Popup Camper Conversion To Toyhauler

[jejeosborne]

I have been planning on doing this for quite awhile and finally found time to start and almost finish this week. I still have to swap my 3500 lb axle and tires out to 5200 lb axles. Here is the before to current progress photos.

 

[jlsmith]

Nice job, been thinking about doing something like that myself.

 

[MikeA57]

Great job on a very cool project. I've got a popup camper and I'd love to do that to mine as well but I'm probably going to sell it though. My wife had a bad experience on our last trip and I can't get her in it anymore. Keep us posted on the progress! I want to see the finished version!

Mike

 

[jejeosborne]

Here are some pics of it painted. Even one with it attached to my tractor to keep it tractor friendly.

 

[MotorSeven]

Nice job!

 

[jejeosborne]

The results are in!
Not as bad as I had expected in some respect. I weighed it with only two motorcycles instead of three because I didn't want to push my luck not knowing what I had. I do not have the battery installed but I will be putting it on the back bumper. Also I will only be running with one propane tank when I have a motorcycle on because of the footpeg clearance needed. I included a screen shot of my weights as compared to stock values. When I weighed the stock trailer, it included a full tank of water and 3 bicycles hanging off the back bumper so it isn't exactly apples to apples because I had neither of those today.

Results:
Total 4260 lbs
Tongue 980 lbs
Axle 3280 lbs

I took my jacks and jacked from the first spring perch simulating moving the axle forward exactly one foot. This made the tongue weight 760 lbs. Don't know if I am going to move it yet.

Picks for your pleasure:


Jeff

 

[caver]

Have you tried towing it loaded yet?

 

[MotorSeven]

Yes, your tongue weight is twice what it should be...I think the axle move is in order.........

Oh, and you could re-route the propane lines to the rear and build a cage for them there.

 

[jejeosborne]

Have you tried towing it loaded yet?

I towed it to the scales about 5 miles each way. Did fine. Took it slow until I upgrade my tires.

 

[jejeosborne]

Yes, your tongue weight is twice what it should be...I think the axle move is in order.........

Oh, and you could re-route the propane lines to the rear and build a cage for them there.

My tongue weight is 16% of total without the 550 lbs of motorcycles on it. Without the cycles the total is 3710 and the tongue is 580. I agree I am going to try to move the axle forward as much as possible. I would like to see about 150-200 lbs less on the tongue.