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Forum
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RE: Fifth Wheel Tag Renewal
Government can only generate money by taking it from someone else. Rising taxes is the wave of the future as our government hands out money.
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Likes to tow
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11/08/23 02:19am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Thermostat calling for heat and ac together!
Just answered my own question!! Thanks to youtube I solved this. I turned thermostat to "mode" and my fan was set to Low which blows air all the time the system is turned on. It should be set to "auto" so it only runs when the AC comprressor is running or you are calling for AC.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMXQ3LjHtvM
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Likes to tow
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10/25/23 06:49am |
Fifth-Wheels
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Thermostat calling for heat and ac together!
Preparing for trip and turned the thermostat mode to HEAT and the furnace and AC came on at same time and continued to run..........any ideas ??
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Likes to tow
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10/25/23 06:22am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Thoughts on trip out west
A lot of people think they must have a diesel to pull big trailers but that is not necessarily the case for everyone. We made a similar trip in August..Up thru North Dakota (Roosevelt National Park), on over to Glacier and down to Tetons then back home. 5400 miles and our 2021 Ford F250 with the new 7.3 gas engine did a fantastic job.Overall MPG which included some day trips without pulling our 31' 5th wheel was 10.75. New diesels are a pain due to EPA restrictions. I think anyone pulling over 12K could use a diesel but not everyone is doing that.
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Likes to tow
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10/09/23 03:24pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Concerns about buying from a distant dealer?
Be aware of the fact all RV manufacturers push their units down the assembly line with very little quality control. Dealers are responsible for doing much of it and correcting any short falls in the process. Be certain you have a complete systems check of all systems before signing!!! Water tanks hold water, no leaks in plumbing, AC and furnace function properly, no loose trim, all seams caulked properly, no China bomb tires....insist on Goodyear Endurance or other quality ST tire, anything you can find questionable. Dealers get backed up and bringing a unit in for warranty work can take sometimes weeks. Just be sure everything is perfect before cutting the check, it may be your only time to have leverage on the dealer for quick resolution!!
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Likes to tow
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09/30/23 06:19am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: What to look for - construction / materials / options
We purchased a 31 ft Grand Design Reflection 5th wheel after I retired. It has been on 5 trips now across the country into the West. It has held up pretty good overall. However there was some growing pains the first few local (200 miles or less) trips we made. I think all RV manufacturers push their models down the assembly line with no quality control other than possibly very basic checks. The dealer is responsible for plumbing leaks and other non life threatening problems. We certainly had too many of those to mention but on many of them I took care of here at home. It only went back to the dealer three times. So having said this let me suggest that you have a thorough walk thru, systems check with tanks filled and everything checked before you pay. Remember that RV dealers will get backed up with service issues and sometimes when you drop your unit off for service it is not uncommon to have it sit there for a few weeks. This cuts into your travel plans. I think sometimes a dealer will intentionally keep a unit so long that the owner is willing to take it back without total resolution of problems. This is especially true if purchasing a used one.
If you have never owned an RV you must be aware of critical maintenance issues you must perform or have performed. Sealing or re-caulking any joints or windows is a must do from time to time. RVs flex when moving and the caulk seam can open and allow moisture in which can cause de-lamination of the wall. Bearing repacking is another topic you can check on this forum and many others......very critical. Also be aware of the big problem with tires. Trailer tires are designated as ST on the sidewall and are in many cases cheap made China Bombs. They may have good tread but will blow out unexpectedly. There are many good brands but Goodyear Endurance Americn Made tires seem to be very popular and are what we have used now for a few years and many thousand miles with no issues. Tires should be replaced every 6 years even if the tread is good, manufacture date is coded on the sidewall. Tire pressure is critical and should be checked often along with the lug nuts. We lost an entire rim and tire because lug nuts got loose and I did not know it. The lugs sheared off and we lost the tire and rim on a trip. I carry a torque wrench now and check my lug nuts every few days when on a long trip. Very important!!
You can learn a lot on this forum and others about RV travel and some of the things to be aware of. Reservations are now extremely hard to get in some places especially on weekends and popular places. Sometimes you have to make reservations a year in advance!!
I believe that many brands are good with very similar manufacturing methods. Sometimes the difference in price is not always the quality of build but how well and how much it is equipped. We have owned 3 fifth wheel trailers and 4 truck campers and it is much easier to travel with a smaller unit if you can. Many state parks and such were designed in the 50's or 60's and mega RV luxury palaces 36-43 feet long have trouble using these facilities. If you have never pulled a trailer I would suggest you go to a Mall parking lot some morning a daylight and practice backing and turning. 5th wheel trailers are more stable on the highway even in high winds but backing them is very different from bumper hitch trailers. They react very slowly to steering wheel commands. It's not hard to do, just different in my opinion.
Good luck and safe travels
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Likes to tow
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09/30/23 06:04am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Creak when reversing the fifth wheel
Thanks much I will proceed with your suggestion
Let us know how this ends up. Might save someone else from dealing with it.
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Likes to tow
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08/02/23 05:57am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Creak when reversing the fifth wheel
My experience with a creaking noise on my tandem axle boat trailer and 5th wheel leads me to believe your noise is coming from the springs and associated areas. Rust builds up and any movement will cause a creaking sound. I coat all surfaces with PB Blaster, red and tacky grease or fogging oil used for winterizing outboard motors. It always goes away after a few miles of driving. You must have someone stand next to the axles and move the rig back and forth to see if the noise is actually coming from the axles. The way RV's are built today it is very common to have frame cracks or welds cracked. You cannot isolate this noise from the cab of the tow vehicle. Get someone to help
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Likes to tow
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08/02/23 03:52am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: raising ride height
You must be pulling with a 4 wheel drive vehicle? I've heard of flipping the springs of the trailer to the top side of the axle
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Likes to tow
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08/01/23 12:06pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Worried about upcoming trip to Glacier due to wild fires
I would not delay! We don't know what the late summer or even early fall weather will bring.Webcams
I would watch the weather reports for storms to move through which commonly bring rain storms or even snow to area.
Are you on the road heading west?
West Glacier weather
Not on the road currently but our trip starts in 3 weeks. By looking at the web cam sites it looks like smoke is significantly impacting the view. We live in West Virginia where lush green hardwood forest abound. We only have forest fires in the Fall of the year. Traveling West into the Rockies seems to be a gamble on any given day. Wildfires are burning just about every day somewhere impacting the quality of the trip! Several years ago we headed toward Glacier and turned south to avoid fires. Didn't help much! The Grand Tetons were almost completely shrouded in smoke. We just headed back toward WV. I've been planning this trip for months and have reservations and National Park Entry Passes but it's a long way to pull a 5th wheel to be disappointed when I get there.
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Likes to tow
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07/09/23 11:28am |
Fifth-Wheels
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Worried about upcoming trip to Glacier due to wild fires
What is the current condition in Glacier National Park with smoke from wildfires?? We are considering canceling our plans! I could push it back a month but from what I've seen on the Internet there is no hope the fires will be out until winter?? Smoke can greatly impact any hope of an enjoyable trip to the Rockies. We have been disappointed before and become very concerned before leaving on a 2000 mile trip for nothing
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Likes to tow
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07/09/23 06:17am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Furrion appliances
It's hard to find quality in anything! Our new fridge in our home only lasted 2 years. LG seems to be having lots of quality issues with everything. Most everything we consume is made is China or with China made parts. Our 2017 Reflection has Furrion components and there have been no problems. Of course it's 6 years old. I cannot speak for Furrion components made lately. After Covid the world changed with everything.
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Likes to tow
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06/18/23 03:47am |
Fifth-Wheels
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