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Date Posted |
Forum
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RE: Cloverdale, CA to I-5
We will go North on I-5
If you are headed north on 1-5 then"
1. go north on 101 to Hwy 20
2. Hwy. 20 through Clear Lake to I-5
Hwy 20 is 2 lane but RV friendly, just relax and enjoy the views.
X2...37/80/505/5 usually has more traffic. And 29 is pretty curvy.
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elkhorn98
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05/20/13 12:55pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Installed Mobile Outfitters Shock Kit
I put on the Dexter EZ Flex equalizers and the cross members were added when I had a subframe installed to get adequate clearance with my new truck. I had it done at a local tractor trailer repair company.
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elkhorn98
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05/20/13 12:41pm |
Towing
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RE: Installed Mobile Outfitters Shock Kit
Updated the photo. This kit should work with a i beam frame since lippert makes most of the frames. Check out the video link i posted. If you can weld then i would recommend welding the upper bracket. It should save some time. I don't have a welder...I guess I should get one. It wasn't a very comfortable position to drill 12 holes with no leverage.
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elkhorn98
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05/19/13 11:24pm |
Towing
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RE: Installed Mobile Outfitters Shock Kit
The frame is I beam but it mounted it to my 3/16" box tubing subframe. The bolts cut threads in the brackets and your hole in the frame.
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elkhorn98
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05/18/13 07:18pm |
Towing
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Installed Mobile Outfitters Shock Kit
Installed yesterday on my 5th wheel and it all worked out. I had to drill 1 new hole in each bracket to work with my subframe. Kit came with everything and shocks.
http://www.themobileoutfitters.com/index.php/suspension-a-alignment-products/151-shock-mount-kits
Hardest part was getting leverage to drill into the frame while sitting on my butt under the trailer. Mount them at 55 degrees. Kit was about $95 per axle.
http://i1345.photobucket.com/albums/p678/elkhorn98/2013-05-19215848_zps92e567cf.jpg width=650
Lippert install video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdg-DkcU1B8&feature=youtube_gdata_player
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elkhorn98
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05/18/13 12:29pm |
Towing
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RE: 3/4 ton Duramax capacity
A friend of mine just bought a new 16.5k gvwr 36.5' 5th wheel with a pin weight of 2960 (listed) and has a 3/4 ton chevy. Don't trust a dealer...he has to be way over.
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elkhorn98
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05/11/13 07:55pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: First tow with 06 LBZ
all time towing low in my LBZ was a 9.8
all time high was 13.6
average is 11.8
all hand calculated (which in my case usually also matches my DIC....The DIC fluctuates every once in a while, but it's usually pretty much on for me).
Congrats on your new ride....you're going to wonder how why you ever towed with a gasser.
My lmm duramax is very close to these numbers. I have a logbook and have recorded the dic vs hand calculated on every fill up. Typically the dic is within 0.2 mpg. I have heard from a buddy at work that his 09 6.7 cummins mileage is horrible. That is what scare me away from the cummins back we I got my truck. Now the mileage sounds better.
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elkhorn98
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05/11/13 09:38am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Revived Trailer Tire Thread (formerly on the 5th Wheel Forum
The comment period is still open on this. I think I might submit some comments about eliminating the requirement for st tires to stay on the rim during a blowout...do we want the requirements/quality of st tires to be even lower? I think a test could be developed requiring trailers be towed at 60 mph. Rvia wants this test eliminated since trailers can't drive themselves. I also have issue with their lack of st tire failure data. Come on 9 in 15 years. I'll send the link I posted above. Current regulations inadvertently made it against the law to use st tires on trailer less than 10000 lbs so everyone has been breaking the law!
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elkhorn98
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05/10/13 04:34pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Revived Trailer Tire Thread (formerly on the 5th Wheel Forum
Interesting news is the federal register. I'll check it out but my initial reaction is somewhat different...
