Author Archives: robsworkshop

1993 Award Classic 23 Page 3

Black & White

Let’s have a look inside shall we. This isn’t my first interior design rodeo.. Yes it needs a bit of work. We want to keep the black and white theme but tone it down a bit.. In other words less back. We’ll start with a video tour.

See what I mean.. Some things are not ever to be done and some things should be left as they were. And there are things that need a change. Like the stereo situation.. The fancy little blue tooth thingy.. Nope not my thing. This is my thing…

I had all these things in my garage, the Kenwood stereo, voltage readout and an old aluminum sign which has donated many pieces to different projects. Oh look the batteries are in need of a charge. A week later the battery is not showing signs of charging… Hmm. Not that we will be camping on the batteries …but that means the inverter charge isn’t doing it’s job. Have to check on that.

September 9th:

Road Trip ! I took my truck to my friend Dave’s to steal parts from his old Award trailer. Came back with lot’s of goodies. Some we need like the two twin mattresses, Hot water tank, Roof AC unit, stove, microwave, cabinet doors and drawers. Plus other bits and pieces.

I’ll use that small corner cabinet in the new living room I plan to make… Later.

Exact same stove and microwave… Ours are still good.. Only need the steel cover off the stove

I’ve got plans to use some of this stuff. Can we say ” night stand with two drawers” OAK !

I’m going to clean this AC up and test it.. If it works I’ll swap it with mine … but not the cover, that’s toast. And not before I Re-test the AC in the trailer. Same thing goes for the hot water tank… I’ll make one good one out of two..if I have too.

Here’s the AC from Dave’s trailer.. After the wasp nests, leaves and other crap has been cleaned out. The control panel on top for the test. It’s alive ! works as it should blows 58 F on high.. That feels cold enough. Then I tested the one in the trailer.. It too seems to work.. same temperature. Both on a 15 amp circuit. These are not big AC’s only 1100 BTU’s But if you try to run them on a long 14 gauge extension cord I don’t think that works well. So I have a spare AC.. And about the hot water tank.. Dave’s Award trailer had the exact same by-pass set up for the hot water tank. But his worked !

I cut the two ends off to make a straight through by – pass with no valves. Now I can install this and things will be back the way they are suppose to be.

And of coarse along with those goodies came two twin mattresses that were in a 30 ft Award trailer. They need toppers but these are hard to find and are a perfect fit. Next Spring you will see a big transformation inside the Award. But in the mean time I can work on the cabinet doors and drawer fronts.. Let’s start a new page for that shall we !

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1993 Award Classic 23 Page 2

More About Award Trailers..

Yes that’s an SUV in the mountains near Banff Alberta. No equalizing hitch, Steep hills, No problems ! However it would have been a nicer trip with the equalizing set up.. and more air in the Buick’s tires. Things got a bit too bouncy at times. Also I suspect too much weight up front in the trailer.

Here’s a new video I made… a tour of the outside:

We’ll discuss the interior in a different post. Let’s see and start at the front of the trailer. Some of these things are unique to Award trailers. Like the hitch and tongue.

That’s a very good coupler but there is no way to lock it. Interestingly it fit a 2 ” ball, most travel trailers are 2-5/16″. The whole hitch is very narrow so you can turn sharply without jack knifing and hitting the corner of the tow vehicle. I plan to change the jack for a power one.. Notice no batteries up here, and the propane tanks are in the front hatch. No need for a cover. All part of keeping things slippery.

The front window is very unique to the Award trailers. It is two pieces of curved lexan with an air space. You can’t get these anymore, but this one is near perfect … even the rubber trim looks new. Mostly the trailer body needs a bath and a polish. Next year I would like to replace the vinyl insert on the trim. I opened up the awning today.. Just want to make sure it works ok and no damage.

Could use a bath, but very good condition. This pleases me. I’ve inspected around the trailer 100 times and have found very little to complain about. I let the awning dry in the warm breeze. That’s when I found a broken piece on the front rafter slide. New piece ordered. Oddly the strap wasn’t even in it’s slot… just tied up at the end. We can’t have that.. It’s needed to open and close the awning evenly.

