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Date Posted |
Forum
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RE: Insulating Exposed Tanks/Pipes With "Great Stuff"?
About the best thing to do is to use some of the aluminum backed duct board. Cut to fit and glue tot he tank. I'd still add some straps to hold the stuff into place. This will not help much in a static situation. Over a period of time, the tanks will still loose the heat and eventaully freeze unless you apply an external heat source such as the stick on tank heater pads.
Ken
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TXiceman
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10/10/08 06:15am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Performance Chips
The problem with "better MPG" is that the chips can manage to make a very small improvment in the efficiency of the engine over a small range. bacically you can ot change the laws of thermodynamics
Energy in = energy out.
To get more energy out of the engine you need more energy in...which is the fuel. The engines are pretty well optomized to provide a high efficiency over a broad range.
Ken
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TXiceman
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10/10/08 06:11am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Replacing G rated tires with E rated
Cheap tires = DISASTER
You need to put on good tires or park it.
Ken
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TXiceman
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10/10/08 06:05am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Rejected Because RV over 10 Years Old
There are a lot of folks out here with Vintage trailers. A lot of money, time and effort goes into these fine old trailers. For most, vintage begins at 20 years old.
I just bypass the snob campgrounds.
Ken
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TXiceman
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10/09/08 07:25pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Ford question
Check your vacuum lines first. next gently try to assist the vacuum motor by pressing on the lever arm that opens the damper door. Too much force and you can ruin the linkage.
Ken
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TXiceman
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10/09/08 05:56am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: roof wing
We tried one years ago and the only thing I could tell it did was to keep some of the bugs off of the front of the trailer and it also helped inflate the sellers wallet.
Ken
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TXiceman
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10/09/08 05:52am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Performance Chips
The chips do not do much for performance on the gasser trucks and little if anything for the fuel economy. Many will require you to run preminum fuel when you run the chip.
You can get more benifit out of improving the air inlet systema and better exhaust flow.
Ken
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TXiceman
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10/09/08 05:48am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: New to Towing and Clueless
Get the book...RVs for Dummies. Read and understand the weight terms and issues.
Next..#1 rule....NEVER believe the RV or truck sales person. They are out to sell trucks and trailers, not be your best friend and consultant.
#2 Rule...RV and truck sales people lie.
Do not get too small of a truck...better to have too much than too little. Pick your trailer first then look for the appropiate truck to pull it.
A reall rough and general rule to use on 5th wheel trailer is...
up to about 32' a 3/4 ton truck will probably work unless you get a really heavy trailer.
Up to about 34', a one ton single rear will will probably work.
35 and 36' or so, one ton dually.
over 36', probably need an F450 or 4500 or larger.
Now this will really get the manure headed toward the ventilator. But as I said they are really rough, and you ned to do the weight thing and understand it.
Ken
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TXiceman
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10/08/08 06:09am |
Towing
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RE: SUV Hauling
I am not a fan of using the small and mid size SUVs for towing a TT. Been there and done that and will not do it again. They will tow the trailers, but not very well or comfortably. You can get by with short tows (2 to 3 hours), but a long trip will be very tiring.
Personally, I'd limit the Envoy and such to about a 22' max length trailer, regardless of the weight.
There is a lot more to towing than weight. You have a big box that catches the wind and you have to be able to control the trailer and the truck has to be up to the job. A shortr wheelbase and high center of gravity are noth waht you want to do this.
Ken
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TXiceman
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10/08/08 06:01am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Towing laws
You are not only required to meet the towing requirements of your home state, but you will have to meet the requirements of any state that you to through. They will recognize the drivers license requirements of you home state, but when your wheels are on their road, you need to abide by their weight limits and brake requirements.
We have had 3 motorhomes and I had dinghy brakes on all of them with the the break away feature. To try and justify the legality of a towed vehicle vs a trailer is crazy. The coach or tow vehicle only knows that it has an additional 2500# plus pushing it when it tries to stop. 2500# of feathers or 2500# of rocks is still 2500#.
