1977 Coleman Concord Pop-Up Build (6 Viewers)

[ntsqd]

Smoother ride but more stress on the long springs. The spring pack is designed to carry a certain load, if you removed leaves you will stress the remaining leaves unless you reduce the load. IMHO shocks would be a better investment to improve ride.

If the springs in question are trailer specific springs then Rusty's advice is spot-on and I would not mess with them. If they are from some heavier vehicle then you've effectively already reduced the weight on the springs by using them under the hopefully lighter trailer.

 

[The Jade Bean]

If the springs in question are trailer specific springs then Rusty's advice is spot-on and I would not mess with them. If they are from some heavier vehicle then you've effectively already reduced the weight on the springs by using them under the hopefully lighter trailer.

They are on my expedition trailer I'm building... 4800# springs. The trailer itself is pretty hefty empty and will be loaded up good, plus it will be on some intense trails.

~Daniel

Sent from deep in the mountains of Honduras using only sticks and rocks.

 

[saratogaowner]

check 1978 coleman saratoga i will post more when i more it to a better spot and open the awning

 

[saratogaowner]

CarmMontana- LOL! Classic.

I've been watching your build over on popupportal... you're cruising along. Nice work!


Get outside- Any other progress? Have you started that build thread yet?!


saratogaowner- I can't help you with the lock, but I'd love to see pics of your vintage pup!

check out 1978 coleman saratoga sorry I'm a rookie

 

[hoosyurdaddy]

Lucy 55

I am also in Bend. Think I saw your pig out at Sisters Academy? Cant remember for sure.Would love to see the pop up some day. Great job so far.

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

Adventure Copan- I'll certainly post up about the Max Coupler after I've finally had a chance to test it out. And, yep, I removed the shorter springs because they were originally used for an Izusu Trooper. I figure removing the springs will set the trailer up for a softer ride. Totally guessing here...


ntsqd- Yep, you got it!


Adventure Copan- Yep, that's exactly the idea.


rusty_tlc- Springs were free along with the shocks. I'm using what I have for now... I'll be both removing short springs and also adding shocks.


ntsqd- Yep, you got it again. The springs are not trailer specific, certainly heavy-duty enough, and removing a couple short springs will probably have little effect on the entire spring pack- especially with such a light trailer... time will tell.


saratogaowner- Great looking pop-up! I'll be watching your build thread also! Good luck and keep posting up!


hoosyurdaddy- Right on, good to 'meet you'! Yep, my pig spends some time out at the Academy occasionally (My wife works out there). Would be happy to show it off someday... keep in touch!




Thanks again for all of the advice and words of encouragement folks. I apologize again for starting and 'documenting' such a SLOW build.


Cheers, Carlos.

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

Aarrgghh. No idea what happened to all of my pics. I may have to repost them all again. Bunk.

 

[ntsqd]

I get up to Bend now and again. I'm noticing lots of Cruiserheads around there. My grandparents, whom I spent every summer with from '71 to '81, built a place out in Powell Butte across the hwy from the second owner of Bar 7 S trucking and his dairy. My grandmother still lives in Bend just east of the hospital about a block.

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

I get up to Bend now and again. I'm noticing lots of Cruiserheads around there. My grandparents, whom I spent every summer with from '71 to '81, built a place out in Powell Butte across the hwy from the second owner of Bar 7 S trucking and his dairy. My grandmother still lives in Bend just east of the hospital about a block.

ntsqd- Yep, lots of Toyotas and Cruisers. I live a couple blocks west of the hospital here in Bend! I'm fairly certain we have 'met' through Mud or Expo in the past. I believe we may know some of the same Cruiserheads. I look forward to running into you out there!


Cheers, Carlos.

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

Alright... I haven't done much at all, but here's an update.



Here's a pic of the new foam I recently purchased for the mattresses...

Here are the rims after blasting (top rim has primer)...

Here they are during painting...