On March 13, 2013, the NHTSA published (via the Federal Register) proposed rules to amend Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 110 to make it clear that special trailer (ST) tires are permitted to be installed on new trailers with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 4,536 kg (10,000 lbs.) or less. It also proposes to exclude these trailers from a vehicle testing requirement that a tire must be retained on its rim when subjected to a sudden loss of tire pressure when brought to a controlled stop from 97 km/h (60 mph). See http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-03-13/html/2013-05761.htm
Is this limiting ST tires to GWVR less than 10,000 lbs? blowouts don't need to stay on the rim like other tires so any damage isn't the fault of manufacturers. Is this due to the non passenger use for st tires? Seems like if people aren't in the vehicle than blowouts are accepted and the government doesn't care.
As part of its analysis, some interesting data surfaced.
First, over a 15-year period of consumer complaints, NHTSA found only nine (9) complaints related to trailer tires. I realize that not everyone is going to file a complaint with NHTSA, but I would expect way more than 9 complaints related to trailer tires over a 15 year period, especially after reading of the numerous ST tire failures on the RV forums (again, not saying folks have not had ST tire failures, but just pointing out that there appears to be a huge disconnect between that which has been experienced and that which has been reported). Doesn't this strike you as odd?
This is total BS...check out this NHTSA website with tire complaints..goodyear marathons have 85 complaints alone.
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchTires
Second, you get a real-life look into what happens when there is a trailer accident with respect to proper tire selection. The agency cited an example of a trailer roll-over, where the police accident report indicated that the tires were underrated for the vehicle at the time of the crash (the trailer GVWR was 3,825 pounds and the two tires had a combined load carrying capacity of 3,250 pounds). However, there was insufficient information to confirm that the tires could not carry the load on the axle because there was no information on how much weight was loaded on the trailer's axle and whether the towing vehicle was carrying any of the trailer's weight.
Yeah trailers break up!
In any event, below are some excerpts from the Federal Register pertaining to the above:
"The agency has also reviewed consumer complaints made to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigations, based on submissions of Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) to identify safety problems related to tires. A search of that database in June 2012 revealed 963 complaints containing both the words ``tire'' and ``trailer.'' A review of the narrative of each complaint revealed that 942 of the VOQs reported tire issues on the towing vehicle, 10 VOQs involved tire issues on the trailer, and 11 VOQs were not sufficiently specific to determine if the tire issue was on the towing or towed vehicle. (Nothing in the VOQ data indicated any increased safety risk associated with the use of ST tires or tires with rim diameter codes of 12 or less compared to any other type of tire.)
Weblink I posted has hundreds if not thousands of ST tire complaints that arent' on tow vechicles.
"To determine if a safety problem exists, the agency investigated its crash data. As discussed in the prior section, NHTSA's crash databases were not sufficiently detailed to identify relevant crashes.
"However, the agency has reviewed the 10 VOQs identified in the prior section related to tire issues on a trailer. One complaint involved a truck towing another truck. This case was not considered relevant because the towed vehicle was not a trailer. Nine cases reported tire failure (either blowout or tread separation) of one or more trailer tires. Four cases resulted in trailer rollover, but none reported rollover of the towing vehicle. Seven cases reported property damage to the trailer or the towing vehicle. In one case, another vehicle was struck by separated trailer tire tread. There were no reported injuries or fatalities in any of these nine cases, and it does not appear that any of these cases would have been addressed by the rim retention requirement.
"For example, one case involving trailer rollover reported that the right trailer tire rolled off the bead on a curved section of roadway. The owner of the unspecified towing vehicle stated that the trailer was rental equipment. The police accident report indicated that the tires were underrated for the vehicle at the time of the crash (the trailer GVWR was 3,825 pounds and the two tires had a combined load carrying capacity of 3,250 pounds). However, there was insufficient information to confirm that the tires could not carry the load on the axle because there was no information on how much weight was loaded on the trailer's axle and whether the towing vehicle was carrying any of the trailer's weight.
This is great...I guess all tire ratings are worthless than. If you can't prove an underrated rated tire can't carry a load...throw up your hands I guess.
I did switch to LT tire but mainly because I do not occasionally use my trailer and like the higher testing requirements on an all position tire like a lt (rating to carry humans with reserve capacity).
