supply retail store ($139.99 + 8%). Also grabbed a multi-ball receiver w/ a tow hook ($49.99 = 8%), which, after non-profit and employee discount (friends... :rolleyes:) ended up being nearly free. I ended up paying just over $150, which would cover the hitch and tax.

I don't get to HF too often, but I do order online from them.

I guess In PA (dunno about other places) you don't have to have a license for a trailer that is a self-contained generator unit. So what if it's only a 300W genny with a bunch of extra storage space? :thumbup:

You should go back if they still have those tarps... they fold up nicely, and they're easy to xport.

Did you get the Taurus while you're out there visiting?

Frank Lee 03-13-2010 11:47 PM

I think the nearest Harbor Freight to my home is 800 miles away. I'd only been to one once before. I think it's a good thing they're 800 miles away; if they were any closer I might be in there more often.

Christ 03-13-2010 11:49 PM

Agreed. The nearest to me is about an hour drive, but I never go that way for much, so it's a "wasted trip".

In case you didn't notice the edit:

Did you buy that Taurus while visiting? I'm sure I remember you saying you flew from home to your location...

Frank Lee 03-13-2010 11:57 PM

Yup. Twas a distress sale. Only one person on this Earth, maybe two (you?) would have bought it. Overheating, smoking, steaming, knocking, leaking, heater was bypassed, you name it, to the uninitiated it looked like it was ready for the crusher.... so to me, it was perfect!!! :rolleyes:

Found out after much diagnostic fooling around that the PLASTIC :mad: water pump impeller imploded! And the oil filter was LOOSE and dripping oil on the hot exhaust.

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...cher/22510.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...r/22210001.jpg

Look at that broken up pile of poo on the left, while the replacement is made of good ol' CAST IRON! :thumbup:

I don't know for sure yet but I think she's good to go. There's a good chance the head(s) are cracked, what with all the severe coolant loss and overheating, but it isn't throwing clouds of steam out the exhaust so maybe I dodged a bullet? It has the hot rod 24v Yamaha engine.

It's a 30 mile drive so I think someone else can have the remaining tarps if they want 'em.

Christ 03-14-2010 12:02 AM

Of course I'd have bought it.

Remember Cara? She was in similar straits, owner suggested (in his infinite knowledge) to just "replace the engine". $80 later, she ran perfect.

Water pump impeller had sheared the shaft (somehow, never figured that one out), and was causing overheating of the engine. Also, the t-belt was missing a few teeth, and there was ice in the heater core (no damage).

2 days of sorting it out, and I drove her for something like a year, more than 10k miles, and still got $2500 from her when she was totaled, after working the piss outta her hauling stuff (like the 'Wing that I've got.)

PS - You interested in some pics of that hitch setup?

Frank Lee 03-14-2010 12:09 AM

Sher.

I'd never in all my decades of wrenching come across a water pump failure like that, so I had to thrash around quite a bit before it came to me. There were NO external signs of water pump failure at all- no noises, no seepage from the weep hole, nothing. I finally disconnected an upper rad hose and started it, expecting to see water shoot out all over, and water did come out but not with much force. Since I'd already R&R'd the thermostat and it passed the boiling pan test, I was at the end of my rope and decided to pull the pump... not real easy on this buggy! :mad: Those Sables are something else; just about all the cooling system work gets done from underneath, after you pull a chin pan, inner fender, and various braces and such out. :rolleyes: Can't even pull the rad cap and look into the rad to see flow, blockage, etc.; the "overflow" tank takes care of all that now. :mad:

Christ 03-14-2010 12:11 AM

LOL - I just about had to pull the engine to get to the 2.4's water pump. There's 1.75" clearance between the front of the engine and the frame rail, and that's not even enough to get the mount removed without lifting the engine slightly after loosening it. Damn Chrysler for their tight-fitting jeans.

I'll get you some crappy celly pics tomorrow while I'm at my Father's, taking pics of my new Golf Diesel. (Long story, that one.)

jamesqf 03-14-2010 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank Lee (Post 165940)
Sadly, I'm only getting average fe with the Honda. The tires and suspension are over-inflated, the carbs' idle jets leaned and idle speed minimized, stereo removed, brakes serviced so no excess drag, etc., but so far ave fe is 32.22 and I hear 32 is average for these.

That is sad, because I average 26-27 mpg in the '88 Toyota 4WD - and (since I mostly drive the Insight) almost all of my driving in it involves rough dirt, loads of firewood or hay, or deep snow.

