bmzero Posted August 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 I used my sliding hitch valve. It does light an indicator in dash to tell me air is supplyed to hitch. This is on a 99 610. I am going to add a manuel dump valve to lower hitch when i drop the trailer. Doing it this way i have a visual on hitch height. Roger Thanks for the hint, Roger. I just went out and connected my hitch input to the sliding hitch switch. I'm not sure why I didn't notice that before. I called myself looking for it. Either way, the hitch is now connected to the sliding hitch circuit and works perfectly. This is exactly the setup I wanted. I'm still going to wire in the dump solenoids so I can quickly and easily dump the hitch bags from the rear of the truck, without having to crawl into the cab and flip the switch. The switch will be mounted on the bed right near the hitch. I just got off of the phone with K4Switches. They're going to print me up a cool graphic on the switch for the Air Dump using the switches below. View High Resolution Photo "Willy Mammoth" - Volvo 730, Sold Heartland Cyclone 4000 Toy HaulerT-Minus 26 years and counting to being a full timer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmzero Posted August 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 Geez. This isn't really what I had in mind... View High Resolution Photo "Willy Mammoth" - Volvo 730, Sold Heartland Cyclone 4000 Toy HaulerT-Minus 26 years and counting to being a full timer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldRush Posted August 4, 2015 Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 That was my first thought as well, but I believe that circuit is not normally pressurized. The handle on my dash to disengage the hitch seems to be a momentary open, not consistent pressure. So, you would have re-plumb that circuit to bypass the handle and stay pressurized, at least that's my understanding of it. That's exactly why I wanted to use it but with an on/off switch so you can easily turn off the air when you're not towing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broncohauler Posted August 4, 2015 Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 Geez. This isn't really what I had in mind... View High Resolution Photo That's awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmzero Posted August 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 That's awesome Unfortunately, the guy that owns the switch company is a friend of mine. So, he's probably going to make me use that switch... "Willy Mammoth" - Volvo 730, Sold Heartland Cyclone 4000 Toy HaulerT-Minus 26 years and counting to being a full timer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broncohauler Posted August 4, 2015 Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 Ya I can see your son now playing with the switch just to hear the air Exhaust out. You'll be in the doghouse in no time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmzero Posted August 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 Ya I can see your son now playing with the switch just to hear the air Exhaust out. You'll be in the doghouse in no time. You're definitely right about that, on both parts. "Willy Mammoth" - Volvo 730, Sold Heartland Cyclone 4000 Toy HaulerT-Minus 26 years and counting to being a full timer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldRush Posted August 4, 2015 Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 He should have a Pull My Finger Switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickeieio Posted August 4, 2015 Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 Okay, you need to put something on the exhaust port to make "raspberries". Them post pictures so we can ALL do it. KW T-680, POPEMOBILE Newmar X-Aire, VATICAN Lots of old motorcycles, Moto Guzzi Griso and Spyder F3 currently in the front row Young enough to play in the dirt as a retired farmer. contact me at rickeieio1@comcast.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest THE TRAILERKING Posted August 4, 2015 Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 http://www.carlingtech.com/switches I have got switches from these guys in the past. This is what Fleetwood uses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dollytrolley Posted August 5, 2015 Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 I'm leaning toward painting it with some good automotive paint. We have a pro-painter friend that keeps a really sharp looking fleet of concrete mixer trucks in pristine shape and his trick to make paint stick like none othe,r is to use ABS adhesion promoter (Bulldog) ...........it's not cheap (about $28 / 15 oz can) but you can not believe how great the paint adheres to the base metal . Bulldog works with every paint I have tried so far and it works great. The only thing you have to watch is that it fogs super-fine so you have to sweep fast and thin to keep it from running but it dries fast so you can multi-coat in 10 minutes at most temps. I have used the Bulldog on ABS fairings around the diesel fuel doors and have never had the paint ever lift...... Might be worth a try on a small hitch part....... Drive on..........( Glossy hitched ........) 