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RE: Did I choose the wrong gear ratio 3.73?
Your 6.0 will develop 353 horsepower and 373 pound-feet of torque with either a 3.73 or a 4.10.
The engine only produces that horsepower and torque at a single RPM.
So there are only six speeds (MPH) for each particular gear where you hit max HP or max torque. One for each gear. These six speeds will be about 10% slower with a 4.10 rear end.
Now, all the being said, your rear end ratio variation is minor compared to gears- I like to say it's "fine tuning".
If you are truly towing HEAVY and "almost always" towing, the lower-gear rear end is probably better.
OTOH, I changed from a 3.42 to a 4.10 rear end on a Suburban (7000K, 27 ft TT) and saw what I term no practical difference in towing performance (Oh, I'm sure the engine RPM differed by the exact gear ratio differences, it's just that there was no major change in how the vehicle pulled hills- we saw second gear routinely out of the 4-speed transmissions- on relatively mild hills0
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K3WE
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05/20/12 05:05pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Storing your RV?
Should I have electric and water put in?
I'd think electric would be a "must". It would be so useful to charge batteries, do stuff (packing, etc) in the camper, run an electric space heater if needed, and the fridge has already been mentioned- you could start it cooling down before a trip.
Water: Tough one- does that include sewer too? I guess the question is if you might ever use it as a "guest room" (and some folks do that). Fresh water would be nice, but then it has to go somewhere. The other tough one- if the garage/shed is not heated then you water supply could become a problem during the winter (not that a simple freeze-proof water hook up wouldn't work fine).
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K3WE
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05/20/12 04:48pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: I Don't Think I Am Thick...
What's confusing is the terms, since they both actually describe a "conversion" process, but only one's called a converter!
This is a pet peeve.
It's only according to RVers secret language that an inverter is not a converter. According to Websters dictionary a converter converts one thing to another, and if it's good enough for Websters, it's good enough for everyone.
Almost all campers have a built in converter to change 110 volts (yet another name for this is a rectifier that "fixes" the alternating current to direct current.
The "inverter" takes direct current and rapidly inverts it to make alternating current (along with stepping it up to 110 volts).
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K3WE
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05/20/12 04:38pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Forgot to close tank valves
So if I were to sterilize my gray tank is it your opinion the world would come to an end or something? Why the big deal over this?
Let's be clear here. You said it's a concern and that you would probably sterilize your grey tank if black water got in there.
I said that plenty of bacteria, rotting processes, nasty smells and germs form in grey water.
Where does "the end of the world" come into this?
People need to know facts (that even a poop-free grey tank is anything but sterile), and not an emotional thought process that black water getting in the grey tank calls for it to be sterilized.
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K3WE
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05/13/12 05:58am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: How long for poop to break down?
OP, tanks are designed to allow large material to enter and escape easily enough. The trick is to keep plenty of water and fill, if not full, just prior to dumping. It really doesn't matter at all the state of debris whether it's 1 minute old or 30 days old. If there's another reason behind the question, let us know. I know folks talk about chemicals and enzymes, but there's no need concerning break-up because these are holding tanks vs. septic tanks.
And that's it in a nutshell right there. Holding tank.
I didn't know that bacteria, enzymes and dissolution had the intelligence to know the differene between a septic tank and a holding tank.
Despite what we name our tanks, there's plenty of septic tank processes going on in your holding tank. These processes start within 1 minute, and will probably complete their course in 30 days too.
Stuff is breaking down in your holding tank whether you want it to or not.
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K3WE
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05/13/12 05:39am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Funeral Edict?
If your lane was about to run out you should have stopped there until the funeral passed by. IMHO.
There was once a sick individual who equipped his car with a rear-facing camera and then stopped on an interstate.
He promptly got his wish and filmed a rear end collision (and guess what - not with him, but a few cars back).
Fortunately, the police figured out what happened and arrested him.
Edit...and more fortunately, there were no fatalities or serious injuries.
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K3WE
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05/13/12 05:33am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Funeral Edict?
I think a lot of you are missing the point of the original post. The poster was presented with a significant safety issue. That is what is key! Two interstates merged, the OP was stuck in the left lane which was ending. He moved through the funeral procession, and then got into another lane respectfully leaving the procession to go on it's way.
I assume (could be wrong) that he used his turn signals, and changed lanes with friendly spacings and promptly got out of thier way, and remained respectful.
Unless he somehow rudely did this and then gunned his motor to make his loud exahust sing or turbo whine and drove off, he probably did the right thing, and the folks in the procession will have to live with the fact that they had to breifly share their lane with him to protect the lives of others.
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K3WE
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05/13/12 05:28am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Tank sensors?
...it is impossible to fill one of the tanks with one freshwater tankfull...
...except that there are water-but-no-sewer campsites, and folks sometimes refill their freshwater tanks.
There are numerous threads and posts on the subject of how to use the black tank for grey water (there are a number of good ways).
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K3WE
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05/13/12 05:02am |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Newbie Question about water tank
...The only thing that is disturbing is that this information should be (but often isn't) clearly laid out in the unit's owner's manual...
That, and a 30 min to 1 hour walk through from the dealership- to cover this and about 10 other "important things about RV's that may not be intuitive". I am amazed at how folks are sold these things and sent off with no instructions on some of the essential information.
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K3WE
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05/12/12 06:17am |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Tank sensors?
Cross your fingers- my sensors have performed great! ALMOST perfectly- but yep, I have had some gunk cause them to mis read, and make a modest effort to sometimes load up on some clean water and go driving/sloshing.
