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Hey all. First post on here. Last summer I picked up a 1979 tandem axle Travette. I didn't take the time to get any pics of the original interior but it was the worn out blue shag carpet and wood grain. Paneling throughout. Here is what the outside paint looked like.

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Here are pics of after my new paint job. Both inside and out, as well as new floor and cushion covers.

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http://i1247.photo

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My future plans include swapping the 4 speed transmission out for a 5 speed as well as installing lower gear ratio ring and pinion.

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Welcome to the group. That is a very sweet looking and rare unit. It looks really great.

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Nice looking makeover. As far as I remember, you're the first Member with a tag axle. What are your thoughts on the tag axle design? Do you notice any tire scrub in tight turns? Is there any adjustability in the 3rd axle springs? I don't see any sign of shocks.

I like your Rabbit and Lab, too! :)

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I love the tag for the most part. It handles great in the turns for an rv with minimal body roll and havent noticed any sort of tire scrub. I definitely figured it was a rare bird when I seen it, kinda why I decided to purchase it. Here are some pics from underneath of the tag. It uses a sort of torsion suspension from what I can tell. Any idea if there would be concern for axle failure on this since it is the old 5 lug rear? Or is that not an issue since it is not a dually?

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Ya the fabrication on the rear tag isn't all that impressive, well other than the fact it hasn't fallen apart yet after 30 plus years. As far as bearings in rear axles, 4x4 rear housings and factory bearings are about as strong as you can get without up grading to full size. I would swap in a 4x4 rear but I would prefer to keep the factory 5 lug rims. I need to examine my rear drive axle a little closer to verify it is an 8". That would make it a piece of. Make to swap in a lower geared 3rd member.

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Look up the max gvw for that year truck. Weigh yours with the rear axle on and off the scale. The weight difference should tell you how much the rear tag axle is carrying and if your "real" axle is within weight limits.

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Well I honestly am not sure if 2wd axles are as strong as 4x4 or not. Up until now I have only dealt with 4x4 rears. 1979-1995 4x4 4 cyl. rears are all 6 lug 8". I just remember somewhere reading that some of the rear 2wd axles were 7.5" and not 8". The 8" 2wd will accept a 4x4 differential though and those are a lot more common with the gears I'm looking for. Another thing is the cab, engine, and chassis are all 1978 model, while the title says 1979. That was probably when the actual Rv portion was built. That 1st gen 4x4 in the background is a 1983. It has a 2nd gen(1984) dash swap, and a Chevy 305 engine. Its a rock crawler project I have been building for my wife.

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  • 2 months later...

Well as its finally spring here in my parts I got the bug again to start back in on my travette project. Hopefully I won't spend too much time tinkering on it as compared to actually using it.

Seems to have survived the pretty nasty winter we had with no new water leaks. So that's a relief (first winter I've had it.)

As far as any updates, i ordered a new exhaust header for it which should be here Monday. Hopefully it may help give me a little more snuce going up those hills. Will post pics once receive it and install.

Other than that I'm working on obtaing some 4.38 gears to replace the 4.11's in it out.

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There is something wrong with that axle set up. There is no pivot point for the axle it is fixed to the added plate. It looks to be a De Dion suspension they were made of two tubes that allowed movement between them one tube fit inside of the other so that the right and left could move independently against the springs. It looks as if the bearing assembly has been bolted to the added plate and the tubes welded together. Something is real fishy.

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That's been my thoughts as well on the thing. It doesn't look like it would have any travel at all. Just fixed solid to the frame. I don't get it. It doesn't feel like it rides exceptionally rough though like you might think

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Derek, you are correct that it is a torsion axle that has a leading swing arm. I have a Love Bug (similar to Scamp) that has a forward swing arm, up angle. If they have the properly rated springs, they ride very well.

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Guess I would have to see it with the wheel off it does look off set. That would mean there is a bearing of some sort in the block bolted to the added frame work, overly complex guess that's why they only made them for a couple of years.

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Many new travel trailers use torsion axles. They are very reliable and pretty maintenance free. If they have rubber inserts such as Dexter axles, the life of the rubber is about 15 years tops. They are very easy to replace.

The advantage of torsion axles is that they give you a totally independent suspension.

http://www.dexteraxle.com/

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I agree with that I have one under a home made flat bed trailer but it's a whole lot different design.

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Received my header. Stripped the junk black paint off and removed the emission stuff since I have none on my engine and then re-coated with high temp aluminum colored header paint

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So this is how it works. I'm sure those of you who have seen this axle set up already knew it. I didn't know the end of the axle shaft was offset from the center, allowing the wheel and tire to rotate up and down with the torsion spring system.

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Shocks are on the drive axle. Do good enough job with only them. Drives nice and smooth and stable. Well other than that giant woooden box built on the back that rattles and shakes all the time.

Edited by thebonds
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Got header put on and 4.38 gears stuffed in. Makes driving this thing so much easier and enjoyable. The engine breaths so much better and noo more feeling of slipping the clutch when taking off.

These are definatly not wheel fall off axles. 8" just like the 79-85 2x4 and 4x4 rear axles, other than only 5 lug.

Axle pulled out to remove diff.

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Drive line unbolted and diff removed.

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Old exhaust off. Only broke one stud. Nothing some penetrating fluid and a pair of vise grips coudnt take care of. (Luckily)

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And finally some 20r boner material. IMG_20140420_154757_673_zpsbxrqdiw9.jpg

Only a propane conversion/ turbo would make this thing any cooler now.

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  • 3 years later...

Whatever happened with this motorhome? I am pretty sure I owned it for a short time. I got it from a guy that had let it sit for decades. I cleaned out a dumpster worth of trash, put a new Weber carburetor on it(it would barely run, smoked and idled at about 4000rpm and backfired like Uncle Buck's motorhome when you shut it off when I first got it), and then traded it for a VW Bus pop top. I think that guy sold it shortly after, probably to you thebonds. I really liked the look of that tandem axle motorhome. Unfortunately the lack of a second actual bed killed my plans for it. It seems that you were heading in the right direction with it though. I hope it lives on!

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