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RE: GMC 2007 2500 towing mirrors replacement
You might try here if you can get the part number of the GM Camper mirrors for your truck.
http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/
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vanbikehorse
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09/17/09 11:11am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Battery Performance - What Am I missing?
"Do the sensors alone pull that much juice?" No
"At another point in the day the monitor showed 3/4, but when the H2O pump ran it fluctuated from 1/4 to 3/4 as the pump pumped" This is what the sensors are likely seeing. The voltage is being pulled WAY down by a load, causing the sensors to go off. The next question is why is the voltage being pulled down so low by a load?
Answer is one or more of these items:
- bad battery - perform load test, available at an auto parts store, sears, etc.
- bad connections - clean/tighten connections
- too many amp hours already out of the battery from the level it was charged - you need to determine what you have and how much you use to determine how much to put back (note this is useful to keep a new battery in good condition). If you run a 40 amp charger with a smart charger in it 3 hours, you put enough back! (e.g. if you had a group 31, 125 AH battery and used 60 amp hours, you would get roughly 35 back in the first hour, then tapering back to maybe 20 in the second and 5 in the third. You mention something that takes 60 amps (what an arc welder!), most likely 6.0 amps. That 6 amp thing running 8 hours at a 50% duty cycle (on as much as it is off) would consume 24 amp hours.
Hope that helps. You don't need to be an electrical engineer (actually electronics engineer might be better as we deal with the lower/dc voltages) to be able to "husband" your battery resources. Some simple knowledge of roughly what you are taking out and putting in over time is all that is required.
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vanbikehorse
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09/15/09 10:54am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Refrigerator vent cover blew off!!
Any preventive measures we can take to prevent that from happening?
The kind I have is held on by two tabs on the bottom and two latches on the top. First everything needs to be put together correctly, then the latches need to be pushed in and turned. A preventative measure might be to make sure they are still turned before each trip.
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vanbikehorse
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09/11/09 10:37am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Truck Camping Mileage
"At what point or for what reason does the TC mpg become cost efficient over a car and motels?"
1)It is automatically justified by the fact that the car can't pull the horse trailer,so I would need the truck to pull the car and the horse trailer.
2) If 1)doesn't justify it for you, then the cost to put up a hotel where I'm going (as there is none there now) should do it = $19,412,890
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vanbikehorse
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09/02/09 10:52am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Airbags and Helper Springs
Depends on your truck. On my GM, I find that it rides better if I only inflate until the overloads just touch. You need to balance the springing with the shocks. If that is OK, it does not matter if the overloads are not engaged or not.
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vanbikehorse
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08/26/09 10:52am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Bag Awnings
We have a simpler version than a bag awning. It is a European model called a Sunsail made of polyester/nylon. It is about 14ft long by 8 ft wide and slides into an awning rail. It has 3 colapsible aluminum poles with guy ropes/stakes. It folds up to about 6" diameter by 2' long. It is highly wind resistant. We have awning rails on either side also. Works great and sets up fast.
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vanbikehorse
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08/10/09 10:52am |
Truck Campers
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RE: camper batteries
Not enough info to draw any conclusions. Start with the charger. If it doesn't have the charge wizzard, get one. Second, do the consumption thing to figure out what's going on. I have two Group 27's (105 AH each). Figure that gives about 50 AH until they shouldn't be discharged any more. What's running? When recharged for how long? For me, I'm usually good for at least 3 days between charges because I'm mostly not there using them. If I'm running the heater, mostly its good for 2 nights and 3 days (not running heater during the days). You need to figure what your usage is like, but if you went 6 days and then charged less than one hour, I see the problem.....
Anyhow, a Honda eui2000 is terrific. Will run a Polar Cub AC in most any conditions. Will start larger units when its not too hot!
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vanbikehorse
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07/02/09 10:32am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Trailers - Safety chains and breakaway on stinger.
The issue of whether or not my trailer tounge will hit the ground is not a big one for me because my manufacturer designed it to be used without safety chains (it's european). I have a skid plate on the tounge to keep the tounge from digging in while the breakaway cable activates the brake and the loose trailer comes to a stop. The safety chains are a US thing to prevent a problem to the other guy (as in runaway trailer running over them and them suing me!).
I'm sure it is critical to get the chains exactly the right length to not bind in the corners, yet be tight enough to hold the trailer up.
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vanbikehorse
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06/27/09 11:28am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Trailers - Safety chains and breakaway on stinger.
Thanks NY. I was able to get a 1/2" one of those forged eye bolts (2200lb with 5-1 safety factor) locally and will give it a try. The right Step Bumper safety chain hole should work fine for my trailer as the breakaway cable is offset slightly to the right.
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vanbikehorse
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06/26/09 05:19pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Trailers - Safety chains and breakaway on stinger.
OK, After further interpretation, I conclude I need a new attachment point for my breakaway cable. My easiest solution is to put an eyelet in the GM step bumper on the right hole of the three bumper cutouts (center for ball, other two for eyelets if I were using the step bumper as the hitch platform). Does anyone know what source or size eyelet to use to fit these holes?
I'm not sure I concluded the same thing. I don't see why the safety chain attachment loops aren't sufficient. They are not part of "the hitch" but the reciever/frame. Connecting it to the drawbar (hitch) that is removable is a bad idea as is connecting it to an extension that can come out. Sure, the reciever is bolted onto the truck but so is the bumper. The only (weak) argument I could see about using the safety chain loops is that if the chain pulled through the loop during a "situation" it could release the brake cable. By then I hope your brakes already have activated anyway.