The business side of the trailer! Like I said in the video .. I think it’s great that all the heat producing stuff is on this side. I don’t need to replace any of these doors and hatches. Just the two keyed locks. Which is now done.. they are keyed alike, and I have four keys. I’ve ordered the electric jack for the front. Once that is replaced the outside is good for now. Oh Oh I was washing the trailer mostly the roof and the vents. But I decided to carry on and do every thing. Has to be done before any re-sealing. Then I can install the two vent rain covers. Well I discovered the window in the door had sagged down on one side leaving a gap for water to go though. I’ve had problems with these in the past.. There is very small tabs inside that hold the glass, and one was broke off. A small block of wood works, can’t see it , it’s inside the frame. FIXED! Also it has bugged me that two of the “A’s ” are missing from the decals.

Must be my mild OCD or something… But this really does bother me. So I fired up the Cricut cuting machine and make four new “A’s” that are just a bit fancier. I have lots of 3M sign vinyl so why not.

There is actually five places that say “Award” on the trailer two of then being the front nose. Both those are in poor shape from road rash.. So I may just take my eraser wheel to them. Well here is the new fix ..

Not so boring . I made new decals for the first Surf Side trailer I restored too. The folks on the fiberglass trailer forums loved it…

Anyway I like things to be nice.. Sooo I will do the sealing and install the covers and say good to go for the winter. However while I was installing the new sliders for the awning rafters I decided to give the awning a much needed bath. It was a nice warm day so the awning would dry. While I was rolling it back up the ratchet cam decided to let go of the spring. Good grief.. what next ! So I had to take that apart and investigate. The wheel that the cam grips was badly worn. So I used a file to give it new teeth. Works great again…for now ! My new electric jack came , but I’m leaving that job for the spring.

The inside…well that’s a thing that needs a chat on a new post..

Page 3 Interior

1993 Award Classic 23

Aug 23 2024:

Our new trailer… 31 years young !

This is the photo from the ad. Yes the battery compartment door is bent.. First thing I did was straighten that..

So let’s talk about the trailer.. By going back in time

We had a 1994 27ft Award trailer for many years back in 2005. One of the best trailers for towing and rolling down the road. We took that trailer through all four western provinces. Here’s a photo of our rig..

Very aerodynamic and a not an intimidating size this makes these trailers road warriors. Plus they were made in Canada, and had features not common for those years. It’s because of these things ( and I’ve had enough of crappy old stuff) That I went looking for another Award trailer. Award made these trailers in three sizes.. 30ft, 27ft and 23ft. And very few of any size for sale in the western part of Canada. This 23 ft popped up and despite the 4 hr drive to get it I jumped on it.. And like our first Award trailer this one is a one owner trailer. Or in this case more like one family. The granddaughter inherited the trailer a few years ago. Unfortunately that young ladies had some black paint and a bush. So not looking at all like it was from the factory.

I get it.. oak is not everyone’s thing. And she tossed out the couch and chair up front, then built ( and I mean BUILT) a dinette with a BIG table. A table made from 2×6 lumber !

That’s cool… BUT it added a lot of extra weight to the front of the trailer. She also put some plywood pieces over the twin beds in order to use a queen mattress. And kept the mattress..

Fortunately none of that was attached . So I took all that away when I got home. We have decided that the twin bed would be better for us.

Opps she ran out of flooring. That’s ok a piece of carpet will work for now. And I’ll need to build a new night stand. There was a floor to ceiling cabinet there. I want a night stand, so it’s better if I make one.

Enough complaining about someone else ideas on improvements.

I’ve dealt with worse things. What I have bought is a very solid 31 year old trailer. It was mostly stored under cover. And that shows on the outside. The big things for me … A working large two door fridge. Electric and propane. No electronics too. Have a look…

I don’t see any circuit board here. Therefore it works ! Second thing .. solid floor. I could not find any bad stuff. I do think the sky light over the tub leaked at some time.. Some crunchy bits in the ceiling over the tub only. Don’t ever plan on using the tub for anything but storage. My 94 and my friend Dave’s had rotten floors. It can happen from plumbing leaks or in Dave’s case water sitting on top of spay foam used for insulating the under side of the floor. Not this trailer. The plywood looks old under the trailer but still strong. The plumbing works good no leaks, pump works as it should. All the lights work. The toilet is a newer one that’s taller and more deluxe.

