lonesouth
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got the trailer in the garage. It is a LOT bigger than I remembered.
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My MEP-803a experience
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Another Ahab
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It might be because you were always outdoors around them.
But then when you shove it into a little residential garage, the whole scale changes. That tricks the eye. Is that it, do you think?
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Holy Smokes! That is one big tongue wheel! How does that fold up out of the way?
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Trust me, it does fold up. It is very heavy. And this particular trailer has a bad rep for collapsing. And crushing fingers.
Lots of them had bent necks. As the trailer is relatively short, by the time a driver saw it in his rear view mirror while backing up, it was too late.
One of the funnest, (now that it's been a few years, and no one got REALLY hurt) accidents I ever saw, was when some young troops, without supervision, took a Power Plant, (same trailer frame, two gen sets mounted to it) to the motor poole to park it. The trailer was hooked to a 5 ton. The young troops had removed the front gen set, for repair. The back set stayed mounted.
Instead of calling the thing a Power Plant now, you could call it a catapult. Anyway, they parked the truck and opened the tow pintle. The tow pintle has a small edge in it. The trailer hung up on the edge, but didnt go up, due to the top of the towing pintle holding it in place. A soldier was standing on the tongue, when the driver pulled the truck away. No rear landing leg on the trailer, as someone had drove away with it down, so it was long gone. As soon as the truck pulled about 5 inches forward, the rear of the trailer shot down, the tongue shot UP, and the young trooper looked like superman leaping tall buildings in a single bound. The troop went over the rear set and landed in a scum water filled ditch that bordered the parking place. I was standing about 30 meters away. Not a thing I could do but grunt, when he hit the ground. He was young and lucky. I guess I am telling this story, to remind you to be careful with this trailer. If you have kids, educate them about this man eater.
Lots of them had bent necks. As the trailer is relatively short, by the time a driver saw it in his rear view mirror while backing up, it was too late.
One of the funnest, (now that it's been a few years, and no one got REALLY hurt) accidents I ever saw, was when some young troops, without supervision, took a Power Plant, (same trailer frame, two gen sets mounted to it) to the motor poole to park it. The trailer was hooked to a 5 ton. The young troops had removed the front gen set, for repair. The back set stayed mounted.
Instead of calling the thing a Power Plant now, you could call it a catapult. Anyway, they parked the truck and opened the tow pintle. The tow pintle has a small edge in it. The trailer hung up on the edge, but didnt go up, due to the top of the towing pintle holding it in place. A soldier was standing on the tongue, when the driver pulled the truck away. No rear landing leg on the trailer, as someone had drove away with it down, so it was long gone. As soon as the truck pulled about 5 inches forward, the rear of the trailer shot down, the tongue shot UP, and the young trooper looked like superman leaping tall buildings in a single bound. The troop went over the rear set and landed in a scum water filled ditch that bordered the parking place. I was standing about 30 meters away. Not a thing I could do but grunt, when he hit the ground. He was young and lucky. I guess I am telling this story, to remind you to be careful with this trailer. If you have kids, educate them about this man eater.
Another Ahab
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Sure glad nobody got seriously hurt in that incident.
It sounds like the kind of story that usually begins with:
- "Here, hold my beer, and watch this...."
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Unsupervised troopers, are the sort of people who say, "Here, hold my beer, and watch this!" Having been an unsupervised topper, I will admit to doing such things. At least this stupid.
lonesouth
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I have given some thought to the weight distribution for the trailer. Since it will only carry one generator and the external fuel tank, I can mount them as I see fit. In the stock configuration, with two gensets, the weight was perfect. I'm currently planning on mounting the generator transverse directly in front of the wheel wells, then putting the fuel tank between the wheel wells longitudinally, and then the toolbox at the very back. I do need to flip the lunette as well.
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Is the rear leg still attached? They are often found along the way, after a march order.
lonesouth
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rear leg still there. as far as I know, there is nothing missing from this one.
lonesouth
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got some work done on the trailer. pulled the lights and wiring, scraped off some of the larger flakes of CARC, broke down the gladhands. Going to pull a few more things off, wire wheel the flakes, pressure wash, degrease, pressure wash again, tape off, spray with behr, and mount the generator and tank.
