Motorhome Trailer - Stow Flexx Folding Car Trailer Demonstration
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- Опубліковано 18 жов 2024
- The Stow-Flexx trailer is an interesting product as it allows any vehicle that weighs less than 5,000 lbs. to be towed behind a motorhome. However, its selling point is that unlike a standard trailer that needs to be stored when arriving at a campground or when not in use, a press of a few buttons allows the Stow-Flexx trailer to fold and store behind the motorhome.
This product was introduced at the Prevost Motorhome Expo in February 2019 and is currently in the pre-production process. When it becomes available later this year, the retail price is expected to be $20,000.
The developer is looking for input, so leave your comments below.
I love this, I am only 5 foot, so I don't want to bring a large vehicle, as a solo traveller this is perfect for me, as I could do it myself
That’s a nice piece of NORTH American engineering Andy
Thanks for showing it.
Go Leafs
Thank you for compliment Steven. This is a Canadian made product (PEI) that was patented in both the USA and Canada.
Wayne Linkletter I stand corrected I should have said a Great piece of North American Engineering
PS my mom and sister live in Canada 🇨🇦
Wayne Linkletter From the land of Anne of Green Gables :)
@@Riker-eq2yv no Riker ,I think you misunderstood,this is a fabulous “Canadian” piece of engineering. 😎🇨🇦
@@jerryvandyke9216 I too should have said this is a Great piece of North American Engineering, I stand corrected
Smart idea. I imagine he will sell a lot of these to people that don’t want to modify their vehicle.
I’ve wondered why this isn’t a thing. This is very cool. I would love to have one!
So glad something like this exists
Wow! I'm shocked at all the toxic 💩 comments. If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all. I'm amazed to be alive in a time of such innovation! Keep up the great work guys.
Hello Scott. Thank you for your positive attitude.
@@waynelinkletter3374 You got it Wayne! Awesome vision and execution on this trailer, my friend. I hope you sell a zillion of them! The process to take something like this from idea to product is truly amazing. Software tools like Solidworks truly baffles me, but the prototyping in a virtual world really makes things like this able to exist in our world. It looks like great craftsmanship paired with an innovative idea.
I can see how some are saying, I can get a regular trailer or flat tow…..
Those who think this idea is dumb are missing the point…..
Point is, when you get where you’re going and space is limited or you just don’t want to unhook then have to hook up later, you leave it all hooked up and when you’re all settled in for vacation time you fold it up and when you’re ready to go home unfold it and put your ride on it…..
Interesting Idea.. thanks sharing
I love it love it love it brilliant engineering. This is the kind of stuff that I dream of. Innovative practical useful brilliant.
If the price becomes more reasonable it should become a successful prototype..
Needs alot of tweaking. Mfg should find 5 guys who rv full time & hook them up for a couple of months. Research and fine tune.. then you can market
Wow a solution to a problem that doesn’t really exist much easier just flat tow
I'm thinking if you have the ability to store the trailer like that and use hydraulics, add extension legs that can take it off and leave in in the stowed position like that on the ground. Just a thought.
I like it. Not sure if i love the expected price-tag. As a prevo owner myself, i didn't really care for the response, "i believe it can...i don't have access to the engineering data..." Might have been great to have Prevost come outside (they're a the show..) and check out this product.
I would think b/c it's on the road, there would be some DOT standards and inspections the product would have to pass before being released...?
I agree but people are sew happy so you have to watch your wording carefully otherwise what was once a profitable business can suck you dry. Now could he have gave more of better answer yes but such a unique niche product I don’t manufacturers would tell you it’s ok because they won’t spend the money to test it on their rigs because they don’t want to get sewed if something goes wrong either. Me I think it’s an ingenious idea and I know this video is five years old now and I’m shocked that this product hasn’t came out yet or at least it’s not popular. I just think it should rest on itself in the stow position when you are parked and not on the hitch receiver
I would be worried about the noise this thing makes. It is my dreams come true but the noise will have to be overcome by something else in order for me to consider it in the future. Thanks for sharing and by the way I love that old coach of yours, more videos of it, please.
