I just bought a mint Trillium 4500, BUT??? - Page 3 - Fiberglass RV
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Old 07-14-2013, 07:28 PM   #41
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Today I changed my coupler, the local dealer couldn't find a replacement that would work from their stock or catalogs. The dealer did say he could get one from Trillium but it might be a few weeks and with shipping it would be pretty expensive.
So I had to improvise. I bought a standard class 2 coupler made for 2" square tubing from the local Princess Auto. Good for 3500lbs, a little overkill, but only $14.99. I had some 2" x 3" in the garden shed from another project so it worked out well.
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Old 07-14-2013, 08:35 PM   #42
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Today I changed my coupler, the local dealer couldn't find a replacement that would work from their stock or catalogs.
Nice work, Doug... but why wouldn't a commonly available A-frame coupler (such as the Class III 2 in. A-Frame Trailer Coupler from Princess Auto) work, with a lot less fabrication effort? Doesn't the tongue have the usual 50-degree angle?

One advantage of the new configuration is that the coupler is bolted on, and thus the next replacement can be done without any grinding or welding.
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Old 07-14-2013, 09:01 PM   #43
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I bought a standard class 2 coupler made for 2" square tubing from the local Princess Auto. Good for 3500lbs, a little overkill...
I don't think this is overkill, because the next capacity down would be 2000 pounds, and a Trillium 4500 (or Surfside TM-14, or Escape 15') could easily exceed that when loaded. Loaded weights observed and reported in Frederick's Trailer Weights in the Real World for the only 4500 and the only TM-14 are 1974 pounds and 2120 pounds, respectively. The current Escape 15' and TrilliumRV have 1600 to 1750 pound and 1700 pound empty weights, with allowed gross weight ratings of 3500 and 2500 pounds.

Also, the Class 1 couplers typically use a 1-7/8" ball, while the Class 2 couplers typically use the more common 2" ball. I would certainly go with the 2" ball.
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Old 07-14-2013, 10:27 PM   #44
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I think the solution was "Just Right."
Great job.
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Old 07-15-2013, 06:45 AM   #45
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Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
Nice work, Doug... but why wouldn't a commonly available A-frame coupler (such as the Class III 2 in. A-Frame Trailer Coupler from Princess Auto) work, with a lot less fabrication effort? Doesn't the tongue have the usual 50-degree angle?

One advantage of the new configuration is that the coupler is bolted on, and thus the next replacement can be done without any grinding or welding.
I looked when i was at Princess Auto, but they may have been out of stock, all they had was the heavier class 4 hitches.

The main reason I did go this route was cost, $15 and a few hours. The other reason was the trailer sat to close to the back of the truck. I needed a little more room to tie the canoe to the back of my truck. I prefer the rear tied own to be on a 45 degree angle to stop it from sliding off the truck.
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Old 07-15-2013, 07:29 AM   #46
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The other reason was the trailer sat to close to the back of the truck.
Since you were looking for more length, the tongue extension alone seems to me like good reason for going this way. I didn't know whether the extension was desired, or just a tolerated side effect.
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Old 07-22-2013, 01:10 AM   #47
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Hi, First post for me.
I just bought a 1978 Trillium 4500.
(...)
Just wondering what you guys think??
Hi Doug,
I've got some sort of good news for you...
After a full week of camping on my Trillium 4500 1977, I noticed there is a certain degree of sagging on the door frame too on mine I initially tought it was caused by the higes aligment, but as I measured for corrective measures I found out about the sagging. Mine even has a minor crack on the top right corner.

I also noticed the roof is not straight... the left side has a little puddle after a rain shower because the storage cabinets over the sink are not supported from under, as they are on the right side with the wardrobe cabinet. I may add a custom made support down the road as I've seen on other pictures of similar RV layout.

So, in my humble opinion, fiberglass shells appears to be sagging over weak areas of the egg shell. Any significant snow load that is left on for months or welding burns from under will make matter worse over time. The good news is that it can be repaired to restore a near mint look like yours.

I hope such comments are making you feel you are not alone

Keep on the good work and have fun !
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Old 07-22-2013, 07:01 AM   #48
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Hi Doug,
I've got some sort of good news for you...
After a full week of camping on my Trillium 4500 1977, I noticed there is a certain degree of sagging on the door frame too on mine I initially tought it was caused by the higes aligment, but as I measured for corrective measures I found out about the sagging. Mine even has a minor crack on the top right corner.

