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Heilite tent trailer
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wythac
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 2:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That is a suspension bushing, made of rubber or plastic. If you have a car or truck with leaf springs you'll see something similar on the ends.
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Kathy J
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 3:25 pm    Post subject: What's inside it? Reply with quote

Thanks! But what's behind the rubber bushing?
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Dustin B
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 3:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If its the same as a leaf spring bushing then there's nothing behind it. It will be solid rubber.
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Wanted Victoria motors licence plate frame.

62 og paint L469 type 1
61 og paint L31 DD panel type 2
64 heilite viscount tent trailer
71 sears clamshell trailer

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Original paint and patina extravaganza http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=187156
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Birdmanhere
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 6:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Heres mine, had it a few years now, tows amazing.
I got it from the original owners locally with complete history.
This winter I took apart the wheel and suspension, cleaned it all up, powder coated the rim and arms, new bearings and tire, also tracked down a spare tire and put new bearings and tire too.
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Kathy J
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 8:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I guess we're not understanding how the thing works...can anyone elaborate please?
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folks55
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 6:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Birdmanhere wrote:

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Nice set up!!
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Dustin B
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 03, 2014 9:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kathy J wrote:
I guess we're not understanding how the thing works...can anyone elaborate please?


Sorry I have never pulled the suspension of a heilite apart but birdmanhere just did. I would send him a PM or email for some of the suspension questions. He just restored his suspension
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Wanted Victoria motors licence plate frame.

62 og paint L469 type 1
61 og paint L31 DD panel type 2
64 heilite viscount tent trailer
71 sears clamshell trailer

I <3 Brazilian busses

Original paint and patina extravaganza http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=187156
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wythac
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 03, 2014 10:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The cylindrical rubber bushing and the bolt that holds it in place is the pivot point for the suspension arm that holds the wheel. The rubber bushing should be removed and replaced. I suggest that you remove the entire assembly from the bottom of the trailer by removing the bracket holding it to the underside frame rails. Before taking that bushing apart, contact the other guy with the singlewheel as Dustin suggests.

Have all the parts sandblasted. Measure the inside diameter of that suspension bushing dropout and find a bushing to replace it. Find a shock that is the same size as the old one and replace that too.

Having the assembly off of the bottom of the car allows you bring it around it auto parts stores and shops to find local professionals to help you. That will be much more useful to you than trying to find out what you need to do by looking thru the www keyhole. What you have is very simple though, so maybe all you need to do is see a picture of the other posters suspension all cleaned up and working properly, to get you on your way.

Good luck on your project. Looks cool.
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Kathy J
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 8:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the description--that does help a bit.
Question to clarify in my own mind--so the part with the bushing does not contain a spring inside, it's just a pivot point . That means that the shock is what actually holds the trailer up off of the wheel. Is this correct?

I just discovered that there's a small automotive spring and suspension specialty shop in the area. If we can get the assembly off the bottom of the trailer I plan to take it over there and see if they can help me with it. We haven't had time this week to mess with the trailer--hopefully the penetrating oil has had a chance to do its magic and we will be able to loosen those bolts.

--Kathy
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wythac
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 10:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would remove the entire assembly and take it to your suspension guy. I don't see how there would be an internal spring, but there might be...all the more reason to take it to local professionals if you aren't sure by looking at it.
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THE BOYZ VW KLUB
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 12:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kathy J
welcome to our Heilite family. ...
we're a unique bunch of people for the luv of camping
all these guys will help as much as possible
hope to see you at a camping trip. .
HEILITE MAFIA
Louie
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wythac
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 5:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kathy J;

Looking more closely at your pictures, it appears that a short arm going to the top shock bolt may go to a spring assembly. I see another cylindrical assembly between the one with the rubber bushing and the bottom of the trailer. It is part of the housing which should all come off when you unbolt it from the bottom of the trailer frame. Given that, I don't think there is any sort of spring on the other side of that bushing.
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Kathy J
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 9:14 pm    Post subject: Progress on cover and suspension! Reply with quote

Well...Heilite Mafia, huh? Laughing That sounds like a fun group! When we finally get this thing on the road, if any of you are in/near Michigan, we'll have to get together!

We made some good progress on "2274" this weekend. Better refurbing through chemicals should be our motto. First, the penetrating oil did its magic and we were able to get the suspension off of the frame! Whew...that was a big worry. Even better, we were also able to get most of the pieces of the suspension separated from each other, to the point that we can now peer down inside of the suspension bushing. You'd have all laughed at us when we opened that thing--we probably looked like we were disarming a bomb. The outer housing for the bushing, however is firmly rusted to the piece that it is inside. I'll be hauling much of the suspension off to the spring & suspension shop tomorrow for advice. I'm assuming they will have the specialized tools required to press out that bushing. I'll find out tomorrow!

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Second, we finally got the hitch attachments off of the frame too. That was a hassle because the nuts are up inside the corner frame underneath an angled frame bar with almost zero clearance next to them for a wrench or socket. We're not quite sure how we'll get them back on after they've been sandblasted and powdercoated, but we'll cross one bridge at a time. No pics of these--thought I took some but apparently didn't. We brought them home so I can further disassemble them before sandblasting/powdercoating. I'll get pics later. I'm trying to photo-document as much of this process as possible so maybe it'll help someone else later.

Third, I started working on cleaning the cover, which was my test of a new cleaner I found at Lowes. In case you can't read the label in the photo, it's "CLR foaming action bleach free mold and mildew stain remover".