Hi Big Bus Conversions. Which noise are you concerned about?
@@waynelinkletter3374 it is not a specific noise, it is the complete process. The gears are very loud, the sliding of the legs, metal to metal noises, overall extremely noisy. The idea is PERFECT though. In some environments it would be OK but not in others. I was imagining leaving camp early in the morning and waking everyone at the camp to the sound of "construction"
@@waynelinkletter3374 The loudest was the last fold, I thought it sounded like gears going out but you said it was something about the hydraulics? I also understand you were doing it at a fast pace to show the amount of time but I suppose people will actually move and slide things a little easier in quiet environments.
I was also surprised at the noise level on the video. the sound of pulling the folding legs in and out is not nearly as loud as it seems on the video. The grinding noises you heard during the last fold was a hydraulic valve that was malfunctioning. Originally there were two of these valves on the trailer and it caused other problems. Just prior to the show we changed the design to take it down to one. i think we will be eliminating this valve all together and that will make that noise disappear completely.
I like this as a prototype or proof of concept. It's been almost three years since this video was posted and I can't find any mention of the Stow-Flexx trailer besides the LWL Trailers site and references to this video. Have any of these actually been made besides the one in this video and have owners provided feedback?
I am curious how those two telescoping wheels at the back will perform on softer surfaces such as dirt or gravel when the trailer is being stored and extended. Throw in some rain, and I think these will become plows when the trailer is being stored and dig into the ground when the trailer is extended.
What’s the advantage to folding it up while you’re in the camp ground? You still need to unload your vehicle. I really like this though
Some campgrounds won't let you store a car trailer in your spot. You'd have to store it somewhere else. This gets around that since it's not taking up much space when stored and your coach is parked.
If you own a Prevost the price is irreverent .
Irrelevant 😉 😂
Agree...... :)
Do this guy listen to what people are saying or he just stand there holding a mic?
I just stand there holding a mic!
I really like this idea. As a mechanical engineer I would be looking for a way to take the stress off of that hitch while it’s in the closed position. Can those two legs in the middle be brought down to take the weight off the hitch while it’s in the up position? If not I would add that into the design. Good luck. Thought of something else. What about the wind moving that 3000 pound unit around, that would add additional stress, also the noise factor. Your bedroom is right next to it. That moving around with the wind at night would keep you awake I’m sure. Not trying to be negative it’s the way my mind works. I’m sure you’ve thought about all of these factors so please share with the groups. Thanks
As an 'old' aerospace engineer those are my same thoughts as well, although I wonder how it would also affect the leveling of the coach. If you had air leveling, like in my Monaco, over time I may have to re-level. If the coach aired down if might overload those support legs, It's an interesting concept but for $20,000 I think I could find a place to store that trailer if I needed to. Also, for $20,000 I think it should be rated for at least 7,000 pounds so you could carry a full size pickup, and maybe a golf cart as well.
MrGrunthunter's Adventures agreed good questions ......20 grand US with the exchange plus 13 percent tax that would make it close to 30 grand Canadian. I like the idea but I don’t like the fact that it’s hanging off the frame of my coach for weeks at a time depending on how long you’re staying at the resort.
@@joesmith3162 I suspect that the only way you can detach it from your coach would be to unfold it and disconnect like a regular trailer and now you have an almost full size (looks like you could still fold up the back end) to contend with. I don't know but I think I see to many failure points you would have to contend with over time. I'd have to inspect all of the hinge joints, Also, can't see what type of battery for the power pack is being used. I can just see popping a hyd hose and having hyd fluid sprayed all over the back of the coach and depending on which type is being used, some isn't very paint friendly. Geesh, for $20k it should at lease have a spare tire with it. :-)
MrGrunthunter's Adventures lolol agreed all good points. I would have to sit back and let others give this a long term test before I’d even think of spending that kind of cash. They may need to do more testing before this hits the market.
@@joesmith3162 I'm guessing 20G is not a lot of money to the clientele that wants to tow a 100G Range Rover. It's all relative.
