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Forum
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RE: F150 5.0 V8 or V6 Twin Turbo

When buying anything used, a lot depends on the vehicles past maintenance history..
In my case, I have a 13 F150 Eco bought brand new, so I know my own maintenance history, but do I have proof of all the fluid changes and other minor stuff I have done on my own? Not really. I have a written 'log' of it all, but no receipts or other junk like that.. I have the recall paperwork done at the dealer and such of course.
Anyway, I've got 116,000 miles on my F150, but have not had any turbo related issues as such. Or timing chain/phaser issues or really any of the other stuff you will read about on the internet.
The 5.0 is not without it's 'issues' either...
On my rig anyway, "turbo lag" is not a thing.. I've never experienced it. Stab the go pedal and you GO...
The 5.0 needs rpms to get into it's power band, so high revs is what it likes. The Eco gets a lot of it's power down low torque wise.
140,000 + miles on either one will really need to be gone over, as that's about the time most 'major' things might start popping up in either flavor..
Again, it's oil change interval's is the biggest things.. If the previous owner only changed the oil when the dash light came on... Well... I'd walk away fast! if they changed around the 4-5,000 mile marks, then it's a lot better for sure!
Anyway, good luck with whatever you decide on!
Mitch
https://i.imgur.com/XG8H0uzm.jpg?1
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MitchF150
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06/01/23 06:43pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: So tell me about your perfect couples travel trailer

Here is the floor plan of my "perfect couples trailer". I'm 6'3", so the queen bed works fine for me. (my feet always hang out the end of beds my whole life, so no big deal for me!)
We have the theater seat option, so no table, no couch, no hosting any parties! :)
We don't 'group camp' with family or friends, as we just like to get away for a long weekend ourselves..
We utilize the outside a lot, so mostly eat outside and stay outside or exploring the area during the day. Specs of the rig are in my sig.
https://i.imgur.com/mE1SEr3l.jpg
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MitchF150
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05/30/23 09:00am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: MGVWR and problems titling trailer

What was the process of weighing it? I am not sure what the "M" in your "GVWR" means, but The "GVWR" of my Rockwood is #6995. I just round up to #7000.. :)
Anyway, I have actually never officially weighed it to date.. The registration lists the 'dry' weight and that's what I get charged for the yearly tags. We don't have vehicle "inspections" in our state, so do not have to deal with that mess...
I would think they had to have you unhitch the trailer with it's axles and tongue jack on the scale and that's it's "GVW".
Good luck! Mitch
https://i.imgur.com/XG8H0uzm.jpg?1
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MitchF150
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05/25/23 08:03am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: What type of oil to put in my 1976 dodge F40 sportman

Pretty sure it's the engine oil.. At least that's what my guess is going to be for.. :)
For that vintage of Dodge engines, it's just a big ol' V8 with a carb on the top and lots of internal tolerance on all the moving parts.
Any good 10w30 or 10w40 should work just fine. Don't get any of that "synthetic" types of oil, as they just cost more and those did not exist back when that engine was built.
Spend some extra $ on a decent filter. Avoid the 'cheapest' ones on the shelf.
Good luck! Mitch
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MitchF150
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05/10/23 08:57am |
Class C Motorhomes
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Some sites just are not accessible..

Watch that mud boys for you boondockers out there! :)
Stuck in the mud
Mitch
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MitchF150
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05/05/23 09:30am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: How critical is it to have a perfectly level trailer?

Several things.. I think you are talking about it's towing level not parked once you get to your site.
Looks like you don't even have your propane cylinders installed yet. Those are going to add tongue weight.
You probably don't have the vehicle loaded for a weekend camping trip. People, stuff in the back, etc. Is the trailer loaded ready to camp too?
The receiver on the vehicle is probably not rated for a weight distributing hitch setup, neither is the vehicle, as it's just a uni-body SUV by the looks of it.
Your chains are still dragging, so you can 'twist' the links up to take up some of the length off, or have them cut to length and put on new hooks.
Might still be chewing off more than the vehicle can handle, but at least you are doing your homework first!
Good luck! Mitch
https://i.imgur.com/XG8H0uzm.jpg?1
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MitchF150
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05/05/23 08:51am |
Tech Issues
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RE: how to find value of used RVs?

