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Date Posted |
Forum
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RE: Sam's Club 6V Batteries
Take a look at Trojan brand. Great battery, a little more storage, dependable. I've had a set of four since 2001. I've used them on two trailers so far and traded the Interstate 6volts that came with my trailer to keep the Trojans. They also require very little servicing. even though I have solar panels charging year-round they rarely need water.
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Willcamp4
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11/13/08 10:50pm |
Toy Haulers
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RE: 24 hour Generator use
The camp host had pulled out for the season and the USFS LE comes on duty Monday. Local LE refers to USFS, etc.
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Willcamp4
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10/19/08 05:48pm |
Tech Issues
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24 hour Generator use
Okay. Call me dense, but I just don't get it. I went camping this weekend and encountered a group of other campers who puzzled me. We were camped in a USFS campground and starting the first night two trailers in other sites (camping together) arrived and set up. Shortly after arrival they fired up their generators- big ones with one not designed for RV use. Okay. I have a generator too, but these ran from Friday night until I left Sunday. One of the trailers had both an on-board genset running and a Honda EU2000 plugged in and running too. Everyone was sitting around outside so I know they weren't huddled in front of the heater inside.
With the power they were running they could have run an extension cord to all the other RVs in the campground and we could have shared. When I asked I got an insulted look and a comment bout 'lifestyle...' Maybe they were running grow lights inside or something.
They were both Toy Haulers, but I don't understand why they need that much power. I turned on my generator for five minutes so my wife could use her hair dryer.
Last month when, I returned from a trip to Montana, I spoke with some people at a dump station who had commented that they had to cut their trip to a local OHV area short (only able to stay over night)because their generator wouldn't run.
Perhaps I am posting this in the wrong area, but don't people know how to 'dry camp' or exist with out a generator?
Is their something about the way the Toy Haulers are used that makes them dependant on constant power?
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Willcamp4
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10/19/08 05:31pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Warranty Issues
You know, with the downturn in the economy, there are RV manufacturers that are going out of business. Unfortunately, some are really excellent companies that stood behind their products. It is unfortunate that some that are not responsive to their customers are staying in business. Your purchase dollar should really stand for more during difficult times. I find it hard to understand why a company like Coachman wouldn't bend over backward to make you a happy customer, especially when many of the items you describe are clearly their responsibility. When they establish a reputation for treating their customers this way they could easily be putting themselves on the endangered species list.
A friend of mine bought a new fifth wheel from another company. After he bought it he found a small bubble on the side and went to the dealer with it. The manufacturer was concerned they had a delam issue so they shipped the trailer back to the manufacturer, completely reinstalled new sides on it, then offered to ship it home. When my friend said he wanted to pick it up at the plant, they even put him up in a nearby RV park and offered to let him stay until he was happy that everything was done right, which it was. That's the way these companies should be treating their customers.
By the way, I have the same brand trailer as my friend and have had only very few minor issues, even though I use it alot.
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Willcamp4
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10/11/08 04:14pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Where is the water pump
It is probably the same place as mine, but you never know. Open up the storage compartment and listen at the rear of the storage area. If it sounds like it is behind the plywood wall at the rear of the compartment you will have to remove the screws holding the panel in place then pull the panel out of your way. They are usually there. When I had mine out I also installed a bypass to the water intake so I could pump RV antifreeze through the system from a tube in the storage compartment. I then cut a round hole through the panel before re-installing it so I could reach through to turn the valve, eliminating having to remove the panel to winterize.
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Willcamp4
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10/11/08 03:54pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Level Ease...??
Looks way cool to me, but for that price I think I'll stick with my Hoppy's and my box of boards. Same effect just using bubbles. You still have to get out and put out the boards (or whatever you are using) and for the savings of $145-, well say no more.
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Willcamp4
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07/22/08 11:34pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Actual federal weight law rules, some questions and answers
Being a retired LEO I have only one thing to say about this. The application of the standards listed in the original question deals only with the law as it applies to commercial vehicles. It does not apply ot those of us who drive our RVs on either local or interstate highways. Section 390 of the FMCSA deals with applicability and it states:
ยง390.3 General applicability.