But like everyone says- a shower backup, or gurgle is a good backup, and the black tank has visual and sound clues, and you also can develop a sense how long the tank will last.
Interesting stuff- but don't fear it.
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K3WE
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05/12/12 05:53am |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Newbie Question about water tank
Your question seems to be totally opposite of the way the world should be.
The threaded connection should supply water directly from the hose to the camper but not the tank. You should be able to turn off the water pump (electric switch) and the water will flow directly.
It does not (except where there is some special "fill up" plumbing) fill up your tank at all (that's how it keeps from "overfilling the tank").
This is basically intended for a campsite with a hook up to provide your water.
The "gravity feed" is to fill you tank- where you use your tank and pump at a campsite without a water hook up (or for needing water when on the road).
So test #1 is turn off the water pump switch and see then if water will flow (and check to see that the hose is on and not kinked).
I suppose if you had low water pressure that the pump might still kick on.
Of course- there is also a possiblity that something is wrong with a pressure switch or wiring.
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K3WE
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05/12/12 05:40am |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Forgot to close tank valves
I think the concern is with the gray tanks that don't normally hold poo and yet have a direct pipe that leads to your sinks and shower. Leaving the valves open means the poo flowed into those tanks. I'd probably do some sterilization on my grey tank too if I had done that.
So, that's a really invalid concern.
If you have a basement, go look under your bathroom. The "poop pipe" and the "sink pipe" and the "bathtub pipe" all merge right there, very close to each other.
Or what about a septic tank- the kitch sink pipe and the poop pipe run right together and go out to the same single tank.
Also, whether it's a camper, or a house, there are P-traps to prevent nasty odors (from poop OR nasty soapy water) from coming back up to your sink or shower.
And again, what makes you think that your grey tank is any less germy than your black tank. Body oils, food particles, and soap residue can ferment into some fist class nasty 'toxic' waste!
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K3WE
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05/11/12 08:10pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: How long for poop to break down?
...southern AZ where temps are reaching 95-100 deg and there is zero odor...
This is wrong.
Poop does stink, there IS odor.
And, if you happen to be running a fan that puts a "vacum" on the camper (or the windows or breeze is just so, it's pretty typical to pull some odor up through the flush valve, especially if it's open for several seconds.
Additionally- the vent pipe on the roof may not be that far from the air vent for the camper.
While you many have never experienced that problem, it's not rare that again- if the wind is wrong- the odor can sneak into the bathroom.
As to the use of chemicals- I ususally do not use them. When I have used chemicals, I find it produces an odor of poop mixed with a over-bearing, nasty, fake pine smell...
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K3WE
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05/11/12 07:59pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: 7 PRONG PLUG
The standard cover not only is spring loaded but has a "dog" on it (tooth) that lockes onto a tooth or notch on the 7-pin plug to hold it in place.
If the spring is gone, I'd bungee it or otherwise lock it in place.
It is possible for the "dog" to break off giving the plug the freedom to wiggle loose.
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K3WE
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05/11/12 07:51pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: First Time With No Hookups...
Your going to need a second battery. Set your thermostat to 52 degrees and take extra blankets.
30 gallons a day...WOW! If you run your water pump dry it will not last very long...
What happens if you set the thermostat to 54 degrees?
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K3WE
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05/11/12 05:54am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Choose Drain Option
Unless You are using a Macerator a regular Garden Hose should only be used to rinse out the various "Stinky Slinky" Components. Not used as a Drain.
...because?
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K3WE
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05/10/12 07:24pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Forgot to close tank valves
I'm surprised no has mentioned that it's not all that uncommon, particularly among veteran boondockers, to use a third valve so that the grey and black tank valves can both be opened to equalize the levels. Since the grey tank normally fills faster than the black, using that method extends the grey capacity. Content mixing? So what... It's all sewage anyway.
Good God...that could cause a nuclear explosion, or perhaps a black hole that would suck the entire solar system into the space of a golf ball!
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K3WE
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05/10/12 04:28pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Forgot to close tank valves
Ok, sure there's a psycological issue that poopy water touched the soapy water tank...
:E
But we also need to get factual- rotting food particles, body oils, and the fertilizer nutrients found in soap means that you can grow some equally nasty, stinky bacteria in the grey tank. In fact, ask your doctor- a persons mouth is so full of nasty bacteria that there's a medical phrase that a bite from the butt is better than a bite from the mouth!
Washing your hands is always a good idea- grey or black.
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K3WE
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05/09/12 08:54pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: First Time With No Hookups...
On one hand, killing a battery overnight with heat is not unusual.
On the other hand, your battery might be weak, and/or not getting a good charge (as many others have said).
I would also like to throw out that your battery might be old and unhealthy.
We usually do not have a problem getting through the night with a good battery.
Conversely, with two abused batterys, we did NOT make it through the night.
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K3WE
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05/03/12 06:27am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Towing a 33' bumper pull
I thought "bumper pull" was a synonym for a trailer that was pulled via the receiver hitch, compared to something that was towed with a fifth wheel or gooseneck.
Excellent point. I have searched, searched and searched, and never found a "fifth wheel" on a goose neck...(well, maybe the spare tire, tandem duallys, or three axle rigs have a fifth wheel (or sixth, seventh, eighth).
And, why anyone would call that flat-surfaced pin hitch a "fifth wheel"??? That's no more illogical than referencing that the pull point is back there by the bumper...
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K3WE
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05/03/12 06:17am |
Beginning RVing
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