I don't know if you are a buyer or seller, but in either case for me in either situation, it's what is being offered if I'm selling and what is being asked if I'm buying..
I've had people come knock on my door at home asking if I wanted to sell my TT.. It's parked on the side of my house.
This goes back to when I had my 2003 Prowler Lynx and even with my now 2019 Rockwood Mini Lite..
All offers have been refused! :)
In both cases, I ended up buying NEW.. For the 2003 Prowler, I looked at used rigs at the time.. Ugh.. Way too much $$ for what I saw.
Fast forward to 2019. I find the Rockwood, have my 16 year old Prowler. They offer me $6500 TRADE for it. I figured I'd only get around $3,000 and would have taken that!
Got the Rockwood for a price I was willing to pay (brand new @ 25,000) then I asked about the trade in...
Anyway, each deal is gonna depend on what you are willing to sell or buy at..
Good luck! Mitch
https://i.imgur.com/XG8H0uzm.jpg?1
https://i.imgur.com/2hhE51vm.jpg
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MitchF150
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04/24/23 03:17pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Washing the exterior of our TT

I use regular off the shelf 'car wash' mix for my vehicles. I've recently been turned on to the whole foam cannon method of washing vehicles now, and it's like when the light bulb was invented!
Found some "ceramic infused" wash for vehicles and it works great on the trailer too.
I use a car wash brush and the whole chore is done in a fraction of the time compared to buckets of soap and such.
Good luck! Mitch
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MitchF150
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04/18/23 08:52am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Rodent repellant

Isn't the best solution to find the points of entry? There should be none in a well built RV but at the worst there should only be a very few possibilities.
We have stuffed every crevice we can find with steel wool. Our sliding door for the bedroom has wires going down through the far back of it right into the basement area. I cant find a way to get to it without damange and thats where i think they come in.
I must have been typing my reply when you sent this one.
Sounds like you have a 5th wheel. My folks had a 5th wheel that they stored in a covered shop, and they always had mice in it.. He did try to seal up too, but like you say, there are just too many points of entry in that basement area I guess...
Well, good luck with it all the same! I feel for ya!
Mitch
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MitchF150
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04/08/23 03:01pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Rodent repellant

What JimK said.. I've parked my TT's in the same spot for 20 years now. I have a firewood shed right behind it on the side of my house. I put rat bait in the firewood shed all the time, and find the remnants of them all the time. In addition to all the turds and chewed bits of firewood so I know the area has rats/mice present.
To date, I have never had one in a TT. I have never placed any kind of deterrent in the TT either.
Only thing I have done is make sure there are no points of entry from the outside of the trailer. Especially the under side.
Even the smallest of cracks or gap can let the little varmints in. On the first trailer, I did seal up some very small gaps with silicon sealer. On the current trailer, I've not had to do anything to it. I did inspect it when I first got it of course. That meant crawling on my back under the whole underbelly. This one is a 'sealed' underbelly, but it looked like the manufacture took care of any cracks/gaps before I got it. :)
Anyway, I'd be doing a close check on the underbelly and seal up any cracks/gaps before using any of the so called "repellants".
On a side note, I have heard a lot of folks say all they do with the dryer sheets is make a bed with them.. :)
Wood shed is in background.
https://i.imgur.com/WMa83Aal.jpg
Good luck! Mitch
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MitchF150
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04/08/23 02:56pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Engine braking on 2017 F150 5.0L

I don't like the T/H mode going downhill either.. There are times I just need to tap the brakes.. Not prompt a full downshift to a lower gear.
I can manually select what gear I want to use, so I prefer to do that. I know how to NOT ride the brakes and such, so that's not an issue.
I do like it on the flats, so that if I do happen to have to hit the brakes hard for whatever reason, the downshifting helps slow it down.
I neither leave it on all the time, or leave it off.. I turn it on/off as the terrain dictates and the driving conditions at that time.
Works for me. :)
Mitch
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MitchF150
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03/28/23 02:03pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Chaning Differental oil ???

20 year old gear oil... I'd change it.
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MitchF150
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03/26/23 01:56pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: purchasing from dealer with a hail "freckled" sidewall

It might be more aerodynamic with those dimples on it! :) Think of why a golf ball has all those dimples on them. It's so they fly farther. I think "Myth Busters" did a thing on it way back when?
Mitch
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MitchF150
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03/18/23 09:44am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: I Bought Too Much Truck

