RE: Backing up...
30 years ago, maiden voyage and you would have thought I was trying to land a 747. Practice and more practice. Do not ignore the blind side turn. Do not forget about backing straight back, no turns just straight back for the times you hit a dead end with no place to turn around.
Good luck..
RE: Eliminating new trailer smell?
My tennis shoes can be had for the right price.
But seriously, go over to the co-op and get a bag of lime. Fill a couple buckets let sit. Please send me the extra lime for my shoes....
RE: How close to GCWR can you get?
Don't know why a truck with a 4:10 rear end offers more GCWR than the same truck with a 3:73 rear end....That's for the design and manufacturing engineers to answer for you, so I would query my question to Ford, Chevy/GM and/or Ram for that information....I know that the 07.5 3500 Chevy Dually I had, with 3:73 had a GCWR of 23,500#, I believe, and when I purchased the 2010 Dodge crew cab dually, I opted for the 4:10 option because the 3:73 equipped 2010 Dodge Dually only offered a GCWR of 21,000#, but the 4:10 equipped, same truck config, offered , 24,500#..why...don't know, don't care, but figure the design and manufacturing engineers of Ford, Chrysler and GM aren't idiots, I really believe they have a reason to put weight ratings on their trucks....got to be a reason, I'm not as smart about "why" they put these numbers in place on their engines HP and TQ ratings, why the put the GVWR and GCWR numbers place the way they do...but I doubt, having been in manufacturing for as long as I have that it is just some "random number" that doesn't mean "anything". I'm sure there is a reason.....Now I'm an engineer, I've worked in manufacturing since 75, and before I was in the military, I worked as a machinist in a manufacturing plant, so I like to think that I'm one of those engineers who has a little more common sense than the guy who went from HS to college, got his degree and then went to work as an engineer....mine is a little more drawn out than that...didn't come over night, so to speak...
BUT, being in the brake caliper manufacturing end of our business now, I do KNOW that each and every caliper that we manufacture that goes to BMW, Volvo, Mercedes Benz, Ford, GM, Chrysler, VW, Fiat and a few others in lesser numbers is built to the strictest engineering and quality standards, tested at more stringent criteria than our customer expects to make sure we're giving them the best product we can...you know, no recalls, no failures...it keeps plants open and keeps people working if we're the best at what we do...all that to say, yes, I know that the brakes are BETTER than what the manufacture wants them to be...we cover ourselves...so I know that the auto/truck manufactures also build "fluff" into their GVWR and GCWR ratings, they got to....they do it so that components will last longer, so that the unit will be reliable, or they'll lose business, shut plants down if their auto's and trucks break down and don't perform well...thus the reason they put "recommended" break in periods on their product, just like they put GVWR and GCWR ratings on their vehicles..Most KNOW they're padded, extra built in..but at what point do "WE" know MORE than the people who design and manufacture the trucks one want's to tow a ton more than recommended by said manufacturers? How much longer will it last? HOw much more can it take?? At what point do you push the braking distances due to the fact one has decided to load the truck well over it's "recommended" GCWR of "X" amount of wight, or how long will suspension and axles hold up when one ignores the recommended GVWR and goes by the axle weight rating..sure it can probably do it...but for how long? How much LONGER would the truck have lasted and performed "IF" recommended guidelines by the manufacturer had been followed to some extent? I don't know, wished I did, but "I" personally did not design or manufacture the trucks we tow with..I just bought one and try to do what I can do with it to get optimum performance and longivity out of it..these things cost a lot of money and I'm not going to go out of my way to wear it out prematurely or abuse it...Thus the reason, in my infinite stupidity, I'll try to follow the truck manufacurers recommended towing guidelines, because, as I've stated many times before, I believe they know far more about their truck than I do..I know many tow well over their GVWR's and GCWR's and do it easily, no problems...that's good....so I'm going to figure that If I try to stay within the recommended weght towing specs the manufacturer has put in place, then my truck ought to last for awhile and perform in a most excellent manner, not wearing out components prematurely or pushing the limits of safety features built into my truck...yeah, another "taboo" statement to make, but I've alway's been one to take safety into account when driving, empty or towing...I figure if I'm within the limits recommended by the manufacturer, my stopping distances and ABS system will work better, (those systems I DO know about:))
"Why does a 4:10 rear end equipped truck have a higher GCWR than one with a 3:73 rear end in the same truck configuration"? Guess I'd ask a manufacturing engineer involved in that particular building process of that particular truck. Me, I'll just be a fool and buy into what the manufacturer "recommends" tow ratings for their truck should be and buy and use accordingly...
This needs to be a sticky. Just this post.... Someone's sense of reason and methodical analysis is truly brilliant. Every "newbie" (I hate that word) and any poster that post "can I tow this" should have to have a fireside chat with the poster. Rules are rules....
RE: Jacking up trailer
DO NOT jack from the middle as this will bend the axle. Place your jack under each wheel where the axle attaches to the spring. I would suggest doing one wheel at a time or one side at the time
X2
Jack under the axle - nearest to the outer hub as well. And, I do 1 at a time as well. And, only lift the wheel 1" off the ground. Easy and simple.
X3
RE: Where would you retire?
We will travel as much as possible. But stay in Wisconsin. I can't go for any length of time without seeing my grandchildren. Three days is too long! Maybe when I get old(like 80)I will change my mind. Either Montana or Little Niagra Falls!!!
