New to this site, But not new to MDT & full-timing Options

[campswithcritter...]

Bruce, Marcia certainly can deliver a superb product to you, I've been to SpaceCraft factory number of times and will be seeing Marcia at the HDT Rally next week.
Don't wish to rain on your parade but I am surprised with the choice of the axles. Both in the their installation manuals and in their Torlex brochure Dexter does not recommend it for triple axle application (there is a disclaimer in the bottom of the brochure). They are concerned that in triple axle towing going over a curb can hang a triple load on one axle (or tire) and the rubber cording used inside the torque tubes does not care for that kind of abuse. Of course a simple solution to that is "not to do it". My first fifth wheel had a pair of Torflex axles and it was a superb suspension. I know, on occasions I rode inside the fifth while wife pulled (I was much younger then).

hjs

Thanks for the tip on the axles, I was not aware of that info. I'll be extra careful to avoid curbing it, luckily this is not first time towing something long and it has been a looong time since I curbed one.
I just ordered the disc brakes & never lube and left the suspension to Marsha & Wyatt, you learn something new every day.

[hjsdds]

Thanks for the tip on the axles, I was not aware of that info. I'll be extra careful to avoid curbing it, luckily this is not first time towing something long and it has been a looong time since I curbed one.
I just ordered the disc brakes & never lube and left the suspension to Marsha & Wyatt, you learn something new every day.

Bruce, curbing is bad under any circumstances and as you say with experience you know how to avoid it (you either make them back up, or you wait until you have a wide path to make the turn).
The Dexter disks are by far the best brakes you could put on a fifth and I assume that hydraulic actuator will be a must. Does your M2 have air brakes by any chance. If it does you could go with BluDot systems and SpaceCraft is familiar with it, they installed it on my buddy's 43 footer they built.

hjs

[JohnOH327]

I just heard last week that you should not have Nev-R-Lube bearings with disc brakes because of the heat from the brakes. Just a thought. John

[campswithcritter...]

I just heard last week that you should not have Nev-R-Lube bearings with disc brakes because of the heat from the brakes. Just a thought. John

Now that is something I have never heard. Mor-Ryde put never-lubes on my current trailer with the discs and the system has been troublefree (and they gave me no such warnings). In fact I find my hub temps (checked with infra-red thermometer) to run cooler than when I had drum brakes. Disc brakes have far superior ability to cool by design than do drums. I seldom use the brakes for long periods in any case as my MDT has a 2 speed engine brake.
The only way a disc brake can get really hot is by extended useage or a sticking caliper. Checking hub temps by feel or thermometer should give warning of this.

For those watching the pix, I finally got some new ones uploaded today.

[bstark]

John; I'll second the comments above by Bruce. I've been running mine since late 04 and to date have had no problems with either the hub temps or the disc's and have towed the thing all over the southwest, western Canada, through mountains, etc.. Mine are the Dexter 8,000lb axles with Dexter discs and Nev-R-Lube hubs on 17.5" wheels with Trailair centerpoint air susp.

[JohnOH327]

I was at a RV rally last week talking to 2 New Horizon and a Travel Supreme 5th wheel owners. All three claimed they had to convert over to regular bearings when upgrading to disk brakes. They claimed the disk brakes generated more heat and cooks the Nev-R-Lube cartridge. I do not have disk brakes myself. One guy said after replacing 2 cartridges, he changed over to regular bearings. To me it seems like high heat would affect both types of bearings. But I have know these guys for several years and just thought they knew what they were talking about. Hope I didn't ruffle too many feathers. John

This post has been edited by JohnOH327: Oct 7 2009, 03:59 PM

[campswithcritter...]

I was at a RV rally last week talking to 2 New Horizon and a Travel Supreme 5th wheel owners. All three claimed they had to convert over to regular bearings when upgrading to disk brakes. They claimed the disk brakes generated more heat and cooks the Nev-R-Lube cartridge. I do not have disk brakes myself. One guy said after replacing 2 cartridges, he changed over to regular bearings. To me it seems like high heat would affect both types of bearings. But I have know these guys for several years and just thought they knew what they were talking about. Hope I didn't ruffle too many feathers. John

No ruffled feathers here! Always looking for input. I've had great luck for many miles with the never-lube/disc set-up so I'll continue and keep an eye on things for now.