Odd that he leaves it to the consumer to determine if your coach can work with this. Class A's only use a handful of manufacturers so it would seem they could do that more easily. Apparently it's just aimed at the Prevost market. Also Escalades weigh between 5500 and 5900 lbs., a bit more than his stated 5400 lb capacity. Pretty cool tho.
Hello Jeffery. The reason I made the comment about leaving it to the consumer to determine if your coach can work with this, is liability. I am certainly not trying to be slimy here, but I do not want to talk beyond my knowledge level about the coaches. I do not have access to the engineering specs of the coach manufacturer's frame designs. I don't expect the coach manufacturers will give a stamp of approval for this either because they do not want to accept the responsibility of something they have not specifically designed for. As I told several people at the show, 10 years ago when people started to put motorcycles on lifts on the back of the coaches, everyone had the same concerns about weight and strength. Now it is almost an expectation that any Class A coach can support a motorcycle lift. This trailer is not specifically aimed at the Prevost market, but it is the coach that I was asked to build for. I am certainly interested in having this trailer work for all Class A coaches. Thank you for your input.
A Cadillac Escalade esv the most expensive one weighs 6088lbs
It seems like it would be better to have a design where at least 2 wheels are on the ground at all times. You're not saving that much more space by lifting it all the way up. Or just use a regular car dolly--unless you just don't want the back wheels on the ground of the vehicle you're towing.
There is very little market. If you have a nice car most would use an enclosed trailer otherwise flat towing is far easier.
Do you think it's possible to make a trailer that can carry heavier weights and also allow transport at higher speeds safely in the stored position? That I think would improve this even better.
Hi Alex. The next version of this trailer will come out at 8000 GVWR instead of the current 7000 lbs. This will allow slightly larger vehicles to be carried with no issues. The current design never envisioned having the coach travel at highway speeds with the StowFLEXX in the stowed position. We are in contact with the engineers at Prevost (as a start) to determine what their coach frames are capable of as it relates to traveling faster than the recommended 5mph in the stowed position. We actually met a person at the Prevost Show in Florida who had a motorcycle lift and trike on the back of his Prevost coach. His comment was "My trike and lift weighs 2300lbs and it travels just fine on the back of my coach."
@@waynelinkletter3374is there a way to contact you ? Thanks so much
Very interesting! Will it work on a Dynamax DX3?
Hello BillByrd74. Can you send me more information on your Dynamax DX3?
Thanks for comeback, but I was kinda kidding. Thanks again. BTW DX3 is a 38 foot long class C.
This is similar in concept to the Kendall Folding Motorcycle trailer line. Of course those are manual Folding trailers and only carry 1 or 2 bikes. What I want to know is how simple is it to take on and off the hitch to roll into storage when not in use or needed. I doubt its intended to stay on the back of the coach for ever in storage now is it? A Kendall is a few hundred pounds and rolls into storage on wheels in its standing up position. Bow do you get 2900 lbs off the coach and into a corner??
Hi Guzzialfa. We have heard this at the show several times. We will be looking into this. In order to store this inside, you ceiling height would have to be above the standard 8ft. One person at the show talked about using a "tugger" to move the Stow-FLEXX around in an "A" shape for storage.
HEY Andy (in my best Gomer voice:) !
$20,000.00 Lmao!! Thanks but I'll buy a car with that money and flat tow it..
@Mr Sunshines lol... Smart enough not to waste $$$ on that.
@Mr Sunshines Haha, not exactly Mr. Sunshiny today are you... 🤣
@Mr Sunshines I'd say he's pretty wicked smart
Mr Sunshines You who’s talking.
Mr Sunshines You must not leave the your neighborhood much. I’m a truck driver and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Range Rover or Escalate being towed.
How heavy is the back to lift I’m handicapped Veteran
Hi Jerry. 60 lbs of lift required to fold the rear section. What do you own for a coach? What car are you trying to take with you?
Brilliant engineering. Already have car use to one you have. No wear on your car. Tow bar installation gone.
That's a pretty slick design, I wonder how an overly wealthy individual would do with the technical details of folding
Appreciate the effort, but wow I can see a disaster waiting to happen if something goes wrong. Simpler is always better.
