RE: Keystone New Models
Keystone will probably eventually discontinue those line names that have developed a bad reputation.
They won't discontinue the good selling ones such as the 3400RL, which seems to be the most popular, the one you ,I , and Richfaa own. Everest is not near as popular as the Montana, but bad reputation ?? More likely bad sales numbers, its all about sales.
RE: Lost my trans this week.
You likely have a 4R100 trans, so 8 years and 160K is quite good, especially when you tow. Something new and not based on a beefed up 4R100 should do the trick. I tried beefing up my 4R100 in my F550 w/7.3PSD and ended up disappointed three times and around $8K later, so I went through the tranny one more time and sold it to someone towing a much lighter trailer. It's worked fine for them for quite a few years. The beefed up 7.3 had too much torque and the GCW was 30K# - too much for any 4R100.
Marv
I can't help to think if you would have known or went with either BTS or John Woods you would have a different view of a beefed up 7.3 and a 4R100 towing heavy.
My 7.3 since new has been used only for towing, tranny is still okay at 98K, two things that are a must IMO with the 4R100, 25K fluid flushing, unless you got it hot then get it out of there, and a 6.0 transmission cooler. I tow 13k, and so far no heating, shifting or other problems. When the time comes I will use one of the two mentioned to repair it. I may be headed to 160K like the OP, time will tell
I have also heard very good things abut BTS and and John Woods however these Trans cost $4K. I had my trans rebuilt locally for $1,800.00. My original trans failed at 95K However I purchased the truck used so I don't know the full history of the Trans.
While I considered a BTS I could not justify the cost and logistics a going with a BTS. A BTS would have to give me 200K miles to pay for itself. I imagine the BTS could have delivered 200K trouble free miles however I was not willing to make that investment.
Yes 4k is expensive for a trans, but like marvmarcy where they did a rebuild 3 times to the tune of 8K. From everything I have read his problems may have been over if he could have done a John Woods or BTS, my choice would be BTS, from what I understand he builds one grade whether it be a race truck or a daily driver, and dares you to break it. Maybe some have failed ,but I never read of one. Hopefully your rebuild will work okay for you, and you can get some mileage out of it, if not well you know what you should have done after two 1800 rebuilds.
RE: Lost my trans this week.
You likely have a 4R100 trans, so 8 years and 160K is quite good, especially when you tow. Something new and not based on a beefed up 4R100 should do the trick. I tried beefing up my 4R100 in my F550 w/7.3PSD and ended up disappointed three times and around $8K later, so I went through the tranny one more time and sold it to someone towing a much lighter trailer. It's worked fine for them for quite a few years. The beefed up 7.3 had too much torque and the GCW was 30K# - too much for any 4R100.
Marv
I can't help to think if you would have known or went with either BTS or John Woods you would have a different view of a beefed up 7.3 and a 4R100 towing heavy.
My 7.3 since new has been used only for towing, tranny is still okay at 98K, two things that are a must IMO with the 4R100, 25K fluid flushing, unless you got it hot then get it out of there, and a 6.0 transmission cooler. I tow 13k, and so far no heating, shifting or other problems. When the time comes I will use one of the two mentioned to repair it. I may be headed to 160K like the OP, time will tell
RE: Short bed F250
I have been watching this thread as I need to get a hitch in the next month or so. Dealer tells me I don't need a slider due to extended pin box. But, I think I am just going to have to go the slider route with the mindset that I have it even if I don't use it.
Nice getting real world experiences....
My advice for anyone installing a manual slider hitch in the older Superduties, such as yours, and mine is to use the custom brackets, I did. With using the custom brackets ,and not the universal brackets, you can't put the rails or the hitch in the wrong posistion, Yes you can drill the holes in the wrong place, but you won't be able to bolt the rails to the brackets the holes will not line up with the brackets. The custom brackets will only fit in one posistion, can't get them in the wrong place.
I agree.....I assume it makes life a tad easier installing as well.
A lot easier to install, no drilling the frame, and IMO a better set up than universal brackets
RE: Short bed F250
I have been watching this thread as I need to get a hitch in the next month or so. Dealer tells me I don't need a slider due to extended pin box. But, I think I am just going to have to go the slider route with the mindset that I have it even if I don't use it.
