Jacking up M-16 for axle work question

[GMike A]

After talking to Larry at LHC I have decided to added approximately 3 to 4 inches of vertical height to my camper. This will give me some room on the bottom to work with black and grey tank installations and issues. My question concerns the correct or good area to jack. I am thinking about going in approx 4 feet instead of at the rear bumper area. I noticed a substantial hairline crack on the back left that bothers me and will have to be fixed. I am using a 4x4 to distribute the load and then I have 6 ton jacks and up to 24 inch height to put under the 4x4 rather then on the flimsy looking 1.5s. Any comments on this? Once I jack them up front and back they will probably stay that way for a bit. The overall frame seems kind of sparse now that I look at but I only have a MIG welder and I don't think the bracing I would want to do will work on that little home machine. I also noticed a big crack on the leading edge of the frame area supporting the front section of the brake arm. My thoughts are someone hit a pretty good pot hole and bottomed out the axle mount onto the bottom of the FG hull. Not sure how to prevent that other then getting this mod in.
Appreciate any and all comments or suggestions before I get started. I have the bolts soaking now in PB before I try to get them off. Bolts,Nuts and Mike don't get along too well in the past.

I also noticed the wires to the electric brakes were cut or hanging there so that will be another adventure. My Casita is now officially call "Miss Adventures" and that will be my side decals when I am done.
thanks
Mike

Well I went ahead and moved the 4x4 in about 4 feet and jacked it up and removed the tires. Might as well pull the drum now to see why they cut the electric brake wires. Not expecting the best when I dive in. Shades of my Nash Metropolitan restoration but thats another story.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by GMike A

Shades of my Nash Metropolitan restoration but thats another story.

LOVE the Metros (black and white) and will follow your thread with great interest. Sorry I can't offer anything other than encouragement...

[carlkeigley]

I too will be interested in your repairs.
Don't have any experiences to offer advice with.
Good luck. And thanks for the pics.

[mary and bob]

Jacking near the normal load point of the axle is best as it prevents frame flex that would occur by jacking at the bumper, and possible body distortion. A big discussion about this was on another trailer site when someone asked if it was OK to change a tire by putting down the rear supports and cranking the tongue jack enough to lift the wheels. I'm strongly opposed to this method. Anyway I like your method of distributing the load, and really like the use of good jack stands, and the number of them you have. Obviously you are quite safety minded. I probably would have located the front ones nearer to the front frame corners, but your setup looks fine. Always be safe when working under any vehicle.

[GMike A]

Thanks Bob et al, I see your logic and duh kind of physics 101 on load distribution with the front tongue jacks. I live alone out in the boon docks and no one would hear my cries for help if I were pinned under a camper
thats why I put up extra jacks everywhere. Now to check the brakes and raise the frame height.

Donna FOR YOU -here is my 60 coupe. I sold all 3 of my Mets to 2 local doctors- my love was a 61 convert. They only made 864 that year. Was just too hard to crawl underneath (and up and over). Unfortunately I erased all of my pixs on my HDs. BUT here is a snap shot of my 58 B/W and my convertible WIP. Takes a ton of time to strip a car. So I sold them -but then got into old Honda bikes since I could work on them standing up and now an Old EGG. You would think that I would learn. (not)

[arlon]

Now I don't know about those Metros but one of those little Hondas sure would fit nicely in a bumper rack on my van!

I'll be interested in the Casita Project. I've eyeballed mine a time or two and wondered what it would take to build a new frame for it from scratch. Something with at least 6" rails and probably leaf springs. A frame about 2ft longer in front so I could have some serious storage box up there.... It didn't seem like too much of a chore but nothing ever does until you start it. (-:}

[Roger Kimble]

any time I work under the U-Haul or a car when jacked up I stack two tires and rims on top of each other under the frame just to make sure.
Slide a small piece of steel between your frame and fiberglass to wield your frame.
Your brakes will not be a problem at all
Your doing a great job!

[GMike A]

I know what you mean Arlon. I bought 11 of them and two cT90s and a little ZA50. You Think I would learn, but it's an investment and after restoration you can sometimes get $4K for them or a bit more. The CT90s are more my size (XL). Problem is in Tx you need a title and they are merciless and wont accept a BOS. I too hope to haul one on the back so I can zip around the camp sites. You can buy Lifan replicas (chinese knockoffs) if a name is not critical and get them dirt cheap for around a grand. Here is a LiFan knockoff. The original had around 70cc engines and these are 110ccs


I promise now to get back to regularly scheduled program on FG and my Casista restoration. (although you could consider this an FG accessory)

[GMike A]

Originally Posted by GMike A

After talking to Larry at LHC I have decided to added approximately 3 to 4 inches of vertical height to my camper. .

Well all done and rock solid and 4 inches taller now (and $80 bucks poorer). I will tackle the hubs tomorrow and see if the electric brakes are any good.

After I am happy with it I can tack up the top section with a good weld and just leave the bolt holes on the bottom just as I had removed it.

[Brian B-P]

Mike, is that just a vertical plate on each side, or is there something else to resist lateral forces (such as perhaps a vertical fold in the plate at a right angle in the front)?

[GMike A]

Actually Brian it is exactly that. Talking about 1 side for the moment. I only duplicated what was on the original chassis as seen by earlier pictures. The axle was attached at 3 points with bolts and airplane nuts. I of course just extended it down 4 inches. I used 1/2-13 Grade 8 bolts, nuts and washers. I examined a lot of forums about using grade 8s The original anchor points are also 1/4 inch steel stock. Sources indicate that the 1/4 has a tear factor of 8,000 lbs if I got my data correct anyway it was around 4 tons as I recall. Additionally the shear factor for the bolts were around 2 tons. Several of the car forums discussed using the grade 8s. I left myself room that I could put a bead around the top plate if needed but all indications are that this should be okay. The trailer will only be as strong as it's weakest link and I see 1/4 stock used most everywhere for trailers around here.

With that all being said I am not a mechanical or structural engineer and I could be totally wrong. We have about 6 trailer manufacturers within 30 minutes of me (Big-Tex and others). Eventually when I get some rubber back on the road I can take it to them and show them.
If you have any comments one way or the other I would love to hear them and run them up the flag pole. My concern of course is safety to me and others on the road.

thanks for raising the question and looking forward to your response.

[GMike A]

Brian here is a picture of the original NOTE this is an Alko axle and it probably was put on by someone else. Larry from Little house didnt think or knows it wasnt factory.?????

So it is possible that its not up to snuff for standards either depending upon where the job was done and who did it.

Mike

[Brian B-P]

Thanks for the info, Mike.

The previous version may have been original, but I am not familiar enough with Casitas to know. The chunk of C-channel certainly looks like an addition - I wouldn't expect any factory installation to have that, but I continue to be surprised by the stuff some factories do.

My concern with extending the plates is not the bolts, or vertical strength (bolt shear) at all; it is bending the plate as the axle pushes the trailer sideways through a turn with hundreds of pounds of force. Even if the shorter plate is fine by itself, extending it massively increases its tendency to bend.

[GMike A]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

My concern with extending the plates is not the bolts, or vertical strength (bolt shear) at all; it is bending the plate as the axle pushes the trailer sideways through a turn with hundreds of pounds of force. Even if the shorter plate is fine by itself, extending it massively increases its tendency to bend.

Gotcha and a legitimate question. IF others don't respond I will definitely have a "trailer" builder take a peek at it. Welding the additional plate back to the upper hanger would reduce the extension down to about 2 inches of 1/4 stock instead the 4 now from bolt hole to bolt hole.

Will really check into it.
thanks