Spraybombed 'em with a couple light coats of primer and then a couple 'Dark Machine Grey' coats to sorta match the stock steelies I have on the Princess Pig. I think they came out decent.

I sanded the shocks down next...

Primer grey, then some white paint I had laying around...

Took the spring leafs and sanded them and of course they got some primer and paint as well.

I also finally had a chance to get the tires mounted on the rims with new valve stems...

I told you this was going to be SLLOOOWWWWW!





I haven't figured out how to fix the pics previously in this thread, obviously. I'll figure it out someday or eventually I'll repost some of 'em.

 

[The Jade Bean]

^^^ Looking good man... It takes time.

-Daniel

Sent from deep in the mountains of Honduras using only sticks and rocks.

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

Howdy Folks, dredging up my old thread since I've begun working on our pop up again recently. I still haven't fixed the old pics, but I'll begin updating where I'm at now and eventually I hope to figure out all the old pics...


I actually unburied the pop-up recently and sized up the new axle. It looks like I may have even measured/guessed correct on the length!




Then I pushed it out of the garage. WOOOOT!

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

Soooo, part of my plan with this project was to push myself to try new things. I had hoped to teach myself to weld and then finish the fab work on this pop up myself, but this project's been fairly stagnant for a good long time and summer is here now. I'm gonna try to get the family out in it at least once this year. Therefore, I made the decision to get some help with this and speed up the process before my wife torches the whole thing.

Before I dragged the pop up to a local fab shop, I finished prepping the existing frame. Removed the rear bumper, mostly removed the rear tire carrier, removed propane lines, tank holder, etc.






Here's some sneak-peek pics of the pop-up in the shop!

 

[Mark Harley]

Very nice! I like the rims with the hubcap tabs.
Looking forward to more pictures.

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

Thanks Mark!



Picked up the pop up from the shop recently...

















It towed great!

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

looks good! I like the vintage

 

[Muleysam]

Rear shackle angle

Those rear shackles on the springs looks too close to horizontal.

Maybe have a friend come over and the both of you jump up and down on one corner of the bumper to make sure that axle doesn't over extend.

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

LAMBCRUSHER- Thanks! By the way, I really dig your 'Half Hawged' pig-up, and I'm seriously thinking of doing something similar. Thanks for your documentation and inspiration!

Muleysam- Thanks for pointing this out. When I first checked out the suspension, I immediately thought maybe the shackles were a bit past 45 degrees, but the more I looked at it the less I was concerned.

However, after having it at home for awhile and also working on it, loading it, etc. I've noticed the springs/shocks have settled a bit more. I now have a healthy 'Cruiser Lean' on the right side/door side of the pop up and the shackle angle is near horizontal. Bunk.

I'm hoping if I add another spring or two back to the springpack that it will remedy this scenario. I should probably add some bumpstops too. Any other thoughts?!




AND of course I'm trying to go camping this Sunday. I figure I'll load her up and go test it... family in tow.



Cheers, Carlos

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

Thanks again guys! Starting to get some where... but I'm still not exactly sure where I'll end up.





My Mom came to visit recently... and we put her to work! I dismantled the old gaucho cushions to reuse the plywood cut-outs, remeasured the foam, etc. My Mom bought a sewing machine off Craigslist and then began the task of recreating all of the cushion covers. She cranked out all of them while she was here on 'vacation'. My wife went out and found a great deal on some indoor/outdoor Sunbrella fabric. She bought all that was left in stock, no idea why there was no longer any stock left. I guess it must have been a real hot seller!

Anyway, here's some pics of the process, 'cause I like pics.










If you plan to cut foam, BUY/BORROW an electric carving knife. This thing rocked!




Here's Mom working diligently...




... and of course I coaxed her with alcohol.

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

The main design is this funkiness...




Mom built in velcro so we could easily clean the cushions. Mom is cool.




Here's a pile 'o cushions!




We have plenty of more pressing steps to deal with before the pop up is road-worthy, and this is normally kind of a later detail to complete, but Mom insisted so we obliged. Cushions are done.