rickeieio

You didn't say where you are, and your profile is pretty blank, so our info to you will be generic. That said, I use a local Mack dealer. Old family run outfit that cares about it's customers. They have access to all things Volvo. It doesn't hurt that I also have a Mack.......😉

Dan, I believe the Resource Guide has links to all the states statutes. I printed the page(s) that applies to me, highlighted the pertinent lines, and slipped them in sleeves. I made a copy of my state's affidavit stating I'd converted to M/H too. I have one sleeve for registrations (truck/trailer), and another for insurance. Total of three sleeves, so I skipped the index page. I also highlight the expiration dates on all the above documents. I actually had a Texas Highway Patrol thank me for making his job easy. This binder is also a handy place to keep maintenance records, which the officer may notice.😉 Carl, if you do a seminar on this, I have three slim 3 ring binders I can donate.

We've stayed in Red River at https://www.4kredriver.com/. Not fancy, but nice enough. It was several years ago. We had no issues getting in and maneuvering a 70' rig. Here's a working link to the place in Chama: https://www.coloradodirectory.com/riochamarv/

Like I said way back......😋

I only see one down side to protecting the negative side, but it's a big one. The bulk of the surfaces the positive wire will rub against are negative. Get a rubbed spot in the ground wire, and all that will happen is moisture gets in, causing corrosion. Rub through the insulation on the hot side and you let the smoke out. Fuse the ground and all you protect is the winch/motor/device. Fuse the positive and you protect the entire system.

A few years ago, we had to stay in Duson, LA for a couple days because Interstate 10 was shut down due to ice. We took advantage of it and explored things we would have missed otherwise. We saw 17*f ( -8c) two mornings.......... Five weeks isn't nearly long enough.

Being fiscally sensitive, when I ran the wires for my electric roll tarp on the Mack, I put a circuit breaker of appropriate rating about 4" from the positive battery terminal. Then I wrapped it with a piece of bicycle inner tube and electrical tape, finally enclosing the entire run of 1-0 cable in garden hose a neighbor had thrown in the garbage. Yes, I'm that tight. That was at least 10 years ago, and it's still holding up just fine. My point is: additional insulation can pay dividends later. I don't expect Al to dumpster dive for green garden hose to drape around his rig, but find something that will give another layer of security. Chafed wires are no fun. Using the hose allows me to use a good stainless hose clamp to secure things rather than baling wire and duct tape.

We keep forgetting, you Kenworth guys don't have the Secret Decoder Ring.😋 That doesn't look like the one in our truck. Plus, the one above is cleaner.

cheater....😁

Alan, I've seen pics of Darryl's set up. It was on this forum, a long time ago. rdickinson, yes, 10' ramps are steep, and the car is very close on break over. That's why DW drives it up. I got them for about 1/2 price at the end of a motorcycle show. I got it hung up on our first loading, and had to climb down a stepladder, so she could climb up and continue. To be fair, the truck wasn't level, suspension aired up, and the ramps were in a slight depression, all to simulate a worst case scenario. On level ground, we need no blocks under the ends, nor the "angle iron" in the hinge. It works fine with her in the saddle, not so much with a 300# doofus (me). I suppose with a set of "race ramps" about 6" high and 3' long, plus the hinge spacer, I could do the driving. But frankly, the fact that she pilots it up draws a fair bit of interest, and leads to fun conversations.

We (Susan) have always driven up, with 10' ramps. The only issue is that she can't see where she's going, so I stand on the deck and give her signals. But someday, one of us may need to load without help. That's where having front attachment points and a winch patterned after Darryl's would make sense. I don't have the option of loading from the other side, nor backing on. Well, I suppose we could do either, but we have a pretty slick system where we can load or unload in 12 minutes, including ramp set-up or stowing.

Vern, remember in high school when you learned to solder using a soldering iron, the kind with a long handle, heated up over a burner? An old hammer works fine for soldering plastic. You have the skills floating around in the back of your head, just dig them out.

Is there a way to put the missing nut in the front? Paul G. and Tom S., no need to state the obvious.😁

Yes, and to para-phase Newton, "For every study, there is an equal but opposite conclusion."

Vern, that's some sort of threshing machine, for separating grain from the rest of the plant. See the little elevator sticking up with the "Y" hanging down? That's to direct the grain into a sack. It has a diverter built in, so the operator could fill one sack while tying/removing the other, back and forth. Most folks think driving across the plains is boring. I find it fascinating. But then, I'm just a little weird.

Al, there are also plugs for commercial trailers, with one, two, or more contact posts within. I have a two post on my Mack to operate the roll tarp, The outside looks like the commercial light plug, but with only two robust contact poles. Available at most truck parts houses. Ya gots options.......

Well, read the post above by Orca for starters, and I know plenty of others who practice this method. I've had a toy hauler since 2009, have hauled dozens of bikes and two cars, and never needed to, as our unit has a very long ramp/door, plus a beavertail at the rear. Any of our bikes will load easily with the trailer level. I would imagine if one were to do survey, we might be surprised at how many use this method. But, it's your coach, do as you please.

There's no shame in having a hood.

Perhaps they quit building Mountain Aires in 2007, but our X-Aire is a 2008, and you can view online literature for the 2010 line-up. Agreed, Newmar built a solid unit.

Level side/side, agree. Level front/back, doesn't matter, as long as you're not loading something heavy enough to stress the rear axle, which is very unlikely. A production motorcycle can't over stress it. It's common practice to raise the trailer nose while loading if the machine sits too low for the breakover angle.

One thing I liked about Darryl's design is how easy it is to put on/take off the winch. One or two little pins and the alligator clip's for the wires. Way easier than fiddling with a stand-off and pulleys. Too bad it won't work with the newer smarts if pulling from the front.

Vern, Vern, Vern....... You're getting close to making a case for having a house at each destination and taking the big bird back and forth. That's just crazy talk. I think you need a dual sport motorcycle to keep you busy. And older one, already "experienced", so as to provide with some tinker time. Whatcha say Noteven?

Al, I advise conferring with Darryl of "Darryl and Rita". I really like his arrangement. Simple and nearly foolproof. What year is your smart? That may make a difference. Duh.... I see in your signature, 2006. Darryl's design will work just fine. Until then, if powering from the truck, I'd put a circuit breaker at the battery, rather than a fuse, and run the wires to a heavy duty plug, such as used to power a lift gate on a semi trailer. But Darryl pulls power from the car, and has the winch on the car too. No pulley, no remote, no stand off. Crazy simple.

Welcome to the nut house. Spend a little time with the search option above on the right, and you'll find several projects like yours.

I should have added, we load Susan's Spyder with the trailer unhitched, and no stabilizers down. As long as you're smooth, the person standing in the coach, out of harms way, doesn't even notice any movement. The Spyder weighs right at 1000#, more than any rational motorcycle. But then, who said we're rational???????