This stuff is pure, bottled awesome. The cover was both mildewed and also stained from black gunk that came off the vinyl replacement top. I did a test spot and it came out gorgeous (AND mildew odor free!), so I did the rest. It took almost the whole bottle of cleaner and still a bit of elbow grease with a scrub brush on a long handle (most of it at the corners where the fabric had been folded/creased), but the result was well worth it. There are still some faint mildew stains but I think another round of cleaner will get the rest of it out of the fabric. I'll be looking into getting a case of this cleaner for when we finally start on the tent itself. We can't do that until the trailer can stand up on its own so we can put the tent on the frame to clean it--I don't want to have to continually rearrange all that fabric on the ground while it's wet and heavy.


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So this weekend's work got us a lot farther ahead than I expected. I'm a happy camper-wannabe. Very Happy

--Kathy
in the armpit of Detroit
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Dustin B
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 11:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's great. I'm glad to see the progress. Thanks for sharing.

Dustin
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Wanted Victoria motors licence plate frame.

62 og paint L469 type 1
61 og paint L31 DD panel type 2
64 heilite viscount tent trailer
71 sears clamshell trailer

I <3 Brazilian busses

Original paint and patina extravaganza http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=187156
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THE BOYZ VW KLUB
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 4:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice to see progress...
H.M
Louie
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Kathy J
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 1:39 pm    Post subject: parts, parts & more parts Reply with quote

OK, went to the suspension place. I ended up with every employee there standing around looking at the pile of parts I dumped out of a shopping bag onto their floor. Laughing The guys were fascinated with the pictures I showed them on my phone of how the trailer looks and works. Nobody there had ever seen one before--and they do trailer repairs!

I was informed that the bushing and metal liner is not supposed to rotate, and the rubber bushing itself is still in good condition and does not need to be replaced. They also did not appear to want to work on it, as I couldn't even beg them into taking it apart for me. They gave me detailed instructions on how to take it apart myself though, including a warning to make deep file marks on the edges of all the parts before disassembly so they can be lined up properly for reassembly after painting. They also told me that it *has* to be taken apart before it can be powdercoated because the heat from the paint kiln will ruin the bushing. So it's back home again, and has been doused with more penetrating oil. We'll see what we can do with it in a few days.

I did score a new shock and new bolts for the shock while I was there so there's one thing off the shopping list. Very Happy It just needs some spray paint to match or compliment whatever color we choose for powdercoating the rest of it.

Then it was off to the local motorcycle shop to try to get a scrap piece of old chain to fix the leg adjusters--three are rusted solid and one is missing. No joy though, they only had new chains for high prices. I only need 12 links--I don't want to buy 120 links. So after a quick online course in determining motorcycle chain sizes, I've put out a request on Freecycle for a piece of the appropriate sized motorcycle chain. If one doesn't materialize in a few days I'll go to another cycle shop. I also needed some 1/2"wing nuts, bolts and nuts to make a replacement for the missing adjuster. Scored all of those at a very unusual old-fashioned local hardware store. Cutting the heads off of those huge bolts is going to be a workout or make a mess, depending on how I decide to do it.

--Kathy
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Typ3nut
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 2:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello Kathy J,
I've been watching the progress of on your Heilite Trailer. I to am from the Detroit area and have a '57 Heilite from Raupp Trailer Sales. Photos of mine are on page 5. My trailer is in decent shape but hasn't been being used enough due to I only have the one Wheel / Rim set-up and not having any luck with finding a spare rim. We travel it locally but not on any long distance travels due to no spare. I too have contemplated putting a frame and two wheels under it so that it can be pulled with a hitch instead of the bumper mounts.
I was wondering what trailer places locally you have been using, Joe's Trailer Mfg in Livonia has been somewhat helpful. What powdercoat place are you using ? Exotic Coatings in Romulus is who does my powdercoating.
Keep up the progress !
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Kathy J
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 3:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Typ3nut! I've been thinking about the 'no spare wheel' problem, and I'm going to try to see if a motorcycle wheel will work as a spare. Since it would be just a spare and not in view all the time, I don't care if it's "original" as long as it works. I just got the idea yesterday so haven't had time to act on it yet. I haven't been to any local trailer places about this thing yet, just Downriver Spring in Lincoln Park (I'm Downriver) for the suspension advice, and a Suzuki dealer trying to find a chain for the leg adjusters.

As for the powdercoating... have you ever heard of Techshop? If not, Google it. It's a wonderful place with all kinds of machinery and equipment that most people can't afford to own. There are several around the country, and one is in Allen Park. You can buy a membership and take classes on how to use the equipment, and then you can use the machines to make whatever you want. They have CAD software and several laser cutters, a waterjet cutter, a full metal shop, a wood shop, sandblasting and powder paint booth, etc. Just before we got the trailer I won a 1 month membership which I haven't yet activated. I plan to do all the sandblasting and powdercoating of parts for this trailer there. That's why I have been working to get all the parts off the trailer, so I can get everything ready before I turn on the membership. Once it's activated I will only have a month to finish everything I need to do using their equipment.
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Typ3nut
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 8:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kathy J,
We live in the same neighborhood.
For the Spare right now I have a tire and tube which isn't that hard to remove and replace but if the rim get trashed I don't have anything to replace with it.
I am totally aware of TechShop and as you said it's a great place available to the public.
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Volkswade
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 11:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just purchased a Heilite trailer on Sunday looks to be in good shape a couple of patches needed for the canvas and pulls great behind our 63 double door bookmobile.
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This is the previous owners The ladies father bought it in 1972 and she got it to use with her family they just outgrew it. Always stored indoors until recently now in my garage.
It also came with a set of cool bunk bed cots.
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