"Le Refuge" mods and up-grade by Lucky J

TomD · April 2018

The aluminum stock wind block is awsome. I probably would build one if I didn’t already have this gizmo. Which is very effective surprisingly.

LuckyJ · April 2018

@TomD , that gizmo you have is something I have own for at least 20 years! Works really nice, with different burner. Used it with my coleman feather 400, and now use it with my biolight original wood stove, and also when using the grill that is an option for it. It will always remain in my campjng inventory.

I just wnated something more permanent and always in place when I tried the si ple aluminium flat bar.

Thelma · May 2018

I made one to fit inside the grate.

LuckyJ · May 2018

@Thelma said:
I made one to fit inside the grate.

Ah, you know, pics or it never happen. Like it was just a camper dream.

LuckyJ · May 2018

Ok, Today, I was able to finish the fantsatic fan upgrade I wanted to make. A full variable speed control.

The result as its flaw. Like, now that I can turn the speed very slow, I now can undrstand the motor spining. I think it is the brush that are rubing. But only when fan is on blowing in. But still, much quieter that the too fast level one, and I will probably used it pushing air out anyway.

Here is a vid.

https://youtu.be/vE-orl5GUOo

The pics will have to wait a bit, I still hate the picture rezising thing. I just add up pics on my tablette, not behing able to realy know with is smaller and witch is larger. Pain in.... If you ask me.

LuckyJ · April 2019

Time for a little update on the post for some now old mods.

Head boad access panels. Sorry about the hinges, but they are hidden behind the pillows. And they are very sturdy.
The top panel still works, but we now rearly use it. This now allow us to leave stuff and better organize the top shelf.

LuckyJ · April 2019

Galley, Undersink and paper towel holder. Extra horizontal door handles as rag support /dryer.

Rolls for kitchen "tools" and silverware, not shown. Also have other similar bags for the T@G shopping board and burner toaster. In front of the left panel, enough space to store folding bols, and other flat stuff like plastic shopping board. Behing the panel is the pluming and space for soft and light items like dish cloth, rags and empty bags.

WilliamA · April 2019

@LuckyJ said:
Ok, Today, I was able to finish the fantsatic fan upgrade I wanted to make. A full variable speed control.

The result as its flaw. Like, now that I can turn the speed very slow, I now can undrstand the motor spining. I think it is the brush that are rubing. But only when fan is on blowing in. But still, much quieter that the too fast level one, and I will probably used it pushing air out anyway.

Here is a vid.

https://youtu.be/vE-orl5GUOo

The pics will have to wait a bit, I still hate the picture rezising thing. I just add up pics on my tablette, not behing able to realy know with is smaller and witch is larger. Pain in.... If you ask me.

Lucky,
Interesting. It does sound like the brushes are feathered. The easiest solution for that is to simply turn the fan on high running in the "noisy" direction and let it run for a day or two. That should take the cone off the brushes and if not, quiet, it'll be a lot quieter. I don't know if the motor is one you could take apart, but if you can get the brushes out, you could tune them up with a jewelers' file too.

WilliamA

LuckyJ · April 2019

@WilliamA

You are absolutely right about the noise and the brushes. And nope, the motor can not be taken apart. The motor is sealedand if memory is correct, almost looked like it is spote weleded together. Witch in a way is a good thing.

When in florida l if as been on for almost 2 weeks straight, and at the end, notice that it was much quieter.

Will see how it goes when I start it again in a few weeks.

Thank you for the tip!

Somemedic · April 2019

Those coffee cups would be rather sought after around my fire house....

LuckyJ · April 2019

Inside mods for towels and jacket.

Those small coat hangers are screwed in the aluminium frame that pass in the upper wall.
One on each side, but thinking in adding some more.

Those for towels and what ever it could be used for. Even like a grab handle to get in and out.

LuckyJ · April 2019

Tongue mod, full back bone tube from front to back with a multi axe coupler.

This is before I realized that since I fabed a tongue extension, i could keep the primary tube short.

Had to relocate the liscence plate on the rear hatch, but still have to connect electricity to the light.

Had to relocate the jack, took the occasion to lift it about 6" so the leg would be even with the frame once it would be fully raised. Also make it much easier to i stall remove the jack wheel.

Spare tire bracket that is attache to the corner of the frame, under the living quarter. Nothing touch the walls or floor.

