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RE: Back Up Cameras
One other quick note, my son installed a Tadi Brothers camera system on his Springdale. The Tadi system uses RCA cables to send the video siganl to the monitor and requires a separate power source for the cameras. He hooked them up to his running lights. The connection between truck and trailer is plugging the separate RCA cables to individual feeds from the truck. Not very weather tight IMO. The Rear View Safety system uses 4 pin coax to both power the camera and provide the video signal to a truck/trailer quick connect, then to a "multiplexer", and then a single feed to the monitor. Much easier to hook up, cleaner install, and weather tight.
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Krusher
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03/20/12 07:07am |
Toy Haulers
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RE: Back Up Cameras
I did a write up on installing a three camera system from Rear View Saftey last year on the Montana Owners forum. Below is a cut and past from that post:
The truck wiring took about 4 hours and the Monty about 5 hours. Would really advise that you have a helper to help with fishing the coax cable through the Monty.
First the truck:
Location for the truck end of the Quick Disconnect was passanger side of rear bumper license plate mounting area, opposite of factory trailer connection. Ran the wiring along drivers side of bed, following vehicles wiring harness/fuel lines. Once to the cab area of the truck, ran video feeds (three, one for each camera) through the body via factor holes/plugs used during the factory "dip" process when applying anti-corrosion process to the cab. I reused the plugs, with appropriate sized holes drilled to faciliate the video cables, to reseal the hole, and applied a sealant. Found positive and negative power connections via an unused factor accessory plug ( I believe for power pedals), under the dash, drivers side. The mutiplexer used in connecting the video cables, power, and monitor was mounter behind the driver compartment kick panel. Worked out really well, as the mutiplexer was small (approx 5x4x1), and you would never know it's there. Monitor came with a fixed mounting bracket, but ordered a suction cup mount (Ram Mount) so I can remove the monitor when not towing.
Now the Trailer:
Trailer end of the Quick Connect located above front cargo door. The system from Rear View Safety comes with two 33 foot video cables for the side camera, and a 66 foot cable for the rear camera. I chose this area for the trailer connection for ease in wiring the side camera and neatly collecting the exess wiring, and a good simple acces point to the under carriage to run the rear video cable. This is where you need a helping hand. I used an electrical snake to run the rear cable along the drivers side frame rails, above the protective under belly covering. Once to the rear of the Monty, removing the tail lights and upper marker lights allowed pretty easy access to snake the video feed inside the rear cap and over to the center marker light. Again, two person job. Once at the center marker light, I drilled a 5/8 hole about 3 inches below the light to feed the video wire to the rear camera. Grommets are included in the system.
Side cameras were the easiest install, gaining access to the LP storage areas on both sides and feeding the video cables into the center storage area. When I ordered the three camera system, I asked them to provide the side cameras that were flush mounted, and have "pointing" adjustment so I could angle the camera out or in, depending on the view I wanted. These side camera normally come with their Quad Monitor System, but gave them to me with my system order, NO ADDITION CHARGE.
A quick note about camera mounting. I used some 3M double sided tape, the same that is used by body shops in attaching side moulding, and also used stainless wood screws instead of the scews supplied with the system.
The color monitor with the CCD cameras give a great view back and side. Very pleaed with the purchse and install.
http://s105.photobucket.com/albums/m212/Krusherjim/Monty%20Camera/
Hope this helps
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Krusher
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03/20/12 06:35am |
Toy Haulers
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RE: TX Hwy 95 Temple, TX to Bastrop
Better route is the 130 bypass/toll road to hwy 71 east to Bastrop. 35 south, just before Georgetown is the exit for 130. The toll is a bit on the expensive side, but very little traffic.
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Krusher
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03/19/12 10:05am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: RAM IBC Replacment
Dan,
I have a 2010 3500 and like you, was total unhappy with the performance of the IBC. I added the P3 and have been extremely pleased with the braking performance on my 14,000 5th.
Simply attached the P3 under the dash, to the left screw that holds the lower trim panel (under the steering wheel) in place. In order to "fool" the computer into thinking the stock unit is still working, thus avoiding the trouble code from showing up on the Information Screen, I used a quick splice on the power lead of the OEM unit (yellow and blue stripe I believe) to tap into the battery power lead on the P3 (Black I believe), and a ground wire from the OEM units ground (don't remember the color, but is on the lower right corner of the plug, opposite of the upper left wire, which is the battery power).
The harness shown for the 2010 - 2011 Dodge from Tekonsha is #3021-P, which is NOT correct. This may be for a truck that DOES NOT HAVE the factory OEM unit, but is NOT correct if you have the OEM unit. On my truck (2010 3500), the factory plug is a male spade connection, and on the #3021-P, it is male as well. Needless to say, it won't work. The correct harness for trucks with the IBC is #3045-P harness, which is listed as a harness for a 2011 Jeep/Durango.
Hope this helps.