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elkhorn98
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05/10/13 02:32pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Questions on Duramax purchase
315s... doesn't sound like an old guy owned it.
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elkhorn98
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05/08/13 06:52pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Santa Cruz, California in the late Fall
We stayed at santa cruz redwoods rv resort in Felton and thought it was nice. Here is a post about it. https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/26813354.cfm
You could also check out sunset state beach or campground along with the others suggested. We also stayed once at the santa cruz/monterey koa which is good foe kids but pretty expensive.
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elkhorn98
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05/05/13 05:49pm |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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RE: Santa Cruz, California in the late Fall
Do you prefer to dry camp or hookups? Have kids, etc?
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elkhorn98
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05/04/13 05:16pm |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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RE: Best park in Sonoma or Napa Valley
Felton is not in sonoma county. It's in Santa Cruz County.
Anyway my thoughts for the OP are there aren't any high end parks around the area you're looking.
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elkhorn98
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05/01/13 02:35pm |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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RE: trans temp when towing
Not a Dodge but my Duramax/Allison hit 228 F on a slow climb up a forest service gravel road hauling a 7,500 lb 5th wheel. Was a little worried but it sounds like newer trannys and fluid can take more heat. Overall it sounds like 240 or 270 (sorry forget) is a bad limit. I also figured the truck will tell you to pull over if it gets too hot.
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elkhorn98
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04/23/13 01:47pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Bearing failure
I have heard from a construction company fleet mechanic with all chevy 2500 trucks to expect 80-100k. That is the only issue they have with these trucks.
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elkhorn98
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04/19/13 10:26am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: 5th wheel specs for older units
If it is a keystone rv product they have specs online for the last 10-15 years. Good luck.
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elkhorn98
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04/19/13 09:11am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Why does the market demand Diesel??
There was a thread here that I responded to on the increase in mileage going from gas to diesel. These were people that just changed their tow vehicle and on average their mileage increase 48%.
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elkhorn98
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04/17/13 07:09am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Why does the market demand Diesel??
Plus the two decades of poor output power due to the gasser smog rules
and diesels were exempt from smog
Now that the fashion statement crowd has gone over to diesels and demanded
very, very high output power *AND* now smog rules covers diesels...they
still 'think' diesels has more power for trucks
direct injection will level the field.
What are you talking about? :h
Since when were diesels exempt from smog? :h
Even my 1982 diesel has lots of smog on it. One of the first diesels GM had in a truck or car put out a wooping 105 HP from 350 cubes.
Just how is DI going to level the field? :S
My thoughts exactly. Just how is this going to overcome This fact.
Maybe someone can explain why this is a "crowd" statement.
Like someone said diesel powers or transported EVERYTHING you own bar nothing :B
When did California and the other states 'start' smog testing diesels?
In CA I wouldn't call it a smog test. It is really a vehicle inspection to see if you altered your vehicle. The smog part is a visual inspection where the smoke needs to disappate in a second or two. And it only applies to people who live in certain air districts and vehicles back to 1996. It is setup up so those mid 90s diesels can pass so I don't thing my 2010 duramax will ever fail. I had to do it last year and it seems like a joke. I wasn't at the place more than 5 minutes. They plugged into the computer and opened the hood and look to see if anything appeared to be altered. And took my $49. Some shops quoted me $120 for a diesel smog test so watch out.
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elkhorn98
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04/16/13 01:30pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: 15" tire recommendations
If you want LTs you won't have many choices. Some people have used these.
Contiential Vanco 2
Pirelli Scorpion ATR
Maxxis Bravo UE-168
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elkhorn98
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04/15/13 01:17pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Replacing Tires
If there st tires i would replace them. If there lt tires than I would go another year or 2.
LOL :B
And yes a little more info would be helpful :W
D
I guess i should qualify it with tires that have adequate capacity. Most st tires have a recommended replacement life of 3-4 years whereas lt are 6-7 years.
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elkhorn98
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04/14/13 12:45pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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