2017 CVT RTT trailer build (2 Viewers)

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Doubles as a kayak hauler. There's 2 kayaks on there. The Stealth 11 is a foot longer and is hiding the Life Time Tamarak fishing kayak. They're a lot easier to deploy than my Advanced Elements inflatable, but in rough water, I'd rather have it. I sit lower and my legs are covered - not as easy to fall out. The hard sides are better in shallow water - not as much draft. I can still be mobile in 2- 3" of water.

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Inflatable pumped up
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More compact for transporting, but a pain to inflate and deploy and pack up.
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I originally was planning to install the battery and electronics inside the trailer, but decided to go with a tongue box. Was looking at @geanes thread and @KYNate posted a link that looks to work well for my needs. The dimensions posted seem to indicate that it will be a superb fit. I will be getting a hands on sometime soon to be sure it will work.
 
Tongue box purchased & installed which eventually will house the battery, The Redarc Manager30 , AC pwr cord, and electrical distribution block.

Box just setting on tongue for alignment before attaching:
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Looks aligned on driver's side. Paint is a matte finish - like a bed liner.
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Spacing needed for top clearance when opening.
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Interior pic of lid seal and gas struts. Top has diamond plate texture.
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Installed with 4 medium sheet metal screws and washers.
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I haven't installed any electronics yet, but the tongue box has been really handy using the trailer as a kayak hauler. With the kayaks tied on, I can't open the cargo area, so it comes in handy because it remains accessible. Yesterday we got chased out of a day use area at a lake by a wildfire that somehow got started by some idiots back in the trees. In the haste to leave, my Alu Cab awning got slightly damaged. I had set a pole up in case a rougue gust of wind hit us. A good friend, with good intentions, was helping in the rush, and in forcing the telescoping pole back into it's transporting position, jammed it so bad, it couldn't be budged. Got it home and damn near ruined the pole to get it unjammed. Aluminum does not hold up well to vice grips,:rolleyes: but they were necessary to get it apart. But, aluminum is also easier to sand and file smooth than steel. With a couple of rifle cleaning rods patched together to help get aluminum shavings out, plus some always handy WD40 and some TLC...I think it's salvagable.
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This is how it should look in the transporting position.
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Other end of pole. (You can see the middle awning arm, missing the pole that was damaged and removed for maintenance.)
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I can see this to continue to be a problem. Everytime you set these poles up and tighten the knob to set pole height - it marrs the surface. Do it enough times and it creates a rough area that can cause a jam - especially if you're in a hurry. I will be checking these periodically and sanding down the marks to help prevent it from re-occuring. I would highly recommend doing this.
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Unscrew the clamp knobs and polish the ends so they don't have the sharp features that cause those divots.

Might try filling the tube with water & freezing it. May take a couple of times. Another method is to fill it mostly full of water and make a tight fitting plug that can slide in the tube. Fill and then hit the plug with a hammer.
 
Unscrew the clamp knobs and polish the ends so they don't have the sharp features that cause those divots......
As much as I don't like the divots, I think that they're the result of a successful setting. When it digs in, it won't slip. The aluminum on these poles is just too thin to have a non slip joint with 2 polished surfaces - the pressure needed would either break the plastic knob or make a dent in the pole. I have the same problem in my RTT with a safety pole that CVT provided - used to prevent the top hard shell from collapsing if some force, like a heavy wind, would overcome the struts. That reminds me, I need to sand the divots out of that pole, too.

..........Might try filling the tube with water & freezing it. May take a couple of times. Another method is to fill it mostly full of water and make a tight fitting plug that can slide in the tube. Fill and then hit the plug with a hammer.
I don't have a freezer that big. It would be my luck that the aluminum pole would split. Thanks for your suggestions, though!
 
I don't have a freezer that big. It would be my luck that the aluminum pole would split. Thanks for your suggestions, though!
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Sure you do, along about late November it ought to be getting cold enough in your part of OR. Just fill it & leave out overnight. :) (I spent my school summers in Powell Butte & was semi-frequently there for the Holidays.)
 
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Sure you do, along about late November it ought to be getting cold enough in your part of OR. Just fill it & leave out overnight. :) (I spent my school summers in Powell Butte & was semi-frequently there for the Holidays.)
Could do that. The repair was successful, but I'll keep that in mind. Might want to consider that nature filling telescoping tent poles over night in freezing weather might do it for me anyway. :rolleyes:
 
I've got a similar issue with one of the telescoping poles on my ARB awning. It's a real pain to extend or collapse it. Disassembly + filing (& lubing?) hadn't occurred to me before. Might have to do it soon.
 
I was getting frustrated with trying to move my trailer around in my driveway. The original jack, having a plate & not a wheel made it necessary to lift the tongue, unless I wanted to make a noise like fingernails on a chalkboard. Well I had been viewing @eatSleepWoof 's FSR trailer build and he posted a link for an awesome trailer jack and I thought, what a perfect time to replace with a much improved jack and fix both problems.
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Here's a link if you're interested.
 
Curious, why did you put the jack on the passenger side? I figured the driver's side would be more convenient since you wouldn't have to walk around the vehicle & trailer to get to it.
 
Curious, why did you put the jack on the passenger side? I figured the driver's side would be more convenient since you wouldn't have to walk around the vehicle & trailer to get to it.
Good question - the original jack set up attaches on that side and I don't want to cut the mount off at this point. If I upgrade to a tear drop I'll want to keep the jack and MaxCoupler. Piece of cake to re-install originals.

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Good question - the original jack set up attaches on that side and I don't want to cut the mount off at this point. If I upgrade to a tear drop I'll want to keep the jack and MaxCoupler. Piece of cake to re-install originals.

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Ah, I see. Didn't realize your original jack was not a bolt on.
 
Well, the opportunity came up and I now have a teardrop style trailer. This one will be up for sale. The new one is made by Three Feathers Manufacturing in La Grande, OR. It's their 2018 Trail Head model. I've already moved the awning and jack over to it. I plan to set up the MaxCoupler on it eventually. A couple of pics:

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Could you please provide some info on your coiled safety cables like weight rating, length, source, part number?
Thanks
 
Well this trailer has a new owner. It's @WanderingOregonian - Congrats on your new (to you) trailer! I hope you share your progress and adventures. It served me well, with out a whimper. I hope you have the same performance it gave me.
 

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