Darryl&Rita

Ain't nobody goin' question why a magic fuse fixes the "problem", when most of these fires weren't in vehicles with a trailer connected? Why is there a draw on that circuit, sitting in the driveway? Is my battery going to go dead over a long weekend, sitting? A 15 amp draw will easily kill that battery in short order.

That sounds like a win, to me. Or, maybe a Disney movie, especially if you get a yellow dog. Good shooting, sir.

Clear fuel with a worm shaped object on the bottom of the tanks, or a general coffee appearance? The worm can usually be "vacuumed" out via a siphon tube, and a metal tube to get into the tank. Coffee needs to be filtered out, and fuel returned to the tank. The fuel goes in a circle, multiple time, until it's clear again.

You should be fine, should. It wouldn't hurt to carry a spar box, and run off the available supplies. Most large fuel stops have DEF available at the pump, or inside in smaller containers. DEF is a known commodity now, not like when it first came out. If you're travelling with a smaller diesel, I'd still be carrying a spare box, just because. The small vehicle islands don't seem to have DEF at the pump as often. DEF is also available at most any department store, like Walmart, Costco, among others. In western Canada, we have a chain of stores called Peavey Mart, along the lines of Tractor Supply. Canadian Tire is another department store style chain, both carry DEF.

Depending on the age of your filters, many come with a water drain on the bottom. Our FleetGuard filters do.

NAPA, even carries Volvo parts for less.

And a couple other newish members.

You could be on the right track with heat issues in the ECM, Vern. The N14 ECM has a history of driver problems, with temp increases making them worse. I'd spend a little more time on the wiring, another known troublespot, before sending the ECM to someone like ECM King for their free testing.

Yup, collision wrap, or Glad Press-n-Seal wrap. Cover all the way to bodywork, not just the glass, to keep rain out.

Hot engine parts be damned, Vern. Get the noid on there when the stutter starts, especially after proving it isn't a cold issue.

Really depends on the terrain you travel. Some people don't like the look of a flatdeck, but a well built deck can be art.

Don't force it, just get a bigger hammer.

South of 49th parallel, very possible. South of 60th not likely. North of 60, very unlikely. Your average sped will decrease as you go north, partly due to raod construction, partly wildlife sightings, and mostly the scenery. It's not a race.

It should be noted that when I say that we drag, it's not every day, or even every trip. It does happen, but only barely occasionally. Mostly when one of us hasn't been paying attention. Probably once per year.

If you make it idiot-proof, expect a better idiot to come along.

We're about 6" or 8" off the ground, 50" behind the tires. We drag, we knew we would drag, we built for it. Hammer down, power through. I can get exact measurements in a month, if I remember.

There's a reason Streakin' Beacon is referred to that way. Their acid wash for rims takes the fine surface off, and leaves a micro-etch all over the rims. Of course, it's not a consistent etch, so it looks streaked. Shine is work.

Look at the transition area from tread surface to sidewall. That's the shoulder. See big ol' hunks of rubber with big ol' holes between? That's an open shoulder tire. See a nearly solid line of rubber tread? Closed shoulder. Open will give better traction in off road conditions, but yield poorer mileage, both fuel and life expectancy. More road noise, too. Can tend to feel squirmy longer, too.

Just remember, once an installation is approved as meeting the current code, it is exempt from code changes until such time the system is modified enough to require new permits be pulled. Only then will upgrades be required to meet the new current code.

We still have a lot of Open Delta service drops, along side the rail lines in small towns. Watch for the identified phase, if you're dealing with a 3 phase service. Most of the service drops left in use are residential 120/240 volt, so the identified phase gets left on top of the pole.

That's a signal. There has to be an air leak, somewhere, to see a drop like that. Diaphragm or air hose, or a leak inside the air treadle valve inside the foot pedal. Time to put some ears to it again. ETA: Along with what ddm... posted, are you using the dash knobs the same as always? Running in bobtail mode can decrease your effective braking.

When was the last time the adjustment was checked? What is your air consumption like with the brakes applied? Do you hear any leaks with the brake pedal pressed?

I bought ours used, and the headphones were damaged at purchase. It reduced the price enough that I jumped on the purchase. The only other headphones I have are a set of Bose Noise Cancelling ear buds. They work very well, even without the NC turned on. I got them free, with shopping points, so I don't worry too much about the price of them, exposed to a danger zone, but I do pay attention to the cable getting hung on something. Getting an ear bud pulled out isn't fun.

You will need to have approved chains onboard, but don't plan on using them. Far better to sit and wait for roads to improve, especially when bobtail. Keep an eye on the weather forecast, it changes quick in Montana and nearby. Plan ahead, be flexible with your timetable, and you should be fine. Mountain snow is a bit different than Eastern snow, dryer, so more blowing snow and drifting. Just be ready to stop for poor weather.