Class A With A Trailer

[manholt]

You got a deal.  Joe, kept me up to date on his NO, LA. trip last year...along with photos & you do have a very nice MCI.  What's the torque and gearing on that DD?

Carl

[redandsilver]

A little update:

Well I'm still on the fence about whether to get a camera system/setup on the back of my trailer.

The weather here has been a lot of rain and they are still talking about SNOW later this week.  So needless to say I haven't had a chance to do any testing with the trailer, yet.

Did I mention I hate COLD - so I'm waiting for warmer weather before I Dewinterize the MH.  Once I start it, I want to run it 25-30 miles to get it warm enough to change the oil and filters etc. That run may or may not have the trailer attached - for the first run of they year.  Guess I'll decide when that day comes.

Thought I'd post one more picture so you can see why I'm still considering a camera behind the trailer. It's just about 65ft so there is no way I can see anyone that is a normal car's length away from the trailer while going down the road. 

[manholt]

Got one higher than yours, no need for camera, put over 50K miles with trailer behind a 40  foot coach and about 10K on current.

[redandsilver]

13 hours ago, manholt said:

Got one higher than yours, no need for camera, put over 50K miles with trailer behind a 40  foot coach and about 10K on current.

You maybe right.  And I will be testing/practicing with it before I buy any camera. And then only IF I deem it is something worthwhile.

manholt you have a lot more miles towing with your MH then I probably ever will, so of course it's easy for you now.  I certainly don't need to waste money on something that won't be useful - but on the other hand if it saves even one accident it might be worth it, as I think my insurance deductible is more than what a camera would cost.

 

Do you think you could post a picture of your setup with the trailer?  Would like to see how a PRO does it.

[kaypsmith]

Carl, was at Tannehill for the last week and half so didn't see your question till today, torque is 1020 at 1200 RPM, as far as gear ratio, I'm not sure, is geared for highway so pretty low. Will cruise at 70 about 1500 rpm.

The DW called me while following, I was passing one of those #@$%&&# once who was on the telephone, slowed from 60 to 45, so I passed her, she looked out the window as I was going by, so she started gassing on hers. Long story short, she wasn't going to let me in front of her, level ground, DW stated that she was going 92 and couldn't catch up. Of course I let off the accelerator because of the call.

[jkoenig24]

I've seen it on multiple occasions but, have never spoken to the owners. I'd advise you pay close attention to the GCWR and the Tongue Weight Rating. Also, for TIGHT turns, know just how tight you can SAFELY turn without the coach & trailer striking each other (which I suspect is determined by how long the tow bar is). 

[Koliver]

I tow a trailer that is 8.5' wide, 8' tall, that my rear camera can see over, but only tall vehicles closer than several hundred feet back show up.  I find my mirrors, properly adjusted, are all that I need to know when I have passed and am far enough ahead to pull back into the slow lane.

I set my passenger side mirror up so that the front bumper of the vehicle I have just passed must be fully into the mirror before I pull in front of that vehicle.  That gives him/her a 30' space behind my trailer.  If I am on the road without the trailer, I can adjust the mirror down a tad and leave the same space.  

I also find that the mirrors are far handier to glance at than the video display, as the latter is located down on the dash, and I am always glancing at the mirrors, but only rarely at the camera.  Adding a camera mounted on the back of the trailer would be a distraction that I don't need.

My rig is a 2007 Monaco Dynasty 43, with trailer, 64' overall.  I have side cameras too, but as those are mounted below the mirrors, the view of the vehicle that I have just passed is from way too far away to be useful.  The only camera I might be in favor of would be a side camera mounted on the trailer, that displayed when the turn signal is on, instead of the ones below the mirrors.  Bear in mind I have never had cameras at that location, so I might find them no better than the ones I already have.

[redandsilver]

UPDATE,

Just figured I would update you all on what I decided on.  I recently finished about an 1800 mile trip and did NOT use a camera at the back of my trailer.  As a matter of fact, most of the time I didn't even look at the rear view camera screen (partly because all I could see was the trailer) and used my side mirrors to catch glimpses of my trailers fenders which I can see a tiny bit of going down the road or when backing up.  I did have to back into to 2 of the 3 camp sites I visited.

So in a nut shell - I don't think I will be buying a camera system for the back of my trailer any time soon, if ever.

Thanks for all the tips and advice.  And in all my travels so far with my MH I haven't seen a camera on the back of a semi-trailer yet. So if they can do it so can I.  Although their trailer is a lot closer to them (and in their mirrors) then mine was.   

[wolfe10]

Thanks for the update.

Glad it was a good/uneventful trip.

[rsbilledwards]

Well last to the party as usual.  Carl My trailer, 2 axles and the third was the TRAILER TOAD in front of the trailer.  Red and Silver, I suggest you look at one to extend the length of your rig three feet. The point here it takes the vertical trailer weight off the coach and it becomes towed weight only. Less stress to the chassis. The axle is live and has a capacity of 3,500 pounds or 5,000 pounds, is a direct extension of the hitch and can be backed up, no problem. 

I do not have cameras on the trailer but side cameras each side of the coach. my rig 70 feet with the toad looks like a train!