I also noticed the roof is not straight... the left side has a little puddle after a rain shower because the storage cabinets over the sink are not supported from under, as they are on the right side with the wardrobe cabinet. I may add a custom made support down the road as I've seen on other pictures of similar RV layout.

So, in my humble opinion, fiberglass shells appears to be sagging over weak areas of the egg shell. Any significant snow load that is left on for months or welding burns from under will make matter worse over time. The good news is that it can be repaired to restore a near mint look like yours.
After a little more poking around I figured out the source of the door misalignment. The plywood under the floor and under the front bench is completely rotten. This plywood structure supports the front corner that the door is hinged off of.

The fix is I am going to have to cut the fibreglass floor just inside the doorway (flat area only), replace the plywood from about the middle of the doorway to the front of the trailer. I'll then fibreglass in the fibreglass section I cut out, sand it and color match paint it.

I don't want to cut the curves at the bottom of the front of the bench. I think I can carefully remove the plywood, then side a new piece under the curve and and glass it in.

Under the bench, I will add a piece that extends from the middle the the side wall to help support the wall that the hinges are attached to.

I am going to try to force the front corner up by raising the trailer the lowering the front corner on to sandbags pushing it up. I'll raise and lower just using the tongue jack. Sand bags will be sitting on milk crates. This would give even upward force on the front fibreglass corner. Then I would do the repair.

I probably won't be able to do this till fall, she is still road worthy and we're going camping.
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Old 07-22-2013, 02:00 PM   #49
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I also noticed the roof is not straight... the left side has a little puddle after a rain shower because the storage cabinets over the sink are not supported from under, as they are on the right side with the wardrobe cabinet. I may add a custom made support down the road as I've seen on other pictures of similar RV layout.
Both of my Trillium 4500's have this puddle. I agree, that supports at both ends of the kitchen would help.
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Old 07-22-2013, 02:25 PM   #50
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I also noticed the roof is not straight... the left side has a little puddle after a rain shower because the storage cabinets over the sink are not supported from under, as they are on the right side with the wardrobe cabinet.
Same observation here.
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Old 07-26-2013, 03:11 PM   #51
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The fix is I am going to have to cut the fibreglass floor just inside the doorway (flat area only), replace the plywood from about the middle of the doorway to the front of the trailer. I'll then fibreglass in the fibreglass section I cut out, sand it and color match paint it.

I don't want to cut the curves at the bottom of the front of the bench. I think I can carefully remove the plywood, then side a new piece under the curve and and glass it in.

Under the bench, I will add a piece that extends from the middle the the side wall to help support the wall that the hinges are attached to.

I am going to try to force the front corner up by raising the trailer the lowering the front corner on to sandbags pushing it up. I'll raise and lower just using the tongue jack. Sand bags will be sitting on milk crates. This would give even upward force on the front fibreglass corner. Then I would do the repair.
This I have to see! Please take lots of pictures. I assume that the part of the underside that you cut out will be the patch that you glass back in. How big of a hole are you planning to cut?
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Old 08-05-2013, 01:07 PM   #52
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This I have to see! Please take lots of pictures. I assume that the part of the underside that you cut out will be the patch that you glass back in. How big of a hole are you planning to cut?
Hmmm, never thought of cutting from the bottom. The problem I have is the floor droops about an inch on the hinge side of the door. With a little more thinking about this, I can replace some plywood, fibreglass it, then put a vinyl floor over it.


Someone already tried a repair with 3/8" plywood fibreglassed to the sidewall, flimsy at best.
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Old 08-05-2013, 06:33 PM   #53
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I'm glad you are the handy type. This Trillium turned out to need some serious TLC.
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Old 09-08-2013, 08:39 AM   #54
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For future reference

Hehr screw covers

http://www.shoprvparts.com/product/1...overall-8.html
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Old 09-13-2013, 03:10 PM   #55
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Well, I started to do some work on the rear floor area. I cut any loose delaminated fiberglass from the plywood. I used a cutoff wheel mounted on a mandrel in a hand drill. I ran the vacuum to keep the dust down. The rot was worse that I expected.

The plan is to drill a series of 1/4" holes, let it dry out really good and soak the dry rotted wood with Git Rot.
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Old 09-13-2013, 03:12 PM   #56
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You just never know what your going to find when buying an old trailer like this.

Someone used steel mesh to make a fiberglass repair, stuffed some grocery bags in there for good luck.
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Old 09-13-2013, 07:22 PM   #57
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You just never know what your going to find when buying an old trailer like this.

Someone used steel mesh to make a fiberglass repair, stuffed some grocery bags in there for good luck.
Well, it could have been dirty old socks...
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