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Forum
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RE: half ton towable sundance?? can i tow it
I have been a supporter of half ton towing of fifth wheels but in your case I must say you have too little truck and too much trailer. You will need a minimum of a 3/4 ton.
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plauterer
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07/20/08 12:47pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Working with a 1/2 Ton...need opinions and options
Your rear end ratio is your biggest problem, I might suggest that before you regear the rear that you try a set of tires that are of less overall diameter as this will give the same effect as a small change in gear ratios. Make sure the weight rating of the tires can handle the job. I have pulled a fifth wheel with an F150 super cab and also a dodge Dakota, now don’t panic on the Dakota because in 98 you could get optional payload weight ratings of 1800 or 2600 lbs. As far as breaks are concerned the trailer should be able to stop itself without depending on the truck.
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plauterer
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07/20/08 12:31pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Under the 5er
You will find out very fast that the foam flies in a lot of places you don’t want it on, mainly you. I have used it more than once and will say my experience has been very much a comic opera as I seem to get it in my hair, face, ears, and mostly on my cloths. It does not wash out either. Use as much face protection as you can and old disposable clothing. It can do a marvelous job of sealing holes. Give consideration to low expanding and high expanding types as some areas may be better served by one or the other.
Good luck in your work.
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plauterer
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07/20/08 12:11pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Convert Coleman LXE roadmate propane grill to low pressure
Pdq911 I have been thinking of the same idea. I think by connecting a propane compatible hose to the brass pipe with the other end going to the low pressure gases connection should do the job. With low pressure you should be able to get by with regular hose clamps. Make sure your hose is propane compatible, some hoses are not.
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plauterer
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05/07/08 10:32pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Electrical problem...Comes and Goes
Check your battery when the problem is occurring. My first suspect would be a bad battery. Bad batteries can still be charged but may not have any staying power.
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plauterer
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05/01/08 06:37am |
Tech Issues
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RE: 5 th airborne install
I installed a extended 5th Airborne pinbox on my trailer a week ago. The old pinbox was in there tighter than a wife’s girdle. Ended up using a 10 lb hammer to get it to move. The new pinbox was just as tight but I did manage to get it in. Did most of the work myself but did have the neighbor come over to help me with the new box. The tightness of the fit was the biggest problem and took up most of the time especially when you work alone. Other than that I would say it can be easily done by any two guys.
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plauterer
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04/26/08 10:46am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Traveling with refrigerator on
I run with mine off unless I forget it. When I stop for a rest or lunch I turn it on for the time I am stopping. Have not lost anything yet in almost 20 years of camping with a propane refrigerator. I would suggest people look at their insurance policy, it may say what you can or cannot do while running down the road. Also what are the highway laws, some places you are not allowed to have propane tanks let alone a running fridge.
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plauterer
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04/23/08 08:14pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Black water tank frozen
Get a couple gallons of RV antifreeze and dump it down the toilet just to soften the mass below. Then dump when all is melted and it is warm enough above freezing.
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plauterer
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04/21/08 09:30pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Mixing Ols and New Deep Cycle AGM Batteries
Install a diode bank to separate the charges on the batteries and you should be OK.
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plauterer
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04/17/08 11:20pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Trailer Rocks side to side when towed. Need some help
First get your trailer set so it tow as level as possible. Second make sure you pack your load so you are heavy in the front. Get the trailer and truck weighed so you know what is on the pin and what is on the trailer wheels. Remember the general guideline is 20% of the total trailer weight should be on the pin. If it still rocks, then check for a cracked springs. They may be hard to spot, so look very closely. Air up your tires to the max the tire or rim will take and see if that helps. Now if you have a rocker type hitch your trailer will tend to move with the road bumps than a solid hitch.
