podwerkz

On 5/21/2023 at 8:33 AM, GlennWest said:

We have to get our vechiles inspected each year in Texas. 

That's gonna go away January 1, 2025. 

(annual safety inspections will go away, but emissions testing in some counties will continue)

Just seems like the right place for this.

Those pesky green chlorophyl-based zombies....

On 8/1/2022 at 2:25 PM, franco-bolli said:

 

I have this on the back of my trailer:
"going where everyone has gone before" Stole and modified gratuitously from Star Trek.
 

So you dated the same girls I dated?

😆

Except some buyers do exactly that, similar to ticket scalpers.

If you have fenders over the drive tires look up under those and see if there are signs of your tires scraping the underside of the fenders as the truck axles articulate on uneven surfaces. Same thing might be happening on your trailer. 

Ok, its rusty but why would you sign on the dotted line and THEN ask us what we think?

Living and traveling in the rust belt, it wont get any better, it will probably get worse.

Good luck.

On 7/13/2022 at 4:38 PM, kb0zke said:

HF is what has me scratching my head. A friend gave me a long, collapsable painters' pole (aluminum) and a pair of mounting brackets for either a single or dipole hamstick mounts. 

[snip]

What has me puzzled is connecting some sort of ground plane to this. I have easy access to the engine and chassis frame, but not to the steel frame that forms the sides and roof. Could I simply run a wire from the aluminum mast to a convenient steel point in the engine area?

HF rig is a TenTec Scout. Current hamstick is for 20M.

Hamstick dipoles (or any other dipole) do not need a 'ground plane'. But if you use one hamstick in a single vertical configuration you might simply be able to use the aluminum pole as the counterpoise. Or you might need a more substantial counterpoise, depending on the SWR results.

Good luck with your TenTec Scout. The one that I had years ago was not a very good radio. 

Lots of 13-6 bridges all over the federal interstate system. When it's marked 13' 6", it means a 13 foot 6 inch high load can pass thru it. 

But I believe the OP is curious about the accuracy of the markings on his trailer, not the accuracy of the signs on the bridges.

Is that Imperial feet and inches or is that Metric feet and inches?

🤔

It's interesting as an emergency 'jump start' but there is no 'free lunch'.

The added drag caused by the loading and drag of the toad being recharged will drop the fuel mileage of the prime mover to the point where it would be equivalent to driving up hill all the time. 

I'd rather install a large solar array on that same large RV and feed the output to batteries and an inverter dedicated to charging the EV (even if slowly) while driving, with zero (or nearly zero) added drag on the power unit up front.  

The FAA and the FCC screw up EVERYTHING they touch. It's shameful.

Let's see: Open up a topic and then shut down opposing views. 

Rainbows and butterflies. Or not.

How much more of the earth's natural environment must we rape and pillage so that the EV Elites can remain boastful and blissful..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1E8SQde5rk

Good catch on the safety factor.

Brand new class 8 sleeper trucks are required to be equipped with a sleeper net. (occupant restraint system!) 

Not a bad idea to pull it out of its plastic bag and using the hooks installed around the sleeper or bunk opening, put it in place and leave it there when the kiddos (or anyone) are riding in the bunk. 

This net might be stuffed under the mattress or in a sidebox. While you are looking for it, make sure your hazard kit (triangles, spare fuse kit, etc) and fire extinguisher plus bumper hooks (if equipped) and owner's manuals are all there.

Your dealer SHOULD spend some quality time with you, and especially should go over the customer delivery checklist to make sure everything is there, and everything is working.

I wasn't trying to scare you...just to make sure that when little things crop up, rest assured it's expected...it takes a little while to get everything all sorted with any new piece of equipment. 

Just part of the experience. 

No problem....you might need time to recover after spending probably 'a buck seventy five'.

😉

Part of the reason I 'jest' is because brand new class 8 trucks ALWAYS have little issues to work thru...these trucks are complicated machines and not all the bugs and quirks are caught up with and fixed before they hand you the keys.

You might be tempted to think it will be perfect and trouble-free...but it wont. 

Little things like plastic rattling, odd beeps and buzzes, HVAC issues, dome lights that dont work right, door latches that wont latch, squeaking hood latches, small air leaks, etc...and maybe even issues with the driveline, such as sensors that fail in the first few hundred miles, cruise control that won't set, MPG readings that are way off, etc etc etc. 

