Author Topic: '84 Dodge Rampage Build Thread  (Read 818115 times)

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Offline Milwaukee Midget

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Re: '84 Dodge Rampage Build Thread
« Reply #1320 on: October 15, 2015, 08:12:23 PM »
Nothing wrong with a flatbed, Steve.  They pull easier and won't eat you out of house and gasoline. 

And given your solution of renting a U-Haul while in Wendover, provided your spares will fit in the bed, you'll save the Dodge and have a nice, sheltered work space while on the salt.

A trick to save space - UPS your clothes to the hotel and simply duffle a change on the road.  Clothes are fairly light, but take up a lot of space.  The UPS shipping can literally buy you room for a spare motor.

"Problems are almost always a sign of progress."  Harold Bettes
Well, I guess we're making a LOT of progress . . .  :roll:

Offline jpm49c

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Re: '84 Dodge Rampage Build Thread
« Reply #1321 on: October 15, 2015, 10:43:10 PM »
 8-)

Offline SteveM

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Re: '84 Dodge Rampage Build Thread
« Reply #1322 on: October 16, 2015, 08:14:50 AM »
Practice with black.

That's good thinking!
1/2 of the Rampage Brothers

Offline SteveM

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Re: '84 Dodge Rampage Build Thread
« Reply #1323 on: October 16, 2015, 04:53:53 PM »
A trick to save space - UPS your clothes to the hotel and simply duffle a change on the road.  Clothes are fairly light, but take up a lot of space.  The UPS shipping can literally buy you room for a spare motor.

That's good thinking too.  As far as having an open trailer, I actually prefer it.  When I came to Wendover in 2014, I was using a borrowed enclosed trailer (which I had to do a lot of work on).  Since my lifestyle often involves hauling around cars in various states of disrepair, the open trailer is greatly preferred to the enclosed trailer.

Plus, I feel like the open trailer is "Old School Bonneville Cool".  I am thinking about making a rack to haul some conduit and connectors to make one of those temporary shelter deals (like a super heavy duty E-Z up).

In any event, I'm setting my sights on the summer of 2016, hoping it's going to be one of the best on record.

Steve.
1/2 of the Rampage Brothers

Offline redhotracing

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Re: '84 Dodge Rampage Build Thread
« Reply #1324 on: October 19, 2015, 01:47:46 PM »
Steve-

Nice trailer! We have a 21' Kaufmann (3' of which is dovetailed) for the Camaro. I mounted a Tractor Supply truck box on the front and put the winch and its battery inside (with the ferrule mounted outside to keep things clean.) If you have room, it's a nice way to have tool and parts storage without giving up more than 18". You can feed power from the 9-pin to keep the battery charged or add lights (something I plan to do soon). As for the "shelter", my ChumpCar buddy mounted an EZ-UP to his open trailer by simply drilling holes where the base feet allow (probably for stakes?) and welding nuts underneath. Makes for a quick and cheap method for shade. Good luck!
Luke- Winston Salem, NC
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Ohio 2 Club- 203.712 (2013)

Offline SteveM

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Re: '84 Dodge Rampage Build Thread
« Reply #1325 on: October 19, 2015, 05:50:13 PM »
Steve-

Nice trailer! We have a 21' Kaufmann (3' of which is dovetailed) for the Camaro. I mounted a Tractor Supply truck box on the front and put the winch and its battery inside (with the ferrule mounted outside to keep things clean.) If you have room, it's a nice way to have tool and parts storage without giving up more than 18". You can feed power from the 9-pin to keep the battery charged or add lights (something I plan to do soon). As for the "shelter", my ChumpCar buddy mounted an EZ-UP to his open trailer by simply drilling holes where the base feet allow (probably for stakes?) and welding nuts underneath. Makes for a quick and cheap method for shade. Good luck!

There are definitely some good ideas here.  My old trailer (the one that was stolen) had one of the plastic toolboxes mounted on the front, and also a battery box, which as you said, was charged by the 7-pin harness. Pre-drilling for an EZ-up is a solid idea, too!

Thanks.

Steve.
1/2 of the Rampage Brothers

Offline Seldom Seen Slim

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Re: '84 Dodge Rampage Build Thread
« Reply #1326 on: October 28, 2015, 12:17:41 PM »
If you want my two cents' worth -- by all means get an electric landing gear for your trailer.  They're around $150, yeah, but it's so nice to just move the toggle switch this way or that to raise/lower.

I've got on on the racer trailer, and that trailer has a big 12V battery hard-wired to the lights and stereo and so on - and is charged through the +12V on the 7-pin connector.  Simple enough, and since there's that battery I can lower/raise the trailer whether hooked to the pickup or not.

