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Forum
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RE: Engine Brake
They don't make a "Jake brake" for the 5.9 Cummins, but there are exhaust brakes available. As you probably know, the traditional Jake brake opened the exhaust valves just before TDC so using engine compression to brake the vehicle. The loud Jake rattle you hear from big trucks is the sound of the full compression pounding out the exhaust. Exhaust brakes do a good job and are available from several suppliers, including Dodge who sell an exhaust brake actually made by Jacobs.
http://www.bankspower.com/techarticles/show/17-How-An-Exhaust-Brake-Works
Brian
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VintageRacer
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05/04/12 07:03am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: 13k v 15k AC
If all that is on is the AC, then either one is fine on a 20 amp house circuit. 15K BTU draws around (it varies with make and outside temps) 13A running, and instantaneous surge around twice that when starting. You can sometimes run a 15K AC on a 15 amp breaker, but sometimes they will pop after a while.
Brian
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VintageRacer
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05/03/12 08:33am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: F250 vs F350
I have to ask, because I am thinking of looking at the F250 myself - it seriously weighs 8200 basically empty and has a GVWR of 10,000? Making a payload of only 1,800 lbs? That just seems daft - my Dodge 2500 has a 3k lbs and that is the range I need to stay in. I thought the Dodge 2500 Megacab Cummins was the only three quarter ton pickup with lousy payload. I guess I gotta do more research.
FWIW I don't believe in exceeding the manufacturers GVWR, you never know when you will be in a region where that limit is the law. I could care less what anyone else does, but I stick to the sticker!
Brian
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VintageRacer
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05/02/12 01:14pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Rust???
Normally the cure for a rusty steel tank is to take it out, empty it, put in a large handful of nuts and bolts, rattle it around for half an hour to get off any rust chunks, put in a sealer and slosh it all around for 100% coverage, let it cure, and reinstall the tank. Eastwood and other car/bike restoration companies have the sealer. Alternatively put a big fuel filter on the output.
Brian
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VintageRacer
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04/26/12 08:26am |
Toy Haulers
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RE: Older Diesel vs Newer Gas - Which to buy?
A friend of mine has the e350 extended van with the 7.3, he hates it in comparison to his F350 with 7.3. Says there is no comparison. I'd go for the newer version. Also, remember that those vans have a relatively higher accident and fatality record, some areas are banning them for school use. I suspect that they are a little too big for the chassis, they are very easy to overload. The light gas engine will make it a better balanced vehicle, and a lot lighter.
Brian
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VintageRacer
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04/24/12 08:27am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Nova Scotia from Michigan
Bring lots of small bills for tolls. I did the interstate route to NS last year, my recollection is constant toll roads connected by very short stretches of non toll road. I think it was around $50 - $60, and I was driving a car. The ring road bypass around Boston is quite unpleasant, particularly on the west bound route. All in all, I didn't enjoy it much, but the rest of the trip was pleasant, particularly after you get into NH and Maine and into Canada.
Brian
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VintageRacer
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04/24/12 06:42am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Calculating towing capacity
You will probably find that the RV weight will be closer to 5,500 after you put water, propane, batteries, food, camping stuff in. It's always more than you think. You want 20% to 25% on the pin, so you want to plan towards a number like 1375 pin weight. Add that 200 for the hitch, and look at 1575. You could be strict about being light, keep it at your 5,000 and try to get 20% on the pin - that gets you your 1,200. You'll probably be fine.
Brian
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VintageRacer
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04/23/12 01:51pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Dreaming of retirement
Get an RV now and learn about the lifestyle. Most people go through two or three iterations of RV before they find one that really suits them. They start too small usually, and trade up a few times till they get too big, then they trade down...
Get it paid for before you retire.
Brian
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VintageRacer
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04/23/12 01:37pm |
RV Lifestyle
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RE: Generator vs Inverter
In normal use a generator is a gasoline or diesel or propane powered internal combustion engine with an AC power head that creates 120 volt AC power when it is running. An inverter is an electricity conversion device that uses DC power - 12 or 24 volts - and changes that to 120 volt AC power. So generator is an engine that produces AC power and an inverter is a battery powered device that produces AC power. If you need power to charge batteries, you can use a generator. If you have batteries fully charged you can use an inverter. Generators make a lot of noise, while an inverter is essentially silent. I have both.
The confusing bit is that generators can have an inverter producing the power too - so you can have an inverter-generator, like the popular little Honda's. There the gasoline engine drives a DC generator that feeds an inverter to produce the power. The advantage is that the engine doesn't have to run at a constant speed to develop the 60 hz waveform that AC power requires, so they can be a lot quieter.
Brian
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VintageRacer
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04/23/12 01:32pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: DC wiring / Inverter install
10 gauge is good for 30 amps at the distances found in an RV. Most of your loads will probably be well less than that. Not the inverter, of course.
Brian
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VintageRacer
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04/23/12 12:08pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: 8'6" width
Not normally. I haven't had a full sized trailer that wasn't 102", so I don't have a comparison, maybe. Keep in mind this - the legal limit is 102", and nothing other than safety equipment (mirror's basically) can extend wider than 102". Technically that includes steps, bumpers, fenders, awning rails, awnings rolled up on the side of the trailer, window covers. I have never heard of someone getting stopped because his awning was sticking out, but it's still against the width rules.
