Odometer for trailers?

[klenger]

Has anyone ever seen an odometer gizmo that can be attached to the axle of a travel trailer or 5th wheel like they use on 18 wheeel trailers? I'm getting a new 5er soon,and thought it would be nice to keep track of total miles traveled.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Trailer Hubodometer

Yes, I had 1 on our Hitchhiker 5th wheel. I bought it from my local International Truck dealer(any heavy truck dealer should be able to get one for you). It was a Stemco brand. You can check their website or go to the dealer and match the correct model to your tire brand & size.



http://www.stemco.com



Click on the Online Catalog. The listing is rather lengthy, but you will need the part number for your brand and size of tire to be accurate. If I remember correctly the price was under $50 including the mounting brackets.



Once you have it installed it's amazing how many miles you really clock on the trailer--an excellent way to keep up with the wheel bearing and brake service.



Bill

 

[klenger]

I called Stemco today. They refered me to a distributer. Price was about $100 plus shipping. Still thinking about it. I did find another brand, Abbott I think, that sells for about $40, but Stemco has a better mounting system. Remove the axle cap, and replace it with one of their units that the odometer fits into. Anyone know of a cheaper source for the Stemco brand?

 

[Bill Stockard]

Ken,



Who did they refer you to? I can't imagine that much of a price increase since I bought mine. I bought mine with my former employee (retired) discount which was less than the $50 I quoted.



Bill

 

[klenger]

I was refered to Intertek at 800-859-0076.

 

[EMDDIESEL]

The truck place near me gets $110. 00 for the Stemco!

 

[Skydiver]

Tire size

Quick ?

On the hubodometer,how do the units account for the error in different tire sizes?Just curious.

Tim

 

[klenger]

Skydiver:

If you go to the Stemco website and download the product manuals, you will see about 40 pages of cross references between tire sizes and hobodometer part numbers. I assume that they install different gear sets to accomodate the tire sizes. They claim 2% accuracy over the life of the tire.



I've also considered installing a bicycle computer on the trailer, but am not sure of a reliable way to mount the magnet on the wheel. I can get a bicycle computer for about $20-$40.



kl

 

[Ninearrow]

I just bought one at TruckPro today. It is a Stemco 650-0634 Hubodometer and a Stemco 610-0011 mounting bracket. It is supposed to be calibrated for 235 x 16 tires which I have on my trailer.



I have not installed it yet, so can't tell you about that.



Hubometer was $37. 99 and bracket was $7. 95.



TruckPro is based in Atlanta, I think. They have outlets in many major cities in the Southeast and Southwest. They have a website at www.TruckPro.com



This was not a in-stock item due to the special tire size (smaller than the usual big rig applications which they carry. They ordered it and it arrived in about a week.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Ninearrow,



I didn't use the mounting bracket when I installed the Stemco Hobodometer on our Hitchhiker II. I took off the chrome metal center hub cab, mounted it in the drill press so it would be in the center and drilled a hole in it. I used the self locking nut and a couple of flat backup washers on each side of the hub cap and tightened it up. Tighten it up only enough to keep it from turning on the hubcap--don't over tighten the hubodometer center bolt. Worked great!!



Bill

 

[Bill Stockard]

I am bringing this back in order to bring attention to the hubodometer that I'm willing to give away for the cost of shipping. I listed it in Pay It Forward previously, but since it gets limited exposure, I had no one interested.



This Stemco hubodometer came off another TDR member's 5th wheel trailer and is calibrated for LT235/85R16LRE Michelin XPS Rib tires. The hubodometer has 93,492 miles showing. The next owner could keep track of the miles above that on their trailer. If interested, send a PM.



Bill

 

[HBarlow]

Bill,

Do you have any idea how practical or possible it would be or how long it might take to spin a new Stemco hubometer up to the 19,xxx miles I have pulled my HitchHiker? Do you know if anyone has ever tried this? I can't remember now how the body and mounting bolt were built. Would it be possible to clamp part of it and spin the other part with a drill motor?

As you probably remember, I put a Stemco on my old Travel Supreme after I learned about them from you and Dick. I left it on the old TS when I sold it because my HH came with chrome plated plastic hub caps. I changed it over to aluminum wheels last year with substantial center cup/caps I could mount a Stemco on. I have kept an accurate log of miles I have pulled the HH by recording every towed mile from my truck odometer. If I'm going to install a hubometer I would like to spin the odometer to start it with the miles already towed.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Harvey,



You can have this one. Just leave the mileage the way it is and start counting from the present mileage. When some one walks by your trailer and sees the mileage, you can say, "Yep, I travel a lot!" :-laf



If I cannot give it away, I'm going to toss it. I have no need for it and it's taking up space in my shop cabinet.



Bill

 

[mwilson]

Harvey,

Call Stemco and see if they would sell you one with the starting mileage that you desire. I know back before speedometers went electronic you could have that done by about any manufacturer when you had to replace a speedo head.

I believe that their products are still assembled in Longview, Texas and bet that they would accomodate you if any way possible.

You would most likely have to involve a dealer but they could relay the mileage with the order. Call Stemco first and see what they say. I am home so don't have access to my phone number sheet right now.



