RE: Another generator thread? yea, want your ideas, please?
I am not a full timer. My rig is 42’ and that puts me at RV parks most Places I go. As such, those parks have mostly full hook ups. In my past camping, I mostly dry camped in a large pop up mostly in state and federal parks. So, I used a combination of solar and generator. For those years, I had a Honda eu2000i. When I added my 5’er to my camping arsenal, I also added an additional Honda. Together they produce 4200 watts. Enough to run one a/c and everything else electric in my rig.
My rig also has prewire and cut outs for an onboard generator. If I were to go full time and boondocks, I would absolutely go onboard generator and wire direct to eliminate all the logistical BS of a portable and the hassles that go with it. I would also go diesel since there is less to maintain and the fuel is less volatile. A modern diesel generator is very quiet these days. A friend of mine has an Onan in his Dynamax RV and it is really quiet and hardly noticeable.
RE: Good hitch for SB Ram/Momentum combo
Her goes, (little bit shy about posting this kind of stuff on here)
I pull with the same truck (2018 Ram SB). I am not a fan of the conversions because they weren't designed to be a goose neck (frame engineering is designed different on a goose neck than a 5 th wheel) and the adapters I have seen fail in a crash.
So, when I bought my new truck, I already had a Superglide 2700. I had the puck system installed in the ram and at the time, they did not have a comparable puck mounted slider. So, I installed an adapter puck frame on the Ram and put the 2700 in the bed. Still works great with no issues now for over a year. Superglide is making the 2315 now with a price tag of about 2k. It is a bit overkill since it is a 24k hitch but better to have too much than too little to late. I talked to Pullrite about a light puck hitch and they said that is all they have right now.
As far as the gooseneck and turnover ball thing goes, I can’t really see why one would do it. I’m looking at it like an engineering thing (meaning these 5ers are not meant to be a goose neck otherwise the manufacturers would respond with the option in the main stream) and the ride quality and handling on the road is a Ford vs Chevy thing. My truck is equipped with OE air ride system on the 3500 series and rides like a big rig when loaded down with my Bighorn. When I’m not pulling, I drop air in the tires and it rides like a truck but is less bone jarring than when aired up. As far as chucking and popping goes, it creaks and pops a bit but who cares. The auto slide is there if I need it and so I never worry about hitting the cab. A co worker had a SB and manual B&W and of course, he didn’t use the slide and hit the cab (2017 Ram).
Good luck with whatever you do. FWIW, I’d stick with the way this rig was designed and stay with the 5th wheel and auto slider.
Happy Campin’
RE: Please help me identify 5th wheel towing issue.
This may or may not be related to your problem, however I will relate my experience with a similar situation.
I have @ 99 Dodge Ram Cummins 2500 with the 47re transmission. I had it heavy duty built for pulling with a triple plate torque converter. Is was so strong that I was warned to be carful when the converter locked up because it will break a shaft if your foot is I. It under a load. My problem came when I would climb a grade in over drive and locked. It would chuck, or buck like an engine miss but without the sound or the tach showing it. I learned that if I backed out of the throttle and got out of overdrive, the bucking would stop. I eventually learned that the condition was the torque converter slipping against the plate while in the locked position with a load on it. If I full throttled the rig while it was chucking, it would downshift out of locked and stop. However, if I stayed in it, I would end up going way to fast and That creates all sorts of other problems.
The answer to this problem is to increase pressure in the transmission to create greater physical contact against the plate while in lock up. Only way for that to happen for the 47re is to replace the entire throttle body with an after market and install a switch and fooler board to lock out torque converter lock up. I could do all that but I would effectively be building a manual automatic and further complicating the operation of my exhaust brake since it needs the torque converter lock up to operate. The cheap fix is to lock out over drive and go 50-55 mph up the grade, With 4:10 gearing in my rig with the gearing of the 47re, it is painfully low geared for the highway and very hard to only use about 1/4 throttle for that long a distance. Plus those rpm’s are tough on that Cummins which loves to run at 1800.
Food for thought. I suspect the transmission in the right path to your problem. In either case, the process of elimination is they way to figure it out. Start with the no cost options of elimination and work toward the costly.
Good luck with it.
RE: Pullrite Superglide or Demco Hijacker?
I use the pullrite as well. It does the job. May not need it since the front cap on my bighorn is cut for turning but my friend’s rig was too and he hit the cab. Better safe than sorry. That said, there are is a lot of slop in the slide, and between the slide and ram puck adapter plate, there is 250 lbs to deal with. I built a lift out of a $50 HF winch and some scrap metal. Works like a charm. I would imagine it’s a Ford vs Chevy thing since all the hitches do the job well. I’m not comfortable with the Anderson conversion so I’ll stick with the pullrite.