Frank Lee 03-14-2010 12:41 AM

I have to endure a lot of city driving here. I'm used to 1) getting in vehicle 2) going to destination. Here, I 1) get in vehicle 2) accel, slow down, brake, stop, wait, repeat ad infinitum. :mad:

It will be interesting to see what it would get if I only ran down the freeway for a tank. I've been maxing out at 60 mph.

Christ 03-14-2010 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank Lee (Post 165965)
I have to endure a lot of city driving here. I'm used to 1) getting in vehicle 2) going to destination. Here, I 1) get in vehicle 2) accel, slow down, brake, stop, wait, repeat ad infinitum. :mad:

It will be interesting to see what it would get if I only ran down the freeway for a tank. I've been maxing out at 60 mph.

Should be right at 40-ish, I think.

Better gearing and some real aero packaging of the luggage, fairing, etc... would net you nearly 60 in the same conditions. That bike has alot of A that's "technically" hidden, doesn't show in a frontal view, but the air still sees it as it closes in around the fairing edges, then hits the bags with a vengeance.

Frank Lee 03-14-2010 05:03 AM

I'm not that optimistic. I don't think the drivetrain is up to high efficiency, even if the gearing and aero were all sorted out.

Cruise rpm is about 3500 at 60 mph.

This thing is sposta weigh about 700 lbs., so with fuel and me it's pushing 1/2 ton. I should try to figure the frontal area- it's gotta be massive. And to make matters worse, I really need to fit the taller aftermarket windshield (that's sitting in MN :rolleyes: ) as now I need to crouch down to get out of turbulence. Of course even better from an aero perspective would be to lower the seat so that the std windshield becomes the right height for me. But the seat is nice and cushy and I ain't gonna mess it up. Plus, my legs will only fold up so far.

I'd expect a noticeable gain if auto tires were fitted. It just doesn't seem to coast all that well and I don't think aero is the culprit. I know the brakes aren't the culprit either- well, any worse than any old disc brake is.

I think averaging a sorta consistant 40 would be a miracle.

ATaylorRacing 03-14-2010 09:20 AM

My neighbor used to have too pick up trucks and used them a lot as both dailey drivers and vehicles to move various furniture and appliance items. I bought a 3 banger Geo Metro to use as a delivery vehicle for rims/tires (8 can be transported at once and the doors still close) back when gas was @ $5 a gallon. He did some hunting around and traded a 2002 V6 Chevy 1500 truck even up for a low mileage 2005 Neon. He bought a trailer a bit bigger than that one in the photo (has 13 inch tires) and he uses it nearly all the time now instead of the dually that he still has. He is VERY happy with the huge savings he now gets!

Christ 03-14-2010 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank Lee (Post 165986)
I'm not that optimistic. I don't think the drivetrain is up to high efficiency, even if the gearing and aero were all sorted out.

Cruise rpm is about 3500 at 60 mph.

This thing is sposta weigh about 700 lbs., so with fuel and me it's pushing 1/2 ton. I should try to figure the frontal area- it's gotta be massive. And to make matters worse, I really need to fit the taller aftermarket windshield (that's sitting in MN :rolleyes: ) as now I need to crouch down to get out of turbulence. Of course even better from an aero perspective would be to lower the seat so that the std windshield becomes the right height for me. But the seat is nice and cushy and I ain't gonna mess it up. Plus, my legs will only fold up so far.

I'd expect a noticeable gain if auto tires were fitted. It just doesn't seem to coast all that well and I don't think aero is the culprit. I know the brakes aren't the culprit either- well, any worse than any old disc brake is.

I think averaging a sorta consistant 40 would be a miracle.

You're probably right, actually. 60's may be a bit too generous for that bike, partly because of it's size and weight... no advantages there, I say.

Boat tail it :P

brucey 03-14-2010 09:30 PM

I actually just got done assembling that identical trailer! Waiting for paperwork to come through so I can get a plate on it. I was surprised it only had a 1 7/8th ball but I guess it doesn't have brakes either, so its fine for less than 1 ton carrying.

I need to get a floor on it soon to start using it!

Frank Lee 03-14-2010 09:35 PM

They told me it has a 2" ball. Now I have to go look...

Christ 03-14-2010 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank Lee (Post 166116)
They told me it has a 2" ball. Now I have to go look...

That's why I have a multi-ball w/ a tow hook on it.

Frank Lee 03-15-2010 01:54 AM

It is 2". Brucey must have a different version.

