Jim Gell Posted February 26, 2017 Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 I am laying out chock positions on my bed to accommodate the 2016 smart. I pushed on my car a bit and it seems to only move a couple inches sideways. My drom is attached to the same deck the car sits on, so it should not bounce back toward the car much. Right? The best use of the space seems to be to minimize the folded mirror of car to drom box clearance to just enough to be comfortable, and maximize the distance from trailer to the other side of car. My current thinking is to have 3 inches clearance while loading the car. This is between the folded mirror and hand grip bars on vertical fairing as the car comes onto the truck. There will then be about 4 inches clearance between folded mirror and the drom box when car tires are lashed down. Is that enough? Using that clearance from drom box, leaves 9 inches, plus or minus an inch of clearance, from side of car to the front corners of the trailer in a 45 degree turn on level ground. Before you say that is plenty, keep in mind I am singled short with the pin 6 feet behind my rear axle. One thing I don't know, and maybe someone can help me with, is estimating how much closer the trailer may come to the car when turning on real world unlevel ground. The rear axle is 17' 3" from front axle. The impact point would be about 40 inches above the pin. Any engineering types care to chime in on how much closer I can expect my car to come to the trailer in a 45 degree turn while rear axle is in a significant dip? Is 9 inches plenty, or will I need to be careful to avoid turning like that in dips? Thanks for your assistance. Jim 2001 Volvo 770, Detroit 60 Series, Gen 2 Autoshift Passenger assist elevator to enter cab - for when we need it, or sell it? '05 Travel Supreme Select 40 RLQSO 5th wheel 2016 smart car We started full timing on December 1st 2014 Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness - Mark Twain Not all that wander are lost - J. R. R. Tolkien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big5er Posted February 26, 2017 Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 Jim, which way are you loading the car? It's a pain in the rear to fold in that passenger side mirror to gain very little. Although I just read the rest of your post...ok, maybe you are that tight?? MY PEOPLE SKILLS ARE JUST FINE.~It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.~ 2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 2014 smart Fortwo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdickinson Posted February 26, 2017 Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 I'm with Phil on folding the mirror, you only gain 1.5". I tried it. If you calculate that close and forget to fold it....it will get ripped off. You need enough room between drom and car to reach in and hook tire baskets onto tiedowns. Does the drom box stick out further than the fairings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Gell Posted February 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 The drom box door panels come out near even with fairings. The drom door hinges and fairing mounted grab bar stick out another inch. I would prefer to leave a little more room for the mirror to clear drom, and not need to fold it, but I don't want it to result in cutting the car to trailer clearance too tight. That is why I am asking for help. I don't trust my own math skills. I thought of another factor that may or may not come into play. Maybe in the right circumstance it will even alert me if I am getting close to bumping the car into the trailer. Our rear truck bumper is roughly 10 inches off the ground. (I have rope lights around the truck, including wrapped around my engine, so I did not air it up to measure.) The bumper extends 88 inches from the center of the rear axle. Maybe the bumper will drag the ground well before the smart can hit the trailer. Another question for a Trig whiz! 2001 Volvo 770, Detroit 60 Series, Gen 2 Autoshift Passenger assist elevator to enter cab - for when we need it, or sell it? '05 Travel Supreme Select 40 RLQSO 5th wheel 2016 smart car We started full timing on December 1st 2014 Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness - Mark Twain Not all that wander are lost - J. R. R. Tolkien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Gell Posted February 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 The fairings curve forward as they go up. The drom box measurements compared to fairing in previous post are at deck level. 2001 Volvo 770, Detroit 60 Series, Gen 2 Autoshift Passenger assist elevator to enter cab - for when we need it, or sell it? '05 Travel Supreme Select 40 RLQSO 5th wheel 2016 smart car We started full timing on December 1st 2014 Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness - Mark Twain Not all that wander are lost - J. R. R. Tolkien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdickinson Posted February 26, 2017 Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 OK, I just went out with my tape, so here goes. I know how much I miss the deck hatch by and it's not much 2 " or so. After all the figuring is done that leaves 7" to reach in between the fairings and the tire to get the tire cages on. You are reaching up and over the tires to get them on the tire cages on. Clip them on the deck tie down points first. If you are less than 6' and don't weigh more than 200 lbs you will be reaching in to the shoulder. Possibly more if the tiredowns are tucked in behind the tires and you have to drive over them. Any closer to the drom or fairings and there may not be enuf room to reach in.. The body sticks out a little beyond the wheels but no that close to interfere with reaching in. The fattest part of the car is the middle of the door and the mirror, neither of which interfere with putting on the wheel cages. Getting the cages onto the tiedown then up and over the tire can be a challenge sometimes. Body parts where you can't see them sometimes catch the webb and you can't force it or things can break.. The front of your car is narrower than the rear, so the rear will probably be more of an issue. Also pack along a couple of chunks of 2x6 a foot long or so. If the car goes on crooked and one of the front chocks won't go in far enuf to be able to get the bolts into the dek holes. Roll the car fwd just onto the ramp and put a the chunk of 2x6 on the deck behind where the chock goes and drive the car back on the deck. In my case lifting the car by 1.5" was enough to be able to get the chock to line up with the bolt holes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoDirectionHome Posted February 26, 2017 Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 Using that clearance from drom box, leaves 9 inches, plus or minus an inch of clearance, from side of car to the front corners of the trailer in a 45 degree turn on level ground. That's scary close even for making a normal 90 degree right turn. My opinion is you will HAVE TO lengthen the frame and set the hitch back further. "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...