Opps again with the flooring.. No big deal. There is work to do… Not sure I like the gold heat vent. It’s part of the decor.. I know.. Surprisingly the wife likes the black and white theme. Who’d a thunk that.. So the plan is to make more curtains like the front ones for the bedroom.

No you can not successfully paint a stainless steel sink. And mac-tac self sticking wrap a counter top is not good either. The faucet is nice ! That’s the factory wood sink cover.. YES ! Oh no I’m complaining again. You know we have our own ideas on the ideal set up for a trailer would be. So having some things that need changing is a good thing. For example the sink being painted… We would prefer to have just a single sink. Never saw a good reason for the double. More counter space would be better. So.. to go from a double to a single will require a new counter top. Prefect I’ll get to use new Formica instead of vinyl sticky stuff. Both the bathroom and the kitchen need this done. This post is getting long so time to start a new page…

Page 2

Fix’n Stuff Gramps Page 4

Aug 2024 :

Now that the truck is running great and reliable to go anywhere , it’s time to get the trailer wiring done. Today I made space in the garage. Plans are:

Repaint the hitch with rust paint.
Install new 7 and 4 pin plugs.
Run the wire for the back up camera.
Push the dents out of the rear bumper.

I have all the parts I need so let’s get to it !

Here’s what I have so far.. There is more on the way. I’m going to replace more than just the lever on the steering column. The high beam part of the switch is not working .. New one coming and a new cam for the turn cancel too. Above I have a new trailer plug 7 and 4 pin combo, and the adapter. New digital brake controller. Back up camera with a screen. Key less locking kit. New headlight switch. And the new multi function lever.

Gramps in in the garage ready for all this work to be done. I have to run the power wire and the camera wire to the front first. Here’s the test for that.

Very handy for both backing up and hooking up trailers. It won’t be automatic when in reverse, I’ll have a switch on the dash. Same thing for the 12 volt power to the trailer plug. I want control over these things. Here’s a short video of the progress…

I realized that the wires to the back of the truck needed to start at the front. So I started taking the steering column apart and the dash too. I’m still waiting for a few parts and added to the order today. While I have the dash apart, I’m changing the lights to LED’s. Polished the lens today and now that looks so much better. Progress has been slow on the truck.. But I got back to it.. Have all the parts I needed and it’s time to get the steering column back working. I decided not to pursue the locking system at this time. That involves removing a door panel… Nope I hate doing those. Here’s what I’ve done so far:

New parts in the steering column DONE. Horn fixed too.
Cleaned and polished dash parts.
Installed back up monitor and wires going to the back.
Running a power wire to the back , with switch.
Installed new brake control.

The monitor fits nicely here.. works great..

Just need to get the truck up higher so I can run the power and the camera wire. A jack and jack stands work good. Wasn’t too hard.. And I got the wiring mess at the back done. We now have a nice trailer system. With a camera !

I do need to paint that hitch though.. One more thing left to do .. The old ash tray is getting a makeover. With a new 12 volt plug and two USB ports for charging stuff.

This will be handy, just need to install this back in it’s place. I’ve tested all the wiring and it’s all good. I’m hitting the road in a few days …so the truck will get a good test. We are good and ready for the road trip.

And what a road trip ! I didn’t get far and the transmission started to act up. Not serious things at first… So carried on. Just geared down on the mountain passes and that worked fine. The overdrive ( 4th gear) was slipping and jumping around on even the slightest hill. So I put some magic (no slip) in the trany thinking that may work. Nope ! On the way home after going over the third and highest pass It started to get a knocking sound at slow speeds. And the oil pressure gauge was going up and down.. I was determined to get home so I put up with that.. And I did make it home.. Turns out that noise is coming from the motor… and it’s bad news. We suspect it to be a rod bearing.. Not fixable given how long I drove with this happening. So Gramps needs a new motor ! YIKES ! So I could throw more money at the truck … Lots of money and still have other things to fix.. Or cut my losses and sell Gramps as is.. I’m choosing the latter. The final determination of the problem is the oil pump. It was failing off and on and that lack of oil damaged one of the connecting rod bearings on the crank shaft. This would have damaged the crank as well. Still drive able but with a bit of noise. I got it across town and drove it onto the semi truck trailer that was taking it to it’s new home way up north.