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Krusher
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01/03/12 07:14am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: DirecTv HD
The HDs are on 99 and 103. It isn't hard to align the Slimline BUT it has to be very level and you need to lookup the skew and tilt for your location. I use a surveyors tripod; easy to level and very stable.
Have a Slimline 3 AU9 and a surveyors tripod from Home Depot. I look up the zipcode I'm going to be staying at at dishpointer.com and set the tilt, and elevation on the dish before I leave. I use an Acutrac22 Pro MKII signal meter once I get it set on the tripod, and I'm locked in to the satelites in less than 10 minutes. Again, very important to get the tripod level.
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Krusher
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12/01/11 03:13pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: Nominate your roughest road
It might be helpful to build a list of rough stretches of road that we could then consider avoiding when planning trips. Yesterday I ran westbound on I-12 near Slidell in Louisiana and probably took 6 months off the life of my trailer.
Any interest?
X2 on I-12, and I-10 from the state line to Lafayette is worse. After that trip I bought a Trailer Saver hitch, although I will NEVER travel that road again
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Krusher
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11/04/11 08:41am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Montana Fifth Wheel Feedback
X2 to what the Captain said. Absolutly love our 3750FL. Over 5,000 miles on ours so far, and no issues other than a burnt out light bulb. Came from a 2008 Carri-Lite 36SBQ, and no issues with storage space. Good luck with your search.
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Krusher
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11/03/11 05:33pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Ram tIe rod recall wait
Just had my 2010 done, the recall is for replacement and front end alignment. Not an inspection, all will be replaced. Try another dealer if you think the wait is excessive.
Same here. Called the dealer the day I got the recall and they said they had to order the part. They called the next morning and said the part came in, to bring the truck over. Had it completed in about 3 hours.
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Krusher
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11/03/11 07:02am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: trailer saver BD3 VS. TS3
I did a lot of research before purchasing the TS3 over the BD3, and besides the additional capacity, I liked the "pivot point" versus the "guide rods" that the BD3 has. Just my opinion.
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Krusher
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11/02/11 03:46pm |
Towing
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RE: Montana Fifth Wheel Feedback
I don't want to go into details again but....
The frame broke at the pin box on our Montana 3400 with only 5k miles and 6 months ownership.
Keystone and Lippert (the manufacture of the frame) were VERY difficult during the repair process.
I would not recommend a Keystone or Lippert product. I know there are many satisfied owners of both these products however my personal experience was not good.
There seems to be two different styles of customer service for Keystone, the one I have dealt with, with no difficulty, and then the one you dealt with. Was talking to friend last night that owns a new Montana 3100RL ( 5 months old ) ,and he said they are going to replace the rubber roof, because the dealer was concerned about what appears to some kind of loose debris under the roof, and it might start wearing thru on the roof. Pictures were taken ,and sent to Keystone, which authorized the replacement, this process is a week old, the roof will be replaced in about a week. No hassle, no difficulty, just took care of the problem. I think it may fall on how good of a dealer you are working with, his is the same as mine. The customer service has been excellent, and unlike you I would recommend a Montana Fifth Wheel to anyone, basedn just the customer service. There are many other things ,but customer service is #1 IMO.
LIPPERT made the frame, Montana made the roof. Montana cannot pass the roof responsibility to anyone else. However Montana is responsible for both. I find it interesting that you are so quick to defend Montana
It's unfortunate that everytime some poster asks about a Keystone fifth wheel, it's reliability, and the service you should expect from the factory, it turns into another Lippert bashing forum. I highly encourage those who are seriously interested in Montana, to register on the Montana Owners Forum and ask your questions there, rather than supplying another outlet for the Lippert bashers here. The members there will provide you honest feedback, good and bad, about their experience.
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Krusher
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11/01/11 06:21pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: frame failure on Lippert Frames
I wonder if there has been any serious accidents out there with Lippert Frames. Ours in in the shop now ane they are telling us that the frame is twisting and we had major damage done to our coach due to the problem, still waiting for a rep. from Lippert to address the issue. I am really worried now, I was told it was a wonder the pin pox didn't land on my truck or cause me to have an accident. So I am wondering if anyone has had an accident either serious or minor with a frame issue?
I wonder if this issue happened during transport to your dealer, as veiwing your posts, it appears you noticed the cracked gel coat when you bought it back in September of 2010.
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Krusher
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10/31/11 06:16pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Front living room ???
We really love our 3750FL, and actually has a lot more room, closet/cabinet and overall square footage in the bedroom than our previous Carri=Lite 36SBQ. Now the basement storage on the otherhand, is about halve what the Carriage unit had. It does have an outside accessable storage area, driver side under the Bed, much more overall cabinet storage throughout, and a good size closet set up for a washer dryer. Overall very pleased with the layout and the unit in general.
