The Putter Palace's little brother

Carol Reed

In Memoriam
Messages
5,533
Location
Coolidge, AZ
Or, every shop needs a garage. I have located another 24' trailer to replace the lost one in Kingman and the original 16' shop trailer and the motorcycle trailer. On my way back from California tomorrow I will be stopping in Surprise and I sure hope this is the one.

Keep yer fingers crossed. I need this job DONE! And the rolling stock will be down by a net of two.
 
Carol my question is given cost, is there no chance of just repairing the trailer that lost its wheels? Sounds naive but i noted a local HF kinda store here that predominantly sells auto tools also sells all trailer parts such as axles wheels electric brakes etc. Just thinking on your pocket.

Something you also making me acutely aware seems to be the idea that one can live full time in a MH only works if one has no interests and hence no stuff needing to follow one around. I can see now why all the storage places all over the show in North America. :)



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Good luck on the trailer.

Rob, I'm amazed myself at how many storage places we have here. Though when I sold my last house we had to get 3 very large ones and a pod for all of our stuff, so was thankful for that. As far as the RV life and giving up interests, believe me, it hasn't stopped my Dad. I'm amazed at some of the ideas he comes up with for storing his hobbies.
 
Good luck on the trailer.

Rob, I'm amazed myself at how many storage places we have here. Though when I sold my last house we had to get 3 very large ones and a pod for all of our stuff, so was thankful for that. As far as the RV life and giving up interests, believe me, it hasn't stopped my Dad. I'm amazed at some of the ideas he comes up with for storing his hobbies.

We see lots of obviously full-timers up here in the summer, many from the US southwest. Some of them tow big enclosed trailers (colour-coordinated, of course) that are as tall as the MH itself. Obviously there's a car on board, but I'm often curious about the extra height and how it's configured inside. Room for those hobbies I suppose, Darren?

Hope your search is successful Carol :wave:
 
It was. Found another 24 footer, not as tall and a bit beat up, but sturdy and tows well. Get to pick it up on Thursday and then off to Kingman to retrieve the 'stuff.'

@Rob: Don't think I have given up any interests. The biggest issue thus far is finding a place to park them! But I am thinning the herd. The broken one had too much damage to make repairing it a fiscally responsible decision. Those parts add up! The trailer I just bought will replace three trailers in due time, i.e., by the end of the year, I hope.
 
Thanks, guys. Both of those things were done on the dead trailer before we left. So, we will have a redo. That trailer was quite old - 1983. Who knows what it went through before I got it! The replacement is a 2001. Obviously we did not see anything suspicious when we serviced it before the trip. I have an idea and it may be more of a design flaw. The ground for the brekes was not supplied by a wire to the front of the trailer. Who knows where the ground was sourced! Theory is that the brake circuit on that side was compromised and the brakes went on unexpectedly. Locked up that side and the wheels left the trailer at speed. That's my 2 cents worth.
 
Guys, think of what Carol is doing less as 'full timing' in the traditional sense, and more as 'mobile housing'. Taken in those lights, a second 'garage' trailer makes sense. And as Carol points out, thinning the herd also makes sense. That being said, most of the full timers on the Escapees forums don't move frequently, they migrate from point to point on occasion, but generally do stay in one area awhile once they find a spot they like.
 
...The ground for the brekes was not supplied by a wire to the front of the trailer. Who knows where the ground was sourced!...

Isn't the ground on most vehicles and trailers simply the chassis? I've never seen actual ground wires run for lights and audio stuff, but don't know if electric brakes are handled differently. (Although I can see where a ground connection on the trailer light plug would make sense, to ensure ground continuity from the tow vehicle chassis to the trailer chassis.)
 
Isn't the ground on most vehicles and trailers simply the chassis? I've never seen actual ground wires run for lights and audio stuff, but don't know if electric brakes are handled differently. (Although I can see where a ground connection on the trailer light plug would make sense, to ensure ground continuity from the tow vehicle chassis to the trailer chassis.)

Generally, brakes to chassis, then a wire from chassis thru the harness to plug into tow vehicle.
 
OK. Pix.

Damaged trailer:

Damaged trailer 1.jpg

Doesn't look bad, but the axles are bent and the drums are also trashed. Costs more to fix than the trailer is worth.

Here is its replacement:

Bro 3.jpg

Four feet longer, ramp door as opposed to barn doors, and a driver's side escape door. A little dinged but in OK shape for a trailer garage. This one came with two spares. The PP didn't. Was a treasure hunt to find a wheel to fit. Tires look good, almost new. Last guy was running a chip route with it. It was overkill for potato chips. He wanted one a little smaller and lighter to help with his gas mileage. He got what he wanted. I got what I wanted.

Can you imagine 10,000 pounds of potato chips? :eek: Wonder how big that trailer would have to be? :rofl:
 
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Can you imagine 10,000 pounds of potato chips? :eek: Wonder how big that trailer would have to be? :rofl:

Can you imagine how big the trailer to haul the dip would have to be...? :rofl:

Looks like a nice set up, the dings suck, but that is just cosmetic, so I'd not worry about, as I'm sure you are not.

Looks like a fair bit of space, I know all you guys and gals over there with large two car garages that are too small :rolleyes: may not agree, but for me, I know I could set that space up and have room enough to play, especially with a backdoor that is a ramp, stuff would not have regular casters for wheels, I'd be looking to put 6" or larger rough ground wheels on mobile bases, just to make them easier to get out of the trailer.

Will you get an awning that attaches to the side of the trailer, so you can set up shop beside the trailer as well as inside it?

Cheers!
 
The Putter Palace sports a covered deck over the ramp back door. Gives me about 64 square feet of assembly space or just work in fresh air space. The Bro (the PP's garage trailer) won't have that because it is a storage unit. It will have shelves and racks for wood, personal seasonal belongings that don't fit in the MH, personal records and junk like that. If I had Christmas decorations, they would be in there. The smoker and grill will be stored in there as well. And the garden buckets and the list goes on. Everything needs a space and the Bro is it. I will also store the trailers' wheels and tires in there to keep them from dry rotting. When I move, every year or two, then all gets installed and its back on the road again. Like can be downright crazy at times. :rofl:
 
I wasn't sure where to put this, and you may have already seen it but . . .


Check out at about 4 minutes in where he talks about how he keeps his drawers closed.
 
Thanks, Glenn. I had seen that video earlier. He has some good ideas, but he does on-site carpentry. Tools are minimal and supplies are optimal. I try to do furniture. Tools are optimal and supplies are project specific. I am also a turner. Again, tools are optimal and supplies are minimal. One other thing. I am an old lady. I ain't hauling anything outside if I can avoid it. :eek: His drawer 'slides' are too hard for an arthritis impaired person to endure. Aside from which I have a big box of self closing drawer slides on hand. I have a half dozen ideas to keep the drawers closed when traveling. The challenge is keeping costs under control.

I did like his wall storage though and so thanks for the bump to my memory banks in that regard.
 
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