I've cranked enough trailers over a good lifetime -- that dang it, it was time to treat myself to a bit of luxury.  Put one on your trailer -- and you'll be bragging to others and suggesting that they do the same. :cheers: :cheers:
Jon E. Wennerberg
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Offline tauruck

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Re: '84 Dodge Rampage Build Thread
« Reply #1327 on: October 28, 2015, 01:04:10 PM »
Cranking trailers is for cranks. :-D
If $150 solves the problem you gotta have one.

I could make millions here in SA with a system like that, :wink:

Offline fredvance

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Re: '84 Dodge Rampage Build Thread
« Reply #1328 on: October 28, 2015, 03:24:11 PM »
I put one on my trailer. it lasted about a year which is about four or five trips max. I am back to hand cranking which makes me cranky!! :-o
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Offline tauruck

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Re: '84 Dodge Rampage Build Thread
« Reply #1329 on: October 29, 2015, 02:50:32 AM »
Fred, you just ruined my dream!.

 :-D :cheers: :cheers: Cranky.

Offline fredvance

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Re: '84 Dodge Rampage Build Thread
« Reply #1330 on: October 29, 2015, 10:29:41 AM »
One of my problems is that under certain conditions the tounge jack drags. It may be that that screwed mine up. it had been on long enough for me to lose the instructions and spare pin. It was just easier to put the manuel jack back on to "farkle" with the electric one. Farkle is one of Slims favorite words. Mine is spelled a little different! :dhorse:
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Offline SteveM

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Re: '84 Dodge Rampage Build Thread
« Reply #1331 on: October 29, 2015, 10:51:09 AM »
For now, I'm trying to keep it simple.  My buddy has a 24' enclosed trailer (Pace GT) with electric tongue jack, big battery on the front, both 12V and 110V lights inside, etc.  He did not buy it new, and it had been "modified" several times along the way.  It had a cheap battery charger installed in the trailer, with speaker wire running out to the battery (to keep it charged).  Ridiculous.

The wiring on his trailer was completely screwed up the first time I towed it for him (to the point of blowing fuses in MY TRUCK) when I hooked up to it.  He kept a box of 30A fuses in the top drawer of his toolbox to feed the trailer wiring a new fuse just about every time he used it. 

In 2013, I spent a lot of time re-wiring and trying to correct all of the problems with his trailer.  I got it to the point where it would no longer blow fuses on my truck when I hooked up to his trailer, but I still don't trust that trailer.  The electric jack mostly works, but you still have to keep an eye on the "main fuse" on the 12V side of his trailer, or the battery will not charge.  I don't think I'll ever be able to trust that trailer, but I do still tow it for him, and it's what I took to Bonneville in 2014, after doing a lot of re-wiring, putting all new tires & wheels on it, re-doing the brakes & bearings, etc.

Right now, I'm happy to use the manual jack on my open trailer, and to know that the wiring harness is completely intact.  I need to add a toolbox to the front, modify the ramp pockets for longer ramps, and add some tie-down points.  I'm also planning to buy/build one of those EMT conduit type canopies, and a handy way to carry it on the trailer.

This winter will be spent working on the new transmission, turbo, & injection pump setup.  We are planning to run at Ohio and Bonneville in 2016!

Steve.
1/2 of the Rampage Brothers

Offline John Burk

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Re: '84 Dodge Rampage Build Thread
« Reply #1332 on: October 29, 2015, 02:24:37 PM »
A fix for a high effort trailer tongue jack is to replace the worm drive with an Ebay ball screw . A little engineering involved . A fraction of the work to lift the trailer .

Offline SteveM

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Re: '84 Dodge Rampage Build Thread
« Reply #1333 on: October 29, 2015, 02:34:54 PM »
A fix for a high effort trailer tongue jack is to replace the worm drive with an Ebay ball screw . A little engineering involved . A fraction of the work to lift the trailer .

That sounds like a great idea.  Do you have any pics of such a conversion?

Steve.
1/2 of the Rampage Brothers

Offline John Burk

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Re: '84 Dodge Rampage Build Thread
« Reply #1334 on: October 29, 2015, 03:48:51 PM »
Sorry no digital camera . Mine are on my tow dolly that raises to work on the streamliner and raises a little more to roll it in the level trailer . The ball nut pushed down against the inner telescoping tube and the ball screw pushes up against a McMaster ball thrust bearing and conical washers in the top the fixed tube . Mine raises about a 1/4" per turn with moderate force as it lifts 1200# . As I said a failsafe anti wind down latch is important . It should have a stop so the screw can't screw out of the nut and have all the balls fall out .