Christ 03-15-2010 01:55 AM

After non-profit and employee discount, I ended up buying the hitch and getting the multi-ball receiver free. I couldn't pass up that deal... tis' nice to have friends.

Frank Lee 03-15-2010 02:16 AM

I considered the multi-ball, and even a super cheap single all welded ball receiver, but for some reason I wanted a bolt on ball I could remove/change out. This car will never have a bigger/smaller/other trailer behind it anyway...I don't think.

brucey 03-15-2010 12:00 PM

Odd. Was yours from Harbor Freight too or did I miss that?

I'm also having to wait on the Certificate of Origin so I can get a plate, they had to mail it to me because I bought it out of state.

Either way, mine seems pretty sturdy for coming in a kit, I'd trust it with a 1 ton load. The only thing I felt needed improving was the coupler to the front A beam. I could almost pull the bolt heads through the plate, so I added a few washers there.

Maybe yours is improved there too.

Frank Lee 03-15-2010 03:37 PM

You have a lighter model; 1120 lbs capacity IIRC. The frames are identical but I think the axle, hubs, wheels, and tires are different; along with the 2" coupler, mine has 5 lug "55 mph" wheels and tires. I vascillated between the two but went for the heavy one cuz it was only $90 more.

Christ 03-15-2010 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank Lee (Post 166231)
You have a lighter model; 1120 lbs capacity IIRC. The frames are identical but I think the axle, hubs, wheels, and tires are different; along with the 2" coupler, mine has 5 lug "55 mph" wheels and tires. I vascillated between the two but went for the heavy one cuz it was only $90 more.

To upgrade after purchase will cost more than $90, though, of course.

Smart decision to go w/ the heavier duty version, Frank. While it's usually a good idea to use the least you can to get the job done, I feel like the difference here could have been considered negligible, at best.

I've got a Toyota Tacoma that I'm about to cut in half and turn into a trailer, myself. I can swap the truck title for a trailer title with not too much trouble in PA, from what I hear.

Frank Lee 03-15-2010 03:56 PM

Exactly. For a while I thought, get the lighter one then upgrade the tires later. But a pair of wheels n tires alone was more than $90, then the hubs and perhaps axles and springs are still lighter. The heavier wheels don't bolt up anyway. I envisioned bent/broken axles in the middle of Nebraska at 3 a.m. and then decided to go heavy. Perhaps there is a car 5 bolt pattern that fits and someday I'll put car 13s on it.

brucey 03-15-2010 03:59 PM

Guess I'm out 600 lbs capacity. I towed the little guy around the block yesterday, it was completely not noticeable of being there, stops and going uphills. I actually had trouble seeing it at all, it wasn't showing up in any of my mirrors. I thought I had lost it at one point.

Frank Lee 03-15-2010 03:59 PM

brucey has a 90154; I have 94564.

All depends on what you're doing with it; the 90154 could be the better choice for you.

Christ 03-15-2010 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brucey (Post 166235)
Guess I'm out 600 lbs capacity. I towed the little guy around the block yesterday, it was completely not noticeable of being there, stops and going uphills. I actually had trouble seeing it at all, it wasn't showing up in any of my mirrors. I thought I had lost it at one point.

Put a post on the center of the a-frame w/ a golf ball on it.

Frank -

Did HF give you a source for replacement/repair parts?

Frank Lee 03-15-2010 04:03 PM

I think it says in the manual and also I think it can be found on their website.

Googling those trailer numbers should bring all the info up. Search those numbers at HF's site for sure does.

Frank Lee 03-15-2010 04:05 PM

Are your tires rated 45 mph or 55?

Christ 03-15-2010 04:05 PM

Just making sure, cuz if not, TSC (Tractor Supply) has a good assortment of decent/cheap repair options and replacement parts, as well as upgrades for the axle, springs, etc.

I love that store.

Frank Lee 03-15-2010 04:09 PM

There are TSCs in MN. Not Cali though, I don't think.

Christ 03-15-2010 04:10 PM

When are you headed home? It's got to be close to home-sick time, eh?

Frank Lee 03-15-2010 04:54 PM

I miss my kitty cats. :(

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...encher/003.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...ncher/3001.jpg

It's been nice there too- some days, nicer than here. :/

Christ 03-15-2010 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank Lee (Post 166245)
I miss my kitty cats. :(

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...encher/003.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...ncher/3001.jpg

It\'s been nice there too- some days, nicer than here. :/

So you\'re the crazy cat... guy? :thumbup:

They just hang around, or actual pets?


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