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RE: First trial run towing with the new truck.
The Timbrens just turn your jounce bumpers into an overload spring. The load is concentrated at one point on the frame, unlike the leaf spring which spreads it out. Seems to me spreading it out is better.
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tomdrobin
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09/18/11 10:29pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: What I hate about breakers and fuses
Breakers protect wires from too much current when there is a short circuit. But, a high resistance connection can get hot without tripping the breaker. So, if there is heat damage and the breaker hasn't tripped, look for a bad connection.
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tomdrobin
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09/14/11 10:25pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: slide topper tension adjustment
The awning on my couch slide out, which isn't all that big sags and water puddles on it too. I got an 8" diameter flexible pipe from Home depot, similar to flexible drier vent pipe. And, just shove it under the awning.
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tomdrobin
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09/14/11 10:19pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Towing Mirrors for 2011 Silverado
The aftermarket mirrors I got from monster.com don't shake at all on rought roads, but I have noticed a slight shaking at highway speeds with a headwind. They actuall restrict the front side view a bit close to the truck. I wish there was an easy way to change them out, I would put the standard mirrors back on when not towing.
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tomdrobin
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09/14/11 09:57pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Got My Recall Notice Today
The dealer replaced my resistor card on my 06 silverado while it was still in warranty. I didn't notice it until a few thousand miles later, but speed one and two were reversed. I never did take it back, and just traded it in.
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tomdrobin
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09/14/11 09:34pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Chevy Silverado tv
I bought a new 2011 Silverado extended cab back in July. It has the 5.3, 6 spd auto & 3:42 rear. It also has the factory tow package. My previous truck was a 2006 5.3, 4 spd auto & 3.73 rear. I tow a 30" Jayco Quest, I think it weighs in at around 7K loaded and a tw of around 800. The 2011 has more power and the 6 speed trans, and it does a nice job even though the lowest gear you can get with the 5.3 is now 3.42. A better tow than the 2006, but much of it is due to the 6 speed trans IMO. Had it been available I would still have went with the 3.73 rear. The 2011 hums right along in 5th on the level, downshifting to 4th on most freeway overpasses and other hills. I've never had it shift back to third. I noticed if there is headwind, it spends a lot more time in 4th which really hurts the fuel economy. About the only complaint I have towing is the P tires that came on it. They have real marshmellow sidewalls, and you can feel the side to side roll even when they are at the max pressure of 44 psi. You can also feel it when truck pass, and I've got the twin cam sway control. My old truck was rock steady. I definitely plan at some point upgrading to LT tires. It's a nice truck. Non towing mpg is really good due to the active fuel management. And, it really drives and handles nice. A lot of other nice features like the bluetooth setup for the cell. Also the rear doors now open 180 deg making it much easier to access the rear when parrallel parked.
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tomdrobin
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09/10/11 11:26pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Oil change intervals??
I used to know a guy who changed every 1000 mi. That was years ago though when oil was a lot cheaper. Oil has improved, engines have improved, and there are lots of other variables. A larger capacity crankcase all other factors being equal won't need changing as often. I was a mechanic for a number of years. It was always apparent when a customer tended to skip changes. An engine with more blowby will get the oil dirty quicker too. When I was involved with test cars at GM we generally changed oil at 7500 mi rather than use the oil monitoring system. And, that was with non synthetic. My last truck I changed at 5K, and the oil stayed pretty clean up to 60K when I traded it. And, that was always before the change oil light came on. I've got a 2010 Camry, and they want the oil changed every 5K on it, and that's with using synthetic. Seems quite often, but I comply for warranty purposes. My previous car was a Carolla. I did the changes at around 7K, and at 180K it was using no oil, but then Bambi totaled it out.:) Detergent additives keep the dirt suspended in the oil, and my experience has been that the oil on the stick looks cleaner after a change. Diesel is a different animal though, it's black right away.
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tomdrobin
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09/10/11 11:05pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: replacing spark plugs and wires
Does your owners manual call for a service replacement of the plug wires? They never used to. It was just a clean and inspect. If there is no deterioration like cracking or poor fit on the plug, and no arcing I wouldn't replace them. Handle them gently though. Most of the damage to plug wires happens when plugs are changed. The boots will often stick to the plug porcelin, and you have to very gentle rotate them to break free before removing from the plug. They used to make a special tool that got behind the boot so there was no pulling stress. One old trick to check for arcing is look under the hood with the engine running at night and look for "fireflies".