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plauterer
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03/24/08 11:54am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: 20% rule accurate? Actual pin wt vs. dry pin wt
Sue, the more weight you can put on your pin the more stable becomes the trailer. There is no hard rule to this, you have to experiment with your rig to see what seems to work for your setup. You have to realize there are strength limitations on your fiver’s frame so you just cannot load everything up front. I am just guessing, but I think you are looking for a new fifth that will work with your current truck. So the pin weight becomes a deciding factor. I just went through the same process and ended up with something a little smaller in length than I would have liked but it fits my truck and as I have not yet been over a scale with it I cannot tell you what the weight ratios are. My old trailer ran between 12 to 15 percent on the pin, bumpy ride at 12%, nice ride at 15% and keep the speed down. If I had to tow in a high wind I filled the fresh water tank and much of that weight was on the pin but I never went over a scale with a full tank of water. I guess it pushed my forward weight up to 18 to 20 percent, and would tow this way in bad winds.
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plauterer
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03/10/08 11:41am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: thermostat question
What do you hope to gain with a digital thermostat? To me it is just another thing that is going to be a parasitic drain on the battery, and not offer you any advantage over the regular thermostat.
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plauterer
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02/28/08 10:44pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Bathroom ceiling fan on the way out
I think mine had a spring clip on the hub of the fan that had to come off first. Then I had to pull very hard to get the blades off the shaft. Busted two blades in the process. Welded then back on with a hot soldering iron. I was a pretty crude job. Got the motor off and split it open, oiled bushings and put it back together. When I got it back up it ran smother than when it was new. I think I just lucked out.
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plauterer
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02/24/08 11:18pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Wheel bearing Pre-load
50 ft lbs seems a little heavy just to get the excess grease out of the bearing. I go 20 to 24 while spinning the hub, then back off till loose and then finger tight. If the cotter pin cannot line up I back off to first notch that I can get the pin through. If you go tighter then, when the bearing heats and expands while running, it will be too tight. To tighten up a spinning inner race dent the spindle shaft with a center punch in at least three places. Be cautious as you will find the steel is fairly soft.
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plauterer
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02/24/08 11:00pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Vented Waste Valve Cap
What happens if Mr. Squirrel decides to build a nest in the tank and hauls in a bunch of twigs and grass? Or Mrs snake crawls into the tank and comes up the toilet when it is getting it’s first flush of the year? I will keep mine closed.
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plauterer
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02/21/08 10:06am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: walking on roof
The rubber roof is not the problem, the problem is the thickness of the plywood under the rubber. If it is too thin it will not support your weight and will crack away from the roof truss. I use a couple of half inch plywood pieces about 18 by 24 with about two inches of soft foam plastic under them and use them to move around the roof. This spreads out my weight over a larger area. Now my new trailer has a better quality roof and I think I can get by with just a pair of soft soled shoes.
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plauterer
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02/20/08 09:21pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: stone guards
I use the so called Hula Skirt and have driven many miles on gravel roads. I feel they perform better than the solid rubber skirts that tend to bounce the stones many of which end up going into the on coming traffic. Some stones get through the hula skirt but they seem to loose most of their energy in the skirt and don’t have much effect on what is behind.
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plauterer
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02/20/08 09:09pm |
Dinghy Towing
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RE: Fifth Wheel Pin Weight Distribution (Front vs. Back)
On my truck the pin weight goes on the rear Axel with little or no change to the weight of the front Axel. The front weight is a little over 2500 lbs and the rear Axel goes up about a 1000 lbs to give a rear weight of around 2700 lbs.. I should mention the truck is a 98 Dakota.
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plauterer
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02/19/08 09:21am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Mystery smell
Could also be ammonia gas from the cooling system leaking.
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plauterer
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02/18/08 09:42am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Digital Multimeter Question
What you see in the book is correct. The meter is connected between the pos post of the battery and the connector that is normally connected to the post. a reading of 12 volts will indicate that something is competing a circuit back to the negative side of the battery.
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plauterer
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02/16/08 04:25pm |
Tech Issues
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