Date: Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:16:43 -0400
Reply-To: Don Hundt <dhundt@BENDBROADBAND.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Don Hundt <dhundt@BENDBROADBAND.COM>
Subject: Re: [NVC] Need alignment sight to help with backing trailer
Content-type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=iso-8859-1; reply-type=response
Flag for a kid's bicycle. they come with a mounting bracket, are very
flexible (fiberglass rod), can be removed easily, and are inexpensive.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rocket J Squirrel" <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, September 27, 2009 7:07 PM
Subject: [NVC] Need alignment sight to help with backing trailer
> My little fiberglass Westrailia trailer (see picture at
> http://picasaweb.google.com/j.michael.elliott/Westrailia?authkey=Gv1sRgCKnqmseWto-QDw#5383978043121345154
> ) has a very low profile, and it's not as wide as the van.
>
> I'm going to be backing it down my driveway after camping trips. But once
> the trailer starts heading downhill, it completely drops out of visibility
> in all three mirrors.
>
> I need some kind of vertical pointer dingus like an antenna or fiberglass
> rod that I can raise from the trailer's nose or rear as a visibility
> marker. Rear would be better because alignment errors would be more
> apparent.
>
> It would not be hard to put an alignment marker on the rear window so that
> when the pointer and the marker were lined up, I'd know the trailer was
> aligned with the long axis of the van. Better than trying to back it down
> the hill blind -- as I've found.
>
> There's nothing keeping me from just taping a yardstick to the rear of the
> trailer, but I'd like to come up with something a bit more durable,
> convenient, and elegant, and there are a couple design constraints that
> I'm looking at:
>
> 1. An upright pointer can't be permanently mounted to the front or rear of
> the trailer because the trailer lid is hinged at the front and if the
> pointer were mounted at the trailer front, the lid would mash into it when
> the lid is opened; and if it's sticking up at the rear, it would interfere
> with gear loading. I could just mount a socket (like a flagpole holder or
> something) to the rear of the trailer and stick an old tent pole in it
> when I needed it, but ...
>
> 2. ... it would be nice if the pole was always mounted to the trailer so I
> wouldn't have to fish around in the van or trailer to find it when it was
> needed for downhill backing. Just something I could flip up.
>
> I don't mind drilling and mounting things to the trailer body, but would
> prefer not to drill holes in the lid.
>
> Like I said -- NVC.
>
> But if anyone has some swell idea, please p-mail me.
>
> --
> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
> 74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
> Bend, OR
> KG6RCR
>
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