A folding trailer that you just disconnect from the motorhome is a lot simpler and solves the same 'problem'.
Not being able to backup with a toad IS a real problem, but not having a folding removable trailer.
some range rovers weight a little bit more than 5400lbs and a Escalade esv 6088lbs
The first step is a perfect idea (fold half of the trailer) , the rest is just too much overthinking and overwork.
My question is ... he claims the trailer GVWR is 5400 lbs , a Range Rover Weighs 6800 empty & an Escalade weighs 7100 , neither could be hauled on this trailer as he claims .
Even a standard Jeep would be too heavy for this trailer
Hi Ivan. My customer has a Range Rover (diesel engine) and it came in at 5550 lbs full of fuel. When I put the Rover on the Stow-FLEXX trailer and weighed it, the weight on the axles came in at 6900 lbs. I am sure Rover's come in different weights. This must be a smaller one. I appreciate your input.
it is not for everyone yet. hopefully he upgrades the setup to carry the real SUVs.
both 2019 model year fully loaded escalade curb weight is 5856 lbs and A range rover is 5745lbs. The specs you looked up are the gvrw which is the vehicle max weight including passengers/fuel/cargo. but it's still more than that trailer can tow.
WAIT THAT IS NOT LEGAL YOU CAN'T SEE YOUR TAIL LIGHTS FROM THE BACK.
20,000 dollars , I can get a enclosed one for that.
it a nice idea . but at 20k that nuts rent a second site put your car trailer in it . plus any campground that can take that big buss has the room for a trailer im sure
What about the lites you can’t see them
Hi Ted. Your comment tells me that there is some confusion. The Stow-FLEXX trailer is "not designed" to be driven down the road in the folded or stowed position. This trailer can be moved in it's folded or stowed position at 5MPH. This allows the coach owner complete freedom to move/park his coach after the trailer has been stowed. We never intended this to be driven down the interstate stowed on the back of the coach.
He doesn’t “think” there will be a problem?
Another over thought solution to a non existing problem.
Gone Biking You sound like me on my channel. Companies creating problems that don’t exist.
It's my understanding this product was developed for those who want to tow a car to campgrounds that can't accommodate trailers.
I'm very excited to see someone addressing this issue. We currently have a car that is not able to be towed flat that we really want to use as our toad. The cars that have the option to be towed flat are pretty limited. We don't want to have to buy another car, especially when the one we have is already paid off. Also, electric vehicles can't be towed flat either. I think this is a fantastic solution to be able to bring ANY car with you but not have to deal with a giant flat bed trailer when visiting RV parks. So if we have to spend the money on either a different car, or a folding trailer...I say the folding trailer, allowing us to keep the car we really like, and if we ever do get another vehicle (especially an electric one), we have the option to pick whatever car we want because we'll still have the trailer!
@@thesensenetcollective5378 What type of coach do you own? What is the car you want to take with you?
Wow I what one
How can we get in touch with him?
Hi Jerry. My email is wayne@linklettermfg.com
Did he say it fits a 5400# vehicle? And it weighs 2900#? I see 5 lug hubs, those usually I dictate 3500# axles, 7000# trailer gross weight...
Hi KFStreich. You are correct when you say that 5 bolt hubs usually dictate a 3500lb axle. That is what they are. When we weighed it (loaded) we were about 6900lb on the axles only, which meant there is 1300lbs on the 20K coach receiver. My estimate in the video of 800lbs was obviously off.
A 20k hitch is probably rated for 10% of that weight in tongue weight, or 2000#, the coupler would typically be the same, so you would need a 15,000# coupler to safely and legally handle that somewhat high front end load, it seems easier to move up to 5200# axles and keep the front at 10%, usually couplers and receivers are rated around 10% of the total load for downforce, those numbers are almost 16%, gooseneck starts around 20%. The sheer weight of the bus is the only thing that makes this work, those numbers behind a pickup would push you all over the place.