97 Freightshaker Century Cummins M11-370 / 1350 /10 spd / 3:08 /tandem/ 20ft Garage/ 30 ft Curtis Dune toybox with a removable horse-haul-module to transport Dolly-The-Painthorse to horse camps and trail heads all over the Western U S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmzero Posted August 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 We have a pro-painter friend that keeps a really sharp looking fleet of concrete mixer trucks in pristine shape and his trick to make paint stick like none othe,r is to use ABS adhesion promoter (Bulldog) ...........it's not cheap (about $28 / 15 oz can) but you can not believe how great the paint adheres to the base metal . Bulldog works with every paint I have tried so far and it works great. The only thing you have to watch is that it fogs super-fine so you have to sweep fast and thin to keep it from running but it dries fast so you can multi-coat in 10 minutes at most temps. I have used the Bulldog on ABS fairings around the diesel fuel doors and have never had the paint ever lift...... Might be worth a try on a small hitch part....... Drive on..........( Glossy hitched ........) That's great information. I'm going to ask my painter about that. Thanks! Here's the hitch, charged from the sliding hitch switch on the dash. Works very well. The next step is to get the final swingarm brace cut (below). Hopefully that will be ready tomorrow. Once I get that fitted, I can finish weld the swingarms and prep for the first test pull (temporary cameras setup, etc.). View High Resolution Photo "Willy Mammoth" - Volvo 730, Sold Heartland Cyclone 4000 Toy HaulerT-Minus 26 years and counting to being a full timer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoDirectionHome Posted August 5, 2015 Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 I like the incorporation of FLIP in the design. That seems to have faded in the commercial world. "There are No Experts, Do the Math!" 2014 Freightliner Cascadia DD16 600hp 1850ft-lb 18spd 3.31 260"wb SpaceCraft S-470 SKP #131740 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmzero Posted August 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 I like the incorporation of FLIP in the design. That seems to have faded in the commercial world. Thanks. What is the FLIP you're referring to? "Willy Mammoth" - Volvo 730, Sold Heartland Cyclone 4000 Toy HaulerT-Minus 26 years and counting to being a full timer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix2013 Posted August 5, 2015 Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 Geez. This isn't really what I had in mind... View High Resolution Photo I'm gonna need some of those! Price? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoDirectionHome Posted August 5, 2015 Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 Fixture Located In Part "There are No Experts, Do the Math!" 2014 Freightliner Cascadia DD16 600hp 1850ft-lb 18spd 3.31 260"wb SpaceCraft S-470 SKP #131740 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmzero Posted August 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 I'm gonna need some of those! Price? www.K4Switches.com is the company making them. I left a message for the owner to get me some pricing. I'll post back here with what he says. He has a huge pile of icons he can put on the switches, with any text needed. "Willy Mammoth" - Volvo 730, Sold Heartland Cyclone 4000 Toy HaulerT-Minus 26 years and counting to being a full timer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmzero Posted August 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 Fixture Located In Part Ah, I haven't heard it called that. I'm a big fan of that, too. It really helped to keep everything where it should be. "Willy Mammoth" - Volvo 730, Sold Heartland Cyclone 4000 Toy HaulerT-Minus 26 years and counting to being a full timer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix2013 Posted August 6, 2015 Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 Thanks. I had hoped to avoid tapping into the line feeding the rear bags, but I haven't come up with a better way to do it. I'm still open to ideas, but here's my current plan, for which I have all of the parts ordered. I will use one of these to splice into the feed line for the rear bags. View High Resolution Photo Then, the 1/4" line will feed a 12V DC solenoid: View High Resolution Photo That will go feed into the air level valve. Then, I will have another solenoid on the pressurized side of the air level valve. Both solenoids will be wired to a sealed Contoura II lighted switch with a custom legend built onto it labeled "Air Dump". Flipping the switch will open one solenoid and close the other, allowing the bags to deflate with the push of a button. More information on the switches - http://www.k4switches.com/Product.aspx?pid=275 View High Resolution Photo I don't expect to need to dump the hitch, but this setup will also allow me to remove the hitch from the rear suspension circuit in the case of a leak or the need to do work on the hitch. Nice setup! Air hitch owners break into two groups Air Dumpers and Not Air Dumpers. Membership to each group is driven by the presence of the air leveling valve in the hitch. The air dumping habit is hard to break, since it requires acquiring new skills and chucking the old idea that "unless you dump you will not be able to disconnect or bad things will happen". Most ET owners have become succesful Non-Dumpers but occasionally I have come across a non-believer that I needed "to save". