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Author |
Date Posted |
Forum
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RE: Bug netting for radiator grille
If you could see what the head pressure goes up to on your AC you would never use a bug screen again. It goes up way before the water temperature. Then what about the oil cooler and transmission cooler. No bug screen for me. Just clean all of the coolers and radiator very well and often.
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Texas Jim S
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02/08/12 04:13pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Tire Performance??
Dennis, a taller tire gives you a higher final drive ratio. This could give you better mileage or lower mileage depending where it puts you in your power band. You are also going a little faster than your speedometer says that you are going. A mechanic can recalibrate your speedometer and make it read right. I doubt you will notice much difference in mileage or power but with a higher final drive ratio you will have a little less bottom end power.
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Texas Jim S
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01/31/12 11:25pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Tires load rating E
Richard, you need to weigh your truck with the trailer hooked up but not ( the trailer ) on the scales. They should both be loaded and ready to travel. This will give you the total weight the tires are supporting. Compare that to 80% of the total weight rating of the tires. If it is within that figure you are ok.
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Texas Jim S
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01/28/12 06:17pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: truck bed tool boxes
Phil, you may want to consider a RDS tool box / fuel tank combination. It is sold by Northern Tools for around $600 and is below the bed rails. I have used one on my F250 for the last four years and am very happy with it. You don't have as much tool storage space but I discovered I really didn't need most of the junk that I had in my tool box and enjoy being able to drive all day without stopping for fuel. Just a thought.
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Texas Jim S
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01/21/12 01:41pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: YES, another request for tire assistance!
If you will read the information on the side of the tires I don't believe it will say Goodyear Mastercraft. Cooper Tire and Rubber manufactures a private label tire that is a Mastercraft and they are good tires but have had a few problems. As far as I know they are still American made. Goodyear has a ST or Special Trailer tire called Marathon which has had more than a few problems and many are manufactured in China. If you will give me the information found on the ONLY ONE SIDE of the tire down by the rim just after DOT. I will be able to give you all of the information on that tire such as tire brand, where and when it was manufactured and so on. The DOT is molded into the tire but the information I need is BRANDED ( as in branding horses ) into the side of the tire. I spent 40 years in the tire business and my suggestion right now is IF you are a very high mileage driver go with the Michelin XPS but if you tow your trailer less than 15,000 miles per year I think the BFG Commercial TA is the best value. BFG is owned and manufactured by Michelin. I put the BFG tires on my Cedar Creek 5th wheel last year. Living in Central Texas is about as tough a life as a tire can have due to the heat. Sidewall stability is very important or else you may experience the tail waging the dog.
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Texas Jim S
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11/30/11 12:10pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: saging leaf springs
Chad, If you can locate a good reputable Spring Shop in your area, they should be able to check your springs for a problem, re-arch your existing springs, and add whatever leaves that they may need. Most of these shops are also equiped to install them. This takes all of the guess work out because they will also know if the springs are of the proper length, where the springs are mounted and how they are mounted. You may really be surprised how reasaonable it is to have this done. You just have to find the right place of business.
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Texas Jim S
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11/25/11 12:48pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Keystone Montana vs Forrest River Cedar Creek
Mark, I have a 2004 Cedar Creek and am very happy with it. Cedar Creek bent over backwards to take care of me on a problem that was way out of warranty but since they didn't think I should have had a problem they paid for parts and labor. Very good comunication and no arguments.
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Texas Jim S
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09/19/11 10:48pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Gravel hauling mistake
Utility trailer X2 it sure does make your life much easier but you don't have any of these neat stories to tell
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Texas Jim S
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09/13/11 11:58pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: installing battery kill switch
David, if you put your battery isolator switch between the negative cable from the battery and where the battery cable connects to the frame this will not only disconnect the battery but in case something happened to the negative cables or the switch all that would happen would be the battery was no longer disconnected. On the other hand if you put the isolator switch on the positive side and anything went wrong with the switch or cable that let it touch the frame you would have the potential for a fire. Anytime you deal with DC you should disconnect the negative first. When you replace a battery always connect the positive first and the negative last. If the negative is connected to the frame and ANYTHING like a wrench or cable touches the positive terminal on the battery and then the frame it will spark.
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Texas Jim S
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08/29/11 06:33pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: parking
William, you may want to look at my profile and see if your tongue box is long enough. This may be your problem.
