rickeieio

We carry cash.  Of course. "enough" is a very individual number.  I used to figure $1/mile from home.  Now it's more than double that.  And yes, when we went to Alaska, we left home with over $10k on board.  Even when not travelling, I don't walk out the door without $300 or better.  That said, we don't spend a lot of cash, but have it available for emergencies.

Over the past year, we're seeing more businesses giving a discount for cash.  Good for them.  The card companies have been hosing them for years.  BTW, we always tip with cash.  It's not my job to make sure it gets reported.

I'd be looking for a nice used TrailerSaver hitch for the truck.  Plenty of capacity for your use, and fine for a mid sized fifth.  We used one for about 10 years (bought used) and had no issues.  Just add a leveling valve and forget it.

All the above answers are correct, in most states.  NONE of them are correct in ALL states.  At least one, Arizona, requires a CDL to drive one of these trucks because they won't register them as anything other than commercial.

So, go the the Heavy Haulers Resource Guide near the top of this forum and look up the requirement for the state in which you domicile.  That'll get you headed down the right road.

I'll give you the examples of where we live, on the Ohio/Indiana border.  Fortunately, both states have the same laws/requirements.  We paid a small fee to file an affidavit saying our truck was fitted with permanent bed for sleeping, table, with seating, for dining, icebox or refrigerator, and cook range or oven.  Handed the paper over (no inspection) and got issue a motorhome title.  Simple as that.  No cdl, no IFTA, no kidding.

Good luck with your search.  And while the HHRG is a bit dated and cumbersome at first, it's a valuable tool.

Oh, and WELCOME!!!!!

I've read through this thread twice, and am still unclear as to whether you are sure the truck is in "N", and displays such a message.  Having that little "N" for the starter circuit to access is very important.  Been there, have the cancelled checks.

If indeed, you are sure you have neutral, then continue cleaning terminals.   Oh, and btw, have you grabbed that mess-o-wires at the starter solenoid to see if they're all tight yet?

What brought this myth to the top was when I was checking pressures on the truck yesterday.  Drives say 110 psi.  I aired to 70 psi.  Manufacturer's chart doesn't go so low as to recommend pressure for our load, so rather than risk having a tire come off the bead, I run more air.

I also noted that my steers are only rated for 75 mph at max load and pressure.  We're about 90% of max load, so I feel the occasional blast above that speed to make a clean pass is okay.

Always run the maximum air pressure stamped on the sidewall of the tire.  T/F?

Granted, I've not seen every starter, but I've yet to see a commercial truck (electric) starter that didn't have the solenoid incorporated into it.  There's no functional way to separate the two.

BUT, I wrote solenoid, not relay.  There is a solenoid on the starter, and possibly a relay up stream from that.  What you're seeing in videos is not a relay, but a solenoid.

That said, you need not get under the truck to access the end of the solenoid where all the wires connect.  While perhaps difficult, it can be done from above.

Just continue with cleaning the contacts on ALL the wires and likely your problem will be fixed, no parts required.

You're getting there.  Don't give up.  Keep removing/inspecting/cleaning, on up the current stream.  Remember that connections need to both clean and flat.  Fittings that are bent/twisted need to be straightened to make the best contact.

My money's still on the stack of connections at the starter solenoid.  Lots of wires coming together there, both positive and ground.

X2 what Randy wrote.  I'd start by taking the wires off the starter solenoid and cleaning them, checking for signs of poor connection or any green crusty stuff.  If any of the nuts come off too easily, that'll likely be the trouble spot.

How do I get coffee out of my keyboard?🤣

Vern, don'tcha know you can't fill propane bottles if it's below 32 degrees?  Yep, got told that in Louisiana a few years ago, when we pulled into a campground in Duson LA.  Got it filled the next day when a northern boy was on duty.

6 hours ago, Danfreda1 said:

Rick you’re getting def for a little over a dollar a gallon? 

No.  In the example above, in Hutch, it was $19/jug.  That's $7.60/gal.  Last DEF I bought was a little over $3/gal, so my math was off a bit.