Nice getting real world experiences....
My advice for anyone installing a manual slider hitch in the older Superduties, such as yours, and mine is to use the custom brackets, I did. With using the custom brackets ,and not the universal brackets, you can't put the rails or the hitch in the wrong position, Yes you can drill the holes in the wrong place, but you won't be able to bolt the rails to the brackets the holes will not line up with the brackets. The custom brackets will only fit in one position, can't get them in the wrong place.
RE: Satellite VUQube 1000
I guess there must be a need to have a 600 dollar dish, but what is the need . I have a 80 dollar dish & tripod and 30 minutes of my time and I have reception for direct tv. I have been in a bunch of rv sites, and have yet to see this cube, lots of portable dish ,but no cubes. Just wondering what you get for that kind of money ????
Listed above is your original post where you asked what you get for $600 when you buy a VUCube. You mention that in 30 minutes of time you can set up your portable dish. I responded but maybe it wasn't clear to you. I guess I'll have to be simpler. I made a 8300 mile trip in August & September. We stopped overnight frequently. I would not want to spend 30 minutes a night setting up a portable dish. Thus, there is one of the answers about what you get for that kind of money. The reason I went into the "I am making "x" amount of $ per hour by not buying a VUcube" is because several times on this forum, some guy says that he doesn't spend money on these kinds if things because he can save big money by doing things the old fashioned way & if he figured out how much he saved times doing this every day he would save thousands of dollars a year. Sorry to hurt your feelings but you wanted to know what you get for the money you would spend on a VUCube. You get convenience & saving time. The disadvantage is you spend money. As I said, if you are stayng in one spot for a period of time & only have to set up your dish once, it is not a big deal. If you still don't understand what you get for the money, try going to one of the big RV shows around the country, there are usually a couple of satellite manufacturers there who demonstrate their equipment. I believe they even have a cutaway of these dishes.
Here is the deal for me when I read your reply,I am sorry I am not trying to insult someone here, and I do understand what you are TRYING to say, and from your point of view it sounds great, from my point of view it makes no sense. From my point of view, and again no insult intended. Somehow you have made this 15-20 minute difference in setting up a dish a life changing event, forgive me if I do not see the logic. Unless you are a rare individual, take a look at how your time is spent every day, and see how many of those 15-20 minute events are wasted, and according to you this is important you save that 15-20 on a Satellite set up. You wanted convience pure and simple, and you payed to get it, not everyone thinks or wants it that way its not important to them.
It is not the money so to speak, its what I will accomplish spending that money, and you accomplished what you were after, I would not. setting up a portable is no big deal.
Please don't confuse me with someone, you can't hurt my feelings, I won't let you. ,and yes I have seen them several times at RV shows,looked at them, walked right past them ,and bought a portable set up.
RE: Satellite VUQube 1000
I, too, purchased a Winegard and returned it to the store when it didn't work. I was looking for information the VuQube and appreciate those who have commented on it. It would be nice to keep the comments to the subject at hand and not discourage those of us who want this information. If something makes my life easier then it may be worth spending MY money. If you want to use your $80 dish, do so but stay off the forum if you have no information to provide!!!
and paying $80 for a $20 dish doesn't sound too smart to me.
bumpy
Bakersfish, I may have been a little out of line but here is the deal, I don't care what you buy with YOUR money, only mine. I thought there was something special about this device,and there was not for ME. I am sorry if I ruffled some feathers here, but bottom line here is I didn't buy into this making MY life better, maybe yours not MINE. I find setting up a portable satellite dish on a tripod a very Simple task.
Bumpy, Let me help you out here, because it looks like you need some. Little reckless with your assumptions and insults ,but expect no less from you. I payed around 80 whole dollars for my satellite set up dish, tripod, signal meter, bubble level,tie downs, and ,two 50' coax cables. Now I know I may have gotten all that a little bit cheaper, maybe 60 ??, I might have got a dish for 20 or less from someone peddling a used one. From now on I will be sure to list the whole package just for you.
