RE: Route from Astoria, OR to Wenatchee, WA
Thank you, all. Paulj, your suggestions are most welcome. We'll do 12. By the way, we've driven the Gorge a few times and love it, but don't mind missing it this time in favor of a quicker drive.
Also, the other recommendation of 2 is also appreciated. We've driven that beautiful route from the east to the west, but want to stay away from drive up and around Seattle.
Thanks again!
Well ScottG lives in Bothel a little north and east of Seattle, so the 405 to Hwy2 makes sense to him. Hwy 12 is a beautiful drive and you miss the mess north of Olympia.
RE: Propane tank recertification
1 more observation.
When you take your cylinders to gas station who also sells propane as side business - they never take a look at certifications.
Done it 4 times in last year.
Never. Except when they do. My tanks have been checked every place I've ever taken them including gas stations selling propane. Expired date, they ask me to move along as they do not cert. Which is how I discovered my local RV parts/repair shop sells propane cheaper than anyone else and certs for $5.
X2
They are getting more diligent, mine are checked almost every time.
RE: Off-Roading Tractor Trailer
Following erratically driven semi so closely?
You deserve new underwear.
Up until he slid too far to the left he was traveling pretty stright, yes he was on the fog line, but not weaving.
I agree following a bit too close for me.
RE: Black Tank flush with valve closed
Yes, but it is also common for said people to get distracted. This results in a very messy flood in your rv.
Yes, and I also do it to help flush out solids, set a timer on my smart phone for no more than 5 minutes.
RE: Assateague Island
We spend much of the winter months on the Oregon Coast very close to the ocean. Yes, it can be cool in the winter, but you have a trailer for shelter.
RE: 2017 Ram 68RFE Question
Thanks for the info. It will stay at stock power, don't really need anymore than what it has for our trailer.
That is a lot of miles on a 2017 rig. Was it used commercially?
X2
Even if bought the end of 2016 that is three years, and 25k a year. When we bought our 2001 used in fall of 2010 it had 234k on it it was an early 2001 so just shy of 11 years just over 20k a year.
RE: New Truck and 5th wheel
Empty pin was 2900, fully loaded, pin 3750. Had almost 2k worth of "stuff" in 5er.
I believe I have said it a couple times in this thread alone. 3K or so dry pin weight does not work with a SRW truck. Go back and look at what OP said the trailer's dry pin weight is.
Simple fact is a lot of people do not want a dually, period! So a wise choice of trailer chosen can get the job done. We found a Cedar Model and several Big Horns that had pin weight around 2400 in floor plans we liked.
I had to rule out all but the smallest Cardinal and Montana's in 2016 when we were buying a new larger trailer. We would have liked to stay with another Cardinal, how the small one was very cheaply made. The one we looked at had drawers falling apart and bathroom slider screwed up, on a brand new trailer.
We went with the Big Horn for floor plan with kitchen island, tow theater seats that look straight across at TV, rear cap and Sailun tires OEM along with other things.
Chris
Chris, while your statement about DRW may be true there are times where one wants, and what one needs just don't work out.
I recall the back and forth when you bought the 2015 Ram as to Long Bed va Short Bed.
Well when we went for a newer TV it was a LB DRW, not looking back. I will also say our DD also has a DRW CC lb to tow here 4 horse GN. Neither her, DW, or I have too many issues fitting in places we want to go.
RE: 5.9 Cummins Diesel Towing capacity
My owners manual tells me the max pin weight is 1200 and the 5vr (2007 Arctic Fox 27 ft) has pin weight of 1500lbs. On top of that the trailer is max of 12000 and the truck is rated at 9600lbs approximate. I could change out the rear end to make it max out at 13000lbs. I have a chip and an extra cooler on the tranny which I had rebuilt. But coming up on steep and slow 2 lane roads i top out the temp on the tranny. Engine is fine but the tranny isn't.
NOt sure about getting a new truck or lightly used ot stepping down to a bumper pull'
Truck is 2001 Dodge dually 5.9l
Suggestions?
So if you want to pull that with your Ram it will need a lower gear ratio. I see that with a 4.10 gear the 3500 is rated at 12,900# towing. If you care you will likely be over the ridiculously low 10,500# or 11,000# GVWR of the Ram.
don't state if reg cab or Quad cab, 4X4 or 4X2?