[bigboomer]

I was at a RV rally last week talking to 2 New Horizon and a Travel Supreme 5th wheel owners. All three claimed they had to convert over to regular bearings when upgrading to disk brakes. They claimed the disk brakes generated more heat and cooks the Nev-R-Lube cartridge. I do not have disk brakes myself. One guy said after replacing 2 cartridges, he changed over to regular bearings. To me it seems like high heat would affect both types of bearings. But I have know these guys for several years and just thought they knew what they were talking about. Hope I didn't ruffle too many feathers. John

John,

I guess the question is what were those folks towing those rigs with as they are up there in weight and if they were relying more on the trailer brakes to slow them down then with an MDT or HDT then maybe the brakes were getting overheated....just a thought. I have noticed that since running our 5'er with the new MDT that the Tekonsha controller barely gets past 25% usage and we stop very comfortably.

[campswithcritter...]

Progress seems really good on the rig now, they say it will be done 2 days earlier than expected.
New photos at http://s65.photobucket.com/albums/h232/cam...s/South%20Fork/ now a total of 49 pics.

[hjsdds]

Nice progress on the SpaceCraft. Wyatt brought a new 34 footer to the HDT Rally. Very nicely done, many commented that you could "almost fulltime" in this 34 footer.

Nev-R-lube bearings are not one of the better "inventions" from Dexter. And I am surprised because these folks are very technologically savvy.
The inner and outer bearing, instead of being 5-6 inches apart are moved together. Straight and forward, no problem, every time you go around a corner and create a side load on the wheel, there is a tremendous torque on those bearings because they are so close together. Now I noticed that the "bearing pair" is quite large, I am certain that Dexter took into consideration the additional forces on the spindle and through those bearings. But the real world can be cruel and for many that run fine there are those that fail and the reports that I heard were that it was a "spectacular event", like wheel bounding down the road.

hjs

[campswithcritter...]

Well we took delivery and could not be happier with the new Spacecraft. It is even more than we expected, extremely nice and a pleasure to live in. Here is the link to pics taken after move-in for those interested. http://s65.photobucket.com/albums/h232/cam...rk%20Delivered/

[blizzardND]

Well we took delivery and could not be happier with the new Spacecraft. It is even more than we expected, extremely nice and a pleasure to live in. Here is the link to pics taken after move-in for those interested. http://s65.photobucket.com/albums/h232/cam...rk%20Delivered/

very nice! I love the special touch with the Icemaker, you never know when some one might show up with 3 Bottles of assorted Rum and some OJ! Do you have one of those gas powered blenders to grind it all up too?
8:35 am on a Tuesday, I suppose its too early in the day/week to be dreaming about Rumrunners and Hurricanes, alas, back to work. Enjoy your beautiful new home!
-blizz

[campswithcritter...]

very nice! I love the special touch with the Icemaker, you never know when some one might show up with 3 Bottles of assorted Rum and some OJ! Do you have one of those gas powered blenders to grind it all up too?
8:35 am on a Tuesday, I suppose its too early in the day/week to be dreaming about Rumrunners and Hurricanes, alas, back to work. Enjoy your beautiful new home!
-blizz

No gas powered blender here, I use the PTO of the truck instead so it is diesel powered! Dreaming of a bloody Mary this early is not out of the question, since I am not towing it today!

[bigboomer]

Well we took delivery and could not be happier with the new Spacecraft. It is even more than we expected, extremely nice and a pleasure to live in. Here is the link to pics taken after move-in for those interested. http://s65.photobucket.com/albums/h232/cam...rk%20Delivered/

Gorgeous Rig.....Much luck and many happy miles in it!!!!!

I noticed the New Jersey on your sweatshirt....are you from the Garden State?

Les

This post has been edited by bigboomer: Nov 4 2009, 03:29 PM

[campswithcritter...]

Gorgeous Rig.....Much luck and many happy miles in it!!!!!

I noticed the New Jersey on your sweatshirt....are you from the Garden State?

Les

No the DW collects sweatshirts from states visited (lucky for us it is a light weight collectors item), we are now moving towards the south and extremely pleased with the new unit.