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RE: New to Trailers --- Height Question
Modern trailers are taller than older ones because of the prevalence of slide outs. When slides didn't exist trailer wheel wells often intruded into the interior because the floor was kept low. Now, with slides, the floor has to clear the tops of the tires so most trailers are taller now.
If you want a low trailer, look at ones that don't have slide outs.
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KD4UPL
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06/18/13 05:14pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: trailer weighing
CAT scales are great and with the above advice weighing should be easy. There are other options for weighing a rig you might explore. Feed mills, quarries, scrap yards, land fills, farmer's co-ops, and I'm sure some other places have scales. Often, if you're there when they aren't busy they will let you use their scale for free or for only $5 or something.
More than once I've driven in to the local quarry, asked if I can drive across their scale to see may weight, and they say "Sure!".
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KD4UPL
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06/18/13 05:11pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Purchasing A Tiny PSW Inverter. What's The Hot Setup?
Samlex is still an excellent brand. The Morningstar 300w unit is the heaviest built, most rugged 300 watt inverter I've ever seen.
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KD4UPL
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06/18/13 05:07pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Solar Panels
Yes, buy a second 100 watt panel. Or a larger or smaller one if you like. As long as the maximum power voltage (Vmp) is close (within a volt I would say) you should be fine. Hook them in parallel and you're done.
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KD4UPL
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06/17/13 07:41pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: TC vs Pull Behind...????
It sounds like you didn't get the right TC. I had a pop-up and agree that tucking in the top is a royal pain. I now have a hardside TC and don't have to worry about that. As for small, how big is it? They do make 11' TC with 3 slides. Comparing a toyhauler to an 8' pop-up TC is hardly a fair comparison.
I'm not sure what jack system you have. Do you have 3 or 4 jacks? My 11' TC weighs about 4,000 pounds. I can unload it in about 15 minutes. The 4 jacks are electric and controlled by a wireless remote. It's real easy to walk around the camper to watch things while lowering and leveling with 1 hand.
If I had still had my old pop-up TC with only 3 jacks and hand cranks I would go nuts for sure.
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KD4UPL
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06/17/13 07:36pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Front Axle Hub temperature higher than rear axle
Do you have brakes on both axles? My tandem axle boat trailer only has brakes on the front axle. After stopping the front ones are hotter because of the heat generated by using the brakes.
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KD4UPL
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06/17/13 07:29pm |
Towing
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RE: A question on fuel for a E-450 ford chassis
Your neighbor is wasting his money on fuel.
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KD4UPL
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06/17/13 07:27pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: Looking at a diesel, but not sure?????
I have always had excellent service out of my GM trucks, both gas and Duramax.
In the last few months my employer has provided a Ford F-350 for me to drive. It is an '03 with the 6.0. That thing is a pile. It starts hard, idles ruff, has no power, pukes coolant pulling an empty trailer on a cool day, etc.
My boss, who doesn't know much about engines. Recently bought an '06 F350 with a brand new 6.0 engine. (I wonder why it had a new engine.)
He got it cheap he said, around $10,000. It's in the shop about once every other week. Sometimes it get's towed in. It's a good thing the new engine is under warranty since it was done by a Ford dealer.
Yeah, you could buy a 6.0 for cheap, but why would you want to deal with it?
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KD4UPL
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06/14/13 01:38pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Best SUV for towing
Since you apparently like a GM SUV I would simply upgrade to a 2500 Suburban (or Yukon XL). The standard 6.0L engine will be a nice upgrade. I would want 3.73 gears for your trailer weight. If you really want some power find one with the 8.1L big block. These were made from 2001 to 2007.
There are companies that will build for you a 2500 suburban with a Duramax diesel. Duraburb is one such company, located in Florida. I just say one of these creations Sunday pulling a boat at the marina. I asked the owner and he said a guy in Ohio built it for him.
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KD4UPL
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06/11/13 08:14pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Sluggish towing with GMC Yukon
It sounds like your Yukon towed just fine. 3500 RPM up hills might even be a little low. You would make more power with the engine spinning faster. 8 MPG doesn't sound too bad. About average I would say. You could try to slow down to get slightly better mileage but then you'll clog up traffic. 65 mph is all the faster you should run with ST tires on the trailer. Their maximum rating is given at that speed.
If the trailer handled fine, didn't sway around, didn't squat the tow vehicle too much, and didn't bounce you a lot going over bumps I doubt that a weight distributing hitch or sway control would be necessary. Save your money. That's a pretty light trailer. Tongue weight should be well withing range.
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KD4UPL
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06/08/13 11:14am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Need some help since I'm new & basically clueless
With a 1/2 ton truck you are severely limited in your TC choices. You will be looking at pop-ups, 8' long maximum, with no bathroom. I used to carry a camper meeting that description on a 1500 Dodge and I was 600 pounds overweight with no passengers.
Don't install air shocks. What you may need are air bags; and you will need good, heavy duty shocks. Bilstein, KYB, and Rancho are all good choices for shocks. Air bags do not increase your load carrying capacity. They do make it easier and safer to carry a large load in the bed and can help handling if inflated properly.
