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Towing Miss Trilly

Tag Archives: ground clearance

Higher Ground…

05 Tuesday Mar 2013

Posted by clark9ah in Miss Trilly

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

axle, ground clearance, Torflex, Trillium trailer, welding

Clearance, that is!

Miss Trilly has a new axle and a perky posture, standing quite proud as she shows off her higher ground clearance. Her wheels no longer cant outward as they did on the original axle that carried her for thirty-four years. Trilly fairly shines with newfound buoyancy and satisfaction. Her trailer is flashing a fresh black gloss. Even the bolts on her wheels reflect the new attitude.

Here is the story as it played out. First, Clark borrowed two floor jacks and four jack stands, collecting these at the designated place of Trilly/trailer separation. Then, he summoned my help. It took the two of us to remove the eight bolts that held Miss Trilly to her trailer. I gripped the plate and heads of the bolts from inside the trailer, using channel-lock pliers, while Clark applied torque from underneath with a socket wrench. The bolts were very difficult to remove. Two of them, being rusted nearly through, broke completely in half. Only one, the fastener located inside the aft port bin under the drawers, came out with some measure of ease. After we removed all of the bolts, I left Clark to remove the “egg” from its trailer, which he accomplished by himself.

Trilly's "Wheels"

Clark cut and ground off the old axle and then prepped the metal to receive Miss Trilly‘s replacement axle, a Dexter #10 Torflex with -22.5˚ starting angle. Here is a photo of the new 53-inch axle lined up with the rails of the trailer. It is quite a bit heavier and beefier than the original unit.

2AxleSet

We found a local welder with a mobile unit on Craigslist. His professional-looking website, thirty years of experience, and $50 per hour quote gave us the confidence to trust that he would do a great  job. Howard Whipple says, “Trust the welder. Trust the weld.” We were ready when he showed up on time Monday morning.

3Weld

We are extremely pleased with the workmanship. The new axle is welded on MUCH more thoroughly than the original. Howard left no joint unwelded.

4FnlWeld

Clark cleaned up the remainder of the trailer frame, removed minor rust, primed and painted the rails, tongue, and cross members. He applied a clear-coat for additional protection. Trilliums originally had foam tape on the rails of their trailers. We wanted something with a bit more substance. There is a funky metal surplus store in our area called Blue Collar Supply. On our last visit, we saw stacks of neoprene sheets of varying thicknesses, priced incredibly low. Clark picked up a large sheet for less than $6. I cut strips 1.25″-wide, which we spot-glued using Shoe Goo. It is visible in this photo of the freshly painted trailer and axle.

5Dxtr10

This is the newly refurbished trailer, complete with an updated waterproof electrical box on the port forward rail. It is ready to receive its “egg” cargo.

6ComplTrlr

We are pleased to present the updated and lofty Miss Trilly!
(The photo will enlarge when clicked.)

7GrndClear

Happy travels!
9ah & Clark

Miss Trilly

Mr Higgins

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Text and photographs included in these pages are copyrighted to Nina Courtney Wagaman and/or Clark Wagaman, except where noted. You may NOT use either media on your website or on another website without express permission. However, you MAY quote a short excerpt with a link back to this website. Thank you very much for your interest.

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WALKING WOMAN

Christopher Briscoe

At the intersection of storytelling and art.

Wright Away Sails Away

Going where the water is warm and clear.

Birgitta Höglunds Paleo

Let food be your medicine

tylersculinary

Tylers culinary blog

The Science of Human Potential

Understanding how to be the best you can be. Professor Grant Schofield.

Adventures of Dave and Ann

with appearances by Mr Higgins

WatsonsWander

with appearances by Mr Higgins

Wheeling It: Tales From a Nomadic Life

On the Road Since 2010, Traveling Across USA & Europe With Pets

Technomadia

Adventures in Nomadic Serendipity

Gone With The Wynns

The Graphic Side of Life

Movin' on

Meandering with camera...

Travels with the Blonde Coyote

Follow the Blonde Coyote and see more of the world!

rvsue and her canine crew

Living on less and enjoying life more

WEB OF DEBT BLOG

ARTICLES IN THE NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . COMMENTS, FEEDBACK, IDEAS

Eat Like A Swede-LCHF (Low-Carb, High-Fat)

Join the LCHF movement in Sweden!

Red Road Diaries

Musings from the back roads

Zeebra Designs & Destinations

An Artist's Eyes Never Rest

Anita & Michael's travels

Just another WordPress.com weblog

A Word in Your Ear

Stories and Photographs of my travels, Tales of friends, family, animals and my life

Worrall Travel R's

with appearances by Mr Higgins

simpletravelourway

Beth and Joe enjoy simple and active travel – every day of the year. They started their trip in 2012 and are still slowly traveling the world.

Family Outdoor Adventure

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