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Date Posted |
Forum
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RE: WOW! this shouldnt sway!
Looks like a nice trailer, if you can get past the greeeeeeeennnnnn carpet! :D
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coolmom42
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04/21/18 08:46pm |
Towing
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RE: New to Trailer camping, what are some must haves, and wants
Good advice from Dutchment Sport.
Additionally..... don't take every single thing you think you MIGHT need. I guarantee you will not be more than an hour from a Walmart or Dollar Tree or grocery store, wherever you go. Take what you KNOW you will need and what there is a high probability of needing.
Add some way to make notes and add items to a list, whether it's a phone app or pencil and paper.
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coolmom42
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04/20/18 09:19pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Beartooth Highway
It's possible. It would NOT be fun. Park the motorhome and take a toad or rent a car to drive it.
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coolmom42
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04/20/18 09:14pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Need phone advice for aging parent
My hearing aids can be hooked to the phone with Bluetooth.
Yep. Go to Costco for the best deals on this type of device, as well as all their other hearing aid equipment.
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coolmom42
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04/19/18 07:45pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: Clock
Use a 'keyhole bracket' on back of clock (Home Depot, ACE, Lowes)
And then a small piece of Command Strip/Velcro on lower porion of clock
Keyhole carries weight of clock and command strip/velcro keeps it from bouncing/rocking back-forth
http://community.homedepot.com/howto/servlet/rtaImage?eid=9075000000005et&feoid=Body&refid=0EM50000000HRSH height=250 width=200
This.
Or depending on the shape of the clock you can use the command strips on top and bottom or both sides.
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coolmom42
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04/19/18 02:38pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: A Liner towing
Check the exact tow rating of your specific vehicle. There are different versions of the Outback.
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coolmom42
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04/17/18 05:14pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Battery question in conversion camper
Yes that will work. You do want the batteries and their vent tightly partitioned off from the rest of the electronics, so the hydrogen doesn't contribute to corrosion of the electronics. I would recommend you get AGM batteries, to avoid the possibility of acid spillage in the trailer.
I would recommend the fan be on the "inside" wall of the compartment, and a vent hole on the outside wall. Have the fan keep a positive pressure on the battery compartment.
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coolmom42
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04/17/18 05:13pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: New trailer: WDH, Generator
Sizing a solar system
You might try things without the WDH. Do make sure the trailer is level and the tongue weight is 10-15% of the trailer weight. Add a WDH if the rear of the truck squats very much, or the steering is squirrely.
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coolmom42
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04/16/18 04:18pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: The confounding 3/4 ton truck...
The big problem is that trucks any more come with multiple trim levels and those often have different payloads and tow ratings. You need to find out the EXACT information for the EXACT vehicle you are looking at, don't just take the first number that pops up in Google.
IMHO you can't ignore any of the numbers. You are limited by the lowest value, whether that is cargo capacity, tow rating, or axle rating.
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coolmom42
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04/16/18 04:13pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: How much off MSRP on a 2017?
A friend of mine recently bought a F150 with similar date. The dealer sold it to him as a certified used vehicle, at that pricing. My advice is to put all the options into NADA guide as a certified used vehicle, not a new, and see how it comes out. Also get a price on Edmunds.com. It may not depreciate as much as you think since it's a F250.
A lot of times a vehicle like that hasn't sold because it's an odd color for the area, or is missing some option a lot of people want. Check the sticker and package details carefully. My friends had a tow package but did not have the brake controller, which is pretty lame.
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coolmom42
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04/16/18 04:09pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Samsung Tablet Users..
Buy another Samsung Tablet (we just picked up a 10" TAB E for $179) and then use the Samsung Smart Switch Mobile app to move everything from one to another in less than 30 minutes. I just did that after switching from Verizon to T-Mobile (another story about HUGE savings) and getting new Samsung S9's to replace our S6's. Everything on the old phones are now on the new ones and it was completely painless.
No need to use the Samsung app. Verizon and Google accounts will back up everything and transfer it.
You will have to download the apps she wants to use from the Google Play store, but you won't have to pay for them again. Chances are there are some she doesn't use much and won't bother with. Good way to clean up clutter on the tablet.
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coolmom42
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04/15/18 06:36pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: Samsung Tablet Users..
Not worth it. Replace it.
SInce it's using her Google account. Perform a backup. Then when she logs into her Google account on the new device everything will automatically be restored.
I recommend the Galaxy Tab S3.
This. Not necessarily the tablet recommendation---check around. Do get an up to date version. Costco has a sale on some Samsung tablets right now.
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coolmom42
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04/15/18 06:34pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: Overwhelmed and worried about safety
Hi all. I know threads of "can I tow XYZ with my ABC" probably get annoying and I've been reading and reading and reading. But I'm overwhelmed and my partner and I have never towed anything before. This is a major purchase and I'm afraid if we don't have the physics/math sorted out we could buy something that ends up unsafe.
We have a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee with tow package. Unsure if it's a class 3 or 4 hitch, but will need to check that obviously. From what I can tell, the manufacturer recommended 6200 max pounds is pretty much a number to ignore and we should be focusing on tongue weight?