Well, sounds like you bought too much truck for daily driving, but have the perfect truck for your towing needs..
I'm not retired (yet) so still need to do the daily grind.. I used my 13 F150 for that duty up until a year ago.. Gas prices just got too much, as it will "run fine" on regular, but really likes premium when you ask it to work..
Anyway, I miss driving the truck for sure! But, filling up the Escape compared to the F150 is so much nicer on the wallet!
I get what you are saying about parking! If I ever went into a parking garage with the F150, I would watch the antenna as my 'feeler' when going under those huge beams.. 7' garage was the minimum for me.. This is just with a stock 4x4 F150.. I have scraped the antenna a couple of times, but that means I still have about 2" left.
Parking lots, I always looked for multi open spaces so I could swing in easier, but still only take up a single space. I have the towing mirrors on the truck, so would have to fold them in most times, as they really stick out.. I call them the "Dumbo mirrors".. :)
But, it tows my TT very well and not maxed out at all. Give and take for sure.
I'm just spoiled with being able to have a truck and a daily driver..
Good luck! Mitch
https://i.imgur.com/XG8H0uzm.jpg?1
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MitchF150
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03/12/23 09:32am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Automatically connect windows 10 PC to open WiFi?

How I understand it, all a VPN does is take the existing wifi connection and routes to a server located someplace else in the world. That connection is 'secure', but you are still connected to the original wifi network as the starting point. It would be up to the built in windows firewall to provide the security for the initial wifi connection..
That's just how it was explained to me.. I might just be passing along incorrect info, but in general, it's usually not a good idea to just randomly connect to free wifi at all.
Good luck! Mitch
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MitchF150
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03/08/23 02:40pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: Difficulty timing a 1995 Chevy 454ci

To check the timing marks on the balancer, you need to check to make sure #1 cylinder is at TDC on it's compression stroke.
There are lots of youtube vids on how to do that but basically, you pull the plug on #1, put your thumb over the hole, crank the engine and you will feel when it's pushing air out on it's compression stroke.
Then you check the timing mark on the balancer to see how close it is.
As soon as you know it's on it's compression stroke, you can put a straw or something to make sure you get the piston at TDC. Usually, using a big breaker bar on the crank nut will let you do that final turn. The starter will most always over bump it and then you'll have to start over..
Good luck!
Mitch
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MitchF150
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03/01/23 11:21pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: How to transfer large video from phone to computer

Humm... I transfer photos, videos from my Android phone to my computer all the time.
Agree, you don't want to email anything that is more than 10mb in size...
but, once you find the file in the "DCIM" folder from your computer accessing the phone via a USB cable, it should just a 'copy' and then find the place on the computer you want to transfer to and then 'paste' it.
If it's a very large file, it might take a bit of time to transfer, but the file type should not really matter?
Anyway, good luck with it! Mitch
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MitchF150
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02/26/23 10:16am |
Technology Corner
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RE: Finally Common Sense in California (No Shows at Campgrounds)

In WA State, if you don't show, there is no 'penalty' as such, other than not getting any refund on your original site fees. Also, if you are a no show and do not contact the SP your site is up for grabs 24 hours after your initial res date so if you happen to drop in, you might get lucky and get that site.
I know I make my camping reservations the full 9 month ahead of time allowed and have lost them within seconds of the 7am time it's open...
Anyway, after making my reservations, if something else comes up for that weekend after the fact, I will always keep my camping date.. Well, it has to be a pretty substantial sudden event to cause me to cancel, that's for sure!
So far in the last 20+ years of dealing with the reservation system, I've only canceled one time(I did cancel and was not a 'no show' about a week ahead of time)... And we still got away for the weekend, it was just a family event thing that came up and luckily was not a death or other thing.. Just a chance to visit a family member I had not seen for a long time, but have always kept in contact with since I was a kid. Love you Aunt Francis! :)
Mitch
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MitchF150
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02/19/23 03:40pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Hotspot (usb tethering) with Visible: Help needed

Any reason you don't want to use WiFi on it?
I connect to my 5G Droid phone to my laptop when needed and also an office provided Verizon MiFi thru WiFi and it's just fine, easy and no cords..
Mitch
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MitchF150
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02/19/23 01:22pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: Ram 1500 can it tow Keystone 280BH??

In the end, all you can do is go with your gut and what you already know and what you learn along the way..
There is good info you can gather from posts like this.. Also some info that you might not agree with. That's when it ends up being whatever you gut tells you after digesting it. ha, ha... :)
I've always done mods to the trailers I've gotten.. Started drilling holes in the Rockwood the day after bringing it home!
Good luck! Mitch
https://i.imgur.com/XG8H0uzm.jpg?1
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MitchF150
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02/16/23 10:03pm |
Tow Vehicles
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