Utility Platform

TerryV6 · April 2018

Well, earlier this week I saw that Spring was knocking at the door and so I brought old [email protected] home from storage and parked her in the drive. We decided to buy the utility platform and it arrived yesterday afternoon in a huge cardboard container that resembled a big Toblerone candy bar. Tomorrow would be the day I told myself. Welllll..... I woke up to 3 inches of snow and falling, and the camper is covered. The forcast is for a foot of snow in our area. Sigh... So, I went out to the garage and opened the box. Inside is a beautiful platorm with 4 bolts. Nothing else.. I'm old, I can figure this out... Piece of cake... Besides, now is the time to start up the blower and move some snow here. Also have to clean up for some "old" people. (They are old... 97 to be exact).

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/nf/4yk4qpw2ibz9.jpg

ericnliz · April 2018

@TerryV6, At 97, those are extremely well-seasoned folks. Nice of you to help them out!

MuttonChops · April 2018

. . . opened the box. Inside is a beautiful platform with 4 bolts. Nothing else.. I'm old, I can figure this out... Piece of cake...

@TerryV6

Am 100% sure you can figure out the platform installation.

To give you some confidence here are pictures from a factory installed with standard colored plastic tub.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/g0/0whp4j564ro7.png

Believe the procedure is:
- Remove Propane & Battery
- Remove FOUR Bolts/nuts that hold Propane/Battery Rack and Tub to frame.
- Place new Platform, it self aligns . . . suggest you double check Propane Rack & Tub placement
- Expect you will have to Drill the Four Platform mounting holes into Frame
- Assemble platform, Tub, Propane Rack.

TerryV6 · April 2018

Thanks a bunch MuttonChops. I saw the four holes in the platform when I was putting away the blower and figured it couldn't be too hard. With the blowing and drifting snow, it might be a while.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/x1/ja1prv5cqfep.jpg

She is trying to be an optimist though. "Terry, plug in the camper so I can use the Alde"

Sharon_is_SAM · April 2018

So much for spring!

TerryV6 · April 2018

Yes, we got 8 inches more last night with rain, and 7 more expected. I’m thinking I’ll just get some lawn chairs, set up a table and enjoy the view. Once I clean the ice off my glasses...

Look at my pants... I’m completely soaked... and the snow is ice packed...

We do have friends in Seattle and Dallas...

Verna · April 2018

I can see the ice on your spare!

Sharon_is_SAM · April 2018

@TerryV6 - time to get out of town! It is pouring rain Saturday through Tuesday here, but at least no white stuff.

hymie · April 2018

@TerryV6 This shot is of our platform with the tub off. I cropped the shot to show a better view of the one visible bolt. Hope this helps...

TerryV6 · April 2018

Thanks James, It really is looking pretty simple. I also do more study into something before doing because I always run into "something". Simple jobs are never simple and I try to avoid those mistakes. If you don't mind, what is that flat section in front of the platform? I had a storage mod thing there that I bought here from one of the members. It was really rather clever. I am now going to put in a bike rack like the one Mandy Lee has on her Tab, so it will have to go.
Oh yes, usually I click on a photo here that I want to save, right click on it and save as a jpeg. I see that these photos come up as .webp files, so I had to learn about those and how to save them as jpegs. I added something to my chrome browser that lets me do that. Thanks for another learning experience. I learn one new thing a day, it is just a problem that I forget two others.... grin...

TerryV6 · April 2018

ericnliz said:

@TerryV6, At 97, those are extremely well-seasoned folks. Nice of you to help them out!

He is my friend's father. Everyone has a story, or is a story. He was an orphan who was adopted by a farm couple in central Wisconsin. He met a girl here in Appleton, about 25 miles away and would ride his bike to see her. Then, being drafted, he was trained in tanks and the army in its wisdom, sent him to the Pacific, where there wasn't as much of a need. His regiment was sent to the Philippines after they were liberated and they were tasked with recovering war dead. So.. no good memories there. He raised 5 fine sons and after losing his wife last year, he has a spot on the mantle where he puts a fresh rose in a vase every few days.
He is a great guy. How could you not help him out. Yesterday he beat me to it however, as even with a cane he managed to clear the drive with his blower.

ericnliz · April 2018

@TerryV6, The resilience of that generation of folks astounds me every day. My mom at 87 still lives in her own place, and shovels & takes care of her own yard. My kids call her the "Energizer Bunny" Grandma!

ChanW · April 2018

@ericnliz, @TerryV6, good stories!

c2seaside · April 2018

@TerryV6 ; When the snow melts, and you tackle this project, be aware that the breakaway switch may be in the way of where you need to drill the front hole on of the trailer to mount the platform. I'm a modestly handy person, and managed to mount the platform without too much difficulty, but I accidentally damaged the breakaway switch when I was moving it forward. Rewiring a breakaway switch is significantly more difficult after the platform is mounted (the box is centered under the platform/tongue). My advice is not to damage the breakaway switch. If it looks like it's in the way, be sure to carefully remove it and drill new mount prior to installing the platform and be sure the wire will extend far enough before drilling new attachment into the frame. That was the problem for me. Wiring was damaged because not enough slack to move forward far enough to clear the platform attachment.

dragonsdofly · April 2018

@TerryV6, @ericnliz, I have one of those energizer bunny people too. Last year I stopped by my mom's place to find her (at age 90) up on a ladder washing her second story outside windows. She shovels the snow, mows the lawn and gardens. She drives and takes people 10/20 years younger than herself to church. I find her amazing!

hymie · April 2018

@TerryV6 Platform is for the dual 6v batteries in a Noco battery box.

