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RE: Stuck King Pin
Ignore those telling you your hitch is the problem. You have one of the best out there. Also avoid lifting the fiver off the plate as that can bind the bottom of the pin against the jaw you are trying to move. The directions tell you how to unhook. You should have some weight on the hitch. If the jaws will not release and you are within the 16 degree window, get back in the truck, put it in reverse. Most times you will not even have to touch the gas. Next put on the emergency brake, then put the truck in park.
It IS the hitch. What else would it be? A good hitch doesn't need to be jacked around with to get unhooked from. Those of us with B&Ws NEVER need to back up to relieve a bind in the hitch to unhook. Swing the lever, with 1 finger, and it disconnects every time.
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DodgeVoltage
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07/23/12 02:59pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Stuck King Pin
Not to hijack this, for the people on the edge the B&W is simple and strong. Easy to release and when latched there is no question if you are connected.
The problens you are having are a perfect example of how people drop their 5er on the truck bed.
Do they make a slider?
Don
No they don't.
If I had a short bed I would still use the B&W along with a TrailAire air bag kingpin. As far as I understand you would not need a slide hitch.
Someone please correct me if I am wrong.
I have a B&W Companion and TrailAir box and use it with my Megacab short bed. I guess it depends on your Fifth Wheel front cap, but mine clears just fine. No need for a slider. I have my Companion set in the furthest back holes which puts the king pin about 4 inches back if I remember right.
Thanks, I really like my combo I can walk between the rv and tailgate when it is down.
I wonder what is happening with the weight on your front tires being you are back behind centerline of rear axle? Mine is full forward and out of 4,500# tongue weight only 100# of it are added to the front axle.
In the perfect world you should be 2" forward of cemter line of rear axle. Do you have room to go forward?
Have you weighed your front axle before and after 5er connected?
I've weighed it before with the camper loaded up, but haven't weighed it without the camper. I don't have the ticket anymore, but I was within my axle weights so didn't worry about it. I wouldn't want it any futher forward. It handles awesome and I have the clearance I am comfortable with. I had a long bed before and used the hitch on the same settings without issue too. I sometimes carry my car in the toyhauler, so my hitch weight is pretty low as it balances out quite well.
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DodgeVoltage
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07/23/12 02:54pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Stuck King Pin
Not to hijack this, for the people on the edge the B&W is simple and strong. Easy to release and when latched there is no question if you are connected.
The problens you are having are a perfect example of how people drop their 5er on the truck bed.
Do they make a slider?
Don
No they don't.
If I had a short bed I would still use the B&W along with a TrailAire air bag kingpin. As far as I understand you would not need a slide hitch.
Someone please correct me if I am wrong.
I have a B&W Companion and TrailAir box and use it with my Megacab short bed. I guess it depends on your Fifth Wheel front cap, but mine clears just fine. No need for a slider. I have my Companion set in the furthest back holes which puts the king pin about 4 inches back if I remember right.
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DodgeVoltage
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07/23/12 06:12am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Valdez ... our best bear sighting ever
We were at that same location in 2009 watching a momma and 3 bear cubs doing the same thing. It was awesome and we were so close to them. We got some great pics.
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DodgeVoltage
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07/19/12 01:13pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Gooseneck Adapter Question
We used a 'Ranch Hitch Adapter' for 2 years on a heavy 40 foot toyhauler and had no issues. It was relatively easy to install. I've seen others that may offer a little cushion, but I chose ridgidness for less give. The adapter worked well, but we traded it off and went with the B&W Companion on our next 5th wheel.
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DodgeVoltage
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07/18/12 01:54pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Work and Play Toy Hauler
Although I had seen some some outside of WA, I could not find a dealer that was interested in selling or showing one to me in my area. In my search, I found Intech, Millennium and Feather Lite had lighter versions using aluminum frames that could still haul heavy loads, but ended up with a TC and enclosed trailer combination for more flexibility.
I had to get a hold of Forest River to find a dealer in AlaskaThey are just now starting to show up on the west coast it is mainly a mid-west to east coast brand. they are not insulated on the side walls so they may not take hold in the Pacific northwest
We lived in Eagle River and bought a 40 footer gooseneck in the same color scheme as the OPs while we lived there. Towed it all over the Kenai Peninsula. It was VERY cold to camp in. The insulation was aweful and fit and finish was utilitarian. We ended up selling it and buying a 4 season fifth wheel. It looked cool, but we couldn't say much beyond that for it. They are perfect, though, if you need a trailer with a large payload capacity. The ramp and car hauler part of them are sturdy. The one thing I do miss was the heavy duty hydraulic dual jacks that could have lifted a house. Most fifth wheels/toyhaulers have jacks that are too spindly in my opinion. The black skin and flames generated a lot of conversation where ever we went.