Hi @@kfstreich4787. The capacity of the custom coupler we use on this trailer does exceed the 15,000# you talk about. Probably the most difficult thing about dealing with capacity rating on trailers is the uneven loads. When we manufacturers rate a trailers capacity, the only place we can stand is to assume an evenly distributed load over the entire trailer surface. We all know this is not the case in real life though. From the input we received at the Prevost show in West Palm this year, there appears to be interest in having a larger model. Longer, to also carry a golf cart as well as their daily driver and this would push us up in axle capacities. The reason we started with the 3500 pound axles was to keep the load angle as low as possible and it met the capacity required for our customer. As we get more input from the RV community, their will no doubt be a larger version of this in the future. Thank you for your time and input.
@@waynelinkletter3374 it seems to be a well thought out trailer to fit a fairly narrow market, for someone who has experience with towing all is good, a good training program is always useful, this platform seems to be well thought, out and a retired engineer may do fine, I've overflowed many times with caution, I worry about those without experience
Wow, $20k. Figure the cost of the trailer & the vehicle you’re towing (plus the added fuel consumption)... you could rent something everywhere stop & still have saved money.
How much?
$20,000 USD
Class a motorhomes 3 axles have a class 8 frame like a semi truck
YEH and these dont required A CDL
Most the geezers I see driving these $2m luxury coaches could never handle all the moving parts to properly using this trailer.
Yes I know if they have a bus like that$20,000 is like $5 to them but that's a lot of 💰I'm sure where they stay at someone hook and unhook the cars for them LoL
Horrible idea!!!! The trailer weighs 2900 lbs! Max tongue weight on that hitch was 2,000 lbs!!! Next! He says an Escalade or Range/Land Rover that weigh 5500-5900 empty. Well you’re maxing out that trailer with those 3.5k axles! The carrying capacity is only about 4500-5000lbs. $20,000??? Facts folks. Simply facts!
Hi Race Mentally. When the trailer is in the folded position, the 2900 lbs is supported by three separate connections. The hitch and the two main frame rails of the coach.This arrangement does two things. First, it keeps the weight supported by each connection closer to 1000 lbs each. Second, it prevents the folded trailer from rocking side to side when moving around the campground or your yard at 5MPH. I appreciate your input.
Wayne Linkletter addressed the weight of triple on tongue but missed the fact that trailer is being overloaded on a 5 lug. ;)
@@RaceMentally please see where i addressed that with KFStreich. While we are right at the max capacity of the axles, but we are not overloaded. Thanks
Wayne Linkletter as someone who manufactures more trailers than you every year I think I know what overloaded is. You should’ve gone with 5.2k axles at least. But you’re trying to save weight on that tongue and an Escalade and heavier SUV should not be on this trailer with 3.5k axles. That’s bad Info and you’re actually liable now after saying it’s ok.
People will just flat tow or trailer normally. at 20k good luck selling. Also good luck with the law suits when the few that do buy start breaking frame rails. Also I would be very reluctant to buy A product from someone that has no clue of it's capabilities. A range rover and Escalade are full size suv's and both are over gross for the trailer. Plus this guy did no research whether or not the coach could handle the weight. Those 5 lug axles are gvrw 3500 lbs each the trailer "claimed" weight is 2900 lbs that only leaves 4100 lbs max cargo weight A far cry from the 5400lbs "claimed" capacity.
20 grand 😂
Ok
ideia boa mas ta parecendo meio arapuca
thats got disaster written all over it
there is no market for this ,tow dolly’s work great
Team Ally Racing
Have you actually used a tow dolly? Not very user friendly!
@@dodgeguyz tons of times depends on what u get there is few options even though not user friendly but we still use them
I can see a lot of work went into this, but this is not a useful product. I flat tow an F150 or I pull an enclosed trailer with a car and motorcycle in it. I have done both for thousands of miles, to hundreds of RV parks. I can not think of a single use for this type of trailer. Also, unless you have a tag axle, this will most certainly put you over weight on the rear axle of any diesel pusher when in the stowed position.. Sorry.
Excuse me, but this guy has NO idea what a “mid-sized” SUV is, let alone how much a Range Rover or Escalade weighs! Yikes.
Nice piece of engineering, though.
BTW, at max cap, along with that thing weighing nearly 3,000 pounds, you’d be dragging 8,400 pounds. No thanks!