TerryV6 · April 2018

Well, thanks to someone upstairs for the snowmelt and for all of the help and photos I received here, I put on my platform. Looks great IMHO. Drilling the holes wasn't bad, but I found out quickly how many of my bits were dull. Also, the cabling tip from C2seaside was helpful and I remounted the unit to allow for the extra cable length needed. I then took off my diamond plate storage mod. Sniff, sorry to see it go, and added a bike rack. It is the one that Mandy Lea shows on her blog and looks to be high quality. Then, thinking Tongue weight, I took off my spare mount that is in the picture. I'm doing my homework in that area. I did a weight on this setup, without the bikes, but with the tire still on, and it was 275. So, I'm thinking I might be around 300 without the tire and with the bikes. I am driving a Ram 1500 which has a towing capacity of 7000, and the class 4 hitch is rated to 1200 pds. Ideally, I would like to be able to put a generator on one side and an small carry box with incidentals on the other side. Hmmm.... more study to be done, plus searching for knowledge. I know that supposedly the Tab is 1670 and 10 to 15 percent should be my tongue weight. So, I am well over this estimate. But I am wondering if my truck is taken into consideration in this and if counterbalancing could offset this number somewhat. That is really where my question lies... Maybe if I make my wife sit in the back I would be good to go...

Hymie, what is your tongue weight? You have an Outback. Higher weight rating?

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/th/ht2jcznq76tz.jpg

Oh yes, if you will notice, I have a few more clamps holding the bike base. "She who must be obeyed" was worried and wanted me to add.....

TerryV6 · May 2018

Well, we have finally made it out and are on the shores of Lake Michigan. Our new setup worked well, but we found that the platform interfered with the stabilizer crank somewhat. Also, the little extra weight made getting the jack wheel off a bit of a problem. I saw this discussed in other threads. Oh well. Time to explore the dunes...

TerryV6 · May 2018

Oh yes."She who must be obeyed" is a reference quote from a British TV show, Rumple. He always used that about his wife. My wife wanted a t shirt made.

Sharon_is_SAM · May 2018

Hi @TerryV6, glad to see you made it to the dunes. Was re-reading your comments above. Your tongue weight should be based on the total weight of the trailer, not just the dry weight. So add, gear, food, platform and boxes, bikes and racks, etc. to come up with a truer weight. And yes, tongue weight can be altered by more weight behind the Tab axle. We still need to weigh our Tab fully loaded. We have the tongue weight, now we need the Tab weight.

hymie · May 2018

@TerryV6 Our tongue weight is around 225 lbs loaded and ready to go. Our spare is on the back Yakima rack.

TerryV6 · May 2018

Yes, my wife wants me to just put the tire in the truck bed. With the mount, that is 50 pounds. Also, someone said a hitch with the ball up about and inch would adjust for the wheel The measure for this one was before I added weight.

TerryV6 · May 2018

hymie said:

@TerryV6 Our tongue weight is around 225 lbs loaded and ready to go. Our spare is on the back Yakima rack.

Would you recommend the rack as an add on for our tab? Pricey?

lino · May 2018

We just had a platform installed last week
The extra tongue weight is making towing much smoother

I am wondering what did others pay pay for the platform?

hymie · May 2018

@TerryV6 I would likely not buy the rack but do enjoy not having the spare up front. The rack is not rated for much beyond the weight of spare. We carry a pair of light camp chairs on it and some extendable poles. Looks good though...

EmergencyKen · October 2018

@TerryV6, where exactly would one order that platform from? We decided after our inaugural trip last week that we will probably need a generator and some extra water storage and that would be a perfect place for it, but I can’t find it on any f the websites.

jkjenn · October 2018

EmergencyKen said:

@TerryV6, where exactly would one order that platform from? We decided after our inaugural trip last week that we will probably need a generator and some extra water storage and that would be a perfect place for it, but I can’t find it on any f the websites.

Call Elsie, in parts, at the factory.

dsfdogs · October 2018

@EmergencyKen it comes from nuCamp.

TerryV6 · October 2018

First, have to say I’m very happy with the platform and glad we ordered it. But... we got hammered on the shipping price. Of course it is big and heavy. Just to let you know...

jkjenn · October 2018

TerryV6 said:

First, have to say I’m very happy with the platform and glad we ordered it. But... we got hammered on the shipping price. Of course it is big and heavy. Just to let you know...

This is true. Might make a nice day trip to the factory to pick it up.

EmergencyKen · October 2018

Thanks for the info. It’s only about an hour and a half down to Sugarcreek, so that’s definitely a doable option.

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