These are the towing charts from the manual of our old 2001 Ram.
https://i.imgur.com/I0dfKPD.jpg width=640
https://i.imgur.com/xFjTi7m.jpg width=640
The best you can do is get a quality rebuild on the trans, with good additional coolers, and go with 4.10 gears and you should be ok. You might also put a small chip on the engine for a few more HP and lb. ft.
We towed a 12,500 5er with our 2001 Ram 2500, small chip and Bosch RV275 injectors, 5 speed manual and 3.55 gears. I would also add a PacBrake exhaust brake for extra stopping power.
https://i.imgur.com/9yiIhxR.jpg width=640
RE: New Truck and 5th wheel
I found and spread sheet online and if I put the # in right for the Ram I should have about 1400lb. available for payload the truck won't have anything in it for weight. The ram has a payload of 4330 lb.
There is no Ram 3500 srw that can carry 4330 lbs in the bed as payload without blowing its 7000 RAWR number. That the fallacy of using newer truck high gvwr based payloads to assume a in the bed payload such as pin weight and other gear/stuff the rear axle will carry.
These size trucks rear axle can weigh in the 3200-3400 lb range. Now add 4330 lb of payload in the bed = around 7700 lbs for a 700 lb overload. Time for 19.5" tires and wheels and air bags/etc with that payload.
OP keep in mind that 4330 payload number is a gvwr based payload which comes from the trucks front and rear axles.
About the most the 3500 srw can carry in the bed will be around 3500-3800 lbs depending on cab selections....drive selections....wheel base selections.
Your starting with a 14k dry weight trailer. Now add 1200-1500 lbs of "stuff" and your looking at maybe a 15.5k lb trailer....maybe more depending on how much necessary junk :B you want to carry.
Your gonna' be close to max if you load lite.
I would agree, I find it interesting how hard people will push the capacity of 350/3500 SRW to avoid getting a DRW.
You do start running into tire and axle capacity issues with a SRW.
RE: Hooking up Fifth Wheel
The only issue I would see is if you have a tight rail to 5er clearance, the rear of the bed could get close to or touch the bottom of the 5er.
RE: New Truck and 5th wheel
Me_Again, managed to get a 5er with loaded pin of 2,840# or 18% of the 5ers GVWR. In many cases that will result in a fair amount of chucking. He is also 40# over GVWR, no big deal.
If he ran near 22% like many need to have a smooth ride, his pin would be 3,340#, now he would be 540# over GVWR. Seeing how most of that goes on the rear axle, he would also over his rear axle rating.
Yes it can be done with a 5er that will have a pin less than 20% loaded. Our 32' 12,500# scaled 5er has a pin of 2,700# which is just under 22%, with the 1,361# of passengers, pets and STUFF we carry, we would likely be over GVWR with a 350/3500 SRW.
DRW too BIG??? We daily drive ours, not too many places I don't take it, learn to back into parking spaces in lots.
Note truck was 8900 ready to tow. I could have removed 400-500 of stuff. Chris
Chris, I don't think you would leave the golf clubs at home!
RE: New Truck and 5th wheel
A new 3500 SRW is plenty big for the trailer you are looking at, and still room to grow in the future if needed.
I have a DRW, and if it wasn't a dedicated tow vehicle, I would be trading it in for SRW.
I'd say the same about long bed vs short. If you are full timing, and not using the truck much for daily duty, go long bed. If it is going to be a daily driver as well, short.
An srw will be overloaded with that trailer, your hitch weight alone will be 3,000# plus. I towed a 14,000# gn shop trailer with one, not my choice, and it was a miserable experience.
Our weights loaded for fulling timing.
Front 5120
Rear 6620
Truck 11740
Trailer 12780
Combined 24520
Pin weight 2840
RGAWR 7000
Truck ready to tow 8,900.
Trailer GVWR 16000(loader heavy at 15620) Trailer is 39'4" and has a full high profile roof.
40 pounds over 11,700 GVWR of truck. Truck is licensed to 12K in Washington State.