Joabmc · April 2019

Really like what you’ve done. I need to relocate my jack as well. I can’t open my rear door as it is now and that is sort of a pain. Have you seen anyone successfully mount a swivel jack system? I can’t see it working the way the T@G tongue is configured but it could be a possibility. Definitely need to move my spare and reinforce the fenders to make them functional steps. I’m planning on welding a frame together that will attach to the frame rails of the t@g and then reattach the fenders to that.

LuckyJ · April 2019

@Joabmc thank you.

As for the swivel jack, I have read that many would like to, but I do not know of any who did. But @WilliamA did imstalle a modified jack set-up.

But for me, moving the jack was related to the fact that the tube I mounted (witch act as a back bone for the trailer frame from front all the way to the back was in the middle of the A frame where the original jack was. But this new set up allows me to use an adjustable tongue to extend the lenght of the draw bar. This allow me to fully open my wrangler swing tail gate.

But the full lenght bar also allow me and extraction point if I need one that goes all the way from the TV hitch to the rear of the TD. Like a steel cable. It also reinfoce the TD frame integrity, but it does add some weight.

But so far, no regrets and I made this 2 days after grabing the T@G from the dealer.

As far as the fender goes, what you plan is I beleive the way to do it. Welded or bolted to the frame.

LuckyJ · May 2019

Air bag suspension

Ok,mso after a year of thinking and getting my mind to this, the project as finally began.

Instaling an air bag suspension mounted on trailing arms. Among the things I had in mind when planing this, was to make so that it would be fully reversable, (possibility to go back to the original dxter axle), independante suspension, adjustable ride and stifness, bigger brakes and parking brake as well. Some parts, like the bigger brakes have been on hand for about a year and keeping a relatively standard ride height. Did not want to carry a step or having to jump in and out of the trailer. But being able to go with slightly bigger trailer (31" in mind).

So, here are the first pics. This is the sub frame that will replace the dexter axle tube, you also see the trailing arms, two per side, one of the axle tube and one of the airs bags, but they are not mounted or place at final location. This is also upside down.

I had to close shop for the week, will be back at it next monday.

LuckyJ · May 2019

Was curious as how it would look and if it was even doable, so I mounted a 31" tires on a jeep wheel I had and trid it on the T@G. It is a little tight and just a little wide.

Next suspension would let all this work better.

LuckyJ · July 2019

@LuckyJ said:
Air bag suspension

Ok,mso after a year of thinking and getting my mind to this, the project as finally began.

Instaling an air bag suspension mounted on trailing arms. Among the things I had in mind when planing this, was to make so that it would be fully reversable, (possibility to go back to the original dxter axle), independante suspension, adjustable ride and stifness, bigger brakes and parking brake as well. Some parts, like the bigger brakes have been on hand for about a year and keeping a relatively standard ride height. Did not want to carry a step or having to jump in and out of the trailer. But being able to go with slightly bigger trailer (31" in mind).

So, here are the first pics. This is the sub frame that will replace the dexter axle tube, you also see the trailing arms, two per side, one of the axle tube and one of the airs bags, but they are not mounted or place at final location. This is also upside down.

I had to close shop for the week, will be back at it next monday.

Ok, for the ones fllowing this, as of now, I am now at version 1.1 and need to get to 1.2. The pics on this are v 1.0. What happen is that the torsion force is much bigger tyan I expectd.

So tye round tubes that we see in the pics are 3/4" interior, more tyan a 1/4" thikc wall, and even with cross brassing that was made of think 1"x2". Plus the 1/4" plate for the bag all welded, still made that assembly flex.

Version 1.1 was refab with 2 1"x2" welded together per arm in vertical 2". So that gives 4 walls per arm. This version was still giving some flex, but this time, the week point seem to be the rod ends that did bent. The ones toward the center of the trailer.

But still, I did made a test run, and it was incredebly south and travked really well. I also beleive that the axle tube might flex a bit.

So next evolution is the change the rod ends for someting stronger and move the arms towards the sides of the trailer to reduce the torsion action that generates more lever.

But for now, I have reinstalled the oem axle and will play with that later. . I will try to upload the before and after video to show the improvement.

Luc

ClarkGriswold · July 2019

Maybe I missed it, but why this route instead of Timbren? Was it the challenge/pride of doing it yourself, cost, or something else?