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Texas Jim S
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08/25/11 05:06pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: parking
William, it looks like the hitch may be a little to far forward. The weight should be directly above the rear axle. The front of your 5th wheel is not the rounded type that most of them have and that is probably what is causing your problem. If you ONLY broke your window then you are way better off than most. I pull a 34' Cedar Creek behind a Red 07 F250 Diesel Crew Cab Short Box FX4 and although I do have a slider I very seldom use it. It looks like you will just have to work around the design of your trailer. Were you possibly going down hill and turning at the same time? If so this kind of doubles up on your problem.
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Texas Jim S
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08/25/11 05:00pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: custom tow tehicle
Gearjammer, I would think a diesel Class A Motorhome towing your suburban would be the best way to go. You can easily find a nice used motorhome equiped like you want it and it will be easier to sell than a custom people mover when you get ready to sell it. In your case there is really no way to aviod having two vehicles so you would either have a BIG custom heavy duty truck sitting idle or a motorhome sitting idle some of the time. It seems that in your case the number of people that you are hauling voids the benifits of having a 5th wheel.
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Texas Jim S
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08/12/11 02:14pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Main Circuit Breaker
I went to my local RV dealer and got a new breaker without any problems. Yes I tried to reset the breaker and checked with a volt meter to see if any voltage went through it. Then I removed the breaker and checked it with an OHM meter and it had no continuity. The breaker had given up. In the 108 degree temperatures that we have been enjoying it is not uncommon for a breaker to give up. This was a duplex TB type breaker with a 30 amp and a 20 amp together. You can find 15/15 20/20 and 30/30 all day long but not split. Thanks for everybody's help.
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Texas Jim S
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08/08/11 07:42pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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Main Circuit Breaker
My main circuit breaker went out on my Cedar Creek Saturday afternoon so only places like Lowes were open. I have never heard of this brand. It may be popular for RV's but I don't know. The brand is T&B ( Thomas and Betts ). I find them listed on Google but no dealers listed close to here. It is a dual breaker with the master being 30 and the AC being 20. It is 1 inch wide. I looked at Square D, G.E. and others but none of them will work. I will check with RV Suppliers in the morning but would like to know if anybody has used this brand. I will check with Cedar Creek also. I need something in Central Texas or somewhere between here and Raton, New Mexico. With this temperature I would have to find one before I could spend the night.
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Texas Jim S
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08/07/11 10:36pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Top Gear TV Show.......
jessjerr1831, I agree with you. I was always told to take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints. It is also good to pick up trash left by people that don't care. Irresponsible off roading will result in four wheel drive roads being closed to all of us.
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Texas Jim S
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08/06/11 10:48am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Axle advise!
Chris, I would be highly suspect of anybody that tells you about your problem from that far away. Take it to a reputable alignment shop that does alignments on 18 wheel trucks NOT where they align cars or pickups. They will bend your axles to the proper specks and that should solve your problems. The normal price is around $300.
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Texas Jim S
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08/03/11 03:50pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Forrest River - Cedar Creek?????
Tresa, I have a 2004 30RLBS Cedar Creek and I am very happy with it. I bought it used and later found out that there had been some axle problems ( not Cedar Creeks fault but their suppliers fault ) which lead to tire wear. Cedar Creek replaced everything from the frame down including tires and rims. No muss no fuss they just took care of my problems with only one phone call. I didn't even have to pay for any labor. My trailer was about four years old and had no warranty but Cedar Creek takes care of their customers. I figure that it would have cost me about $2,000 or more if I had to pay for it. Later I had problems with some of the Chinese built tires and they helped me out with this. I could not ask for better service.
Jim
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Texas Jim S
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07/23/11 05:07pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Effect of pullilng 5er on wheel alignment
Eddie, I can see no reason for pulling a heavy trailer to effect the alignment on your tow vehicle.
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Texas Jim S
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07/21/11 01:55pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Should I upgrade my tow vehicle with gas or diesel?
Greg, unless you have way over 200,000 miles, have a major problem with the truck, or just don't like the truck, I wouldn't even consider trading. You may already have a better truck than you can buy and I am a Ford guy.
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Texas Jim S
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07/19/11 08:20pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: some pictures of my new truck
SoCal, I believe this was a joke.
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Texas Jim S
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07/17/11 03:56pm |
Tow Vehicles
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