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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
Comments: To: Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
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 > > __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus > signature database 4462 (20090927) __________ > > The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. > > http://www.eset.com > > >


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