RE: 2013 Dodge 3500 30k tow rating
These are some pretty big numbers. Not sure how they came up with them, as I haven't seen enough on what was upgraded on the truck to handle it.
So the following is pure speculation.
The Cummins still seems to be (on paper) under powered a tad compared to the competition. If the drivetrain is roughly equal in strength, then higher tow numbers can be calculated.
Putting 400HP to the ground puts more strain on things than 350HP.
Couple that with some rear axle ratio options that are not available on the other brands, and one can come up with some pretty eye popping rating increases.
Now Ford and Chevy can likely close much of the gap by simply offering lower gear ratios. Will be interesting to see what happens.
RE: semi full time no generator
Perhaps PT got burned so bad by his $4500 generator-money down the drain that he'll never recover. ;)
The main rub it seems is that he spent that money on gennys OTHER THAN Honda or Yamaha or Onan - or OTHER THAN on a decent RV fuel cell.
For $4500 he originally could probably have had one of these model 210 fuel cells that replace around 210 amp hours of battery drain per 24 hour day - rain or shine, high noon or midnight, hot or cold, and use in the neighborhood of 2.64 gal. of fuel every 30 days:
http://www.efoy-comfort.com/technical-data
This looked interesting until I read the specs.
"operating temperature -4 to 104F".
In AZ I would be over the 104 a lot. PT would be under the -4 a lot.
Not sure if these can be kept in a warm area while in use or not.
Also the fuel tank is rated by AH output. When producing the 210 AH a day, the fuel will last 4.4 days. Still pretty good, but not magical like the 30 days would suggest. Haven't done the math, but I doubt that it is substantially better in consumption than a generator when factoring in the power output.
I see PT as a individualistic type, one who doesn't like to follow the crowd, but likes to come up with his own creative/ unique solutions...I have the same streak in me to an extent.
But sometimes the crowd is right.
The trouble is ... it's too late ... the $4500 is gone. :(
RE: just turning around at home?????
my WDH is rated at 1000 tongue, 10,000 tow...and the actual tongue weight of my camper is right around 700lbs. so well under the 1000 pounds.
The rating of your WDH is not relevant if you're disconnecting the bars. What is the rating of your receiver hitch on the truck. As previously noted, the receiver hitch (Class IV if OEM on a half-ton) is probably rated for only 500 lbs weight carrying (without WDH fully installed), up to 1000 lbs or more with WDH installed.This is true but,,, there should be considerably less force on the components when just moving it around at slow speed. Dynamic use (bumps at speed etc.) increase the strain on the receiver by at least 3x, probably more. That is where the rating comes into play.
You're talking about removing the bars, in other words, uninstalling WDH, so it's the weight carrying number that matters. You'd be exceeding that typical rating by 200 lbs. That rating doesn't say 500 lbs except if only for a few feet or a few minutes, but your truck, your call.
Honestly, I wouldn't install bars just to move it around. I know the numbers, but my truck, my call. Like most on here, I'm comfortable with it.
RE: Almost made a huge mistake
Loose the Mega Cab and look at a quad cab long bed. The numbers will be comparable. The Mega Cab configeration sucks for payload. Don't know or understand why they did that.Not on a 2012. Payload will go up a little, but not the GCWR or tow ratings. Dodge ratings vary considerably with axle ratios. A 4.10 Dodge will be better, but still not as good as a 3.73 GM or Ford. The Dodges up to 2012 simply are not competitive. The 2013s will be, but they are still not out yet.
RE: semi full time no generator
Tuna,
.2a charge rate is not enough to maintain your battery bank if NOTHING is connected to it.
You say you are trying to simplify not complicate your life. Seems like you are going the opposite direction.
X2
Tuna seems like he wants to do everything differently than most.
He has had 2 no name generators that ended up costing him 4500.00 for about 400 hours of use....So the Hondas that serve so many so well are off the table..
I hope he doesn't freeze to death.
RE: semi full time no generator
My total cost for generators since I started RV'ing is over 4500.00. I have nothing to show for that, and I probably ran for less than 400 hours in total over a ten year time frame. That is one reason I don't want one. I'm sure you may agree that changing the oil at -20 F would be less than a pleasant job. Then there is gasoline, which might "grow wings", leaving me without a way to run the generator without going to a gas station.
I remember some of your posts with one of your generators...A boily or some other off brand. Sort of reminds me of a TT forum member who had the misfortune to buy one of the worst modern diesels ever made (a 6.0) and now is dead set against diesels, and is very prolific in posting about how bad diesels are.
Yet most all of us have great experiences with them
I have thousands of hours on my (now two) Honda EU 2000.
They are designed to be able to be stored inside the rv, and at 49# and small size are realistically able to do so.