RE: Satellite VUQube 1000
I guess there must be a need to have a 600 dollar dish, but what is the need . I have a 80 dollar dish & tripod and 30 minutes of my time and I have reception for direct tv. I have been in a bunch of rv sites, and have yet to see this cube, lots of portable dish ,but no cubes. Just wondering what you get for that kind of money ????
You must be "The Man"!!! After screwing around with dishes/tripods and even chucking one over a fence, we got the VuQube 1000 and life is good. I made a ladder mount and if I set it on the ground it has a cable lock. If it's further away, I'll take my chances.
IMHO, it was worth every dime!!:B
I don' know about being "THE MAN"!!! ,but it takes me 30 minutes, the first time was a bit of learning experience, but after that it sure was not rocket science. I have a built in bubble on the top of the tripod ,I get it level, I nail it down , hook up the cable, I turn the dish until the little ear piece is screaming at me ,and low and behold I have reception, and the best thing about it is anybody is welcome to it if they have to have it. Last thing in the world I am worried about is someone walking off with it IMHO. I really don't care if someone pays 10 grand for one, all I really wanted to know is what am I getting for 600 dollars that 80 won't do, but I guess there is no answer for that other than I am the man.
Maybe the answer depends on how often you have to set up the dish. If you are traveling all over the country & moving every couple of days, you might not want to spend 30 minutes each time you want to watch satellite tv. If you stay in one place for a couple of months, 30 minutes is not a big deal. Now before someone says 30 minutes @ "x" amount of dollars is like being paid "x" amount of dollars per hour, you can save all the money paid for a fiver by camping in a tent which would save lots of money...LOL Just think what you're paying yourself per hour in that case!
At this point I really regret asking about the cube. Here is what I have found out , I am jealous ( of what I am still not sure ) something about X amount of something for an x amount of something, and one of the best ones, how much better my quality of life would be if I have one or easier or whatever,and something about throwing a portable over a fence. I found that a portable dish is very simple to set up. My whole point here was to find out what I was missing with this cube, I somehow thought that there was something to having one. One answer I did not mention yet something about having the internet anywhere, now there was one good answer ,two things going on there either its for business or someone wants to sit in an rv and be on the internet all the time, neither of the two am I interested in. If where I am at has wifi great if not great. So I leave this thread with knowing that I have not missed a thing having it. Thanks soooo much for the great insight to this.
RE: Satellite VUQube 1000
I guess there must be a need to have a 600 dollar dish, but what is the need . I have a 80 dollar dish & tripod and 30 minutes of my time and I have reception for direct tv. I have been in a bunch of rv sites, and have yet to see this cube, lots of portable dish ,but no cubes. Just wondering what you get for that kind of money ????
You must be "The Man"!!! After screwing around with dishes/tripods and even chucking one over a fence, we got the VuQube 1000 and life is good. I made a ladder mount and if I set it on the ground it has a cable lock. If it's further away, I'll take my chances.
IMHO, it was worth every dime!!:B
I don' know about being "THE MAN"!!! ,but it takes me 30 minutes, the first time was a bit of learning experience, but after that it sure was not rocket science. I have a built in bubble on the top of the tripod ,I get it level, I nail it down , hook up the cable, I turn the dish until the little ear piece is screaming at me ,and low and behold I have reception, and the best thing about it is anybody is welcome to it if they have to have it. Last thing in the world I am worried about is someone walking off with it IMHO. I really don't care if someone pays 10 grand for one, all I really wanted to know is what am I getting for 600 dollars that 80 won't do, but I guess there is no answer for that other than I am the man.
RE: Concrete Slab for Fiver
My RV pad is 4" 6 bag 11' x 50 10 years old no cracks or settling . It has had a lot of weight on it. The secret is compacted well underneath, and plenty of expansion joints, mine has an expansion joint all the way down the middle as well as every five feet. Its a pad with five feet square sections, and has had no problems. You can go a bit thicker if you want, but I don't think you will need much more I formed up with 2 x 4's,but went just a little deeper, but not 6".. also I have no rebar in it, My three car driveway is poured the same way and no cracks or problems after 10 years.