2 hours ago, Deezl Smoke said:

Personally, I'm not as much concerned about the brand of the def, as I am about how long it's been sitting on the shelf,....outside in the weather,....with the box faded and the foil seal compromised because of it.

Yep, again, in Hutch, the box was faded and tattered.  Seal was intact though.

Luckily, we seem to use about 3/4 tank of def over about 2,000 mi.  I can nearly always fill at my local (trusted) place.

8 minutes ago, SuiteSuccess said:

The only way I would think it could “go bad” is if evaporation

There's another way it can "go bad".  If it gets cold, the nitrogen will crystalize and precipitate out.  Of course, when it warms up again, the crystals will re-enter the solution.

I buy my DEF from a local fuel supplier who serves a lot of commercial vehicles.  Several fleets of PACCAR dump trucks fuel there, so I ought to be good.  The only time I've bought DEF from another source was at a grocery chain fuel station in Hutchinson, KS.  4x the price at a truck stop.

The different opinions about DEF are intriguing.  I've also heard that you should never get DEF from a commercial pump, and conversely, never from the jugs from a hardware store or auto parts store.  

But, from what I've read, DEF is food grade 32% urea.  Same as the feed stock for commercial liquid nitrogen fertilizer, but more refined and filtered.

But I can't drink enough beer to fill my DEF tank.

If you're low on DEF, just pee in the tank.

35 minutes ago, spindrift said:

This myth's origins was true.  Today, I believe it's the hard casings that prevent discharge.  But the myth continues.

I was told long ago that myth is true, because the old batteries had a case made of rubber, which is slightly conductive.  In our old shop, there were boards on the floor at the battery prep/charge station.

Just last week, I was helping grandson with his dump trailer battery.  He had no idea the top could be removed to add (distilled) water to the cells.

I was recently asked a question about overhead clearances on public roads.  I responded that I believe any clearance under 13' 6" must be marked as low clearance.  True or false?

14 hours ago, Deezl Smoke said:

here on the farm, we use various hoses as abrasion guards for important wires and hoses

I'd bet you have a stash of old garden hose for just such jobs.  I once ran copper tune through garden hose to make a very long battery cable.  Crude, but effective.

9 minutes ago, jenandjon said:

How many of us has a tubing cutter and how many of our old eyes can even tell if it's a 90 or 85 degrees just by looking. 

I cut it with whatever sharp tool I have handy and if it's pretty square it gets used. 

Bingo.  The angle of the end is immaterial, so long as the sealing surface around the perimeter is engaged. Take a good look at a P-T-C fitting.  The end of the tube isn't a sealing surface at all.

Many of us remember Scrap.  He used to drop by and provide us with correct answers, and links.  He's the one who told us about Parker's 15 degree tolerance years ago.

Yup.  Square is 90 degrees, not + or - 15.  Look at the line in the beginning of the video.  You can see the line where the sealing surface used to be before he cuts it.

The important thing is that you make a clean cut, and the oring is resting against smooth tube.  The end of the tube doesn't even need to touch the bottom of the fitting.

Parker says otherwise:  

New myth:

When installing an air line into what's commonly called a DOT fitting, or push-to-connect, the end needs to be cut square to seal inside the fitting.

This one has been discussed a couple years ago, but since I was working on a gladhand line today, I thought to bring it up again.

You can buy "duct tape" in white.  It'll remove easily with a little heat or some 3M adhesive remover.

4 hours ago, Steve from SoCal said:

think the Paccar engine was developed in Europe with DAF? 

A bit of digging reveals that DAF is a wholly owned subsidiary of PACCAR.

Also, in T-680 trucks, the MX-13 is the standard engine, and the MX-11 is an option.  That's it.  No Cummins, Detroit, etc.

10 minutes ago, spindrift said:

Can you tell me exactly what feature this is, and where it's located.

Not having an intimate knowledge of the ecm, it would be logical that since it monitors oil pressure and initiates a shut-down for pressure loss, it might not allow a start until the pressure sending unit says all systems are "GO".  No additional hardware needed.