After some googling, it appears that additional tongue weight is not a problem so long as the tow vehicle can handle the weight on the hitch. I think the best mounting will be to put the generator over the wheels and the tank across the front.
After some googling, it appears that additional tongue weight is not a problem so long as the tow vehicle can handle the weight on the hitch. I think the best mounting will be to put the generator over the wheels and the tank across the front.
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lonesouth
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Spent around 2 hours tonight flipping the lunette, removing the flaking CARC, pressure washing and degreasing. It is looking a lot better. Going to spray it, if the rain ever stops, with some olive green Behr Marquee. Plan on taping off the reflectors, then rewiring with some LED lights from harbor freight.
speaking of harbor freight, the needle scaler from them is fantastic. Made short work of the flaking CARC and the few rusted spots. Worth every penny.
speaking of harbor freight, the needle scaler from them is fantastic. Made short work of the flaking CARC and the few rusted spots. Worth every penny.
Another Ahab
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Is that an electric model, or is it pneumatic?
lonesouth
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pneumatic. I've got a HF compressor, which claims 10cfm @90psi. The compressor was able to run the needle scaler wide open. It did run constantly, but did not slow down. By contrast, this die grinder, rated at 3cfm ran out of oomph.
lonesouth
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prepped for paint. only need to move it to the yard, wash it down one more time, let it dry, then shoot it.
went to home depot after work, and got some 383 mixed up in Behr Marquee. I need to repaint the chicken coop and the generator stand, possibly my storage shed, so I'll just plan on using this for all of it. May also paint my anderson 6ton equipment trailer with this stuff too.
went to home depot after work, and got some 383 mixed up in Behr Marquee. I need to repaint the chicken coop and the generator stand, possibly my storage shed, so I'll just plan on using this for all of it. May also paint my anderson 6ton equipment trailer with this stuff too.
lonesouth
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It has just occurred to me that I may not want to have 75 gallons of fuel resting right beside my house. New plan is to mount the fuel tank behind my shed, next to my propane tank, and route the fuel line under ground to the generator with 1/2" PEX using iron/aluminum/copper pipe as risers above ground.
Another Ahab
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Is PEX rated to carry fuel?
Jetred
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I believe you would need to install a pump at the tank and push fuel that far. I'd be surprised if that small internal pump would draw from that far away. Pump control wires would need to be run between the generator and the pump at the tank.
I understand your concern. Around here though. People have 500 gallon tanks beside there house everywhere for home heating oil. Also Code only requires 10 feet between a propane tank and the residence. I like the idea of yours being away from the house. I'm on. Natural gas.
I keep my 803A behind my shed and have an extra fuel tank mounted on the trailer with it. It's only 80 feet from the house, so I ran wire the distance. Can't hear it in the house and it's more quiet for the neihbors. Only downside is rutting up the backyard, if I needed to move it when it's wet.
I understand your concern. Around here though. People have 500 gallon tanks beside there house everywhere for home heating oil. Also Code only requires 10 feet between a propane tank and the residence. I like the idea of yours being away from the house. I'm on. Natural gas.
I keep my 803A behind my shed and have an extra fuel tank mounted on the trailer with it. It's only 80 feet from the house, so I ran wire the distance. Can't hear it in the house and it's more quiet for the neihbors. Only downside is rutting up the backyard, if I needed to move it when it's wet.
Bmxenbrett
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I have 275 gal of diesel in my house and so do alot of people around here. Its heating oil. Also i would not use house paint on anything metal. Rustoleum makes a really good paint that home depot sells. It rolls on really easy and leaves next to no brush strokes. Its about the same price as a good house paint. I have never had it flake off the under side of my notheast driven truck.
Bmxenbrett
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lonesouth
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LOTS of discussion here about using Behr latex on MVs, I'm not worried. I shot two coats thinned 25% with windshield washer fluid(methanol). So far, two hours since the last coat, it looks great.
I did hit a snag, trying to start the second generator, the main switch stem broke
. Is that something that can be replaced, just the stem, or do I need to get a whole new switch? If the whole switch needs to be replaced, is there a cheaper alternative to the original?
This is after the first coat:
I did hit a snag, trying to start the second generator, the main switch stem broke
. Is that something that can be replaced, just the stem, or do I need to get a whole new switch? If the whole switch needs to be replaced, is there a cheaper alternative to the original?This is after the first coat: