Generator rack is finished

[Jackd1]

Beautiful job!!! I was green too, but sold to daughter & now have a small house & the GD!! A great answer for a generator...
Jack

[el Rojo]

Nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ShooTingSTar]

We took our two Honda 2000 gens to Alaska with us in a Torklift Lock and load basket on the trucks front receiver hitch. A few days into the trip after nearly hitting idiots who pulled right in front of us at highway speeds within 1 hr of crossing from WA into BC, Canada I got to thinking I wonder if the trucks air bags would deploy if I had not been successful at locking up the brakes and sliding around the idiots. One I passed on the breakdown lane of the right lane to avoid slamming into the rear of the idiot.

After some discussion we decided to move our generators and rack to the rear bumper. This lasted only two days as the roads through BC and the Yukon on or way to Alaska were so rough that it was bending the steel parts of the Lock and Load holding the generators and securing them.

So back on the front they went where they rode fine. Just decided there was no room in our travel plans for a front end collision. After 8,000 miles we returned home after a very fun trip with no disasters. Just a lot of trailer breakage due to frost heaves, pot holes and construction zones along the Alaska Hwy.

During day one of our two day transit north up the Cassiar Hwy I began chatting with a new arrival in a large Class A coach from Florida. Asked him how his day was going. He said, better now that I'm off that road. Damn, I hope it doesn't get any worse going north. I replied, oh you haven't seen nothing yet, I lived in Alaska for 25 years before retiring and moving back to WA. Have done the Hwy many times. It gets much worse before you enter into Alaska. We had a rear ladder chair rack on our last 5er. 3 chairs with rack and a very nice Sunbrella heavy fabric cover with heavy nylon straps around it and the ladder to hold it in place that Sally had made for the Alaska trip. We got into an RV Park in Tok, AK and while cleaning up the interior disaster I discovered everything on the ladder, chairs, cover, straps were all jettisoned during the days travel. Totally gone! $350.00 in chairs, rack and fancy cover to protect them from the dust and mud.

My point is if you head for Alaska attaching stuff to the rear ladder or bumper that hang out. They will take a terrible beating on the roads up north. Not to mention being filthy at the end of most days. When we traveled from Tok to Dawson on our return we took the Top of the World Hwy. We overnighted in Chicken, AK. Next day I debated locking in the trucks front hubs but decided not to. (having had previous experience on this road segment in past years) During a couple sections we were plowing through 6" of mud on the road due to recent rains in parts of the route. When we got to Dawson that night we spent around $25.00 at the RV park RV wash station power washing the rig so we could get near it and not get covered in mud. That and be able to see out of the 5'ers windows. Our mostly white trailer was brown. Running boards had an inch of mud on the tops of them.

George

[LCBoyer]

We took our two Honda 2000 gens to Alaska with us in a Torklift Lock and load basket on the trucks front receiver hitch. A few days into the trip after nearly hitting idiots who pulled right in front of us at highway speeds within 1 hr of crossing from WA into BC, Canada I got to thinking I wonder if the trucks air bags would deploy if I had not been successful at locking up the brakes and sliding around the idiots. One I passed on the breakdown lane of the right lane to avoid slamming into the rear of the idiot.

After some discussion we decided to move our generators and rack to the rear bumper. This lasted only two days as the roads through BC and the Yukon on or way to Alaska were so rough that it was bending the steel parts of the Lock and Load holding the generators and securing them.

So back on the front they went where they rode fine. Just decided there was no room in our travel plans for a front end collision. After 8,000 miles we returned home after a very fun trip with no disasters. Just a lot of trailer breakage due to frost heaves, pot holes and construction zones along the Alaska Hwy.

During day one of our two day transit north up the Cassiar Hwy I began chatting with a new arrival in a large Class A coach from Florida. Asked him how his day was going. He said, better now that I'm off that road. Damn, I hope it doesn't get any worse going north. I replied, oh you haven't seen nothing yet, I lived in Alaska for 25 years before retiring and moving back to WA. Have done the Hwy many times. It gets much worse before you enter into Alaska. We had a rear ladder chair rack on our last 5er. 3 chairs with rack and a very nice Sunbrella heavy fabric cover with heavy nylon straps around it and the ladder to hold it in place that Sally had made for the Alaska trip. We got into an RV Park in Tok, AK and while cleaning up the interior disaster I discovered everything on the ladder, chairs, cover, straps were all jettisoned during the days travel. Totally gone! $350.00 in chairs, rack and fancy cover to protect them from the dust and mud.

My point is if you head for Alaska attaching stuff to the rear ladder or bumper that hang out. They will take a terrible beating on the roads up north. Not to mention being filthy at the end of most days. When we traveled from Tok to Dawson on our return we took the Top of the World Hwy. We overnighted in Chicken, AK. Next day I debated locking in the trucks front hubs but decided not to. (having had previous experience on this road segment in past years) During a couple sections we were plowing through 6" of mud on the road due to recent rains in parts of the route. When we got to Dawson that night we spent around $25.00 at the RV park RV wash station power washing the rig so we could get near it and not get covered in mud. That and be able to see out of the 5'ers windows. Our mostly white trailer was brown. Running boards had an inch of mud on the tops of them.

George

I think you've convinced me, the best way to Alaska is by plane

[Bamaman]

Very nice work on your part.

Many owners can get by with a 3000 watt inverter generator, which weighs more like 80 pounds. They won't run 2 a/c units and you might have to cut one a/c unit off if you run the microwave. But since the engine speed goes up and down according to the load, they might not shake the RV much. They're also very quiet.

It must be nice to have fabrication and welding skills.

[ShooTingSTar]

I think you've convinced me, the best way to Alaska is by plane

Well, I knew what I was getting into. Wanted to take my SO and her mother to Alaska so I bought a used entry level Forest River 5er and knew it would only be a 1 trip wonder trailer. Made it home with more then the tires, rims and frame before we traded it in on our new 2017 Grand Design. I would not drag my new trailer to Alaska.

We have a SE Alaska cruise scheduled for 2017 to see the other Alaska since I want them to get to visit SE AK and not just the interior. JNU, Skagway, Glacier Bay, KTN and Victoria BC out of SEA.

We had fun but it was rough on equipment.



One good decision we did make this past summer was to find a decent RV Park and stay there for several days and do day trips such as Valdez and visiting the Kennecott Mine and not drag our trailer to these locations.

[schmo37]

Johndeerefarmer you sir are top shelf at fab , very nice job

[Bamaman]

You can get a thick rubber mat to minimize vibrations --like chefs use in their prep space. Sam's club handles things like that.

[johndeerefarmer]

Johndeerefarmer you sir are top shelf at fab , very nice job

Thanks. I owe those skills to my dad, who taught me welding, carpentry, plumbing, electrical and just about everything else I know except electronics and computers.

[johndeerefarmer]

You can get a thick rubber mat to minimize vibrations --like chefs use in their prep space. Sam's club handles things like that.

I have a thick rubber mat under mine. It helps some but you can still feel vibrations throughout the living room and kitchen area. Once you go upstairs it's minimal. I don't know if that's due to the carpet or what but I can easily sleep with it running.