Bubblegoose1
@PNWINFERNOPRO
@DudeLePowSki How did you mount the L-track to the ceiling, bolt-thru? Nice upgrades, as well. I think we have decided to remove our bunks. No real use for them, for our needs.
MIssion Overland Trailer Owners page
- Thread starter WU7X
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DudeLePowSki
Member
@Bubblegoose1 The L Track is temporarily mounted to the ceiling with heavy duty 3M VHB double sided tape. One piece of track is mounted along the length of the roof and second piece is perpendicular. Our plan is to go on a camp and see where the track is most useful. Once that's decided, I will pop rivet the L track to the ceiling.
As for the bunks, my son loves it up there now that it is a flat deck. I think with the flat deck, a single bunk would make a great spot to store clothing and gear bags, even if we didn't have a child.
As for the bunks, my son loves it up there now that it is a flat deck. I think with the flat deck, a single bunk would make a great spot to store clothing and gear bags, even if we didn't have a child.
Bubblegoose1
@PNWINFERNOPRO
@DudeLePowSki Thanks for the info on the track. Keep us posted on your findings for best usage positioning.
Bunks are still on the fence. So far we haven't used them in the down position at all. Have just thrown a couple extra pillows up there, in the up position. Thinking
Bunks are still on the fence. So far we haven't used them in the down position at all. Have just thrown a couple extra pillows up there, in the up position. Thinking
Are there any Summit owners near the Portland, OR area?
Would like an opportunity to see one in person if able. No issue for me to drive a bit to view. Dale and I chatted a couple of years ago, but my plans had changed at that time and the trailer went on the back burner.
Thanks,
Chad
Would like an opportunity to see one in person if able. No issue for me to drive a bit to view. Dale and I chatted a couple of years ago, but my plans had changed at that time and the trailer went on the back burner.
Thanks,
Chad
Vogold
Member
I’m in Tigard. Mine is the first one that was delivered through a dealer, so its not the most up to date unit, but you are welcome to check it out.
colb45
Observer
Anyone located around the Vancouver, BC area that owns a Summit trailer that my wife and I would be able to take a look at? Would like to see one in person before we pull the trigger on it.
Also I noticed they do not have rear recovery points, I figure a decent fabricator would be able to add some to it (I hope)?
Also I noticed they do not have rear recovery points, I figure a decent fabricator would be able to add some to it (I hope)?
Winterpeg
Active member
The lack of rear hitch and/or recovery points makes me hesitate as well.... would slapping on a recovery point, on something not designed for one, end up twisting the whole thing in a recovery situation?
colb45
Observer
On the same thought pattern.. I personally do not know of enough about trailers yet (not enough research or time spent). However, if the trailer frame itself is built as solid as described, plus a skid plate adds that additional cross rigidity it logic tells it should. This is basing on assumption that rear recovery points fabricated properly should be able to tie in the rear cross member, wouldn't be much different than a custom bumper being built on a ladder chassis style pickup or SUV. These are just assumptions from looking at photo's (I have not had the chance to see it in person, yet) so I could be totally out to lunch on this.
Ouch! This looks like beastie:
It doesn't look like this early trailer has the structural crossmember shown here: https://expeditionportal.com/forum/...ailer-owners-page.205103/page-59#post-2830697
A lot of collateral damage somehow? Did the frame get all twisted as the axle broke loose?
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DudeLePowSki
Member
If you look on their instagram page near the beginning of when MO launched, it shows that they were including 2 rear recovery points as options. Not sure if that option went away or if nobody has bothered to ask for it.
DudeLePowSki
Member
Dale, any updates on your situation?
mep1811
Gentleman Adventurer
I just finished 700 miles of offroad driving traversing Utah. I have over 3,000 miles off road on the trailer so far.
While this won't help Dale, it appears that the Timbren itself didn't fail and that the newer Summits don't have the design flaw that his has.
Timbren says there are 3 acceptable ways to handle the torsion that caused Beastie's failure - the first 2 require use of the inboard mounting holes - I've fingers through 2 of them here - the 3rd one is further forward, above the cross-member that's not a part of the trailer on my TetonX:
The first option is to bolt an existing cross-member to the inboard holes (above). It seems pretty difficult to position a cross-member such that it will align with the inboard holes, will not interfere with the frame mounting bolts and still will sit directly on top of the Timbren hanger.
The second option is to fabricate a right-angle bracket with gussets and bolt it into the 3 mounting bolts that go through the frame and then also through these 3 inboard mounting holes. This requires a frame rail that "...is sufficiently strong to overcome the torsion...". Not sure what that would mean, but I'm guessing 2x3 inch tubing in any reasonable wall thickness isn't going to be enough.
The third option is to add a special cross-member just for the axles that is independent of the trailer frame. That's what I have and it appears that the newer Summits (maybe all but the first one, who knows) also took this route.
The problem with Beastie is the water tank is in the way so there was no way to add that special cross-member. It appears that there was some attempt to build enough torsional strength without following Timbren's instructions:
The orange arrow looks like where the Timbren hanger was welded directly to the frame (probably not a good idea to weaken the frame with a weld in that direction, but that's a different story.
The blue arrows are a bit confusing - my guess is that reinforcements were welded to the side of the Timbren hanger to try to keep the side place from bending - it's 1/4" plate, but for these loads, probably not strong enough by itself - you can compare the picture above with mine and see that those reinforcements aren't really coming with the Timbren:
Timbren's installation instructions say to both use 2 bolts on the added cross-member and to weld the cross-member to the hanger in 2 places. The footnote says it's OK to do just one of those 2 things.
Another footnote addresses another potential problem would be pretty tough to see in the picture, but the main mounting holes through the frame need to be sleeved or other wise strengthened to prevent the frame from getting crushed as the mounting bolts get tightened down and as torsional loads try to pull the nuts through the inside of the frame. Given that the side plate doesn't really look bent, some or all of the angle that the picture shows could be due to that sleeving not being done? I checked with TetonX and they do sleeve the frame bolts. Hopefully the sleeves are also in the newer Summits.
Unfortunately for Dale, the only solution I see is to move the water tank and then put in the cross-member. Could be the frame needs to be replaced if it's crushed or if it's got interference problems with where the water tank needs to be moved to.
The rest of us can probably breathe easier given that we're unlikely to have this problem.
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