Av8r3400

They gave us Roger's site this year...  😶

Thanks everyone!

We are headed down to Elkhart for 5 days in a couple weeks to have the MORryde suspension done on our trailer.  (Yea, I know it's the middle of winter...)

Is there anything that anyone can recommend as a must-see in that area while we are there?  We are planning a tour at our trailer's manufacturing facility (Grand Design) and a tour of MORryde of course, but we will have some more time to kill.  Keep in mind we are doing all the local driving in the HDT.

Ideas anyone?

On 1/7/2022 at 11:18 AM, rickeieio said:

You know how the back of your truck bounces while bob-tailing?   It won't change much with just the hitch weight of your 5er.  The air ride pin you have is a better than nothing, but not much.  So, ask yourself, how far will you tow?  What road conditions?  Broken trailer frames are more common than you might think.

1 hour ago, jenandjon said:

There are a couple places close to me that do wraps. Whenever the time comes to do cosmetics it my truck will be wrapped. At the rate I'm going that will be never. 

There's at least half a dozen places that do wraps in my town.  None would touch a semi-tractor.

Be sure to call around and find a place that will before you are in a time crunch.

1 hour ago, jenandjon said:

Have you thought about having it wrapped? It's a lot cheaper than paint. 

Good luck finding someone to do it.  I looked in this area for 6 months and no one wanted to just wrap the fenders and skirts on my truck, so I had them done with Bedliner.

I plugged in the inverter-charger today.  She was a little cold and lonely in the barn all by herself...

Deer Run called me today to confirm my reservation for April 23rd to the 30th.  

So, they are processing the reservations now.

I will respect your decision on the ECR (maybe with some disappointment).

I am one of the people who came away from the national rally and fell ill with covid and was hospitalized for 4 days (as was my wife).  We do not hold the organizers responsible or hold any ill will to any other attendees.  I don't know for certain we didn't pick up the illness during the travel portion of our trip.

I am unvaccinated and will continue to be as long as I have free will.  

The time I spent in the hospital and the professionals who cared for me (to the best of their ability) gave me a vast education which only went to solidify my opinion of current state of affairs, vis-a-vis Covid and it's "vaccination".

I will gladly tell my tale to anyone interested, but this is not the time or place for it.  (Read the quote in my signature.)

I'm just posting to support Carl in his decisions for the ECR.

On the recommendation of my mechanic, I’ve been running virgin Firestone tires on my truck.  I wanted a reasonably priced and good quality tire knowing that they will never see a ton of miles.  I have a dedicated steer tire on the front and an open side, traction tire on the drives.  I do not carry a spare. 
 

They have proven to be good, balanced and round (this is important) tires that perform well for me.  

Happy Thanksgiving from the frozen tundra...

I spoke to Deer Run this week and they told me that they have not gotten to the "truck rally stuff" yet, but would call me about my carry-over reservation when they do, after the holiday (didn't specify which one, Thanksgiving or Christmas).

I looked at my truck today and thought to myself, "Damn, you look good."

What do you think of the new look??

Our 3-axle Momentum 397TH tows so much better than our 2-axle Keystone did.

Fired up for the trip.  We are leaving Friday hope to be in Hutch Saturday afternoon. 😁

I kept my '94 Ram 2500 Cummins truck because it's value (book-wise) is near zero and it double duties as a plow truck and "farm" truck for me.  I have a place to keep it and it doesn't really cost me much to keep the extra vehicle on line.

On 8/18/2021 at 10:10 PM, Sparky242 said:

That was me heading to Eau Claire for a couple of days,  Where you in your HDT, I am always looking for others but never seam to see many up in this neck of the woods.

We were coming out of Birchwood from an ATVing weekend.  We saw you go over the bridge as we came up to the on-ramp on County V.

Where are you based out of?

On 8/21/2021 at 11:25 AM, NDBirdman said:

Per the last 2 comments, I wasn't going to say anything but now I must. 

1st comment, I wish people would just try a pull in HDT.  I wish people would go through real world training to operate a heavy vehicle designed for commercial use first.  These things are not light pick-ups and require a different skill set to operate safely for themselves and all others on the road.  Your years ahead with training.

2nd comment, Not every wants or needs a HDT.  You can now get pick-ups with up to 36k and higher GCWR, are campers/RVs really getting that heavy?  Even living full time in an RV, one that big/heavy?  I could say more but I don't want to offend...

My comments come from being properly trained and a retired driver.  I have seen plenty of properly trained drivers get into bad situations, I can't imagine how much worse it could have been if a rookie/non-experienced operator would have been at the wheel.  I shudder every time I see/hear someone goes to a dealer/private sales and drives off in an HDT, having no training/experience operating a heavy truck.  Everyone should be required to go through a school to be trained before receiving a license to operate an HDT whether for commercial or personal/RV.  I shudder every time I see one going down the road, whether I'm in a car, truck, or truck pulling a camper, I do my best to get away from them.  I know the damage an HDT can/does do, it only takes one moment, one oh-poop moment to ruin a day/life.  Won't be me involved in that mess.

The above IMHO, everyone has their opinion but I can see someone getting upset over my beliefs.

 

What makes me shudder is every time I get passed by some overloaded, hot-rodded, crew cab diesel 2500 towing a 40' 5er going 80+ mph with their hair on fire.  Far more people are killed per year by this scenario than by someone pulling an RV with an HDT.

Just because the owner's manual says it can do a thing, certainly doesn't mean it should.

And yes, 25k+ campers are quite commonplace.  Most are designed so poorly, to keep the pin weight down for 2500/3500 rated cargo capacities, they handle terribly.  A trained driver like yourself would be shocked at the (lack of) balance on a scale ticket from one of these rigs.

I'd rather take my chances with an HDT stopping this rig than a 2500 with 4 big mud tires and a coal rolling tune.  But, hey, at least they have $100k in that fancy pickup.

We made one trip with my 1-ton single tire RAM when we got our old 5er.  It was a 17k gross toy hauler.  Only moderate grades on that trip, but I was so white knuckled driving is scared my wife. 

My one-ton is an older Cummins-RAM with aftermarket exhaust brake and high strength exhaust springs and a tuned 12-valve engine.  She pulled the trailer just fine, but stopping or any type of emergency maneuvering was sketchy at best.

We skipped ahead directly to an HDT for fa fraction of the money for a new (or even newer used) dually.  Best decision we ever made.

Saw a White HDT yesterday headed south on Highway 53 in western Wisconsin, just north of Rice Lake. 

Anyone here?

Interested…

Getting to know the new trailer.  Working on re-decorating the trick to match…

Software "features" that no one knows how to work or wants.

2 hours ago, rickeieio said:

Look'n good.  I bet you already have the decals ordered.

Vertical pinbox from RVH, then maybe check the local vinyl shop for options on decals before I try ordering them from the coach manufacturer.