My concluding is based on this interpretation. Note that I am working towards meeting the most likely interpretation of the law, not necessarily any safer:
What John Connolly NYS DOT told me about the brake cable is that is should not be attached to any part of the hitch. Attaching it to the same spot where the safety chains attach to the hitch is wrong. Attaching to the bumper is okay if the hitch is not a bumper hitch.
He said the concept is if the hitch breaks away from the vehicle (I don't like this picture at all!) and stays with the trailer the brakes will not activate if the cable is attached to the now disconnected hitch.
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vanbikehorse
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06/26/09 05:28am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Trailers - Safety chains and breakaway on stinger.
OK, After further interpretation, I conclude I need a new attachment point for my breakaway cable. My easiest solution is to put an eyelet in the GM step bumper on the right hole of the three bumper cutouts (center for ball, other two for eyelets if I were using the step bumper as the hitch platform). Does anyone know what source or size eyelet to use to fit these holes?
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vanbikehorse
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06/25/09 06:47pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: What's the deal???
Laura,
I wanted to leave you with this thought: Truck campers weigh more than you think. My 2400 lb sticker weight is an actual 3400 lb camper when it is loaded up and ready to go.
Only you know your luxury requirements, but if the main ones are hardside with a decent amount of creature features and an SRW truck, I would say look at something like a Northstar Laredo SC. This has a Cassette toilet that is space saving in that it gives you better water tank options and lowers your campers overall height requirements. It is also slightly narrower and weighs less while offering a full size North to South bed. I would put that on a 3500 SRW truck to give you a safety margin.
That was just an example, but the recommendation is essentially get a lightweight camper that compares in weight with this one and a heavier duty truck. The truck will likely drive better with aftermarket shocks and some form of booster springs (I like SuperSprings). Good Luck.
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vanbikehorse
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06/25/09 06:39pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Almost Stolen
Wow, I'm lucky to be here in the Northeast where even the thieves don't want truck campers! Glad to here they didn't get yours.
Re the comment on needing two cranks for the jacks. What type of jacks are those? My Atwood electrics say they only need one...
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vanbikehorse
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06/25/09 11:52am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Trailers - Safety chains and breakaway on stinger.
Sounds like most people are doing what I'm doing with the safety chains. The old "attached to the frame" statement is loosely met (although it doesn't exactly meet the not attached to the insert). In my case, I'm pretty sure the X formed by the chains isn't going to catch the trailer tounge, but my trailer is designed with a skid plate to keep the tounge from digging in.
Re the breakaway cable not being attached to the same place as the safety chains, that is problematic for me as there is nothing around to attach it to! I believe the equipment is heavy enough that this is a low risk; just wondering what an enthusiastic officer might want to cite.....
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vanbikehorse
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06/24/09 06:09am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Inverted Hitch Insert & Boat Hook Up
Bob,
Inverted hitch is fine. What's going on with the hitch height? Is it an optical delusion? My 2500HD was something like 23" off the ground unloaded (measured from the top of the square hole) and 19"-20" loaded. With an angled down 18" stinger, that resulted in 19" at the trailer ball with what they called a 2" drop insert (2" drop + 2" ball height results in 0" change!). How high is yours, looks like its almost draggin'???
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vanbikehorse
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06/23/09 12:47pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Trailers - Safety chains and breakaway on stinger.
No offense, but NY doesn't SEEM to be saying anything like that!
No offense, but this has been an item on my "horse" forum and a number of people there sent emails and called John Connolly at NYS DOT. The info I posted was two of the rules he said do apply even if you are not "commercial"
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vanbikehorse
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06/23/09 10:50am |
Truck Campers
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Trailers - Safety chains and breakaway on stinger.
My safety chains go to a welded on ring on the stinger and it has its own safety chains back to the truck. I attach the breakaway cable to the welded ring also.
Recently some posts (perhaps urban legends) about New York State stopping rigs and finding expensive violations led me to look into it more. New Yok seems to be saying:
1) Safety chains need to be crossed under the tongue of the trailer to create an X cradle. That will prevent the tongue of the trailer from digging into the road in case there is an unintentional disconnect.
2) The cable for the emergency breakaway system needs to be attached to a separate part to the vehicles frame, not the trailer hitch
How do I achieve that number 2 item?
PS - I'm thinking the deal is that if the trailer breaks away from the coupler, the safety chains hold it. If the safety chains then break, the breakaway cable stops the trailer. Is that the way you see it?
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vanbikehorse
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06/23/09 06:47am |
Truck Campers
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RE: chevy 2500hd camper mounting?
Happijac frame mounts all the way. I've had these on my 2002 2500hd and removed/added to my 2005 2500hd (short bed EC). They work great. I didn't remount the rear guides that Happijac discontinued in the newer kits; they are not needed. The front bumpers of the front FM kit self center, so it is better to not have the rear guides; gives you more room to maneuver. By all means get the quick releases.
PS - I have not had the rusting problems that were indicated by another poster - 8 years and going strong (although the paint on the camper eyelets needs redone...)
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vanbikehorse
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05/11/09 09:09am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Problem with Atwood ball-screw power truck camper jacks
I bought a spare Gama receiver for $50 and struggled through the reverse setup of the dip switches to have two operational remotes. I now can try both to isolate a remote or non remote problem.
You still don't have any information on whether it is a remote or not, but it might be worth the investment to get a spare and give it a try.
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vanbikehorse
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05/11/09 09:01am |
Truck Campers
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RE: 1,000-1,500 lbs Overweight, what can I do?
Sounds like dually time! The campers in the size you are talking about go 4000-4500 lbs fully loaded - doesn't sound like mods to a 2500...
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vanbikehorse
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04/07/09 10:49am |
Truck Campers
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