Bye Gramps. I hope you can be fixed.

70’s Enclosed Trailer Intro

June 2024

Something different this time…

This was an old U-Haul rental trailer that somehow found it’s way on to a farm not far from home. And I found it in an estate sale. I’m told it’s been sitting here for many many years. Yup I’ll agree with that. The plywood is rotten. The tires are shot so it’s not going home with me today. Price reflected the sad condition, and it’s still solid except for the plywood.

These are the only photos I have for now..( I’m so busy looking it over that I forget to take photos). I need to go back and load it on a trailer to get it home. And he needs to clean out his stuff stored in there. By the way that stuff is dry ! Yes the roof is in good condition. This will be a fun and different trailer project.

June 19 2024

Today I made the trip back out to the farm to bring the trailer home. I don’t have a flat deck trailer nor could I rent one. So I made the decision to get it road worthy. Two things needed to work out for that. The old rusted wheels had to come off, and the coupler had to work ! (in other words stay on the hitch). I brought lots of tools and a jack with some blocking. First thing… see if the wheel nuts will come off. I soaked everything with WD 40 and the first one came loose ! But the second one broke off. Yikes.. But as luck would have it all the rest came loose. Here’s a quick video I made when I got to the farm and started that process.

Jacking the trailer up was not fun. The duff on the ground was 4 inches deep. And the trailer wanted to head down the hill. So with the wheels in the car I headed to the nearest tire store and had them install new tires. It’s crazy that these wheels are 6 stud 16 inch load range E tires. What you would use for a car / equipment hauler.. not a little trailer. Anyways got the new wheels on and the coupler working. Off we go. Towed good ! full speed down the road no worries.

Made it home..

And here it is … Big wheels …Little trailer. I forgot to say ..I took the tools to re-grease the hubs.. but even after sitting so long they turned smooth. So I left them as they were. However now after the trip home they are a tad loose. No big deal.. It’s not going anywhere till it’s had it’s make over, and those hubs are only for those big wheels. After all that I’m seeing the things to change for sure.. Those wheels are not needed. 15 inch or even 14 ‘s would be a better fit. But to do that the axle would have to be changed, because the hubs are big old 6 stud ones.. We’ll check it out later.

This hast to go.. Those old couplers come loose when you hit bumps. and we hit bumps. It’s nice that it’s raised a bit so the trailer tows level behind the Buick, which has a higher than normal hitch. All I need to do is cut the old one off right behind those ears and …..

Here’s a proper 2″ coupler that will bolt on. I will also need to figure out a tongue jack. And while we are up at the front of the trailer… Check out the old 14/2 house hold cord and plug they used for the lights.

Farmer fix for sure ! Plus there is no ground wire, just the lights. They used the coupler as ground… Okay that works (maybe) when everything is new and not rusty. Not sure what would happen if you plugged that into a 110 socket, and I’m NOT doing that ! The way the trailer is right now there is no tongue weight at all….None. You can lift it with a finger. And that translated to a lot of rattling while towing. I will mount the spare (when I get one ) to the front of the body. And while we are talking wires…

The “extension cord” to the left side is broken. That’s why I have a set of tow lights. Oh and I weighed the empty trailer at the scales on the way home.. 1000 lbs ! EMPTY. That tells me that it should have a 3500 lb axle at minimum. Check out the springs…

Count em… 9 leafs ! I don’t know what to think about that.. good or bad ? The axle is however just a 48 ” spring centre drop axle. And there’s that “extension cord” so it must be from the factory. But all other things aside.. the biggest problem is the lack of Vin#. That’s a $250. dollar expense right away. So I’m in no hurry with this one.

Nov 1 2024

For now it’s tucked in a corner, and I’m storing a few things in it.

Those ramps are for weight up front.. Very annoying when the trailer tips backwards just cause you did not put enough weight up front. I would like to get working on this now that the garage is empty. But I’m still thinking about how to deal with the wheels ,axle and lack of vin#.