(a) The rules in Subchapter B of this chapter are applicable to all employers, employees, and commercial motor vehicles, which transport property or passengers in interstate commerce.
It does not apply to us, but rather to the large commercial haulers. Of course that doesn't preclude some smart attorney trying to make it so. I have not read the entire thread to see where this wound up, but the law should be applied as intended.
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Willcamp4
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07/17/08 05:40pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Heavy duty brake pads
I will wade into this with my personal experience. I had stock brakes on my F250 and got about 70,000 miles out of the front pads. I bought the truck new. Obviously I'm not hard on brakes, although I spend alot of miles towing. In that time I never had a problem with my brakes and the rotors were like new.
I switched to ceramic pads, first on the front then added the rear on my next payday. Admitedly, they were a moderately priced set from a discount auto parts store, not the really high dollar pads, and I don't remember the brand name. The brand was available elsewhere. I left the stock rotors on.
Initially, the down side was the braking power. They didn't stop as well, but on the plus side they also had little or no fade; better than the original pads. The truck began warping rotors. The fronts had to be replaced withing 1000 miles. I left on vacation and returned 4000 miles later with 3 warped rotors.
I replaced the rotors and pads with Powerstop Cryo rotors and Hawk pads. I'm really happy with them. No problem with warping anymore and the braking performance is excellent; better than stock and far better than the ceramic pads with stock rotors.
Considering the nature of the use of a truck, I personally would not use ceramic pads on my truck. I might on a performance car where I was more interested in fade resistance, but certainly not on a truck where I want stopping power from the first stop. I have surmised that the cause of the rotors warping might have been that the rotors should have been upgraded when I switched to the ceramic pads, but it still would not have overcome the decrease in stopping power. To me that was not acceptable.
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Willcamp4
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06/18/08 10:00am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Power Stroke Diesel Mods
Speaking for myself I have made the mods to my 7.3. One thing to consider is what a frind of mine who retired from trucking said. The more het you build in a diesel the more it reduces the engine life. He said that right after he took his chip off.
That said, I did it anyway and learned some interesting things. Based on what I learned there are a few things I recommend and that you should prepare for. Understand, of course, I tow in the Sierra Nevada mountains over high passes and steep hills. I also make at least one trip a year to the Rockies. There are some BIG hills there.
The first is to get larger exhaust and a free-flowing muffler. It helps add a little power, but really helps the exhaust gas stay cooler. Next get a good set of gages , particularly for Exhaust gas Temperature, Tranny temp., and boost. I didn't get a better tranny cooler, but there are some excellent choices. Go to www.thedieselstop.com for more information on all this. I did a chip from DP Tuners. They are the gurus of Ford diesel chipping. I did the Stock, 40hp towing, 80 hp econo, and 120 hp racing. If I did it again, especially with diesel hitting $4.00/ gallon I wouldn't waste my time with the 120 hp. I run almost all the time with the 80 hp econo, even while towing. It works.
Be prepared for the possibility of tranny problems if you chip. good luck
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Willcamp4
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03/18/08 11:22pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: $75.00 of Diesel is all you get
Several years ago it was a $50- limit. I complained to the company I was buying the gas from and they said it was the Credit Card company. I called them and got the opposite story, referring me back to the gas company. I called their corporate office and got the run-around again from them. When I asked to speak to a manager I got the "We'll have him call back." Finally I called again and spoke with someone that said they were trying to make that decision on whether to up the limit on credit cards. A few weeks later the limit was changed to $75-, and there it remains, despite the much higher costs. Since I always pay at the pump I don't know if I can fill without a limit if I pay inside.
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Willcamp4
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03/18/08 11:02pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: firestone airbag question, who has them?