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tomdrobin
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09/10/11 10:36pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Any ideas on what kind of generator to buy
I thought VoltAmps and Watts were the same thing? P=IE
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tomdrobin
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09/03/11 10:48pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Recommend a Tow Vehicle - Towing Newbie
I just bought a 2011 Silverado 1500 ext cab with tow package, 5.3 & 3.42. By the way 3.42 is now the lowest gear you can get with the 5.3. A 3.73 is available with the max tow package with the 6.2 engine, but that isn't definitely more power than you need. My truck pulls my 7000 lbs TT just fine. If it were available I would have opted for the 3.73, and I would definitely go for the LT tires. The P tires sidewalls are just too flexy, giving a marshmellow feel even at max pressure when towing. Non towing MPG is really good (17-18 mpg combo driving) thanks to the active fuel management. The six speed trans is a definite plus too.
I looked at the Toyota Tundra too. Nice truck with the 5.7 with tow package, but I couldn't come close to the Silverado on price.
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tomdrobin
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09/03/11 10:14pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Tires
The load range D's are a good choice. Make sure they are rated for more load than the existing tires. Typical max pressure for D's is 60 psi. Your wheels will handle 60 psi.
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tomdrobin
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09/02/11 08:55pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Tire Size Change
My last truck came with 245/70R17's, come time to replace I installed 265/70R17's. Big mistake. It changed my gearing just enough that instead of being able to tow in OD occassionally it was never, and a resultant loss in towing MPG. If I had to do it over again I would go with a higher load range, but smaller tire.
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tomdrobin
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08/24/11 01:09pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Truck Topper
I had my new Leer topper installed today. Nice topper, and they did a nice job installing it. Previous toppers I had purchased were quickly slapped on by the retailer in about 15 min. This place took a couple of hours.
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tomdrobin
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08/24/11 12:57pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Tire pressure DIC accuracy
The new Michillen digital gauge reads 1 psi higher than the DIC readout. Which to believe?
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tomdrobin
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08/13/11 08:42pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Finally got around to installing wheel well liners...
I put a set of rear liners on my 2011 Silverado 1500 shortly after taking delivery. The dealer got $107 for them with tax. The local shop that does the spray in bedliners, offers a ruberized undercoat for the rear wheelwells at $80 for both. I opted for the factory liners as I think they look cleaner and are easier to wash off. The ligher colored trucks in particular really look unfinished in the rear wheel well area IMO.
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tomdrobin
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08/13/11 08:34pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: First trial run towing with the new truck.
The other thing is with everything set up properly you may need to reduce the air pressure on the rear tires as the weight has been shifted to the front by the bars. (lesson learned when I did a 15000 miles trip before noting that the rear tires were wearing in the center!)
I would drop by the dealer and have them rubber stamp your set up as they have a good idea as to the right deal.
Now that is a new one for me. I would think if you lightened up the rear axle that significantly with the bars, you have went to far. Too much WD tension on the bars makes for some spooky handling. Rather than let air out of the tires, I would drop a few links on the WD. I've never seen a radial wear in the center from being inflated to the max sidewall pressure. They lay pretty flat. And, it goes without saying not to exceed the max inflation pressure. I have heard of it occurring on dual rear wheels, but that is a different animal.
I would be willing to wager a whole lot of those improperly set up rigs you see on the highway came right out of a dealership. IMO there is no one that can do it better than yourself once you have all the correct information.
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tomdrobin
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08/13/11 08:25pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: '11 Chevy 2500HD break in
I knew there was some sort of breakin schedule, so I avoided towing and WOT starts for the first 1000 miles. Then I read the manual and noticed I had violated the 65 mph speed rule. I think it's probably just a precaution anyway. As for the differential fluid level, my owners manual I believe said it is filled a preset amound of fluid, and not to the fill plug.
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tomdrobin
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08/12/11 09:20pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: First trial run towing with the new truck.
I always set the tires to max sidewall before towing anyway, in this case 44 psi. I've set the ball height so the TT is just slightly lower in front. Actually all of my adjustments have been with tt tounge weight only with nothing in the back of the truck, and with not topper (it's on order). I was talking to a guy at the gas station today with an 08 with a similar problem. He had a spring shop install 3/4 ton springs for $600+. I'm leaving Sunday on a camping trip, and will have more load in the rear of the truck and will play with the bar tension to see how it works out. I could probably live with it, but just don't like the feel.
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tomdrobin
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08/12/11 09:12pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: 2011 Silverado 1/2 ton trim heights
Here are the dimensions and specs for the 2011 Silverado 1500
HERE
The dimensions listed at this sales site are like ground clearance. The trim height specs I'm looking for are wheel opening to ground, bumper to ground etc. Usually they are in the service manual.
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tomdrobin
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08/12/11 09:08am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: 03 GMC Envoy mirror extensions
I don't have an envoy, but regarding mirror extensions in general, the ones I've tried shook a lot.
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tomdrobin
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08/11/11 09:07pm |
Tow Vehicles
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