There is a small tube that one can buy on ebay that screws right into the oil fill port. With this tube, changing oil inside the RV is practical. I use one, and simply pour the oil directly into a empty plastic jug...Have used a milk jug, OJ jug empty oil jut etc. It is mess free...Not a drop spilled. Use the same tube to pour a premeasured oil fill in and that part too is mess free. I have a oil container premarked with the proper oil anmount. This can easily be done inside in less than 10 minutes...Practice in your garage first to get the technique down.
My present dual EU 2000s were purchased used for 1000.00
I gave my original one to my brother, who is thrilled with it.
One doesn't have to buy new. It is pretty hard to hurt a quality generator such as a Honda.
RE: Traveling with your Fridge On
Since I live in AZ, and 115 degrees is not uncommon, my fridge is always on. In fact, when parked and loading for a trip, the AC is on as well to help the fridge maintain safe food temps.
The risk of food poisoning is many times greater than a propane incident,,, and can be just as deadly.
There are many safe guards built into modern rv propane systems. It makes it unlikely that their will be a incident.
Life is not without risks. Whichever route one decides to take, their WILL be some level of risk.
RE: semi full time no generator
Hi Huntindog,
There won't be a generator. The only genny I'd consider is the yamaha 3000 watt seb. It costs $2700.00 For that price I can beef up my solar and have over 1000 watts available (yes, I know the sun does not always shine, but that's why I have a medium size battery bank).
A EU2000 will take care of that easily, and reliably.That is a very nice unit. But not one I would recommend for what you are wanting to do.
At 154# dry, storing it inside out of the cold is not realistic. And starting it at -30 could be iffy at best.
If you are dead set against USING a generator just for the challenge of it....I can understand that.. So bring one along for backup. That way if the alternative methods don't work out, you aren't up a creek.. If you don't need it, then that's great and you can have all the bragging rights.
As for your battery bank size. Not sure where the 54 amp criteria for 3 hrs came from... But you will likely need battery power for considerably longer than that.
In January when we had our cold snap, I ran our EU 2000 for several days nonstop.
Your previous responce about remote temperture sensors has me a little puzzled as well. You stated a power draw for yours, but didn't know the duty cycles.. That doesn't sound like what I was talking about, as mine runs on AA batteries. Sounds like you are talking about heaters. If so, I can tell you that the duty cycle a -30 will be close to or right at 100%. Another power draw, and another reason why a generator is the best solution.
RE: semi full time no generator
it would be an extreme situation before i but my butt outside at below '0' temps and try to start a small two stroke $100 generator and wrangle the 'snake' to plug into it
yeah yeah , a small pre-built ext cord adapter could be in place
It would probably would be an extreme exercise in frustration, too. The genset needs to be brought up to room temp and hopefully, those cords are bendable instead of breakable.
I've done just a bit of cold weather camping, some at -20f, and it is always slower and more tedious when outside.
I think Pianotuna's situation is better than some, he can rely on the vehicle's systems to get him through any critical times. If he had a way to get plugged into the grid every night, he would be golden. That may be something to explore. A EU2000 will take care of that easily, and reliably.
RE: semi full time no generator
Here's a pretty low cost idea that may save you some grief.
Get a thermometer(s) that have wireless remote sensors. Put the remotes in places that you think may be trouble spots.
IE: a compartment that has some water lines or tank, or a battery compartment etc.
With these you can monitor temps to see if you may be entering a danger zone, and take preventative measures.
It's much easier to keep something from freezing than to get it thawed in extreme low temps.
I have one I got at Kmart, one inside display and temp+ one remote for les than 20.00. It can monitor two remotes. I think there are others that can have several remotes
RE: semi full time no generator
Hi KSG5000,
Sorry non vented combustion heaters are off the menu.
I would consider running a burner on the stove when I was not in the RV, as a blue flame heater.
Remember that a byproduct of burning propane (open flame or non vented) is that it puts moisture in the air. Which will then condense on a cold surface somewhere.
I really don't see how you can pull this off without a generator.
Sure it will be a pain....But there just isn't a easy way to use a RV in those temps.
And ya gotta get it right, whatever you do. When it gets really cold is not the time to discover that some thinking out of the box great idea...Doesn't work as hoped.
RE: semi full time no generator
I got a taste of some cold in January. 1 degree. That brought a lot of my TTs shortcomings to light. I have recently completed a project to help cope in a future cold snap.
What I learned is that you just can't fool around with cold. If you are not prepared, you are going to have issues. Might easily end up with a unliveable rig and expensive repairs.
The temps that you are considering (-30) are way more extreme.
For these temps, you gotta pull out all the stops. You need a generator, heated pipes and tanks, better insulation, and lots of propane along with a space heater or two.
Don't try to skimp on the heat. It needs to run a lot, maybe constantly. I am really not sure that the economics are going to work.