The trick is to pick a 5th will with dry pin weight that is low. Pick one with a dry pin weight of 3K and it does not work.
Our Bighorn 3575el has dry pin of 2435. This combination made two round trips to Arizona and back to the NW. Tows great! Even in heavy wind.
Mopar pucks with Demco picture frame and B&W manual slider.
I love it Yes, your can, plenty of capacity! NO you can't your will be overloaded!!
Well both could be correct at the 16,000# 5er range for a 350/3500 SRW.
Me_Again, managed to get a 5er with loaded pin of 2,840# or 18% of the 5ers GVWR. In many cases that will result in a fair amount of chucking. He is also 40# over GVWR, no big deal.
If he ran near 22% like many need to have a smooth ride, his pin would be 3,340#, now he would be 540# over GVWR. Seeing how most of that goes on the rear axle, he would also over his rear axle rating.
Yes it can be done with a 5er that will have a pin less than 20% loaded. Our 32' 12,500# scaled 5er has a pin of 2,700# which is just under 22%, with the 1,361# of passengers, pets and STUFF we carry, we would likely be over GVWR with a 350/3500 SRW.
DRW too BIG??? We daily drive ours, not too many places I don't take it, learn to back into parking spaces in lots.
RE: How do you really judge TV adequacy anymore?
There is no evidence to indicate an F150 can't tow all day every day within its tow ratings without incurring any more adverse effects than a F350 would at the comparable duty point.
This is the comment that everybody is calling BS on. Throw a 10k lb trailer behind an F150 and the same behind and F350 and there's no question which truck will wear better over time.
I think the point you are missing is “Duty Point” the one ton would need to be towing at near their max tow rating. Likely in the 20,000# range.
RE: Post your tow vehicle pics here
Here is our Truck.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48120383033_029ce4292f_z.jpg
Here it is hooked up to our 5er.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48607101058_3a024e1185_z.jpg by
Hey your looks like ours!
You have 4.10's we have 3.73, and your payload is 5,704 ours is 5,411 does yours have the 5th wheel prep puck system.
https://i.imgur.com/OAcljXW.jpg width=640
RE: Dodge RAM flywheel
Just to add our 2001 with NV4500, replaced the factory clutch at about 240K had just added a DS Power Puck. Installed a Valair DD organic clutch nice clutch except when the pedal was depressed as the floater plate rattled, sounded like a bad throw bearing , my understanding is the SB isn’t as noisy.
RE: Dodge RAM flywheel
Dual mass flywheel do your self a favor and contact South Bend clutch and see what they offer to rid yourself of it. Maybe a nice dual disk clutch, way less than $4K even with a shop install.
RE: Sometime we win...National Forests and Wildlife Refuge
The other thing that logging provides is access to the forest for recreation and fire suppression. If fire crews need to dropped in they have limited capacity and resources.
Managed logging is a good method of wildfire prevention.
RE: Radiator performance? Life expectancy?
Something many don't think about is the outside of the radiator, gunk and bugs build up on them over time, pull and clean the outside.
RE: Good Sam credit card fuel limits
I have 2 debit cards and both shut off @ $100.00 With 40 gallon tank and 80 gallon transfer it's frequently over $200. To get around this just pay cash. Watch the cashier when you hand them 200-250 and say pump 3.
We don't ever use debit cards at fuel stations, charge card only, they have the greatest protection against fraud.
RE: Winterize or Not
Just blow out your water lines and pour some pink stuff in the traps.
It's quick and simple. Then you don't have to be concerned with dropping temps and can do it after every trip during colder weather.
X2
Your climate is about the same as we have in the PNW. Do you plan on using the 5er through the winter. We use to go out all winter long I would just keep an eye on the temps if it was going to drop below about 28 overnight, I would blow the lines and put pink AF in the traps.
If we went out and the weather was still mild would wait for the next cold spell before blowing the lines.
As we used the 5er through out the winter, would only blow and Pink if temp was going below 28 overnight.
We had unit stored at a storage yard, and I had/have onboard air so easy to blow the lines. Never an Issue.
Enjoy your new climate, get out and enjoy winter camping!! We would keep the 5er stocked with cloths and non perishable foods so only needed to grab perishable food from home refer.