Definitely not trying to knock Work and Plays, just didn't feel it was the right trailer for Alaska and didn't fit our style. I always felt it would have fit in awesome parked at a race track.
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DodgeVoltage
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07/18/12 10:32am |
Toy Haulers
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RE: Tires and the DOT
Why do I get these tire threads?
:B
Frank
I know some moderators get ticked every time a tire thread comes up, but darn it, some of us want all the info we can get on tires. Let them be, knowing that some of us find them useful no matter which way they go. Tires are an important part of our rigs. I don't care to hear about Ford Ecoboosts and Powerstrokes, but I keep that to myself because someone probably does.
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DodgeVoltage
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07/15/12 02:15pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Beware of no warranty work by Dutchman Voltage dealers
I don't think it should matter where you bought something or what you paid for it. If it is a product made by a certain manufacturer, they and their dealers should take care of it, wherever you are. Otherwise, why claim to have a warranty? The company should pay their dealers what they deserve to work on their line of products.
I bought my camper from a dealer that had to order it. I knew I was moving on a certain day out of state. The camper finally came in a week before I left so the selling dealer wasn't able to take care of it's issues. They sent me down the road on my own to find a "local" dealer to take care of the problems. That was last November. My camper just went in last week to be fixed under warranty. I guess I was lucky to find a dealer that would work on it. These are the complaints we should be voicing to these companies. I suppose if they hear it enough, things might get better- not holding my breath though since they probably hear it everyday. Just preachin to the choir I understand.
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DodgeVoltage
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07/13/12 02:14pm |
Toy Haulers
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RE: Beware of no warranty work by Dutchman Voltage dealers
Since Dutchmen is owned by Thor you should be able to take it to any dealership that sells a Thor product line and have it inspected.
Sadly with the large internet dealerships it seems more and more smaller dealerships are tired of servicing those big dealerships at the rates the manufacturers will pay. I can understand why, but still don't like it. When I moved to where I am now I had a nearly new Jayco, the dealership here treated me like a customer but was honest and told me it might take several weeks since they took care of their customers first then non-customers - I could live with that and appreciated their honestly. There treatment has led them to sell me 3 other RVs other the years. So the short sighted dealers that won't service you now are probably going to lose out on a future sale, but I still don't totally fault them for not servicing. You might have better luck in the non-prime time camping season.
Wrong...
I couldn't find a Thor dealer that would look at my Dutchmen. The company (Thor) said it doesn't work like that. Each is an independent company, even they are owned by the same parent, but have nothing to do with each other. I used the example of having my GMC worked on by a Chevy dealer when I talked to them. They said campers don't work that way. Every dealer, Keystone, Heartland, etc, told me they only get something like 70% of their money back from Dutchmen, so no way. One dealer, a Keystone dealer, argued with me that they were a Thor company. They said that that was news to them. Huh?
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DodgeVoltage
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07/13/12 05:36am |
Toy Haulers
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RE: Tank dumping quiz, who does this?
The condescending germaphobe posts do get old.
X2, at least! I don't even own a pair of rubber gloves, and never will. I do use Clorox wipes, when I think of them, but I'm the guy that all the 'phobes see eating the sammich and drinking the beer while I dump.
I was in the Navy, and had head-cleaning detail more than once, and lived to tell about it. I was on an understaffed Destroyer during 'Nam, and even after reaching E-5, had to do my duty (or would that be "Dooty?").
X3- no gloves here either and I've never been sick from it. Just wash hands when done or use hand sanitizer. It's funny to watch some, you'd swear it was nuclear hazardous waste being dealt with.
...and I've used my fresh water hose to flush sewer hose too. Just don't touch the two together and keep them a few inches apart. No big deal since my hose was already "flushed" with gray water.
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DodgeVoltage
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07/09/12 06:33pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Does your Trail Air look like this?
Mine looks like this. The travelling Lippert repairman was out to work on my slides and I showed it to him. He said it was fine. Don't let the air out when unhooked. It will be fine I was told.