RE: Snow & Ice on Top
i was stopped in nj because of snow on roof
Small world, I was also pulled over in NJ for snow on roof. I told the officer the snow actually came from NY and I was sorry. He had no sense of humor, got ticket. Something about reckless endangerment! Wife told me to shut up! I shut up..... Sometimes my brain and mouth do not communicate....
RE: What would you do?
When is the last time the Transmission fluid was changed? You said slip.. Please describe the slip.. You mean no shift into gear? You mean foot on pedal and the truck goes no where? Swipe the fluid off the dip stick with cotton swab. Buy a quart of trans fluid and put some on a cotton swab. Compare the colors. The new is bright red and the old is what color?
You would be amazed what new trans fluid can do, let alone new filters. You really need to know what is in the pan. Does the trans pan have a drain on it?
RE: What would you do?
I read some of your other post. Debt free, youth on your side, cash in the bank, both school teachers! Without a doubt I would fix what you already own. You have a budget, stick to it. For some reason (probably because we can) many of us have no problem spending big bucks on TV and Towable. How you spend your disposable income is your business.
You can make a "boat load" of repairs to a TV or daily driver for what they want for new. If you own a rust bucket, need ball joints, axle u joints and a transfer case, then I would think about it.
Forget about Nada or Kelly Blue book value. With a re built trans, what is the tow vehicle worth to you? What is the value of "it is paid for"?
Good luck........
RE: 2007 Dodge 3500 6.7 diesel
Please have the ball joints, upper and lower inspected. Have the front axle u joints inspected. Do not take the vehicle to a small shop. Although I usually do not recommend this, I would take the vehicle to a large Dodge dealer. Make certain the service writer documents on your invoice what they inspected. Do not let them write, inspected front end!!!! What did they inspect? Do not let them write, "everything seems ok". The result you want is ball joints and u joints show no signs of wear.
Has the blend and re-circ door problem, been fixed on this model year?
Go to turbodieselregister and do some research.....
RE: Tight lug nuts
Maybe I missed it.. How much did you pay for your impact wrench? I say it is the gun! It is all about torque. Crafstman sells a gun for $50.00, Milwaukee and Ingersoll Rand sell a gun for $275.00. I own both, the sears gun will not remove the nuts on my fiver or TT and no, they are not stripped or overtorqued. The Milwaukee gun walks the nuts right off. Rent the Milwaukee Gun from Home Depot or Lowes and try it.
Stop at any Tires Plus, ask them what kind of impact gun they have, and why?
Good Luck...
RE: brakes failed
The best and easiest thing I found to do is to just buy everything already put together for both sides. Backing plate removes with just a few nuts.
X2
X3, the assembly is not that expensive and readily available!
RE: Run furnace in 5er while driving?
With your slides in are furnace registers blocked?
The only one that is blocked is the round one in the garage that I screwed a coffee can lid over top. Don't need heat in the garage.
I only want heat to keep fresh water pipes from freezing. For the first time, I've winterized using compressed air and pink goo in P-traps. My DW doesn't like the aftertaste of pink goo after we unwinterize so there's none in the fresh pipes.
It's going to -8C (15F?) tonight - it could be colder when we head out in two weeks. Rig is parked in my lower driveway now with furnace at its lowest setting (40F).
I have run the heat in transit many times. 15F is too cold for the cat that will not be quiet. Dog rides in the truck and snores. Cold is one thing, cold rain is a whole different story. We do carry two small oil filled electric heaters, with built in fans that make a huge difference.
RE: What is the # of camping trips you average a season??
45 Nights this season. We started early spring and just wraped it up last weekend. I will echo another poster, in that being gone so much, we never get nothing done at home. My wife and I have already decided to take next season off. We have done that before and always pick up where we left off. It could even go two seasons, as we have two weddings the spring of 2014. It just seems like we get back from one trip, and spend the down week getting ready for the next. Been doing this 30 years and have taken time of before. We had a 3 year shutdown early 90's. I will not sell the Fiver!!!! Heck I might give my son the own I own for a wedding gift.. Should I tell my wife I bought a new fiver? Na, then I have to explain it..... Ah, what color are the curtains? What curtains????
RE: Deciding when to buy new tires?
Well I dont like to compromise saftey over a set of tires when my wife and 3 daughters are involved. I also don't want o foll with a flat tire or blowout.
You are smart! We spend big bucks on TV and towable. Yet, we push tread life to max. We buy extended warrinties for laptops and question MPG's while towing. Does anyone own a big screen TV? I could put 4 sets on my Truck for the price of mine! Please do not misunderstand, I like my toys, but c'mon, buy tires and put more fuel in......
In Wiscosin I will run my tires to about 6-8/32. Depends what time of year I hit those numbers.
RE: Norcold refridgerator problem
You blew air into what chamber? Please stop blowing out tubes, vents. etc.. Vac it out! What does your owners manual say Code F means?
RE: Big electric problem
I bought a used 2004 Cedar Creek last spring. All of a sudden 2 ground fault outlets and four regular outlets and the ceiling fan won't work.
Had one service person try and fix it and he could not find the problem. Any suggestions or anyone know of anyone near Tampa, FL that could help. I have no way of taking it to a service center.
What did the service person do, to troubleshoot this? Where is the Cedat Creeek plugged in? Does the microwave work??
RE: cover advice for our new TT
Jeep88, Watch out, I tried to pick it up last month. Couldn't figure out where to put the hitch, you can't see the axles.
Now that's funny. I'll bring a case of beer, we will come up with something..
Better check the weights... But officer, I swear the dealer told me I could tow it!
