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ET Hitch Bag Upgrade - Photos


Jack Mayer

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Yesterday I left Mayo, FL and drove five hours down to Port St. Lucie to have Henry do the bag upgrade on my ET Senior hitch. This upgrade replaces the standard four airbag system with one larger airbag. The purpose is to better handle very heavy pin weights. Over 6000lbs would IMO opinion be the area where you want to consider this upgrade.

 

Things went smoothly and I left there at 6pm. Got home around 11:30 pm. It was a long day.

 

Album, with comments on the sides. Best viewed on a computer in order to see the comments.

Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member
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"The bag is rated to 13,000 lbs, but you want to run in the sweet spot of the bag - not at its max. Or you will not get good cushioning."

 

Good morning, Jack.

 

Is there a formula for determining the "sweet spot," or is it "seat of the pants" feel?

 

Regards,

 

Michael

2007 Volvo VNL 670

2007 NuWa HitchHiker Champagne

 

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"The bag is rated to 13,000 lbs, but you want to run in the sweet spot of the bag - not at its max. Or you will not get good cushioning."

 

Good morning, Jack.

 

Is there a formula for determining the "sweet spot," or is it "seat of the pants" feel?

 

Regards,

 

Michael

The large air bag (used on ET Juniors and ET Super Seniors) is rated at 13,500 pounds max capacity (at 100 psi). You can exceed the max capacity by 100% meaning that the air bag air pressure can go 200 psi while working, this is known as the "jounce pressure". Neither Goodyear or Firestone will tell you at what pressure the air bag will fail but the scuttle butt is that it will happen at around 250 psi.

The "sweet spot" for airbags is at 50% of pressure and weight when used as an air springs, incidentally the air bags are linear (pressure vs. weight) therefore the "ideal weight" for this airbag is 6,750 pounds of pin weight. The "ideal range" for this air bag is between 40-60% of pressure, therefore 5,400 to 8,100 pounds. You can work outside of that range, but as you get above 70-75 psi the effectiveness of the air spring start degrading (you might as way shove a piece of hard rubber in there). Same in the other direction as the pressure get too low the response gets "mushy". This is one situation where "more is not better" and why the "regular ET" still will be 10,000 pounds capacity (5,000 pounds "sweet spot").

 

January 26th, beautiful day in Paradise.

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Eat you hear out, you snow bound north easterners. Jack's friend came over to check things out and discuss "future options".

It's a great sight, isn't it?

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Happy Jack, irod, I have alternative picture now.

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Leaving at dusk.

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Weather Alert:

 

Just heard on the news that the state of Florida could be sunned-in for the next several days. Residents have been urged to hunker down at your nearest beach and/or tiki bar for further instructions. Use extreme caution when braving this blizzard of sunshine, preferably SPF30. We are asking our friends and relatives to the north to please keep us in their thoughts as we deal with two feet buried in the sand.

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Well phonix. We here in key west are having a cold front come through today. The high will be 66 and max sunshine. We are making a run on sun screen down here. Not to mention drinks with umbrellas in them.

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Weather Alert:

 

Just heard on the news that the state of Florida could be sunned-in for the next several days. Residents have been urged to hunker down at your nearest beach and/or tiki bar for further instructions. Use extreme caution when braving this blizzard of sunshine, preferably SPF30. We are asking our friends and relatives to the north to please keep us in their thoughts as we deal with two feet buried in the sand.

 

Henry...I don't know you from Adam, but let me be the first to tell you that remarks like this are simply uncalled for and absolutely below the belt. :D

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Weather Alert:

 

Just heard on the news that the state of Florida could be sunned-in for the next several days. Residents have been urged to hunker down at your nearest beach and/or tiki bar for further instructions. Use extreme caution when braving this blizzard of sunshine, preferably SPF30. We are asking our friends and relatives to the north to please keep us in their thoughts as we deal with two feet buried in the sand.

Thats it!! I am sending you a box of snow (COD :P )

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Oh, you guys think that you are onto something, it has been done!

In 2011 Vern got a personal delivery to Forida of a frozen snowball.

2317287180096176628qOxlwC_fs.jpg

 

If my memory serve me right it might have been PSD Tweaker who transported it, which meand that this snowball was an undocumented alien from Canada.

I committed to photo Vern "exchanging" back and forth the said snowball with the next door neighbor.

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Let's say that their "technique" in the Florida climate deteriorated rapidly upon handling the ball, which meant the demise of the ball. But it also brought us to our senses that we should consider the possibility that Al Gore might be right about global warming/cooling and anything is possible, even in Florida.

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So I retrieved my "emergency snow shovel" while Vern was on lookout for Florida "nor' easter".

 

This was not entirely out of the question, the day we gathered to go to the Tampa RV show,

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It was colder than a "witch'es ***

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Ya...that was a frigid F'nn morning!

Fun though...

 

Rick

1998 VOLVO 610 VED-12 @ 425 HP with 13 speed, 22.5" rubber, TC Equipped, single 3.70 drive axle, 193'' WB. REESE, 30K 4 way rocker-hitch, Jordan Ultima 2020. Under-frame mounted Honda 3000 ei, Towing a DRV MobileSuites- 36TK3 with TrailAir Pin Box, a Yamaha Road Star 1700 on deck. http://diesel-gypsy.blogspot.com

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I'm ready for you, spotted a truck today in Port St. Lucie I can hire.

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I guess in your neck of the woods snow would be handled by a pest control company :)

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