Flippac torsion bar

[RHINO]

the torsion bar is solid,, should not be rifle drilled unless they changed the design.

for lift poles i did an ext. pole that is 7ft collapsed to fit in the hammock slots for storage

 

[dman93]

I just checked the broken remnants of my t-bar. There's just a small blind hole, maybe 1/2" deep, at each end ... probably to help center the bar when it's manufactured.

 

[Dave Bennett]

Belay my last.

 

[tacollie]

So I got the delete done. It feels good to have a useful Flippac again! I basically got the same parts listed in dman93's thread. I used .75" dom instead of the EMT. A 20' stick was $11. There is cross member on the front of 2nd gen Tacos that I cut the ends off of a slide in a rectangular tubing for my lower mounts. It's a little janky but it works well. I probably have $70 in the whole. Thanks everyone for the help.
We slept in it 3 nights over thanksgiving.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dman93]

There is cross member on the front of 2nd gen Tacos that I cut the ends off of a slide in a rectangular tubing for my lower mounts.

I like that lower mounting! Like your Taco, my stock T100 bumper doesn't really lend itself to supporting the lid, since it doesn't stick out far enough for a straight tube to clear the fenders (though mine is real steel ). When it's light in the morning (and if it's dry) I'll check if my T has something similar I can attach to.

Thanks for the pictures - dman93

 

[mattyj]

After well over a year of calling and waiting, I finally got a replacement for my broken torsion bar at the beginning of November. 3 months and only a handful of uses later, that replacement just snapped.

Wondering if anyone made progress with a 3rd party torsion bar source as mentioned earlier in the thread?

 

[homemade]

Does anyone have a good idea of the torque on the bar required to open/close the lid? I wonder if a worm gear reduction box attached at the passenger side of a solid bar delete of the torsion bar would work. I think a worm gear would be self locking at any position. If a 100:1 reducing gear was used then maybe a cordless drill would be able to open it, maybe?

These are good units, the torsion bar is obviously its Achilles heel. It would be nice to have no tension on the lid or cap also even when closed so there wouldn't be constant distortion forces on both components.

 

[Dave Bennett]

After well over a year of calling and waiting, I finally got a replacement for my broken torsion bar at the beginning of November. 3 months and only a handful of uses later, that replacement just snapped.

Wondering if anyone made progress with a 3rd party torsion bar source as mentioned earlier in the thread?

Wow. I trust you contacted them to warranty that as a defective part? If not, you should!!!

 

[dman93]

I calculated the torque and posted details a while back but don't have it handy. I couldn't see a way to fit in any gear reduction mechanism since space is tight, but while I can crunch the numbers, I'm not the most clever with soving that kind of problem. I am still thinking a weaker(lower stiffness, not ultimate strength), lower stressed t-bar, assisted by a longer crank handle, mayi be the way to go, but haven't had time to do much more than think.

 

[Camelfilter]

After well over a year of calling and waiting, I finally got a replacement for my broken torsion bar at the beginning of November. 3 months and only a handful of uses later, that replacement just snapped....

Ugh, sorry to hear that!

 

[austintaco]

With the torsion bar failures being linked to a "bad batch", has there been a particular year or batch of years that seem to include the bad ones? ie Are torsion bars made in 99 more likely to be better than ones made in 2006?

 

[Arclight]

Does anyone have a good idea of the torque on the bar required to open/close the lid? I wonder if a worm gear reduction box attached at the passenger side of a solid bar delete of the torsion bar would work. I think a worm gear would be self locking at any position. If a 100:1 reducing gear was used then maybe a cordless drill would be able to open it, maybe?

These are good units, the torsion bar is obviously its Achilles heel. It would be nice to have no tension on the lid or cap also even when closed so there wouldn't be constant distortion forces on both components.

I think the consensus was to call these guys and ask about sending your old one in to duplicate:

http://www.schroedersteering.com/OWbarsPage.html
Phone 818-565-1133
FAX 818-565-1134
schroedersteering@yahoo.com

The main specs are:

Length
Spline count and diameter at the attachemnts
Diameter of the working bar
Solid or gun-drilled
Type and heat treat of material

For all we know, they might be the OEM.

Also, you know that the Flippac torsion bar should be neutral when the lid is straight up and down, right? I understand they can break if installed out of time (i.e. so that they are under too much tension folder or extended).

Arclight

 

[tacoluv]

So I got my bar after 14 weeks last Tuesday - looks not to be of consistent diameter? I was thinking this will snap at that narrowed area - I'm sure it won't last. As the recent post from mattj stated his new one snapped. I don't know what good it is to talk with those folks as they really don't care. I did talk with Adventure Trailers yesterday to see how they get service on the units they sell. They will no longer be selling Flip pac because of these service and delivery issues. There is no reason a well made bar should not last. Sourcing problem for these bars as there is no quality control. So where to get replacement bars?

 

[Dave Bennett]

With the torsion bar failures being linked to a "bad batch", has there been a particular year or batch of years that seem to include the bad ones? ie Are torsion bars made in 99 more likely to be better than ones made in 2006?

My FlipPac was made in late 2009, assuming torsion bar is made circa 2009. Still going strong as of 2/2015

 

[Dave Bennett]

I think the consensus was to call these guys and ask about sending your old one in to duplicate:

http://www.schroedersteering.com/OWbarsPage.html
Phone 818-565-1133
FAX 818-565-1134
schroedersteering@yahoo.com

The main specs are:

Length
Spline count and diameter at the attachemnts
Diameter of the working bar
Solid or gun-drilled
Type and heat treat of material

For all we know, they might be the OEM.

Also, you know that the Flippac torsion bar should be neutral when the lid is straight up and down, right? I understand they can break if installed out of time (i.e. so that they are under too much tension folder or extended).

Arclight

That is my plan if/when mine fails. Unless something better comes to market.