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RE: SUV Hauling
Lots of good comments and advice (including some caution) but haven't seen specific set-up comments that I think might be helpful. Specifically make sure the nose of the TT is slightly down, not up; and that you're transfering adequate weight with the WD.
I'm no expert, but have towed a few trailers. With that said, I was very surprised how much difference a couple inches in the trailer attitude makes.
Last year we purchased a used Eagle 29BHS (~31-32ft total, ~9000lbs) with an Equal-i-zer hitch. The hitch was set-up by the previous owner for his PU which I just put in my 3/4YukonXL and pulled it home since it was only 45mins. Obviously the set-up wasn't correct but it didn't pull too bad.
I went through the Equal-i-zer manual and set it up for my TV and took off for a trip up north. I thought I had it about right but noticed more sway than I was used to when dealing with 30-35mph head and/or cross-winds. I at camp that night I wondered if I had a TV/TT mismatch problem.
When I got home I redid the set-up transfering a bit more weight. More importantly I noticed my TT nose was 1-2inches high, I rectified this and it's now 1-2inches low. After this change the TT pulls great. I've pulled 6K+ miles this summer and love the way it pulls. The nose adjustment made a huge difference.
Good luck!
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MNRon
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10/13/08 06:00pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: House Toilet in trailer
Lot of water sloshing around when you're driving. Probably have to drain the toilet tank, and then the water in the bowl/trap may not seal odors etc. Just my 2 cents.
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MNRon
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09/17/08 08:03pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: What type of bit to use on screws
Most of those screws are square drive, you can pick up a bit at Home Depot.
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MNRon
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09/10/08 09:11pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: McKesh Mirrors
Had the McKesh mirrors a few years ago. The work great, lots of visibility but they were cumbersome to put on and cost a bit. We sold them with the TT. A couple years later purchased another TT and bought CIPA slip-on mirrors for much less that are easier to deal with. Visibility is not quite as good as McKesh, but plenty good and I don't have any vibration either. I would recommend looking into the slide-ons...
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MNRon
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09/06/08 02:49pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Preventive TV water pump replacement
Forgot to mention I have the 8.1 gas guzzler engine.
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MNRon
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09/02/08 07:08pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Flojet Wiring to Trailer
I bought a flojet and did this mod earlier this year. I bought some heavy cord from Home Depot and wired it onto the converter where the main battery feed came in. I then wired the flojet plug to the other end of the cord. This cord stays coiled in the rear storage most of the time and is pulled out to connect it to the flojet when needed.
Make sure you use appropriate gauge cord to carry the amperage required by the flojet depending on how long of a cord you need to reach.
Good luck. The toughest part was being curled up in the pass-thru storage with a flashlight and volt-meter to identify which connections on the converter to access.
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MNRon
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09/02/08 07:05pm |
Travel Trailers
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Preventive TV water pump replacement
I have a 2002 YukonXL 3/4 TV. It has 106,000 miles and I'm wondering if I should electively replace the water pump.
The reasoning behind this is based on a couple different experiences I've had. I'm looking for others input with their experience. First, on past vehicles ('70s and '80s vintage NOT 3/4 ton) I've experienced water pumps going out around 60K miles, along with alternators, starters, etc. Second, and more to the point, I did a complete service at 100K miles and then promptly broke down in the middle of Montana when a fuel pump went out at 103K miles. This left me with a large towing and repair bill, not to mention losing a day or so on vacation.
If I had electively replaced the fuel pump in advance, the cost would have been much less than half of what it was besides the time lost. For around town break-downs I wouldn't ask the question, but when traveling and pulling it's much more problematic breaking down.
What are people's experience with GM truck water pumps? Am I at significant risk of break-down? My plan is to keep this TV for another 75K-100K miles. Should I be replacing the water pump (or other parts?) at my convenience? Or am I just being too risk averse based on my recent experience?
Thanks for your comments, and I won't hold you responsible if you say 'no' and I break down anyway (as long as you wave as you drive by) :)
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MNRon
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09/02/08 06:49pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Long Distance Towing for RV and Truck
I'm sure it's possible, but it'll probably be expensive.
We broke down in the middle of Montana this summer on a trip. The tow company came out with a flat-bed tow truck; put the TV up on the flat-bed and hooked up the TT behind. They towed us 36 miles to the next town. It cost $400.
Granted this was for emergency tow service and I'm sure you can arrange something better but I doubt it will be cheap.
Good luck.
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MNRon
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08/29/08 04:42pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: buying gas
Same as others suggest, look for and plan entrance/exit routes before turning in to fuel or other parking lots etc - this includes height.
Another piece of advice is 'take your time and don't worry.' While I normally tend to drive fast, when I hook up the trailer I adjust my mindset to vacation-mode...I lock the cruise at ~63 and let people pass me. Similarly when fueling etc I'm respectful of others but also don't sweat if I have to slowly move across an entrance or even block another pump.
I learned to do my best but not sweat it if I have to interrupt an entrance for a minute or two the hard way. My first long trip a few years ago I was pulling a 30ft trailer through Chicago at rush hour on the main freeway. Unfortunately my idiot-light on the gas gauge came on while I was sitting in the middle of 5 lanes of stopped traffic. After about 15min to go a mile or two I had to get off at an urban exit hoping to find a gas station. In a couple blocks I found one on a pie-shaped corner, I had no choice but to block traffic for a minute while I manuevered into the station, and then even hung out into side-street while I fueled. This bath-by-fire gave me the confidence to take the TT anywhere I needed to, sometimes I just need to block someone for a few seconds...it's not the end of the world.