OK decision made !

I want a winter project. I will do the vin number thing in the spring. Keep those big wheels (because they were expensive) and find a spare. I would like to ad another foot to the front to make the inside eight feet long. This would also help with the lack of tongue weight. Can’t wait to start. Sooo let’s start a new page.

Page 2

Fix’n Stuff Gramps Page 3

This Post will be about the fix’n and Plans .

Gramps does not need much. I’m driving the truck just the way it is.. BUT there are some stuff to do. The first thing is to make an appointment with my shop to have a look for problems and to adjust the idle. Also I will get them to do a wheel alignment. There’s sure to be a list. One of the biggest things for me is the paint. It’s missing in a lot of places, and that could mean rust will happen. I really like the blue factory paint. It makes me happy like the blue colour of my ATV. So it’s a keeper for when that happens.

I’m not sure about the black lower part.. But it does look good.

June 4 2024

Today I picked up a nice canopy from a nice person for Gramps. I had to drive a few hours to get it.. That was the most I’ve driven the truck..

White is a good fit and so is this canopy. It will stay on for the summer. After that 4 hr drive I now know more about the truck, so I have a list of things needing attention. As well as the inspection, here’s my thoughts: Wheel alignment.. wanders on the road more than it should. Rough idling… The motor feels like it stumbles at idle. Cruise Control.. Yup it’s should be working. A/C .. yup that could be handy.. I believe a recharge will fix that. Fan speed... medium speed is not working. Will have to see what’s up there. Replace Multi Function Switch… Got a new one.. And it may fix the cruise.. Horn ! Needs fixing. Dash & Cluster…I have a new headlight switch to install and all the bezel needs a good cleaning. Also I will replace any bulbs that are out. That’s enough for now..

Update: Now that the truck has had it’s assessment we know the answers. A few surprises, but overall good news. Got a list from the mechanic and the costs. Adds up to just under $2000. So the plan is to have some stuff done now and some later. Here’s whats getting fixed first.

Rear Brakes. The shoes are bad and both brake cylinders leak as well as a leak in the line that crosses the rear axle.
Spark Plugs & Distributor Cap. I suspected this could be the cause of the rough idle. A good thing to do anyway.
Oil Pressure Sender. The gauge goes up and down. So let’s make sure this is not the issue.
Fuel Filter. It’s old so let’s just do this while on the hoist.
Wheel Alignment. There was some wandering and pulling on the steering …this should fix that.
Oil Change & Air Filter. Want this done anyway.

Here’s what is getting fixed along with those things.

Intake Manifold Gasket. Possible leak of the coolant here. The motor will be happy.
Power Steering Pump. Leaking and this may help the steering problems too.

So we will see how this works out… Now there is a few more things that need attention. The shocks are older. And of coarse there are a few electrical things to fix.. I will gladly do those. That’s my thing ! So by the end of summer I should have a reliable good running and driving truck. Ready for the cosmetic stuff.

July 24 2024.

We are home from our camping now and the truck spent 3 weeks at the shop having all the stuff on the list done. Including the intake and power steering. Runs great and now I have confidence in it for some long trips. I have ordered the parts for trailer towing electrical. including a new brake controller. I’ll fix all that in August. I took the left taillight out to see what colour wire did what. And the mud and dust was thick on the back of the light and the cavity.

Should have taken a before photo… But this is what it looks like now after a good cleaning. I also need access on the left side for power to the canopy light. While I have the taillights on my table …why not make them pretty again. They are faded and oxidized. So I tried a new product.

And it worked wonders on those taillights… check them out.. Again some “before” photos would have been nice.

I like clean and shiny things… So next is the trailer wiring and I’m thinking a new page for that.

Page 4 More work

Cleaning Gramps Page 2

May 24 2024

Time to give Gramps some love…

And what I mean is cleaning the interior. Looks to me like no one has done that for thirty years. The first thing I cleaned was the doors and the dash. I still need to use the Bissel on the door fuzzy parts.

This is a huge improvement.. trust me on that. My cleaner is quite powerful so I have to remind myself to be careful. I didn’t mean to but I erased the symbols on the light switch.