Brian
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VintageRacer
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04/23/12 11:02am |
Towing
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RE: "Living" on property in Washington, Oregon, or Idaho
First thing is there are usually restrictions, just he may not know about them. Research the rules for where the property is. Second thing is the restrictions usually include septic for waste, and fresh water supply, so consider those things. If "they" know you are there, the bylaw enforcement will probably start. If you do that research and it comes back thumb's up, then go be a hermit!
Brian
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VintageRacer
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04/23/12 10:58am |
Full-time RVing
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RE: F450 TC towing a 30' TT?
Going with the F450 makes many things possible. I towed a 28 foot car hauler that usually weighed 8K with 800 lbs tongue weight behind my Ram 2500 with a truck camper. My weights were carefully calculated to be within (by a pound or two, but still...) the capacities set by the manufacturers. I did exceed GCWR on some trips, but was under GVWR and the hitch capacity. I used a Reese Towbeast with a 20" extension (a 24" extension cut down a bit, rated at 800# 8,000# at 24"), a Reese dual cam hitch with 1200 lb bars. The rig was very comfortable to drive, third gear (manual 5 speed) up most interstate grades of note, and with the Hemi got horrible gas mileage, but you can't have everything... No mods to the truck at all, just slightly uprated tires. TC is a 8' model with 1450# dry weight, around 1800# as used.
Brian
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VintageRacer
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04/21/12 07:45am |
Truck Campers
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RE: German Newbies want to see Canada - starter questions
I think you are starting too late in the year by about 4 weeks. October, particularly later October, is the trailing edge of the camping season in most of Canada, you will get snow at some point, but not much. I'd be happier starting in mid-July and maybe taking a bit more time. Once you get over the mountains to the west coast, the weather moderates a lot, but you do have to cross the mountains...
Brian
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VintageRacer
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04/19/12 12:23pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: What TC do you carry on your 2500 or 3500 Mega cab SRW
Most people would probably not pick that truck for a big TC, it just doesn't have enough payload. The newer ones are better in that regard, older ones would have less payload. Part of the problem is the megacab. If you have it, you probably will be carrying passengers, and they eat up the available payload pretty quickly. The other problem is the bed length. You need to look for a short-bed specific TC to keep the center of gravity ahead of the rear axle. You are probably looking for one that is 1500 lbs or less dry, and 8 feet long on the floor, and that means no tanks or bathroom, usually. I have such a camper (8', 1475 lbs dry, no bath) and I like it a lot, but it sure gets small after a couple of days. I carry in on my 2500 quad cab, which probably has more payload than your 3500 Mega, due to a lighter cab and a Hemi instead of the heavy megacab and the Cummins. I also have a 2WD manual trans - the lightest possible combination, and I picked it for that reason.
Brian
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VintageRacer
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04/17/12 07:23am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Brisk air 13,500 btu issues
It sounds to me like the AC unit didn't try to start it's compressor. That could be because it was too cold for the thermostat setting, or some larger issue. The Honda generator will try to start a 13.5K AC, but will either blow the breaker or bog down, you'll know. Have it on high speed, not economy mode, if you try again.
Brian
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VintageRacer
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04/16/12 05:44am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Long/Heavy TT owners and towing
I vote with the crowd that thinks the bars are too light! I like to have strong bars, one size up from the expected tongue weight. With a 10,000 lb trailer, you will need 1200 lb bars at the lightest, and whatever is heavier than that as the real first choice. I also prefer the dual cam to the friction type sway control, either add on or Equalizer. I just don't think friction sway is good enough at this level. Truck is fine in my opinion. Other thought is shocks - I never had a GM vehicle that didn't need new shocks almost off the showroom floor.
Brian
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VintageRacer
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04/15/12 08:52am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: 12V Distribution block
Look in the marine catalogs - they have options from a simple block with studs, to fuse panels to breaker panels with volt and amp meters.
Brian
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VintageRacer
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04/15/12 06:55am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: air brake dryer
Air brake dryer is a routine maintenance item, your coach is a 1999 so it's probably not been serviced in over 12 years. I think they did their part in getting your coach off the highway and into a shop, but I don't think they should be paying for your maintenance issues. If the trip interruption requires an accident, then you didn't have one, which is pretty fortunate, and I wouldn't be complaining....
I would also service the air governor, btw. And drain the tanks...
Brian
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VintageRacer
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04/10/12 09:55am |
Good Sam Extended Service Plan
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RE: I81 in Va and Pa
Google Maps has a terrain function that can show you the hills and valleys. I81 basically follows the Appalachian mountain chain. From Winchester to Harrisburg is fairly flat, north of that to Scranton it crosses the actual mountains so is quite hilly. The part south of Harrisburg is really nice - the Shenandoah Valley - but I usually cut north at Harrisburg so I haven't driven the bit up to Scranton where you would pick up I84. But the fact is there are mountains all through the east and you can't not cross them at some point unless you hug the coast - which has it's own challenges.
BTW, I pick up the Valley in Greensville NC, it's not an Interstate but Route 29 is nice.
Brian
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VintageRacer
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04/09/12 07:03am |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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