Rear porch for bikes, quad, etc.

[David Josephson]

We're planning a Wanderlodge project (shopping for the coach, now)
that will carry a couple of motorcycles, or a quad, or maybe a Smart
car (it's just short enough to be Calif. legal -- sideways). We're
trying to keep the overall length to a minimum and avoid towing. We
have some mechanical and structural engineering skills available, but
if anyone has already done this over 1,000 pounds I'd sure like to
know about it. We are looking at the 31 and 33 ft '83 through '87 FCs
primarily. The main question is how far forward we need to carry the
load to distribute it well over the rest of the coach. Of course a
general reality check would be helpful too, to see how close to GVWR
these coaches typically are.

Another option we're considering would be to replace the rear wall
with a toybox type door, and make it possible to raise the bed on
tracks enough to roll a Smart inside. They are 106" long x 61" high x
62" wide and weigh 1800 pounds. This isn't going to work with a PT but
with a 33 or 35 ft FC it might.

Does anyone have structural drawings of the later PTs they can share?

THanks

David Josephson

[Jon]

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "David Josephson"
wrote:
>
> We're planning a Wanderlodge project (shopping for the coach, now)
> that will carry a couple of motorcycles, or a quad, or maybe a Smart
> car (it's just short enough to be Calif. legal -- sideways). We're
> trying to keep the overall length to a minimum and avoid towing. We
> have some mechanical and structural engineering skills available,
but
> if anyone has already done this over 1,000 pounds I'd sure like to
> know about it. We are looking at the 31 and 33 ft '83 through '87
FCs
> primarily. The main question is how far forward we need to carry the
> load to distribute it well over the rest of the coach. Of course a
> general reality check would be helpful too, to see how close to GVWR
> these coaches typically are.
>
> Another option we're considering would be to replace the rear wall
> with a toybox type door, and make it possible to raise the bed on
> tracks enough to roll a Smart inside. They are 106" long x 61" high
x
> 62" wide and weigh 1800 pounds. This isn't going to work with a PT
but
> with a 33 or 35 ft FC it might.
>
> Does anyone have structural drawings of the later PTs they can
share?
>
> THanks
>
> David Josephson


Dave this might just give you an idea! I installed a portable deck
on the back of my 78 Wanderlodge. It was originally made for carring
motor cycles but as you can see I modified it so I could use it as a
deck.

The biggest problem I ran into when putting this thing together was
that it tends to hit bottom when I go up or down entering my drive
way. The wheel base is so far forward of the rear of the deck that
it does this. I have a hitch to raise it higher but I just haven't
got around to doing that. The plate form has to be just about even
with the step you seen in the picture so that I can get another foot
or so on the platform itself. Sounds to me that you are going to
haft to put some beams back aft to support your idea and make sure
you get them plenty high enough so that you do not get this bottoming
out effect.

Here is a picture of my deck and you will haft to run it through a
web search to get it. Jon

http://tinyurl.com/4m7tml

>

[David Josephson]

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Jon" wrote:
> with the step you seen in the picture so that I can get another foot
> or so on the platform itself. Sounds to me that you are going to
> haft to put some beams back aft to support your idea and make sure
> you get them plenty high enough so that you do not get this bottoming
> out effect.
>
> Here is a picture of my deck and you will haft to run it through a
> web search to get it. Jon
>
> http://tinyurl.com/4m7tml

Thanks for the note, you're right... and I'm not at all sure it will
even be possible but I'm still looking into it.