RE: Satellite VUQube 1000
I guess there must be a need to have a 600 dollar dish, but what is the need . I have a 80 dollar dish & tripod and 30 minutes of my time and I have reception for direct tv. I have been in a bunch of rv sites, and have yet to see this cube, lots of portable dish ,but no cubes. Just wondering what you get for that kind of money ????
RE: New Keystone Alpine
agreed - I'm at a total of 14,420 lbs fully loaded and wet. I CAT scaled it on the way to Lake Powell for a 2 week trip, and it was busting at the gills. I even had an ice maker an two grills on board, not to mention 2 coolers loaded with ice and food.
I only had 11,560 lbs on the tires, which is waaaaaay under on those 7K axles and 15K capacity G614 tires. A little heavy on the pin - 2,860 lbs, but I attribute that to the basement and bedroom storage that we probably overpacked a little.
I don't need or want a bigger heavier frame, larger tires, extra axles... it's all expense to me and I still have capacity to spare. I actually would be under the axle rating on the 2006 3400RL with 6K axles! Improved quality on the frame would be nice, but increasing size doesn't increase quality.
BTW - Our Ariston W/D are 220 lbs total, almost right on top of the axle.
I am pretty close then on the washer dryer ,and added air conditioner 400-500 lbs
12 inch frame that everyones thinks we need, and don't, all that is needed in our weight range is proper bracing in the axle area and the pin box, those two areas are the problem for flex or breakage, and good quality welding. Fifth wheels with 10" frames are not failing because of it being 10" there are failing because of poor quality engineering and welding nothing to do with a 10" frame.
I travel dry no reason to haul water the way I travel, so again I would be surprised if I get any heavier than 13500 at any time. I will weigh again next spring. That puts me 2k under GVWR no worries for me with frames.
RE: New Keystone Alpine
Our 09 3400RL with all options allows about 1300 lbs for carry on and we are maxed out on GVWR of the Monty. Throw an extra 27 marine battery, gen set, 2nd A/C, plus misc personal items and your at the limit. A great majority of this units are overloaded, especially if you travel with any amount of fresh water on board. But then again: that's right; frames and suspensions don't sell those rigs, so why put any quality with a safety factor into the design??? It's that walk-in design and plan that sells the unit!! Undercarriage and suspension are likely never questioned until problems arise down the road.That 2009 3400RL came with a 3180 lb cargo capacity standard. What in the world did you order that reduced that by over 1-ton? Our 3400RL was shipped with a 3,000 lbs cargo capacity, and that was after adding the factory gelcoat and front AC. We added stackable washer and dryer, Onan 5500 generator, roof dish, stabilizers, and about everything else Camping World sells, and we are still under by 1,000 lbs wet. I admit your fresh water tank is larger and you may have the 4-dr fridge, but there isn't 2,000 lbs worth of difference in our units.
Maybe you weighed in wrong. Maybe you carry far more than you need to, and of course, maybe you just bought the wrong unit if it can't haul the stuff you need it to. Cargo capacity was one the top 10 shopping items I started with.
2008 3400RL fully loaded except for fridge food and clothes 12740 with a 2420 pin weight thats with a 5500 LP generator, no front air slide awnings, high gloss exterior, and everything I want in the basement. Now that will change when I hit the road in July for a 2 month trip ,but I have no idea how in the world I am going to add nearly 3K more to reach my 15500 GVWR, I believe my advertised dry weight was 11800 had to have been pretty close with it being 12740 now.I am going to weigh again next summer before hitting the road. Looks like I started with around 3700 cargo capacity sounds a little high.
I have to ask what in the world do people put in there fifth wheels that can weigh upwards of 3-4 thousand lbs. If I choose to add air in the bedroom and a stackable washer and dryer, what would be the weight? Maybe 400-500 more ? I would have to hurray to get 2500-3000 total in mine. If I take off the weight of the generator 296 lbs. My cargo weight is about 650 and like I said nothing in the fridge and nothing in the front closet.
RE: Any new options on tires to replace Goodyears?
What are you guys paying for the 17.5" rims?