I have a different brand, but the principle is the same. The heavier the hitch weight, the more pressure it will add when you hitch up. Mine adds about 15 lbs, like yours, but I can adjust with an on-board compressor. I always boost my pressure before I hitch, but that is just my preference. I usually run about 5-10 lbs when empty (manufacturer recommendation,) and 70lbs loaded give me a great ride and level ride height on the truck.
The air bags are excellent and are a great addition for towing.
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Willcamp4
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03/08/08 02:38pm |
Towing
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RE: Air Ride Pin Boxes
A friend of mine had the 5th Airborne and really liked the way it performed. His only complaint was that it was difficult to reach the fitting to adjust the air bag.
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Willcamp4
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03/05/08 08:40pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Alpenlite Pricing
When we bought ours a couple of years ago we contacted several dealers. The one in Sacramento had a good price for the identical model. We finally bought here in Reno when we got a good deal locally. The dealer in Sacramento was anxious to deal though and would have been our second choice. Since you are from California they might be a good choice. Other than phone contacts I don't know anything about them, or remember their name (the only Alpenlite dealer in Sacto.)I'm certain that there are other dealers that would give an excellent deal.
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Willcamp4
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03/05/08 08:35pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: "Weight Police"
I'm not a member of the 'weight police', but I also think there are reasonable standards that we should follow. When a truck manufacturer or a tire manufacturer says that they rate their product to carry certain loads I feel it is something that we should follow.
I tow really close to my load ratings all the time and have few problems. When we exceed that though we have to know that we are flirting with disaster. I'm certain that we all remember the Firestone tire/ Ford Explorer problems from a few years ago and how that turned into tragedy in people's lives. A major contributor to that was underinflation of the tires- the same effect as overloading the tires.
I understand that there are limits to anything and that one of the biggest causes of mechanical failure, expecially with tires, is heat buildup. When you overload a tire it reduces the ability of the tire to dissipate heat, eventually resulting in tire failure. I think that it's safe to say that when a manufacturer claims their product has limitations we should believe them.
I have long wondered if the manufacturers intentionally reduce the ratings in order to avoid warranty costs and replacements, but logic says that with the race to claim who can tow the most, they care less about that than bigger sales.
I believe that the claim of 'weight police' deals with other issues. In this day and age, and about a million lawyers in our country, you can get sued for anything. That doesn't necessarily mean that you can be sued successfully, but if you are intentionally exceeding the limits of your equipment and someone gets hurt as a result, I think we can all guess that there will be some smart-___ lawyer waiting in the wings to make our lives even worse. Why risk our lives, the safety of our loved ones and others, and what we have worked hard to own and enjoy.
In my travels I have seen people who have wrecked their RVs and their lives by towing too much. I recall one recent accident I saw that resulted in a triple trailer combo on its roof and completely destroyed, with the entire family in the hospital. That's not how I want to spend my vacations.
Why push it? 'Cause I want to, and nobody can tell me otherwise? It just doesn't make any sense.
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Willcamp4
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03/02/08 09:53am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Propane refilling options
That might be a way to save, but when you find yourself stuck in 'that place' for several days, with the power out and not enough propane...I'd rather take it with me than have to find fuel in a storm; or worse yet have to leave and go home. It also makes a nice backup if other systems fail.
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Willcamp4
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02/05/08 11:26pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Propane - hot water question
I have the dual Propane/Electric water heater. The newer ones are well insulated so they don't have a big heat loss. I never use anything other than the propane setting. I rarely do other than dry camping and turn the heater on when we set off then turn it off after doing the dishes before leaving camp. They use very little gas; so little we don't notice.
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Willcamp4
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01/13/08 09:43pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Good Sam vs AAA RV
Okay. This is one that I want to wade in on. I have to say I have no experience with Good Sam, although I have been tempted to give them a whirl. I have been a member of AAA for nearly 30 years. The service they provide can be both good and bad at the same time. I will relate a story later that illustrates both.
