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Lets see what you are towing!

MarkCO1

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2023-09-08 14.01.22.jpg2023-09-05 17.19.03.jpg

2021 Cruiser Aire 27RBS. The sideview is about halfway through my underbelly "mods". Tore off the underbelly removing all of the rivets. Bundled, rerouted electrical and plumbing. Put in better insulation and made it a panel system. Much improved. Also tore out the ceiling in the slide and replaced with better lights, shiplap and insulation. Wife cries when she sees the mods halfway through, but loves them when they are done. We have had it about 26 months and have stayed in it 110 days so far. Goal is to trade it in at about 5 to 6 years old and get a 5er. Thus one of the reasons we just got the 2500 Big Horn.
 

jsalbre

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2021 Cruiser Aire 27RBS. The sideview is about halfway through my underbelly "mods". Tore off the underbelly removing all of the rivets. Bundled, rerouted electrical and plumbing. Put in better insulation and made it a panel system. Much improved. Also tore out the ceiling in the slide and replaced with better lights, shiplap and insulation. Wife cries when she sees the mods halfway through, but loves them when they are done. We have had it about 26 months and have stayed in it 110 days so far. Goal is to trade it in at about 5 to 6 years old and get a 5er. Thus one of the reasons we just got the 2500 Big Horn.
Have any more info on your underbelly work (both the stuff inside and the conversion to panels)? I need to do some work on mine, and the underbelly is one continuous coroplast sheet from front to back, wedged into the frame rails. It's a massive pain to get access to anything in there.
 

MarkCO1

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Have any more info on your underbelly work (both the stuff inside and the conversion to panels)?

I made my own panels. The panel conversions are like $1K. I bought a bunch of sheets of Corroplast. Then I sprayed foam on them, swirled for about 40% coverage and laid a piece of foil/foam/foil insulation on that. Let it dry to bond and then installed. For installation, I used self tap screws to screw sections of plywood, about 4' x 6" strips, to the cross members. Used poly washers and torx head screws to attach those panels to the wood. Then, a strip of marine tape on the joints with aerosol spray plastic over that. It's a pretty solid set-up. I made sure to have a few vent holes in the front and the rear along to exhaust the heater ducted into the underbelly. Took all the kinks and excess out of that too. Now, if I have a problem it is just remove one panel and I can screw it back up. I spent about $300 on coroplast, insulation, foam and wire ties.

The big motivator was I had a short on the main power cable. They had pulled it, or yanked it, against a metal bracket and cut through the PVC wrap and the individual hot leg insulation. That is now all protected in foam, or when it passes through a member, the member is wrapped with foam. Took me about 3 days tinkering around to get it all done. but well worth it.

The inside, the MDF board for the accent lights above the couches and dinette came loose, just crappy workmanship. I tried to fix one, next trip, loose again. I tore it all down, put in foam board, dimmable LEDs lights and the shiplap. Here is what that looked like about half done putting up the shiplap, and finished. Wife loves it and it looks so much better. I guess it comes from being a racer and an engineer. I hate crappy work and I'm not scared to tear stuff apart. I rebuilt the engine in my Super Stock car in the back of a trailer while one of my crew was driving to the next race on I-70 doing 70 mph.
 

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jsalbre

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I made my own panels. The panel conversions are like $1K. I bought a bunch of sheets of Corroplast. Then I sprayed foam on them, swirled for about 40% coverage and laid a piece of foil/foam/foil insulation on that. Let it dry to bond and then installed. For installation, I used self tap screws to screw sections of plywood, about 4' x 6" strips, to the cross members. Used poly washers and torx head screws to attach those panels to the wood. Then, a strip of marine tape on the joints with aerosol spray plastic over that. It's a pretty solid set-up. I made sure to have a few vent holes in the front and the rear along to exhaust the heater ducted into the underbelly. Took all the kinks and excess out of that too. Now, if I have a problem it is just remove one panel and I can screw it back up. I spent about $300 on coroplast, insulation, foam and wire ties.

The big motivator was I had a short on the main power cable. They had pulled it, or yanked it, against a metal bracket and cut through the PVC wrap and the individual hot leg insulation. That is now all protected in foam, or when it passes through a member, the member is wrapped with foam. Took me about 3 days tinkering around to get it all done. but well worth it.

The inside, the MDF board for the accent lights above the couches and dinette came loose, just crappy workmanship. I tried to fix one, next trip, loose again. I tore it all down, put in foam board, dimmable LEDs lights and the shiplap. Here is what that looked like about half done putting up the shiplap, and finished. Wife loves it and it looks so much better. I guess it comes from being a racer and an engineer. I hate crappy work and I'm not scared to tear stuff apart. I rebuilt the engine in my Super Stock car in the back of a trailer while one of my crew was driving to the next race on I-70 doing 70 mph.
Excellent work! Any pictures of the underside work?

Also, mind sharing what lights you put in the slide? All of my ceiling pucks are too bright and it’s a pain trying to find dimmable ones that anyone actually has experience with.
 

MarkCO1

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Dave01

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I recently towed this boat from Arlington, WA to Miami, FL. Then the cargo trailer from Nappanee, IN to Waddell, AZ.
That may be the longest point to point road trip that is possible in the continental US. Like you need an oil change somewhere en route!

23-ish foot boat? Guessing boat and trailer around 6,500 lbs.?
 

WEB

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That may be the longest point to point road trip that is possible in the continental US. Like you need an oil change somewhere en route!

23-ish foot boat? Guessing boat and trailer around 6,500 lbs.?
It was a Solara 250 so right about 30'. Weight was right about that. And I did get an oil change, fuel filters changed and tires rotated before I left IN with the trailer.
 

Grey65

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Any feedback on the Brinkley? We've narrowed our search down to a Z2900. It will be a while for us, but I am a bit over the top when it comes to research both in quantity and time.
I've had my Z310 for a while now and love it.. Took it on a 5,200 mile trip recently.. NO issues at all with the trailer. Definitely would buy again...
 
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Grey65

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How is it pulling? I cant tell in your pic if you are 3500 or 2500. I am very interested in the Z2900 as well. What is your real world Pin Weight on your trailer? I am looking at a gooseneck to keep the bed free.
Mine is a Z3100, it pulled fine.. Was over the payload limit on my truck so I changed out to a 3500 dually... I've been told by a few people in Canada they randomly weigh you and didn't want issues when I go to Alaska...
My pin weight empty and dry is 2,441lbs.
If you already have a 2500 I would just put airbags on it unless going to AK.
If you are already going to be buying a truck I would get a 3500.. SRW is fine.. DRW if you don't mind paying more for the extra stability.
 

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scrmblr2

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So a few years back I saw a guy with a dually had an in bed camper and was pulling their race car trailer. Anyone got a setup like that? Already got the race car trailer and now that I have a dually….I am thinking i might want to bring something more than a tent along.
Added bonus, maybe take the wife camping here and there. Kids are so big now, if they came with, they can camp in a tent outside.
 

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