The price on the ones I am buying from Tire and Wheel Supermarket are 223.00 plus about 24.00 per wheel to ship . Four tire and wheels they quoted me just over 2k for either Sumitomo or Michelin that includes shipping, With the Goodyear G114 they were right at 2200 including shipping.
RE: Bed rail torque
70 lbs, Thats from memory, so it could be different ,but I am close.
No problem if it is you will get the right number if I am wrong.
RE: Tripping GFI breaker
kottfam speaks true. you unwired it and it works, sounds like ya went to irv2 and them knowitalls showed thier azzes! lol don't take it personally, some of those folks over there are just impressed with themselves! lol
steve
It was on the MOC Forum, and they are kind of a tight bunch it seems. TO me it is the Good old boy club. They do not like anyone to disagree right or wrong. I have had a couple dances with some of the older members. There is about two dozen of them on there that if you answer a question for them there is no reply until one of there buddies come on and give the same answer. Then they reply to them and then go off subject and start talking about what retirement home they are going to go to.
RE: Tripping GFI breaker
If you blew your element, then the neutral side of it is now bonded to the frame of the water heater (ground side) and this WILL cause the GFCI to trip even with the breaker off. Remove the Neutral wire to the heating element until you can get it replaced and everything will work fine.
Joe
As you said everything will work fine, and it did, and still does.
Here is the issue, I posted your answer on another forum , answering the same question I had here ,and got told that can't happen if you turn off the breaker to the water heater that will solve the problem if the burned element remains wired up. Now I know this in my case not to be true, I tried switching off the breaker and the switch at the water heater and still kept tripping the GFCI outlet on my house, until I unwired the burned element , and as you said everything will work fine.
My question after all this is I somewhat understand how it is going to ground, not knowing a great amount about electricity what I don't understand how it goes to ground after the breaker is switched off ,and the flow of electricity is interrupted to that circuit ,yet still trips the GFCI outlet, which it did in my case. Very confusing, because I know better in my case ,but being told that can't happen.
The breaker ONLY disconnects the hot (black) wire going to the water heater. The grounded conductor (neutral) is simply tied to all the other grounded conductors in the panel and then one wire from there to the GFCI the camper is plugged into. So, when the element melts, it shorts the grounded conductor (neutral) to the grounding conductor or case of the water heater allowing some of the current that SHOULD return on the Grounded conductor back to the GFCI to pass through the water heater case and return on the grounding wire. When it returns on the ground, the GFCI senses this as current not returning and trips thinking someone is being electrocuted.
Joe
Its frustrating when someone tells you that it won't work when you just did it and it does. Hopefully this will quiet them down. Again thanks for your help.
RE: Tripping GFI breaker
If you blew your element, then the neutral side of it is now bonded to the frame of the water heater (ground side) and this WILL cause the GFCI to trip even with the breaker off. Remove the Neutral wire to the heating element until you can get it replaced and everything will work fine.
Joe
As you said everything will work fine, and it did, and still does.
Here is the issue, I posted your answer on another forum , answering the same question I had here ,and got told that can't happen if you turn off the breaker to the water heater that will solve the problem if the burned element remains wired up. Now I know this in my case not to be true, I tried switching off the breaker and the switch at the water heater and still kept tripping the GFCI outlet on my house, until I unwired the burned element , and as you said everything will work fine.
My question after all this is I somewhat understand how it is going to ground, not knowing a great amount about electricity what I don't understand how it goes to ground after the breaker is switched off ,and the flow of electricity is interrupted to that circuit ,yet still trips the GFCI outlet, which it did in my case. Very confusing, because I know better in my case ,but being told that can't happen.
RE: Anyone make an All Steel 17.5 wheel for 7k dexter axle ?
..........I'm seeking a source for an ALL Steel 17.5 wheel so I eventually can UP grade from my Load range E tires and wheels ! All , 17.5 wheels I've found are $200 and UP Aluminumn wheels which I don't need . Thanks , jf
I have to ask what would be the problem with aluminum wheels , the 17.5 that I am going to have steel inserts in the lug holes and even can be bought for 5/8 studs and just over a 6K rating. I cannot imagine anyone needing anything more.
But to answer your question have you tried Rickson Wheels I believe that is the name or Southwest wheels.