Jim Gell Posted February 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 Roger, I don't anticipate any problem attaching the wheel cages. It won't be that much different than my 2011 smart. I think the difference that makes mine easier is that my drom box was built narrower than I wanted. I had them convert my vertical stacks to a weed burner to make room for a full width drom box. Apparently they had one design for a drom box and that is what they built and put on. I have 15-16 inches from side of drom box out to the fairing on each side. My 34 inch sleeve length arm reaches around through that opening to attach inside ends of the wheel cages for my 2011 smart fine. Looking at the new car, I don't see it being much harder even if it's a little closer to the drom box. I appreciate the heads up though. It would be a real bummer to set it all up just to find out I can't reach afterwards. Jim 2001 Volvo 770, Detroit 60 Series, Gen 2 Autoshift Passenger assist elevator to enter cab - for when we need it, or sell it? '05 Travel Supreme Select 40 RLQSO 5th wheel 2016 smart car We started full timing on December 1st 2014 Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness - Mark Twain Not all that wander are lost - J. R. R. Tolkien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heavymetal Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 I think I would mount a temp camera and watch it during a turn over smooth and rough terrain and I would go further then just 45 degrees. I have been in some tight places and have been way past the 45 degree angle a few times. 2016 Western Star 5700xe (Pathfinder) DD15 555hp w/12 speed automatic 3:05 diffs 2005 Newmar Mountain Aire 38RLPK 2 Great Danes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
On The Road Posted February 28, 2017 Report Share Posted February 28, 2017 I am laying out chock positions on my bed to accommodate the 2016 smart. I pushed on my car a bit and it seems to only move a couple inches sideways. My drom is attached to the same deck the car sits on, so it should not bounce back toward the car much. Right? The best use of the space seems to be to minimize the folded mirror of car to drom box clearance to just enough to be comfortable, and maximize the distance from trailer to the other side of car. My current thinking is to have 3 inches clearance while loading the car. This is between the folded mirror and hand grip bars on vertical fairing as the car comes onto the truck. There will then be about 4 inches clearance between folded mirror and the drom box when car tires are lashed down. Is that enough? Using that clearance from drom box, leaves 9 inches, plus or minus an inch of clearance, from side of car to the front corners of the trailer in a 45 degree turn on level ground. Before you say that is plenty, keep in mind I am singled short with the pin 6 feet behind my rear axle. One thing I don't know, and maybe someone can help me with, is estimating how much closer the trailer may come to the car when turning on real world unlevel ground. The rear axle is 17' 3" from front axle. The impact point would be about 40 inches above the pin. Any engineering types care to chime in on how much closer I can expect my car to come to the trailer in a 45 degree turn while rear axle is in a significant dip? Is 9 inches plenty, or will I need to be careful to avoid turning like that in dips? Thanks for your assistance. Jim Jim , what would the distance be from the smart door to the center of the fifth wheel hitch. "> 2001 610 Volvo -Volvo power 465HP/1650 -autoshift2009 Smart Passion / cross loaded on Volvo2014.5 Mobile Suite 41 RSSB4VOLUNTEER CHRISTIAN BUILDERS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronbo Posted February 28, 2017 Report Share Posted February 28, 2017 Take a hammer and knock the mirror off. Cathy will watch that side while driving. Then you can get closer to the dorm. Ron C. 2013 Dynamax Trilogy 3850 D3 2000 Kenworth T2000 Optimus Prime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Gell Posted February 28, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2017 Jim ?, (On The Road) The center of my pin will be 58.75" from the closest point on car, the folded mirror. I measured to mirror since the closest the trailer will come will be when it is turned to 90 degrees or more, making the mirror the likely first casualty. The door will be a bit further away, 1.5 to 2 inches, if I remember right. Today, I got up on the truck and set the bottom of a broomstick at 59 inches from the pin. Then I tilted it back the 8-9 inches toward where the car would be. Without any complicated trig computations, it looked obvious to me, from the angle of the broomstick, that the truck would need to be at a severe angle for there to be a collision. Just like jackknifing, I will need to use a bit of common sense while maneuvering. At this point, I am going to assume I will be fine in all but the most unusual circumstances. If anyone thinks I am wrong, I would like to hear from you. I don't want to extend my hitch again. As I recall, the engineer who designed my bed extension, with the width of the 2016 smart cars in mind, said he gave me a little extra room. Then when the job was passed off to the welder, he said he also added a bit more room just to be safe. I am glad they did, because I don't feel we have too much extra room. Jim 2001 Volvo 770, Detroit 60 Series, Gen 2 Autoshift Passenger assist elevator to enter cab - for when we need it, or sell it? '05 Travel Supreme Select 40 RLQSO 5th wheel 2016 smart car We started full timing on December 1st 2014 Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness - Mark Twain Not all that wander are lost - J. R. R. Tolkien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoDirectionHome Posted February 28, 2017 Report Share Posted February 28, 2017 The center of my pin will be 58.75" from the closest point on car That should be just fine even with the drive axle in a dip. "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...
Jack Mayer Posted February 28, 2017 Report Share Posted February 28, 2017 I don't think you will have an issue Jim. The 4" to the box from the folded mirror should be fine. It really should be no more difficult to attach things that your last smart. Total width should work too, but you will want to check it all out after you load for the first time. I had less than that on my grey truck and tried some really tight/dipping turns and never got closer than 1.5" to the car. That is tight, but still clearing. And you have more room. You can do the math all you want, but in the end you just have to put it on and try it. Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member Living on the road since 2000PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail 2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it) 2022 New Horizons 43' 5er 2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 2019 Volvo 860, D13 455/1850, 236" wb, I-Shift, battery-based APU No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units 2016 smart Passion, piggyback on the truck -------------------------------------------------------------------------See our website for info on New Horizons 5th wheels, HDTs as tow vehicles, communications on the road, and use of solar powerwww.jackdanmayer.com Principal in RVH Lifestyles. RVH-Lifestyles.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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