Oh yeah, it also taught me something else (that my DW continues to remind me of) - KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GETTING GAS WHEN THE GAUGE HITS 1/4!
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MNRon
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08/20/08 09:09pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Equalizer..Should I Change From My EZ Lift?
Check your TT level as well, should be nose slightly down.
I have an Equilizer hitch with an Eagle 298BHS and a 3/4 Yukon for a TV. The first trip I took with it last fall was white-nuckles. Turns out I the nose on the TT was slightly high and I didn't transfer enough weight with the bars. After adjusting properly this spring it tows great.
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MNRon
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08/20/08 08:36pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Adventure Timberlodge 27BHSLE Question
Can't comment on if it's a good price or not but we bought a new Timberlodge 28SKY in 2000 (company was called Timberland at the time). You might look in the NADA on the web.
This was our first TT, we were happy with the quality and VERY happy with the company. I messed up one of the stab jacks and called for help, they sent me a new one for a very reasonable price. Also sent me an additional piece of countertop and some curtain fabric for some mods we wanted to do. I talked directly with one of the owners and he was very helpful with advice as well.
At the time we had a F150 Supercrew (probably similar to your Nissan), it towed OK but after a year or so we upgraded to a 3/4 Yukon XL; this made towing a breeze!
Good luck with your decision.
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MNRon
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08/17/08 06:41pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: How much water carried when traveling
Typically ~1/3 in fresh tank for misc use en-route and a couple gallons in the black tank assuming we'll be hooking up to water at the campground, otherwise a full fresh tank.
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MNRon
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08/13/08 07:39pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Replace Shower Head?
And another vote for the Oxygenics, it works great in our camper. With that said, the rotating shut-off on it's handle is a little difficult to operate. If I had 4 kids using it I'd probably buy an in-line pushbutton shut off at the local home store.
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MNRon
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08/04/08 08:20pm |
Travel Trailers
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Modifications thru enclosed underbelly
I have a Jayco Eagle 29BHS and want to make some mod's that involve cutting or removing the underbelly covering (want to run some additional wire for an inverter and to tie the two gray tanks together). Does anyone have any experience either removing (and replacing) the underbelly covering or cutting through it and repairing it? Any advice or things to watch for would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Ron
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MNRon
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07/26/08 05:27pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: the Mysteries of the gray water tanks -- Jayco 318
We have a 2005 Jayco Eagle 298BHS with two gray tanks. The front one (closer to bathroom) is for bath sink and shower drain, the rear one (closer to kitchen) is for the kitchen sink. Wish they were somehow plumbed together since the shower tank always fills up much faster than anything else.
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MNRon
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07/10/08 06:07pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: You won't believe it.....
Sorry to hear about your trailer. Hopefully you're imagining worse than what it will be when you finally see it.
Nice of someone to put the blocks and stablizers back down, they may not be damaged at all.
Maybe you'll just have to get a new anniversary gift next month :) More likely this will give you a good story to tell in a few years and add some 'character' to your baby.
Good Luck!
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MNRon
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07/09/08 06:57pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Equilizer Noise
Thanks all. FYI - I keep the ball greased with Reese ball lube (or some such) and tried spray lube on the Equilizer without noting any decrease in noise. I've now ordered the Equilizer jackets for the L-brackets and will also grease the hitch where the bars go in. Hope to eliminate the noise, we'll see on our next outing in August.
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MNRon
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07/06/08 08:24am |
Travel Trailers
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Equilizer Noise
Just returned from a trip to Yellowstone, it was fabulous. That's really saying something with the gas prices and the fact we broke down in the middle of Montana (fuel pump). Maybe I'll post a couple other comments/issues under different headers.
One of the largest nagging issues is the extreme noise the our hitch makes. We have an Equilizer hitch (1000lb bars) pulling an ~8500lb, 32ft trailer. The set-up was great for sway control; no issues with wind, passing trucks, or winding mountain roads. We really like it when on the road. Turning slow is another issue.
We grew tired of everyone looking to see what the noise was each time we pulled into a gas station or camp ground. One gas station attendant even made a point of asking if we had something dragging or broken. I also gave thought to what time in the morning we'd be pulling out of campgrounds because I didn't want to be bothering neighbors. It sounds like some really old rusty machinery thats creaking and groaning REALLY loudly.
I've read some posts on this in the past, but didn't really appreciate the issue until dealing with it first hand. I know some have added a type of slip-pad to the Equilizer to minimize this noise, but I also don't want to create a sway problem. What's the consensus here? Do we have to learn to live with it? Is there a way to quiet the noise without significantly compromising the sway control? Should we be looking for a different hitch?
Thanks for comments and experiences.
Ron
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MNRon
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07/05/08 10:20am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: chocks-what size pipe clamps?
I used 3/4" because I already had them, but I'm sure 1/2" would be fine. I did a curve to roughly match the tire arc and then drilled holes for the pipe in the middle of the 4x4's so that everything held together and I could place and tighten them with one hand.
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MNRon
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06/11/08 08:49pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Hail and Rubber Roofs
Yup. I was up on the roof a couple of weeks ago and it looked like it could use a cleaning, but wasn't polka-dotted all over kind of like many car hoods are now...except car hoods are dented, the TT roof isn't indented just colored in those spots (hundreds). Kind of like the hail mashed down the rubber and exposed darker stuff.
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MNRon
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05/28/08 09:39pm |
Travel Trailers
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