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vcv

North Ga

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Posted: 12/26/20 09:01pm

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I'm a data geek. So for fun I've set-up an app to allow me to collect tow data while I make a trip across country this next week. I will post the results here when I return from the trip (around Jan 4th or 5th ish). I am leaving in the morning (Dec-27th) from North West Arkansas, and will travel I-49 South, then I-40 East to Memphis, then I-22 to Birmingham, then I-59 to Gadsden AL (area). Later in the week I will travel to Georgia (I-75 to I-285) and into Atlanta to visit family. On the return trip I will travel I-75 to I-24 to Nashville, and then finally returning to NWA via I-40 West and I-49 North.
With all the interstate driving, I thought it would be fun to collect data to determine the most popular tow vehicles (plus it will help time go by while on the road!). I will take note of every truck I see pulling a 5th wheel, and enter the counts into the app (the app is set-up to just tap and it will add the count).

Criteria:
5th wheel towing only, and for personal recreation use only (no hotshot runners, or tag along campers, as this would need to be another data set on it's own).
I will measure Ram (5.9 and 6.7)
I will measure Chevy Duramax (noting the LBZ separately)
I will measure all Ford models (7.3, 6.0, 6.4 and 6.7)
I will measure anything over 3500 in a lump sum (4500's, Top kicks, Freightliners, etc.)
I will lump all overloaded 1/2 tons into the same group

I am pretty good at distinguishing truck models/years. The Rams are easy, as are the LBZs from other years of the Duramax. The Fords can get a bit tricky, but I can normally tell the difference if I get a good look at them.

I have posted a pic of the app I have set up. If I have failed to include anything, let me know. I will post the results when I return.

Lwiddis

South of Lone Pine, California

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Joined: 08/12/2016

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Posted: 12/27/20 08:08am

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“I will travel to Georgia (I-75 to I-285) and into Atlanta to visit family.” OK. Later in 2021 might be safer. Looking forward to reviewing your data.

Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2020 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, 300 watt solar-parallel & MPPT, Trojan T-125s. TALL flag pole. Prefer USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state & county camps. Bicyclist! 14 year Army vet-11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad

Second Chance

Wherever...

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Joined: 07/23/2013

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Posted: 12/27/20 09:17am

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I hope you won't be "tapping" the phone while driving...

Rob

U.S. Army retired
2020 Solitude 310GK-R
MORryde IS, disc brakes, solar, DP windows
(Previously in a Reflection 337RLS)
2012 F350 CC DRW Lariat 6.7
Full-time since 8/2015

Cummins12V98

on the road

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Posted: 12/27/20 09:44am

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Second Chance wrote:

I hope you won't be "tapping" the phone while driving...

Rob

Probably pen and paper as it's so much safer. [emoticon]

2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"

"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD

fj12ryder

Platte City, MO

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Posted: 12/27/20 04:13pm

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My only thought is don't get so fixated on collecting data that you don't pay sufficient attention to what's going on around you. Maybe let the passenger collect all the data, and you just alert them when there is data to collect.

Howard and Peggy

"Don't Panic"

blofgren

Surrey, B.C.

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Posted: 12/27/20 05:51pm

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Looking forward to seeing the results! Thanks for posting.

2013 Ram 3500 Megacab DRW Laramie 4x4, 6.7L Cummins, G56, 3.73, Maximum Steel, black lthr, RAM 20k sliding hitch, Retrax, Linex, and a bunch of options incl. cargo camera
2008 Corsair Excella Platinum 34.5 CKTS fifth wheel with winter package & disc brakes

TXiceman

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Posted: 12/27/20 06:01pm

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A couple of years ago, I would walk around a campground looking at trucks towing larger 5ers. Over several campgrounds from Texas to Colorado and back via Kansas and Oklahoma my results were generally as follows:

Ford diesels were number 1
Next and not too far behind was Dodge Ram, number 2
and a distant number 3 was GMC/Chevy.

Looking at the smaller trailers towed by gassers the three were pretty well equal.

I saw way more rigs that were under trucked than properly or over trucked.

Ken

Amateur Radio Operator.
2013 HitchHiker 38RLRSB Champagne, toted with a 2012, F350, 6.7L PSD, Crewcab, dually. 3.73 axle, Full Time RVer.
Travel with a standard schnauzer and a Timneh African Gray parrot

Cummins12V98

on the road

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Posted: 12/27/20 06:09pm

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OP I am confident you can drive and chew gum at the same time.

fj12ryder

Platte City, MO

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Posted: 12/28/20 07:21am

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Cummins12V98 wrote:

OP I am confident you can drive and chew gum at the same time.

How about drive, chew gum, note passing traffic, note which trucks are towing large 5th wheels, what brand they are, and then noting it all down, all at the same time? [emoticon]