You will also need a tie down system to secure the camper. Don't use the ones that mount in the stake pockets. You will need something from either Happi-jack or Torquelift. Either system will work fine with the small, light camper you'll be hauling.
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KD4UPL
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06/07/13 07:37am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Rt 15 from Williamsport,PA to Corning, Ny
Rt 15 from I-80 to Corning is practically an interstate. Most of it is 4 lane divided highway with speed limits as high as 65 mph. I would recommend that you take I-180 from I-80 up to Williamport instead of Rte 15 form I-80. By the title of your post you probably already figured that out.
The piece of 15 that crosses the state line wasn't finished the last time I was thru there in January. It's just two lanes for a few miles and then widens back out.
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KD4UPL
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06/06/13 07:50pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Solar Controllers--Don't be a Sucker! :(
I don't quite understand the rant. No one is forcing you to buy an MPPT controller.
A typical solar panels Vmp is different form a typical battery bank's voltage. Very simple math will show the difference in voltage multiplied by Imp = the additional power an MPPT controller will deliver. There's really no opinion involved, number don't lie.
Does everyone need or want one? NO. Do they add additional charging output from a given array? Yes. Do I want one? Yes.
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KD4UPL
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06/06/13 07:28pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Down shifting the transmission for braking assist
Knowing how to downshift is an important part of driving any large vehicle. From 18 wheelers to RVs, lower gears save your breaks and help maintain a safe speed.
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KD4UPL
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06/06/13 07:22pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: Dump station questions
I normally avoid full hook up sites because they cost extra. Using a campground dump station when you leave is typically free. Our tanks are large enough to hold our typical length stay in a campground. There are many state parks in VA that don't have full hook ups at all.
Don't fear the dump station.
I agree at most locations a hose is absolutely necessary. However I have been to a few campgrounds that had dump stations that really weren't designed that way. The opening in the concrete pad was probably 3' square. It had a metal grate of slates across it probably 2" apart. Underneath the grate the concrete bottom slopped to a drain that went into the septic tank. If each user washed down the "pit" it was all quite sanitary. That being said, a hose was useless because there was nowhere to attach the other end. Simply standing to the side of your drain on pulling it open allowed the wast to fall into the grate. I really liked the set up. It was easy to position over such a large area and required no hose. Quite efficient.
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KD4UPL
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06/05/13 08:10pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: 400W Inverter Installation... Questions
To answer the original question, yes you definitely need a fuse in the battery connection. NEVER connect a wire to the battery without a fuse in the positive lead. If there is ever a short in the wire a fire will likely result.
A 400 watt inverter will pull nearly 40 amps at full load. This will require #8 wire at minimum. Larger would be even better. A 50 amp fuse should be enough. If you run larger wire you can increase the fuse size appropriately.
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KD4UPL
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06/05/13 07:57pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: $10,000 TV
Crew cab PU with the 8.1 and Allison trans. 2500 Hd
This. The 8.1 is quiet, smooth, reliable, and powerful.
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KD4UPL
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06/03/13 04:54pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Pickup shopping. 7,200 lb TT
That trailer can certainly be pulled by most 1500 series trucks but it's getting on the upper end. For a more enjoyable and easier towing experience I would look at 2500 series trucks. I realize that will exclude your favorite brand.
If you are going to be putting on 20,000 miles towing every year diesel might make sense. Otherwise, for occasional towing I think a gas engine would serve you well.
In my experience a Chevy or GMC would probably ride and handle more like your Toyota but that's all just opinion and personal preference. You'll need to drive them. That's the fun part anyway.
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KD4UPL
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06/03/13 04:19pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Main Circuit Breaker Switch
This reply is to KD4UPL. I'm glad you can't "imagine" and listed all the "while's" at what you can't/don't do. Have you ever heard of hypothetical terms? That's what I was using. As for the wanting to do? Yah, I stay at places I don't pay for electricity, why would I want to use propane? Any one in there right mind don't pay for what they don't have do. Nibble on that awhile.
I'm sorry. I didn't realize you asked a hypothetical question. Usually people who ask hypothetical questions don't ask about "recourse with the dealer" to resolve them.
I agree it's much smarter to use electric than propane. I would too. But it's an answer to what I thought was an actual problem you were trying to solve. Since apparently that's not the case I will refrain from bothering you anymore.
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KD4UPL
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06/03/13 06:51am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: dodge brakes
Is this an automatic? Does the trans have a tow haul mode? Was it engages? Do you have 4x4? Were you in low range? Do you have poor or worn out brake pads?
In many auto transmissions engaging tow/haul keeps the torque converter locked in to greatly improve engine compression braking. Obviously, if you have low range, that will further enhance engine braking. If you have an exhaust brake it is more effective at higher engine RPM so low range helps there too to get the engine RPMs up.
You may need to look into upgraded brake pads and rotors if you regularly need this kind of stopping power.
25%! Wow! that's a hill for 12,500 pounds.
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KD4UPL
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06/02/13 07:22pm |
Truck Campers
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