LuckyJ · July 2019

@ClarkGriswold said:
Maybe I missed it, but why this route instead of Timbren? Was it the challenge/pride of doing it yourself, cost, or something else?

What I like with air bags, is that ride stifness can be adujsted to load. No water in the tank, drop air pressure. Add water, ( 100 lbs), luggage, the bikes, kayaks, or bring none, all this will change load.

You can not play with a tmbren suspesnion like that. With air bag, it is easy.

Some air bag arm kit are also available out there, they are also expensive and use bushing that are fixed and can not be adjusted for wheel alignment.

And of course, the trill of the fab.

WilliamA · July 2019

There is an over-used, blanket statement common to this and most other forums I frequent that goes something like this:
"I think he/she just wanted the SIMPLE explanation".
I bristle at the sound of that because often, there isn't a "simple" explanation. There's only the right (complicated) one and all the others.

LuckyJ,
I've been following this and first, whole-heartedly agree that sometimes things must be built because it's possible to make it better but mostly because of the fun of it.

Question: "Why did you make that?"
Answer: "I wanted to see if it could be done..."

I'm all in on that one. What's more, if I were to succeed, I might just tear it out and do it again just to see if I could succeed...,twice.... The fundamental difference between a mechanic and a medical professional is that it would never occur to a mechanic that something isn't worth the trouble of figuring it through. Curiosity is its own success story, after all.

That said, if you (Luc) are interested, I'll whip out my drawing program and whip up a few dozen ideas. Trailing arm suspensions are complex with many obvious and subtle forces at work. Designing a good one is difficult (but a BUTTLOAD of fun!) so the analysis and dynamics will be (must be) complex too.

Let me know (Luc) if you'd like to see my ideas and thoughts...

WilliamA

LuckyJ · July 2019

@WilliamA said:

That said, if you (Luc) are interested, I'll whip out my drawing program and whip up a few dozen ideas. Trailing arm suspensions are complex with many obvious and subtle forces at work. Designing a good one is difficult (but a BUTTLOAD of fun!) so the analysis and dynamics will be (must be) complex too.

Let me know (Luc) if you'd like to see my ideas and thoughts...

WilliamA

Of course @WilliamA

All the help would be welcome. But do not forget your own to do list and engagements.

Also, my prerogatives are still that:
-I want close to original ride height (and I already have the bags that I want to keep)
-I want to reuse the arms that I already have, right lenghts and to my actual experience, plenty stiff
-I want rod end for alignment adjust ability and ease of maintenace.
-I want to keep all the original menting bracket almost intact to be able to go back to original in a matter of lossening some bolts. (But the rear vertical portion of the original bracket have been cut and I now use the frame flat holes of the oem dexter axle mount.

And yep, I know there are a lot of forces gererating torsion in a set-up like than. But it did ride so goooood back there that I have to make it happen.

WilliamA · July 2019

I'd say that it looks like you have a tight grip on what you're doing already.

Remember the 3 categories of builders:
1. Craftsman. Quietly makes something over time, modifying the design until it works.
2. Consultant: Gets paid a lot of money NOT to make something.
3. Expert: Has no idea what you are making but immediately recognizes it won't work...always has a better idea but is too busy to help...

Let me know if you get stuck...

I'd love to see some more photos when you have time and perhaps a link to the airbag specs?

WilliamA

LuckyJ · July 2019

@WilliamA said:
I'd say that it looks like you have a tight grip on what you're doing already.

Remember the 3 categories of builders:
1. Craftsman. Quietly makes something over time, modifying the design until it works.
2. Consultant: Gets paid a lot of money NOT to make something.
3. Expert: Has no idea what you are making but immediately recognizes it won't work...always has a better idea but is too busy to help...

Let me know if you get stuck...

I'd love to see some more photos when you have time and perhaps a link to the airbag specs?

WilliamA

Should be able to get back to the trailer location sometime mid next week. I'm at work until monday 8 Am straight.

But until then, city water pipe issue a my work location house, and back at the trailer location (secondary vacation, ski, hot tub, project making .......house) I also have to deal with my dead jeep that started with dead gaz pump now fixed, but still not working jeep because of other issues that I will have to dig in. But the suspension assembly is accessible, so should be able to get to that.

