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Date Posted |
Forum
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RE: So what did you do to your Truck Camper today?
Loaded her up and got her packed for out yearly IH thing. I did notice some weird bumps on one of the roof panels.....will have to check that out when I get back. Maybe I will have to redo the roof after all.
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mountainkowboy
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04/17/13 09:27pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: automatic vs manual transmission
With the auto transmission I might have had problems getting into certain gears but I have never needed a tow.
I went through 6 automatic transmissions in my 97 Dodge CTD in 23,000 miles, each one was done by Dodge, and every time it needed to be towed. I converted it to an NV4500 5 speed manual transmission for half of what I was quoted to make the auto hold up to the diesel. I never had a problem with my transmission again. I'm sure that the newer autos might be better than the older ones, but I'll stick with a manual. They've been around for ever and they just work without all the hoopla or electronics. I live in southern cali and traffic does suck.......but I just put it in 2nd or 3rd and putt along, I don't do the Cali-yoyo drive.
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mountainkowboy
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04/10/13 12:34am |
Truck Campers
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RE: automatic vs manual transmission
Today's manual transmissions cannot handle the load that their automatic counterparts can.
Todays manuals will handle as much or more than the automatic counter parts......my 24 year old manual is rated for 26,000 GCWR. The manual is getting phased out because there is no demand for it in light duty trucks anymore.
An automatic transmission is more reliable with no clutch or master or slave cylinders to fail.
I can replace 4 complete clutch, master, and slave assemblies and still be under what it will cost you to replace your electronic 6 speed automatic. At that point my truck will have close to 400,000 miles on it. Manuals get better MPG since there is less parasitic loss in the drivetrain. IMO manuals are a better trans and cost less to operate than an auto. They give you more control over the power and breaking ability of the engine. The only advantage to the auto that I see is its a no brain drive.....stick it in "D" and push on the gas, that's my take anyhow.
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mountainkowboy
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04/08/13 06:34pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Air Compressors - AGAIN!
I have a Viair 12volt portable with a 2 gallon tank that I bought for my moho tires, it does 150psi
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mountainkowboy
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03/29/13 02:35pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Truck camper tires
Firestone Transforce tires have served me well. Decent price and they wear well.
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mountainkowboy
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03/29/13 11:52am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Arctic Fox owners beware.
OK.....I'll chime in. AF is a GREAT company that make a quality product, I wish I never sold my 1140. As others have said, you cant get delam without water leaking from somewhere. They have had problems in the past with delam, but have addressed them with better processes and different suppliers. Delam can be repaired, but it is not easy to do. I would re-approach Northwoods over the phone and try to develop some kind of a relationship with them. They may not repair it for free, but I would bet that they are the best people to repair it the right way, the first time.
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mountainkowboy
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03/29/13 11:50am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Tips on removing aluminum skin for repairs,,,needed
How do you put it back on? I'ver pulled back small sections from time it time to work on things and I can never get the staples back in.
Invest in an air staple gun.....trust me you will need it. An electric one might work, but I already had an air compressor, so I bought a Bostitch stapler when I rebuilt the S&S. I found that some of the aluminum panels at the bottom were beyond repair. While the origanal were available, polished aluminum diamond plate is cheaper to buy in 4x8 sheets. Here is my rebuild....S&S rebuild.....hope this helps. Take your time and be OCD on the repairs, and your TC should last for many more decades.
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mountainkowboy
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03/29/13 11:40am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Is a Lance 1161 too much for a 94 Ford DRW
My 90 scales at just over 6K and the diesel is about 400 pounds heavier. With my S&S on Red I GVW at 10,370....fully loaded with water and supplies, with 6,850 on the rear axle. The Sterling rear axle is rated at 8400#'s(by Sterling, not Ford), I cannot comment on the Lance, I've never owned one. I have however owned an AF 1140, that came in at 5200#'s ready to camp. Anything more than 4200-4500 on our old trucks is really much more than they will carry without some serious upgrades.
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mountainkowboy
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03/19/13 06:04pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Towing options.
You can find the TL hitch on ebay from time to time for less. I paid $800 for mine with a 32" extension shipped to my door.
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mountainkowboy
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03/15/13 11:40am |
Truck Campers
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RE: So what did you do to your Truck Camper today?
Getting the ol S&S ready for our yearly IH rally. Might even get the dinette changed to a Flip-n-fold couch before we go.
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mountainkowboy
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03/15/13 11:36am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Taking My Jeep With My Fiver???
Have a qualified welder setup a hitch for you, and flat tow as others have said. Make sure you have an aux brake unit in the Jeep and have the other half drive it in the states that dont allow it. I double towed with my HR 5er all the time, the only hassle was you cant back up, and have to unhook the Jeep sometimes. Stay within the trucks limits and the length limits and you will be fine.
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mountainkowboy
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03/12/13 07:51pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Getting out of purchase due to over weight for truck
Go with the dually....you can never have to much truck. :)
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mountainkowboy
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03/12/13 07:41pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Host Mammoth Camper..
I like that you can get out of the bed on either side and the shower in the middle. Now it REALLY looks like I need an F600.....lol :)
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mountainkowboy
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03/11/13 02:31pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Alpenlite slideout question
On my 94 the manual control is on the pass side, between the wheels.
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mountainkowboy
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03/11/13 12:53pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Poll on cruise control and propane
Yup and yup...........keeps the fridge cold and the owners manual says it ok, and if I loose 15mph my cruise kicks out anyhow (I have a manual)
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mountainkowboy
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03/11/13 12:48pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Lance 9000 Project
I remember reading about your thread mountiankowboy. I learned a lot from it. I have learned a lot from everyone here who has undertaken these projects.