Ken
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TXiceman
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10/05/08 06:58pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Dry Weight of a trailer?
The dry weight is a fictitious number and bears no resemblance to the real weight of the trailer as towed. The dry weight is the total weight of the trailer without any items listed as an option. For lower end trailers, this will not include A/C, microwave, Television, awnings, batteries and any other options. Once loaded you will be adding some water (8.33 #/gal), propane ( a couple of 20 or 30# tanks) all of your clothes, food, dishes, camping chairs and so on.
It is very easy for an RV to weight 1000# over the "dry weight".
Ken
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TXiceman
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10/05/08 06:52pm |
Towing
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RE: interesting conversation w/dealer & drv rep re:g/n adapter
If he believes it will work, tell him you want a letter from the factory, on factory letterhead that the use of a GN adapter will not negate the warranty on either the trailer or the frame and that Doubletree will fully guarantee the frame with the use of the GN adapter. I bet you will get some crawfishing once they have to put it in writting. Better yet, tell him you want the approval letter written and stamped by a registered professional engineer (P.E.) in their employee.
Any first year mechanical engineering student can see how additional stress (not forces...two different subjects) will result on the pin box attachment area with the use of the GN adapter.
The force is the same with or without the GN adapter. The problem is the added lever arm through which the force is applied creates a higher stress on the pin box area due to in increased torque from the moment arm.
Ken
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TXiceman
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10/05/08 06:43pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Dually vs. Single Rear Wheel
MadMav....do you have a weight ticket where you weighed the rig????
Ken
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TXiceman
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10/05/08 12:03pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: AC running issues
The fan generally runs all of the time and the compressor cycles on and off. It also will not shut down the compressor until it reaches the set point temperature.
The Coleman thermostats are really a piece of over priced junk. Best thing to do is head down to Wally World and get a $25.00 Hunter digital stat that will operate from a battery. Much better temperature than the coleman junk.
Ken
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TXiceman
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10/05/08 09:11am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Dually vs. Single Rear Wheel
Even without the trailer weight, you are not going to find a SRW rated to handle the pin weight of the 38' trailer. His trailer GVWR is probably over 16,000# which means a pin weight of 3200# or so.
A 1 ton dually will probably be at it's limits and you probably need to look at the F350 Tow Boss package or move up to an F450 or a 4500 series truck.
The whole issue of SRW vs DRW depends on the pin weight of the loaded trailer (forget the brochure BS).
Ken
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TXiceman
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10/05/08 09:06am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Another Dual Cam question.
I tied dry fitting mine before I drilled any holes and I was not at the recommended 18". The instructions on the DC should be a bit clearer to help some folks.
I am a mechanical engineer and had to read the instructions several times and do the dry fit for it to make sense to me.
Ken
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TXiceman
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10/05/08 09:00am |
Towing
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RE: bought a champion genny and took it back
We have a generator since we are on a water well and no power... no water. Had to get a 6.5KW due to the 1.5 HP well pump motor. It easily will power the RV when needed. It is not as quiet as the Honda EU6500, but it is a lot less money for the use it will get.
Mine is a Disafter brand which is identical down to the paint with the champion.
Ken
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TXiceman
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10/05/08 08:53am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: DW wants a new 5er
If she wants a new 5er...you need a new truck or at least a new over and under shotgun....only fair.
ken
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TXiceman
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10/05/08 08:46am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Did your best friend make the list?
Teddy did not make it unless you count the nickname Teddy-Bear. Belle made as she is Silver Belle.
Ken
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TXiceman
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10/04/08 03:00pm |
RV Pet Stop
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RE: ordinance against rv's
We live where we can park, boats, RVs and horse trailers on the lots. I think it is tacky to park any of the above forward of your front building line or on the street. They can become a safety hazard and block the view of the homes.
We chose to live on acreage lots and made wure we could park the trailer at the house.
Ken
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TXiceman
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10/04/08 02:41pm |
Travel Trailers
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