Don’t ask what that toggle switch is for cause I don’t know… YET. But now that there are no seats in the way…

It would be easier to get under the dash to find that remote start crap. Yes I removed the seats …Easy to clean the carpet and the seats this way. And let this be the “before” photo. Oh and now that we have easy access I was curious about the tool box.

Sure Nuff.. There’s all the dusty tools like they’ve never been touched.. Amazing ! I also found 4 quarters in the door pocket.. There’s a buck towards some new parts. Dusty seams to be the theme here. The motor and area is not greasy but very dusty.

Really dusty ! Today I dropped my 10 mm wrench down inside the door. So I had to remove the door panel to get it. Dusty everywhere. And if that’s the worst, then we are good. Here’s two photos after I cleaned the carpet and the seats.

The back seat is quite nice now..

Don’t mind those wires.. They are leftovers from removing the command start system. I did not get any fobs for that.. So this mess goes in the garbage.

Those wires are the 12 volt hot , the 12 volt acc and the ground. As soon as I put the battery back I’ll test to confirm that.. Maybe could use them somewhere. Next is a under the hood bath.

And here’s a “after” photo. quite the improvement. I have one small thing that needs attention. The battery terminal clamps. They are old and rusty, and well just wrong. I fix ! And that is all the cleaning for now.

Page 3 Fix’n Stuff

Jeep, Jeep, Truck ! & Gramps

May 15 2024

I traded the two Jeeps for a truck..

It seamed there was no way I was going to deal with the Jeeps.. I tried selling the 95 with no luck. And now my Son is moving away. So I put both up for sale this spring, Two for one. Not a lot of interest in two broken Jeeps. Till this guy made me an offer. Trade the two for his 1996 1 ton diesel dually truck. My first reaction was no.. but then I thought if I don’t like the truck I have only one thing to sell not two. And he was willing to deliver the truck and take away the two Jeeps in one go. So I said ok let’s do it.

And this is what he used ! A three vehicle hauler. The truck runs and drives … and the Jeeps made it on to the trailer. Bye Bye Jeeps. Here’s a short video..

Well what I did not say in the video was my indecision about whether or not I would keep it. So after driving it around for a few days ( which the truck did willingly) I got to know how I felt. And got to know more about the condition of the truck.

This is where the concerns are. Under the hood. Let’s talk about that. I did take the truck to the mechanic for an overall mechanical assessment. And this is the low down.. The motor is the only problem on the truck. And that is no surprise given it’s age. Leaking oil and coolant, and blow by in the crankcase. All signs of a somewhat wore out motor. It’s starts fine and runs good, but things are near end of life. And for me I want reliability. Also to fix all the leaks would be costly, mechanic’s opinion not worth it. Now if you add to that the condition of the body, badly rusted rockers and doors. Well it’s just a money pit for me. Plus It’s loud, rough ride… generally a beast ! I’ve put it up for sale. Just not the truck for me. Update ! After many weeks I have finally sold the Diesel 1 ton. Now I can put my efforts toward this nice truck…

This is the truck for me …

Yes same colour… Let me introduce to you the 1993 Chevy OBS 1500, 350 V8, auto 2wd. I’m calling it “Gramps”. Because that’s who drove it since new. Only 200,000 kms on the ODO ! Rare for Alberta. It was passed on to the 19 year old kid who wanted a car not a “gram pa” truck. It popped up on my radar as I was seeing what a good price for the 1 ton would be. And your not going to believe this but the young fella was coming to Drumheller to look at a car he wanted. Well… Here’s chance to see the truck and if it’s as good as claimed and in the pictures, I’ll make a deal. I did ! And here is a quick Video :

Yes the paint is bad… always in those years. Only one rusted part on the right rear rocker. Everything works except the A/C and drives great. In fact my Son and I are using it for dump runs and for him to drive while his truck is in the shop. This post will continue about this truck and the plans for it. Needs a good cleaning and I will get an inspection done as well.

The rear end of the truck. Most of the things wrong are cosmetic. Like the Chevrolet panel. Where you see brown is the dirt stuck to the leftover adhesive when the stick on letters fall off. The hitch is not the factory one It’s better I never checked but I bet those license plate lights work. The latch works ! and still has the bezel trim.