I have been working on rebuilding the floor this past week. since we decided to start from scratch on it and I want to get it right the first time it has been slow going. I started on it Friday night and have worked on it each night after work. I'm hoping to have all the wood cut and fit together by tomorrow night so I can get all the joints glued and get it ready to attach the plywood and insulation. I have to say having the blue prints from Lance have helped a lot. Even though I am beefing up the floor frame some, upgrading most of the 1x2 to 2x2, it is nice to have the original measurements and layout of the wood. I will try and get some pictures of the progress on the floor, though it isn’t nearly as exciting as the tear down
LOL....thanks. Your making good progress, you just have to keep pluggin away at it, and then one day it's done!
Believe it or not.....I'm toying with the idea of building my own TC, the way I want it, for a flatbed!
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mountainkowboy
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03/10/13 11:45pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Getting out of purchase due to over weight for truck
Again, I will ask where does the salesman's responsibility end? Should he be sure the buyer can handle driving such a large rig? Should they check and be sure there is no weight limited bridges on the guy's way home? What if they guy was planning on parking in a barn with 12 foot doors our needs to pass under a tree with a branch 12 feet off the ground and the rig is 12.5'? Will they be responsible if he sheers off an AC unit because they didn't ask the barn door height of measure tree branch heights at the guy's house?
REALLY??
It was a used rig, for goodness sakes. The dealer probably had never seen that make and model before and surely didn't have the weights at the tip of their tongue.
So the F%&K what........It is there job to know what the're selling.......HELLO...SALESMAN! If they blindly sell a unit with knowing NOTHING about it's specs, that dealer is a sorry a$$ dealer and it is time for them to close. These dealers are scum and should not be in business.
And the truck most certainly will have different capacities depending upon how it is set up. Does the dealer need to ask to see the spec sheet on every truck before they start showing Fifth wheels and have legal obligation to refuse to make a sale because they don't feel the guy's truck is adequate?
Its called QUALIFYING THE CUSTOMER! Yes it is there duty to not send a unit out there that will CLEARLY be WAY more than the customers truck will handle. There is a general capacity rating for classes of trucks and they should KNOW what each class/brand is generally allowed to tow/haul.......its not fricking rocket science!
Oh....but wait a minute that may make a sales crew knowlegable and maybe more qualified to sell something. AND YES!!! They should have a LEGAL OBLIGATION to make dang sure they are not endangering the general public by selling ANY unit that is not even remotely within the abilities of the tow vehicle.
But instead you believe that they should sell whatever they can to make a buck and screw the customer and the public.......because its "there job to sell RV's", no matter how wrong they are.
So it would be ok for them to knowingly sell that unit to a customer with a 1/2 ton truck, knowing the truck cant handle it....."because the customer wants it, and the need to sell RV's". 10 miles down the road at 60 mph the truck breaks and axle from being grossly overweight, shoots accross the median and kills 3 families. Is the dealer at fault? Yes, cause if they know there job they would have never sent it out on the road. Or would that only matter if you were diretly involved.
I know its a horrible idea that a dealership should know what there selling, or even worse that a salesman actually know about the product they are selling.......new or used....BECAUSE ITS THERE FRICKING JOB!! If you dont hold anyone accountable to sell the proper product, then you have no business selling it. And if you are ok with that then you are part of the problem.
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mountainkowboy
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03/10/13 09:51pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Getting out of purchase due to over weight for truck
Instead of going after the RV dealer why don't you sue your truck dealer for selling you an undersized truck? Guess they didn't quiz you hard enough on what you were planning on doing in the future. They should have gotten out their crystal ball and predicted you would do something stupid like buy an RV without first determining if the truck could tow it. Or maybe sue the truck manufacturer for making a truck that won't do what you want it to do? Heck if it is a GM or Dodge, sue the federal government for bailing out a company that would make a truck that is too small to tow the largest of RVs. The RV dealer sells RVs. That is their job. That is what their sign says they do. They don't analyze your life to determine if you are making good decisions. The job of making good decisions falls to YOU. The dealership doesn't bear any responsibility for the failure of your parents to equip you with the lifeskills necessary to live in a free country where you make your own decisions.
WTF?....There ya go...........the RV dealer has been reduced to a downtown used car, back alley dealer......whos only job is to pry as much money out of you as possible. Dont hold them to ANY AMOUNT OF HONESTY or INTEGRITY, blame EVERYTHING on the customer. Obviously this guy thinks that a dealer has no responsibility to be honest or reputable. To each there own......the dealer should have NEVER sold you that trailer, well at least if they had any clue....warn everyone of this dealer, it amazing they are still around if thats the status quo.
Oh and by the way.....I did sales for 30 years, any decent saleman, who knows his product, will help to educate there customer during the sale. If they dont.....then there just another hack who thinks there a saleman.
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mountainkowboy
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03/10/13 06:09pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Tires longevity question
Oh ya.......with the dually, I go through 2 sets of fronts to a set of rears. I dont rotate, its impossible to keep the rear duals the same diameter if you rotate. There for making one rear tire take more of the load than the other. Since I only use Red for an RV now, I will probably time out my tires before I wear them out.
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mountainkowboy
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03/10/13 05:47pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: MPG question
Probably 12-13, its not the weight that kills the mileage, your pushing sa brick through the air. I can load Red up with 2 tons of stuff in the bed and only drop 1 mpg, but when I go above the cab.........thats when I REALLY lose the mileage.
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mountainkowboy
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03/10/13 05:42pm |
Truck Campers
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