RE: Any RV transport recommendation?
probably not a smart question but what is MASA? Google could not come up with an answer besides Mex food. :h
https://www.medairservices.com/memb-options
If I were in that area, I would move it for you. Perhaps there is a forum member that could help.......
RE: Furrion Observation Camera Wiring
Question:
How does your camera get to the dashboard. Through the Bergman 7 pin , wireless or independent connector.
RE: 1/2 Ton Towable 5th Wheel
There are several 5th wheels in the 8-10k range that are towable with that F150. That eco boost may not last (fluid cooled turbos that cost about 2-4k to re-seal in a work truck) but at 345 HP there is plenty there to do it. Add the trans cooler (go with a stack plate type) and air bag it. You won’t have any problems there.
Someone said the weights are over rated on these trucks. Nope. They are actually under rated for liability reasons so we don’t “actually” over load them. The GVWR is determined by lawyers, not engineers (fact or fiction not withstanding). If your not worried about warranty issues, make your truck a HD 1/2 ton. If anyone was worried about a trailer being heavier than a TV to be stable, we wouldn’t be pulling a 65k flat bed with a 14k truck/tractor.
Happy Campin’
RE: Hot Water Heater
Sounds like air in the system. If the city water supply has been compromised by flooding, there may be an interruption in supply that has put a large air pocket in the WH (not to mention contamination) Verify city water, bleed the WH (whole system actually) and reset everything. If the element went bad it stays bad. Never seen one self correct.
RE: They don't make em like they used to.
I would look at the grand design lineup. They seem to be at or near the top for materials and quality and still in the realm of affordability.
RE: Your experience with a Dually vs SRW hauling 5ver
I have a 16k GVWR Big Horn. It’s a 42’ er that has lots of leverage. I currently own a 2018 Ram 3500 SRW short box with air ride, rear anti sway and leaf set up. When I first got the trailer, I used by friends 2017 Ram 3500 DRW. The 2 trucks were identical except for the long bed and dually set up. In my experience between the two, the dually was effortless while driving in any circumstance and the SRW must have attention paid to while in a corner and is not as forgiving if not.
That said, the shorter wheel base is better for turning, backing, and everyday driving and the dually is not. The SRW is cheaper on tires, changing a flat, can be rotated easily and has cheaper maintenance like brakes etc. overall, the benefits gained by the dually does not justify the expense and inconvenience of everyday driving for me. And, having a 1999 2500 I will tell you the two are definitely not the same at pulling the 5’er. The 2018 3500 SRW Is far superior to my 99 and very much the same as a DRW, which is just a little more capable.
Good luck with whatever you do. If your sticking it out with the 10.5k, my vote is definitely the SRW (although I would consider a short box dually) (They are hard to find however).
RE: They don't make em like they used to.
Tossing a cat into the dog pound I would mostly agree that the campers are not built as well as the old days. While the doors and walls may be thicker in past years, I would suggest that perhaps the materials became much more efficient and in any cases stronger. Metal vs wood construction, fiber glass and composite vs Masonite or corrugated aluminum skin, foam insulation vs cellulose or fiber batting. Now, quality of the installation and mfg methods, certainly craftsmanship of the past outlasts what is done today with the “run of the mill” rig.
RE: Trailer and truck ride height
I think your ride height is fine the way it is. That being said, you do have a slight squat in the TV, and the trailer is the slightest bit high in front. So, it isn’t broke but, a lift in the axles and airbags would do the trick and normalize any irregularity. Just don’t sacrifice stability on the trailer with the spacers.
My truck has factory air ride. So, loaded, the truck levels to preloaded height (with the natural rake) and I have an alternate ride height option if need be (no squat but level). Look for bags you can adjust yourself.
Happy Campin’
RE: Question on Selling FW Hitch
10 bolt universal rails are cheap enough for anyone to replace. Personally, I wouldn’t want used ones since they take the brunt of the load. I’d just leave them the since you will have the holes in you bed either way.
RE: Air compressor for 115 psi
Alternative to a powered compressor, I have one of these. Pricey but will air anything up, any time without any power source.
Power tank
Pricey??!! Those go beyond pricey into ohmagawd.
Yes, makes no sense to get one just to top off the tires. But, if I go for an off road trip and need to air down to 15 psi for some trail crawling, getting back to 80 in the pull rig is a big deal. So, with the power tank, I run tools, (changing a flat with impact) air tires and etc. only fill the tank about once a year if used judiciously, and if not, can be filled by any welding shop.