The bad part of their service is that they are everywhere, but when you call in for a tow, the operator you talk to may have no clue whatsoever about your location. That can really hinder them getting a response to your location. The operator also will have no clue about the type of services you should be provided based on the state and such that you have insurance through. The other problem is that they then tell all or part of your needs to the affiliated tow operator they send out. That may be affected by the operator's knowledge of cars, RVs and your equipment.
The good side is that the tow companies are normally experienced and well qualified so when they do arrive they can be helpful and easily solve your problems. That said, now the story I promised. AAA won't tolerate companies that don't provide good service.
Several years ago we were headed N/B on California Highway 89 about 25 miles south of Mount Shasta city when we burned out a wheel bearing on our pickup. I decided it was not safe to continue to drive so I called for a tow from AAA. I was thoroughly amazed that we had any cell reception as the only thing we could see was a great view of Mount Shasta. I got the AAA operator who was in some other state, like Oregon. I don't really remember where. I gave the operator my location, including the highway, mile marker, county, and distance to the nearest city. I was given an approximate arrival time, and when it had passed I called back getting a different operator. That was really fortunate. The tow driver had been dispatched from Kyburz, CA, about 300 miles away!
The new operator got the matter corrected, sent a tow from Mount Shasta City, and gave me a decent arrival time. When that driver arrived with his F-550 Crew Cab tow truck he took one look at my pickup and Fifth-wheel and said they had not told him about the fifth wheel trailer. It wasn't a problem for him though. Within a few minutes we were sailing down the road with him towing our pickup with our trailer still attached. While on the road he arranged for a site at the local KOA and a qualified local mechanic to repair our pickup. He towed us all to the campground, we got our trailer in place, and he towed our pickup to the repair facility. AAA footed the whole bill.
After getting the initial problem solved we were very happy with the service that AAA provided.
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Willcamp4
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01/13/08 01:15pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Scissor type power awning...
Actually, they will retract with a gust of 12 to 15 mph, not requiring a sustained wind. I guess it all comes down to taste. When camping with a friend that had one on his coach I left mine out all the time in what I considered a light breeze. He would spend all afternoon entertaining himself re-deploying his awning when it closed itself. I believe they will also roll up with snow or rain buildup too. A common complaint on the web seems to be a lack of reliability and a need for frequent service, so I would put it away if leaving it unattended.
An additional note; make sure you don't put on de-flappers or similar items if you have auto-retract. I saw someone do that too. It really messes it up.
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Willcamp4
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01/13/08 10:49am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: GMC 8.1L
About the only way to improve your mileage when towing is to switch to a diesel rig. The problem you will have with a diesel is the extra expense for purchase, but if you can get 10+ mpg towing that is a 25% improvement in mileage. Of course right now diesel cost more than gas. The deciding factor about whether to sell you rig and switch to a diesel is whether you tow enough for the savings to ever pay for the increased cost to purchase it. With a gas engine, if you make modifications toward more power/mileage most people then use that power to go faster and the small mileage gain then goes back in the toilet. It's like a professor I used to know said; "There's not that much energy in a gallon of gas."
The only real way to improve mileage is to drive slower, but it takes patience.
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Willcamp4
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01/10/08 12:20pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Drafting to save fuel?????
I can tell you a long list of stories that were caused by following too closely, however I will relay one from a trip last summer. We were cruising along in the right lane and were passed by a pickup towing a flatbed trailer. When he got past us he pulled into our lane and continued to increase the gap. A few miles ahead he had a blowout on the LR of his pickup and lost control of both nearly striking a car that was passing him at the time. When the tire came apart it tore the fender off the dually truck throwing it a surprising height into the air, landing in front of another vehicle close behind him. Of course that guy hit the metal fender. If he had been following at a better distance he would have avoided damage to his own vehicle.
Another reason to not follow trucks too closely... They sometimes have blowouts themselves and constantly kick up sand and gravel from the roadway that will chew the paint off the front of your rig.
The number one cause of accidents is not speeding or some other obvious violations, but is from following too closely.
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Willcamp4
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01/09/08 01:19pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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