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DodgeVoltage
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07/09/12 06:22pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Do you use your generator?
I guess I have overkill in generators. Have a portable 6500 Watt, a 5500 watt on the camper, a 3000 watt invertor that I used to use on my last 5th wheel, and a 1200 watt that I picked up years ago. I will have power when needed- camping or at home. Over a million here don't have power right now and won't for some time. I do though.
One thing that gets me- I was looking on Craigslist yesterday. Someone has a brand new gen on there that they bought yesterday morning from COSTCO for the storms that went thru night before last. They used it for an hour until the lights came back on and are selling it already. Why do people not keep these things around for the next time? It was over $1000 and they are selling it for less than that the same day!
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DodgeVoltage
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07/01/12 03:20am |
Toy Haulers
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RE: Trying to decide on portable generator
DodgeVoltage, where did you pick up the Kipor and how much was it?
If I remember right, it was just under $1000. I bought it in Alaska at a dealer. I sure recommend them. At the time, he had sold hundreds of them and only gotten two back- one because someone dropped it into the bay using it on a boat and the other because of bad gas being used in it.
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DodgeVoltage
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06/30/12 04:43pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Trying to decide on portable generator
I use a Kipor IG3000 Invertor generator. I think it is as good as a Honda anyday. It is electric start, it's quiet with auto throttle, and very easy on fuel. I have had it for a few years and it never fails to start right up and work like it's supposed to. It was cheaper than the Honda and Yamaha 3000 watt units and gives me the same power they would give.
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DodgeVoltage
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06/29/12 11:47pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: 7.3 vs 6.0
I think the fact that two trucks 7 years apart for the same price says something as well.
I'm more of a Chevy guy, these two just caught my eye.
Get a Chevy diesel and never look back. You'll be ahead in the end.
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DodgeVoltage
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06/29/12 08:12pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Attention males: Thetford plot uncovered
You never hear men ranting and raving to the women about not putting the seat back up when they were done using it. I will start putting it down when she starts putting it back up for me!
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DodgeVoltage
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06/18/12 12:23am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: 2011 /2012 dodge 3500 fuel milage
Mines a 2010, but basically the same. Towed 19,000 lb camper from Oklahoma City to Washington DC with a combined weight of 28,000+ lbs- between 8.5 and 9 mpg (checked manually every fill up) averaging probably 75 mph. Without a trailer around town/highway- 14.3 mpg. Sure didn't buy it to baby it. It is a pulling son of a gun. Have 36,000 miles on it now.
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DodgeVoltage
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06/17/12 09:20pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Protecting front of 5vr?
Hopefully your truck has mudflaps anyway. I wouldn't tow without them. If so, you will be fine. I had a few chips from the Alaska highway, but nothing major. There are a lot of rocks along there where they are repairing the road.
It is a decent road, but I wouldn't say it's just like the lower 48 roads. The roads take a beating up there each year from freeze thaw and show it in places. Just slow down where it is the worst and you should be fine. I'd worry about the windshield more. You can't control the other drivers and the speed they pass you.
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DodgeVoltage
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06/17/12 06:43pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Where would you stop in ALaska for two weeks?
As we are traveling down the Kenai peninsula, I see what you mean about the two weeks. I had it in mind for a spot to stay and do day trips out of for a few weeks. But so far we haven't found a spot we would stay in for that long!
We're currently in Soldotna feeling blue. Fishing in the Kenai has been limited to catch and release by emergency order. Til the first of July. I wonder if we will get any salmon this trip. We've scheduled a halibut fishing trip out of Ninilchik next week. They are catching them now but they are on the small side. I'm hoping they will grow up over the next week :-)
Which charter are you using out of Ninilchik? J and J Smart charters is a great one. The owner used to be a squadron commander in the Air Force unit I was in up in Anchorage. Great people. They have a campground on site that has great views of the inlet.
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DodgeVoltage
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06/16/12 11:17pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Just buy a Tractor
I can hear it now......instead of arguing whose diesel pickup is superior, now we have to endure the John Deere vs. International Harvester vs. Farmall vs. New Holland vs. Allis Chalmers vs...........
Allis Chalmers any day! But, since they are AGCO now- AGCO!
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DodgeVoltage
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06/06/12 07:39pm |
Tow Vehicles
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