Things to be aware of...they DO happen....when you have little issues, just be aware they are normal. Your dealer will be able to work things out. 

Also, brand new duals can take 10,000 to sometimes 50,000 miles to settle-in to the point where they really feel planted and solid. Your first season of driving this new truck, you might feel like the rear end is a bit...'wiggly'...this is normal and other than checking the tire and suspension air pressure, not much you can do except pick the smoothest lane when you can, and just keep driving it....it'll get better!

Enjoy!

I offer a free beak-in service. Over the next 18 months I wont charge you anything to drive it thru several states and various weather conditions. I will let you know how it handles everything.

Again, no charge!

😎

Yep, typically 180-190...more or less. 

Can run up to around 210-220 on a long hard pull uphill, especially in the summer.

Also, it's normal to see the temp rise a bit with a TAILWIND. There is almost no 'ram air effect' when you have a good tailwind, so the coolant temp will rise and you might even hear the engine fan cycle on and run for a little while, then cycle off, intermittently.

Normal cooling system behavior, nothing to worry about. 

If you ever get red warning lights (high engine temp) and possibly a warning beeper, then its time to slow down and pull over.

RV warranties are at best, problematic. Usually they are worthless.

Eat the cost of the regulator and earn the right to gripe about them in the future, online and in person to everyone who asks.

Its a small price to pay. You get to freely post truthful but negative tweets, scathing facebook posts, and angry forum rants and these will cost that company more than the regulator reimbursement ever would have.

It's time these companies quit screwing their customers. (like that will ever happen).

Dateline: Sometime in the future.

Traveling RV couple's burned out RV found abandoned in an alley in Juarez.

Curiously, the torn-up seats were removed and found 30 kms away at an outdoor music venue.

Neeexxxxt....

20 hours ago, rickeieio said:

Thus the "new names" for many parts of the vehicles.  I've been around trucks all my life, but never heard of a "johnson bar" except on this forum.

Ya learn stuff every day.....

I assume that is the same as a 'trolley valve'. I've heard the term but it's been so long ago I'm not sure I remember. 

And there are some terms that are '*regional*'. For example, 'cartage' and 'cross-dock' are sometimes used interchangeably in the WWT (wide world of trucking) but they don't always mean the same thing. Depends on what part of the country you are in. 'OTR', '48 state', 'Long Haul' and 'Cross Country' all mean about the same thing to a truck driver, but the terms '*regional*' and 'local' can have different meanings depending on who you are talking to. 

And on and on.

Might be fun to start a thread that lists and defines all the industry terminology in one place as a quick reference. 

3 hours ago, dennisvr said:

,  DRIVE ON, but dont put gas in your diesel truck..................

Years ago I remember a USA Today article 'explaining' trucks to the readers. Half page article with a diagram. The large aluminum fuel tanks had a tag and arrow calling it a 'Gas Tank' and the sleeper bunk had a label calling it the 'Bedroom'....

The fifth wheel was called a 'Trailer Hitch' and the shift lever was called a 'Transmission'. If you don't drive truck for a living, I guess those terms make sense!

Many of our members here never had a trucking mentor or trainer and come from diverse backgrounds not related to trucking.

I sure don't mind helping now and then if I can. 

On 5/21/2022 at 8:40 AM, dennisvr said:

Well, there's your problem......... If you want to be around "REAL" truck drivers and stop at truck stops and talk about your truck, NEVER, I repeat NEVER say you put GAS in your truck our that you pushed down on your GAS pedal.  You put diesel in your truck, and you pushed down on your accelerator pedal.  I learned that many moons ago when I started out.

Please don't reprimand the guy. This terminology and way of referring to diesel fuel as 'gas' and the footfeed or throttle as a 'gas pedal' is just one of the ways we can differentiate between hobbyists and professionals, and then provide an appropriate answer or solution.

Free speech has NEVER been 'free'. Today it cost 44 billion dollars.

It IS an open forum but if the Original Poster (OP) asks a question and another user (such as myself) quotes a question the OP asked, and provides an answer or some other reply or comment, then the answer or reply is directed to them, primarily, but also to anyone else reading the thread with that particular question.

And yes, your personal knowledge about the particular RV referred to is relevant and valuable. 

Let's just call it a misunderstanding and let it ride.