This is common on these trucks. If that chrome hasn’t started to peel off yet …it will soon. Like I said mostly cosmetic. Mechanically.. needs a wheel alignment, new plugs and new filters. I’m sure I’ll find more but that’s where we are. In the meantime I am collecting things for improving Gramps. The new mirrors I ordered for the 1 ton will now go on Gramps.

Processed By eBay with ImageMagick, z1.1.0. ||B2

I have installed these before on the 94 K2500 I had years back. They are not power, but they pull out to be extended for trailer towing. A very popular after market item and reasonable price too. Also I have new lenses and LED bulbs for the dome light. Oh and a set of window visors for an extra cab that will be nice to have. Allows the windows to be open a bit without the worry of rain getting in. And now I liberated these floor mats from the 1 ton.

I just cleaned them up. The ones from Gramps can replace these.

Ok I got Gramps back from my son.. I took it to the car wash and gave the box a good blast. I also washed in the wheel wells. It’s now in the garage ready for some serious cleaning.. New post for that.

Page 2- A Bath

Westward Ho Trailer Page 3

May 3 2024

Decking time !

Also the side walls too.

Before I could attach these walls I had to drill thousands of holes and counter sink them along the top rail. You can see them peeking over the top. Took me days and many small drill bits.

However the outside deck boards had to go on first. The wall boards attach to those.. It’s like a big puzzle ! Video for proof..

The deck boards get bolted down with carrage bolts… lots of them.

Then it was time to get the gates installed and working. YES… this is how it’s done and they swing wide to the side and also latch there.

I know missing a tooth.. Had to buy one more board to finish. I painted all the wood screws so it wouldn’t look weird. Install the jack and wheels and put this puppy on it’s feet.

I also installed the box and locked the keys in it.. How embarrassing ! That’s a very secure box .. I know. Had to cut the hasp and buy a new one. I also water sealed all the wood. Hard to tell because it did not change to look.

On the next nice day ( because I didn’t want it dirty YET ) I took it for a spin up to the highway scales.

It weighed in at 800 lbs. Not surprised she’s a big trailer. Had a few things to adjust like the latches for the gates. and the right side bearing needed one more turn on the nut. Tows great which is good cuz in a week it’s going on a 4 + hour drive north to move my Son. Then it will be going to BC for our yearly camping. Kayaks on top !

May 29 2024

Did the trip north, loaded up with lots of stuff. No issues at all. Just a little dusty. We are good for the big trip in a month. I wish I had taken a photo of the loaded trailer.

June 25 2024

The trailer is all loaded up for our yearly group camping.

Just perfect for this !

Two kayaks, two e-bikes, and tables, chairs and camping stuff. Not as heavy as the moving stuff… Good cause we are hitting the mountain passes.

Aug 2024:

We are back from camping and the trailer worked perfectly. Somebody will get a great trailer cause it’s up for sale..

SOLD !

The Westward Ho trailer Page 2

April 11 2024

Onward Ho !

I now have the new fenders. Good thing because test fitting showed a problem.

They were too low so I had to add another piece of angle on top to bring them up. No worries easy fix. I made lots of short videos with the updates, here’s the latest one:

I now could build the two gates for the back. and I picked up the new metal to do so..

Here’s the test fit, making sure there is enough gaps . I also made some things like the spare tire holder.

This should be the ticket, nice and strong. Also the new coupler was installed.

Bolted and welded ! New safety chains also installed. Almost ready for paint.

This is one of the four hinges I’m using. Very strong and greasable ! Paint time !

Just like that ( took a few hours) it’s all red. Black under the fenders. I’ll do two coats. And made a video :

Wiring is next. You get to see those nice LED lights the same ones I used on the Jayco trailer.

Isn’t this great tucked away but very easy to see. The wiring runs in the gap to the front where it goes inside the frame tube to the very front.

Where they appear and become the 4 pin plug. Works perfectly! and here’s proof…

The penny lights that go on the fenders are plug in because they poke in from the outside. and with this milestone it’s time for a new page.