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmzero Posted August 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 Nice setup! Air hitch owners break into two groups Air Dumpers and Not Air Dumpers. Membership to each group is driven by the presence of the air leveling valve in the hitch. The air dumping habit is hard to break, since it requires acquiring new skills and chucking the old idea that "unless you dump you will not be able to disconnect or bad things will happen". Most ET owners have become succesful Non-Dumpers but occasionally I have come across a non-believer that I needed "to save". Thanks. My situation is slightly different than most here. Often times we dry camp in open fields or remote camp spots. Most of those times, there is not a flat spot to be found and often times, the front of the trailer is higher than the rear, so we end up dropping the nose onto the ground. My thoughts were that dumping the hitch could be helpful in those situations rather than having to adjust the feet on the jacks to get the nose all the way down. The few times I have pulled the trailer with the Volvo, I was using a solid mounted hitch. Due to the air suspension level valve in the rear, unhooking the trailer had no affect on the height of the hitch. That should be the same affect as me not dumping the air hitch, which worked out very well. I don't see any reason to dump when unhooking on flat ground, just as you said. "Willy Mammoth" - Volvo 730, Sold Heartland Cyclone 4000 Toy HaulerT-Minus 26 years and counting to being a full timer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peety3 Posted August 6, 2015 Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 Disclaimer: I overthink everything... Random idea: if you're already playing with solenoid valves on the feed to the hitch bags, you could potentially do another switch and valve set that would close off the line from the leveling vale and open up a line from direct 120psi (or perhaps regulator-limited to 100psi), allowing you to run the hitch across the full range of the bag(s). You could pick up the trailer so there's no load on the jacks, easily raise the jacks to travel position, then return the hitch to self-leveling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmzero Posted August 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 Disclaimer: I overthink everything... Random idea: if you're already playing with solenoid valves on the feed to the hitch bags, you could potentially do another switch and valve set that would close off the line from the leveling vale and open up a line from direct 120psi (or perhaps regulator-limited to 100psi), allowing you to run the hitch across the full range of the bag(s). You could pick up the trailer so there's no load on the jacks, easily raise the jacks to travel position, then return the hitch to self-leveling. That would be pretty slick. I like your thinking. The Raptor we have now has electric jacks in the front and they're painfully slow. That suggestion would be great for this trailer. We're hopefully going to make an offer on a Cyclone today that is 6-point hydraulic, so there would be less of a need for it on the new trailer. I'll definitely keep that idea rolling around in my head, though. "Willy Mammoth" - Volvo 730, Sold Heartland Cyclone 4000 Toy HaulerT-Minus 26 years and counting to being a full timer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkennell Posted August 6, 2015 Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 I regularly use the dump on the axle to set the trailer down on the front for leveling. I find that setting the hitch up or down to get close, then extending the legs to an appropriate pin really saves the jacking time. One thing you don't want to do is hang the truck on the pin though. So don't put the Jacks down and then dump the axle. I like the idea of an override switch and solenoid...but a simpler way would be to just use a leveling valve with the dump feature and add a switch to dump the air hitch just like the rear axle. I don't think that "overpressuring" the hitch would be useful (or safe) in most cases, so just being able to dump it would be best. No camper at present. Way too many farm machines to maintain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrap Posted August 7, 2015 Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 The Barksdale valves are the go-to valves nowadays and they do have integral dump models. I don't know, but I have a feeling your current controlled response valve is going to get a bit annoying with small undampened bags. They have quite the deadband and will probably set up some resonance at some point. You can also do what Peety is thinking by using the Barksdale valve as your rolling height valve then add a pilot valve and plumb your current CR valve as your "overinflate" valve. Just give it a linkage that sets the hitch to lift higher when parked. I order all my trucks with suspension overinflate and use it just like Peety says. It lifts the weight off the landing gear and I dolly up with just a finger or two. Pretty darn nice. They come plumbed the same way with a pilot and a 2nd leveling valve with a longer arm. Barksdale aftermarket: http://www.barksdale.com/download/?dl=547 Haldex air pilot. I think they do a 3 way electric but I've never used one: http://www.haldex.com/Documents/hbsna/Suspension_Controls/Three_Way_Pilot_Valve_Product_Bulletin_L25050_2-03.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmzero Posted August 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 Thanks for the info, Scrap. I will look into the valves you suggested. Last night I was able to get the shocks added to the floating platform. I prowled through the shelves of a local Advance Auto Parts store until I found just the right shocks. They work perfectly. View High Resolution Photo View High Resolution Photo View High Resolution Photo I should pick up the last piece from laser today. Then, hopefully this evening, I will be able to build the tabs for the bottom shock mounts and burn everything in. Tomorrow might be the day for the first pull! "Willy Mammoth" - Volvo 730, Sold Heartland Cyclone 4000 Toy HaulerT-Minus 26 years and counting to being a full timer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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