Don't ignore the tow rating weight, but understand that it is often not the limiting factor in what you should buy. A good general rule of thumb is to look at dry weights, then add about 1000 lb for stuff in the trailer. You want that total to be about 80% of the tow rating of your vehicle, for a comfortable towing experience.
(all the dealers just keep saying we're fine and are pushing bigger/heavier units).
Most dealers just want to sell you something.
If my partner + me + baby + carseat = 510 pounds (round up to 550 pounds) and the Jeep has a limit of 1050 pounds for passenger + cargo, then that leaves us 500 pounds for the tongue weight (and no room to pack any gear at all in the car). Correct?
Your math is correct.
So if we are looking at a hybrid travel trailer that weighs 5400 fully loaded and the tongue weight is 10-15% of that (540-810) then that's too big for us. Right? Is there anyway to find out the exact tongue weight of a specific trailer before you buy it??
You can assume that you will add something like 800-1200 lb to the dry weight of a trailer when you load it with propane, battery, a few gallons of water, clothing, food and supplies. Some people go lower and some feel the need to pack the entire house. 800 lb is reasonable for a small trailer. So take that total and multiply it by 12%, which is the amount you need on the tongue for good towing.
Or can I assume we will never fully load it and can keep it safely under 5400 pounds?
Use the above math.
Also, our plan is to have sway bars, but is there a specific hitch type/brand you'd suggest we look at?
Others here have more experience, but I can tell you that you will definitely need sway control and weight distribution.
Seems like a tongue weight scale is an important purchase?
Any other thoughts??
Make sure that you have the exact cargo capacity and tow rating for your version of the vehicle. That depends on the exact options you have. A Jeep dealer should be able to help you out starting with the VIN, or if you have the window sticker from the original sale, the info should be on that.
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coolmom42
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04/14/18 09:39pm |
Towing
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RE: Why understate the length
No correlation between the model number and actual length. Look at the actual specs.
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coolmom42
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04/14/18 11:45am |
Toy Haulers
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RE: New Fiberglass Airstream "Nest" -- Yikes! "only" 45K!
For that kind of money, I would buy an Oliver. Completely customizable interior fabrics, almost as stylish, 4X T105 batteries, high end converter, solar system, and built to handle backroads that will tear that Airstream up.
And WITHOUT nonsense like Blue-tooth controlled LEDs, a stupid name, and a doormat with the stupid name on it. Seriously???????
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coolmom42
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04/14/18 11:43am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Cheap option for towing 6 people and a large pop up
Avoid the Chrysler products.
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coolmom42
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04/11/18 05:55pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Freshwater line gummy
I second the idea of a brush, then liquid dishwasher detergent plus bleach, OR you could use a laundry detergent designed for high efficiency washers. Either one of those will be low suds. I would flush the mixture through, let it stand several hours, and then use the brush. Repeat as needed. Of course you want to flush several gallons of water through it before use.
If that doesn't get it, replace the line.
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coolmom42
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04/11/18 11:27am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Bouncing on Concrete Roads
Stickdog, you're going to make me show how little I know! I did weigh it, but don't remember everything I thought I knew at the time!
The truck by itself (trailer not attached) was 5,980. The truck with the trailer attached but trailer off the scale was 6,940. So, is my pin weight the difference in those two?
The trailer weighs 7,200 lbs.
Actually, those numbers are for my original tow vehicle. I recently traded a 2014 Chevy 1500 for a 2018 Chevy 1500. Both trucks did the same thing.
For a trailer (not a 5th wheel) the correct term is tongue weight, not pin weight. Your tongue weight is 6940-5980 = 960 That is 13% of the trailer weight, so that part of your set up is good.
I'm thinking all of the trailer bounce is being transferred to the truck through the hitch. The only thing I can think of that would help is stiffening the truck suspension somehow (although that might make it WORSE).
Or you could find an alternative route as soon as possible. Trouble is these stretches of road appear with no warning.
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coolmom42
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04/08/18 10:25pm |
Towing
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RE: Newbie purchase advice needed
Some class B RVs have enough tow capacity that you could add a small cargo trailer if you needed more space. I've also seen large cargo carriers on the rear.
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coolmom42
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04/07/18 07:37pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Newbie purchase advice needed
I strongly recommend that you do your research on paper, and then rent 2-3 different types of RVs and confirm what you think from your research.
Different SUVs have different towing limits. A Platinum trim level Ford Explorer has a 3.5L Ecoboost engine and 5000 pound tow rating. Ford Expeditions is 5900-6200 lb or higher with a max tow package. Tahoes and Suburbans are in the 6000-6600 lb range depending on the exact version. Toyota Sequoias are at 7000 lb.
Generally you want to be around 80-85% of your tow rating, and properly set up with hitch and sway control, for a good towing experience.
You might be able to find a good deal on a used class B or C, and the cost would not be much more total than a tow vehicle and trailer.
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coolmom42
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04/07/18 07:36pm |
Beginning RVing
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