I don't know enough about your rig for specific recommendations, but those basics are a good start.
RE: Wheel Bearings - Dark Markings
Yes they got hot. If they got hot enough, they can lose their temper and will fail.
Figuring out the cause is important. Was the lubrication lacking?
Were they adjusted incorrectly? Were they overloaded?
RE: Blocked toilet
:B Time for kegger!! :B Invite a bunch of buddies over for beer and hose duty. Break up the******with repeated streams of water.
Hell it might even take two kegs for a really tough job.:B
RE: semi full time no generator
Never tried to start a generator a -30.
But I think I have a way to do it.
Get a Honda EU2000 or two, and simply don't let them get that cold.
Store them inside a heated space when they are not running. Pull them out and start them before it gets that cold whenever possible, and don't shut them off unless it's gonna warm up some. With an extended run tank, one will run 72 hours without refueling, and that can be done while it's running.
Heck if you have two of them, then one can always be warm a ready to start as the other one can supply the power till it's oil change time. Then start the warm stored one, make the switch and change the oil inside the RV. Yes it sounds like a pain, but extreme cold weather camping requires sacrifices.. And there are some gadgets that make oil changes on the Hondas easy and spill free. Not even a drop.
RE: How long can you boondock?
Is it just me or does anyone not use the woods anymore? I'll explain.
Does no one take a bath in a river or lake?
Pee in the bush?
Wash dishes from a bucket of water from a lake?
Remember boondocking gets you away from people, or am I missing something! Sure if you camp in the middle of the bush with no other source of water I can see, carrying more water would be an issue, but holding tank capacity being an issue, must be a city slicker thing!
Tent for a week, brings a whole new light to what you can make due with.
Longest I have gone is 27 days in my old TT. Only thing that used the battery was lights and water pump. Everything else was stand alone propane appilances. Unlimited source of water from the river I camped beside and tanks never got filled becuase I built my own outhouse. Man did I eat alot of fish that trip!:D
OP here....You make good points...I was asking because we plan on attending a large festival this summer and we'd be stuck in a crowded field with the TV removed for about 4 nights min.... and it's all unserviced...They will probably have porta jons there. At some of the dog trials I go to the porta jon company does a pretty good business pumping out RV tanks.
See if you can find out the name of the company that will be supplying them and give them a call to see if that is a possibility.
RE: Dead Level when towing
Level is the goal. Usually though the adjustments will give you a choice of either slightly nose down or up. It has to be down.
Also park on a level surface with the TT-TV in line. Measure from the frame to the ground, front and rear. Appearances can be deceiving.
RE: Do Weight Distribution Hitches Matter much?
I have a VERY stout truck. One ton dually crewcab diesel rated to tow around 22,000#. When I was setting up my WD hitch, a test tow just didn't feel right. Not as solid in the front as my last truck felt. A little more tension on the bars and it became perfect.
The point is that even the stoutest of trucks can benefit from a properly set up WD hitch. Maybe most with less towing experience would not have picked up on the feeling like I did. But to me it was real easy, as I know how good it can be.
We have endless debates here on the merits of the various WD hitch systems out there...But I bet just about everyone here will agree.
The most important thing is to use the one of your choice AND get it dialed in.
RE: I've got $500 to spend
500.00 to spend... what kind of camping do you do?
From the OP,
We will be dry camping a week at a time this summer.That doesn't tell me how serious he is about the trips.. Would going home early be something he is OK with?
Read my entire post please.
RE: I've got $500 to spend
500.00 to spend... what kind of camping do you do? Is it simply for the pleasure of camping, or does it have another purpose?
My TT is used for hunting trips and dog trials. Scheduled events that do not change dates if mother nature has a fit.
So for me, going home or cutting a trip short is not a option. The worse the weather is, the more I need the TT for shelter.
So reliability is #1 priority. I would get the generator first. That's what I did. It solves the problems of too much amp draw which the LEDs are touted for. As well as the battery capacity problem which the battery proponents are suggesting. And the charging issue which the Solar fans are pushing. These are all items which are nice to have....But with a generator you can get along without them just fine.
When bad weather strikes during a hunting trip, many of the fair weather people leave. They are not prepared for it. We ride it out and have the woods to ourselves when it clears..
The dog trials are different. After spending many thousands of dollars on breeding, training and entry fees....Hardly anyone will leave.
One can learn a lot by looking around the camps, and seeing what equipment is being used..
Never seen any solar. Some have extra/high capacity battery banks.
LED lights are rare. And EVERYONE has generators. Most are red. A few are blue. Some yellows are starting to appear.
Can learn a lot about truck choices as well. My crowd simply won't/can't have breakdowns with many thousands of dollars of dogs and horses on board. If troubles appear, the trucks disappear.
The only comment I will make on that in this thread is that the 6.0 came and went quickly.