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Krusher
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10/30/11 11:39am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Montana Fifth Wheel Feedback
As another poster noted, there are reported issues with all manufacturers, high end, low end and middle of the road units. We bought a 2008 Carri-Lite 36SBQ and had issues with it until the day we traded it for a 2011 Montana 3750FL. So far, about 5,000 miles and no issues, but I'm sure something will occur down the road, hopefully only minor. It's really all about the dealer you purchase from, and how they take care of you after the sale.
Good luck on whatever you choose.
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Krusher
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10/30/11 11:32am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Trailersaver effect on chucking?
My previous hitch was a Reese 18K and used it on both my previous 5th wheel (Carri-Lite 36SBQ) and my current unit (Montana 3750FL). Both units had the Morryde pinbox, and both units had the fore and aft "chucking" sensation. After traveling across I-10 in Louisiana this past spring, I knew it was time to get a new hitch. I went with Trailer Saver and have never looked back. It solved the "chucking" and improved the ride greatly. I contribute that to the Holland Binkley head design (wrap around jaws) for eliminating the "slop" around the king pin that was apparent on the Reese hitch.
The Trailer Saver alone may solve your problem as well.
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Krusher
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10/26/11 09:07am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Too much info out there..need improved ride in truck and 5er
Well I had a major chucking problem on my first 5er and switched out hitch pin for Morrydes hitch pin, check out thier website. It solved my problems but I also added a trailersaver air hitch (yes pricey, but worth it) I now have a differant 5er and just put on another morryde pin box on it also. The trailersaver plus morryde pin box is an excellent combination.
X2...... "Won't leave home without them"
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Krusher
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10/25/11 09:59am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Anyone using the built in Dodge Brake controller?
There are numerous complaints on various Dodge/Ram and RV web sites about the performance of the OEM Brake Controller. Opinions seem to indicate that it works as advertised with light to medium weight trailers (less than 10,000#), but not for heavier units.
I have a 2010 3500 Laramie DRW and a 2011 fifth that weighs in at 13,000#. Never felt the OEM contoller was performing correctly, as my previous Superduty controller worked flawlessly, same trailer. On a 1,300 trip this spring, the front wheels on the Ram were black with brake dust, and twice, had to almost lock up the TV brakes to stop.
Been to the Dodge dealer twice to complain about the OEM performance, and written to the Dodge Tech line. Dealer says they are working as designed, and the Tech support replied with take it to you dealer.
Two weekends ago, I pulled the wheels and hubs off the trailer to check for grease contamination, and check brake adjustment (Dexter self adjusting brakes), all was good. So I installed a Tekonsha P3, replacing the OEM controller. Difference is remarkable, as now the trailer brakes operate as they should, with the TV.
Wish you safe travels on your trip, and hope your OEM unit works better than mine. But if not, you can replace it.
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Krusher
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10/25/11 05:57am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Cam shaft question
Sounds more like one of the hydraulic lifters failed. Very rare for a cam shaft to fail, and if it did, I doubt the engine would still be running.
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Krusher
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10/24/11 02:00pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: LOOKING AT A NEW 2011 RAM LARAMIE
I had a 2010 3500 Dually 4x4 crew cab. Best truck I ever owned. Out of necessity (almost) had to go back to a single rear wheel truck and unfortuneatly, Dodge (in 2010) wasn't rated for enough payload. Thus the Ford in my sig. Having said that though, I think the Dodge rode better, had far better interior, much better exhaust brake, great transmission, etc. You won't be disappointed. I had the laramie package as well. Beautiful truck. My only gripe about the truck was the brake controller (it worked, but not as strong as it should be). You will be very happy in one of the new Dodges, the interior fit and finish as well as comfort is miles ahead of the last generation. Industry leading in fact.
Agree with all you have said. Added a Tekonsha P3 on mine this week and towed the trailer today for the first time with it. Amazing difference in stopping power and initial reaction when you hit the brakes. Well worth the install and price for the safety it provides. The Dodge controller is worthless, and will eventually result in a few serious accidents.
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Krusher
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10/22/11 05:36pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Anybody added electric dump valves?
Had electric dump valaves on a previous 2008 Carri-Lite, both failed. Would not have them again.
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Krusher
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10/21/11 06:31pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: LOOKING AT A NEW 2011 RAM LARAMIE
Went from a 2007 F250 6.4 to a 2010 3500 Laramie DRW. Tow a Montana 3750FL. Towing is greatly improved both in power and stability (SRW vs. DRW), fuel mileage from Austin TX to New Mexico and back averaged 11.3. Really don't drive it around town, only to tow. The EB is outstanding. Comfort and ride is remarkably good for a long bed dually, and the interior fit and finish is outstanding.
Only negative I have is on the OEM brake controller, which is not up to par in stopping power compared to the Ford. I am replacing it with a Tekonsha P3 this weekend.
Overall, great truck.
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Krusher
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10/21/11 12:35pm |
Tow Vehicles
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