Just found it on the website... ... (800) 527-8492



Just found the answer. See text below... . where the green things are a jumpin'Oo.



An Indispensable Tool

The STEMCO Hubodometer® is an indispensable tool for scheduling

maintenance, determining lease charges, validating guarantees, and

calculating costs per mile.

Reliable Mileage Information

Hubodometers® are calibrated to perform on over 2,500 specific tire models

and sizes to further ensure reliable mileage information.

Spring-loaded Counterweight

Virtually eliminates spin when tires hit bumps and potholes, your assurance

of greater accuracy.



Oo. Preset Your Hubodometer®

STEMCO will preset your Hubodometer® with the mileage data you require

for a nominal charge. Allow 3 days for shipping. Oo.





500,000 Mile Warranty

Guaranteed over-life-of-tire accuracy backed by 500,000 mile warranty

an EnPro Industries company

 

[HBarlow]

Harvey,

You can have this one. Just leave the mileage the way it is and start counting from the present mileage. When some one walks by your trailer and sees the mileage, you can say, "Yep, I travel a lot!" :-laf

If I cannot give it away, I'm going to toss it. I have no need for it and it's taking up space in my shop cabinet.

Bill

Bill,

Thanks for the kind offer. I could certainly just do the math and subtract the difference as you suggested but if I'm going to go to the trouble to pull a wheel and install one I'd prefer to get it right.

I think I'll follow MWilson's suggestion in the next post and call Stemco and ask first. If they can set a new one to the miles I've already towed the trailer that would be a perfect solution.

I think I'll also ask them if they would reset one for a fee if I can get through to anyone who has a clue and is willing to help a customer, If so I'll be grateful to accept your offer of Dick's old one.

 

[HBarlow]

Harvey,
Call Stemco and see if they would sell you one with the starting mileage that you desire. I know back before speedometers went electronic you could have that done by about any manufacturer when you had to replace a speedo head.
I believe that their products are still assembled in Longview, Texas and bet that they would accomodate you if any way possible.
You would most likely have to involve a dealer but they could relay the mileage with the order. Call Stemco first and see what they say. I am home so don't have access to my phone number sheet right now.

Just found it on the website... ... (800) 527-8492

Just found the answer. See text below... . where the green things are a jumpin'Oo.

An Indispensable Tool
The STEMCO Hubodometer® is an indispensable tool for scheduling
maintenance, determining lease charges, validating guarantees, and
calculating costs per mile.
Reliable Mileage Information
Hubodometers® are calibrated to perform on over 2,500 specific tire models
and sizes to further ensure reliable mileage information.
Spring-loaded Counterweight
Virtually eliminates spin when tires hit bumps and potholes, your assurance
of greater accuracy.

Oo. Preset Your Hubodometer®
STEMCO will preset your Hubodometer® with the mileage data you require
for a nominal charge. Allow 3 days for shipping. Oo.


500,000 Mile Warranty
Guaranteed over-life-of-tire accuracy backed by 500,000 mile warranty
an EnPro Industries company

MWilson,

Thanks for an excellent suggestion. I never even thought of asking the manufacturer if they can set one to a starting mileage other than all zeros. Now that I've considered your suggestion I think, why not?

I'll call Stemco tomorrow (Monday) and ask.

 

[HBarlow]

MWilson,

I left the TDR website to eat breakfast and while I was eating I was thinking about the hubometer issue. I remembered that you are a truck dealer parts manager, right?

Would you order one for me? Can you have it dropshipped to my address? You know exactly what I need and you've already done the homework to determine that Stemco will sell one preset to whatever mileage the customer wants. I would rather give you my business than drive into Lubbock and argue with some parts counter guy that I can order one with any mileage I want. I probably won't have to pay sales tax buying it from a ME dealer so that savings should cover shipping costs.

I pulled up my Excel spreadsheet that I use to retain my HitchHiker towed mileage. My memory was off by almost one third! I have pulled it 29,092 miles. I need a Stemco hubometer set to 29,092 miles for a travel trailer using Michelin XPS Rib tires in size LT235/85R16 LRE.

If you're willing to order it for me PM me your price. I'll PM you back my credit card details and a shipping address. Let me know if you want to do this.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Update:



Hubodometer will be shipped to new owner tomorrow.



Bill

 

[mwilson]

Harvey,

I sent you an e-mail yesterday. Check and see if your anti-virus software thinks I am a spammer or something... ... :-laf



If it is not in your inbox please call me to verify pricing, etc.

1-800-432-7936 x121.



I have a few details that I want to go over with you as I am going away for a bit.

Thanks, Mike.

 

[HBarlow]

For the information of members, Mike is parts manager of a big Freightliner dealer in Maine. He has ordered the Stemco hubometer for me. It will be shipped with the odometer preset to the mileage I have towed my HitchHiker, 29,092 miles.

When I receive it I'll remove a tire and wheel with the center cap, measure and mark dead center of the cap, drill it out to fit the center bolt on the hubometer, and install the hubometer.

The Stemco hubometers are commercial truck quality, I could probably never wear one out. I won't have to record towing mileage off the truck odometer for future RVing trips.