ClarkGriswold · July 2019

I 'm not trying to be #3... I was merely curious if there was a reason for not hitting the easy button. I hadn't considered the desire to adjust the suspension for different loads. I like hearing the why; it informs additional responses. I wasn't looking for the simple answer; I am used to getting it at home (teenager).

I think there's a fourth category of builder:
4. Tinkerer: Identifies as Craftsman but believes anything can be improved upon and modifies the design over time until it no longer works. Spouse encourages becoming #2 which often results in becoming #3.

LuckyJ · July 2019

@ClarkGriswold said:
I 'm not trying to be #3... I was merely curious if there was a reason for not hitting the easy button. I hadn't considered the desire to adjust the suspension for different loads. I like hearing the why; it informs additional responses. I wasn't looking for the simple answer; I am used to getting it at home (teenager).

I think there's a fourth category of builder:
4. Tinkerer: Identifies as Craftsman but believes anything can be improved upon and modifies the design over time until it no longer works. Spouse encourages becoming #2 which often results in becoming #3.

Lol. Don't worry about it. W are here to share info, mods and ideas. I have seen many mods, like many of them, questioned many of them as well. Not cause I do not like them, cause I also like to here what motivate some of them.

I need to upload those vids.

LuckyJ · July 2019

@WilliamA said:
Let me know if you get stuck...

I'd love to see some more photos when you have time and perhaps a link to the airbag specs?

WilliamA

@WilliamA, just wanted to let you know that I have not pass on your offer, but I have not got the time to get back to take pics and info. My wrangler as been down for 3 weeks. While getting back to my cabin from work for my week off, the jeep would not start from a 5 min stop for cheese shopping. I was 10 miles from destination after 100 miles drive. Basically, fuel pump died got it towed to my cabin (best place for me to work on it) finaly got to confirme tye fuel pump was dead, ordered a new one (complet assembly), installed it, got 10 gallons of gas in it, and .......nothing. Would turn, but not start.

All bunch of codes (MAP, trottle position, air intake, ambiant air, fuel gauge) and with cranking, crank and cam sensor, most with low voltage signal.
So I have been deeling with this since then. This as been priority number one ever since.

Can only get to it every other week, so no evening or in between calls work on it.

So far, I have been digging in the cables and conductivity and signal. And all the looming wrapping is desintegrating in my hands around the engin and tranny..

But I will get to it!

Michael · July 2019

@LuckyJ ,

I'm not a mechanic, more of a electronics kind of guy but with all those codes I bet you have a chassis ground issue somewhere.

Good luck..

LuckyJ · July 2019

@Michael said:
,
I'm not a mechanic, more of a electronics kind of guy but with all those codes I bet you have a chassis ground issue somewhere.
Good luck..

Thanks @Michael , grounds to tye block is on my list as soon as I get back to it next monday with a few more things. One thing fire sure, I will know more about tyat jeep, once it is fixed. And not a bad thing, since I plan on having it for at least until it die, hopefully, at least an other 10 years. It's a 2005 (the two doors unlimited)

LuckyJ · July 2019

OK, fianlygot to upload the suspension vid.

Sorry, they are upside down, and my vid editor is not working, so I was not able to reverse in the upright angle.

but any how.

made on the same road, first with the torflex, second with air bag. the is version 2 that still need to be improve.

https://youtu.be/vhhCgyIUU4w

And nothing happenafter about 1min 35 seconds. sorry about the editing.

https://youtu.be/fAfyIGnjNVk

WilliamA · July 2019

Luc,
Thanks for the videos. It is immediately apparent how rough the torflex rides. I have watched both a few times and the difference is startling. I really like the new box tubing you used instead of the round tubing. It should be much stiffer torsionally than the round ones. I am happy to see that you incorporated a shock absorber. In my mind, it's a must for any suspension system.
I wonder if you should put a diagonal brace to add strength in the lateral plane to mitigate trailer sway. There's none apparent on the video but then it doesn't hurt to beef it up.
Also, what kind of shocks? Hydraulic or gas? It would be interesting to know those shock specs. Are they 50/50 compression/rebound? I might try something like a 20/80 (20% compression/80% rebound) because you have the ability to adjust spring preload. I think a hydraulic is the better choice over gas as well.

Can't wait for more details!

WilliamA

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"Le Refuge" mods and up-grade by Lucky J

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