The all encompassing RV thread

[troph 25334]

Covid-19 happened, then a convo last Saturday followed by a trip to camper clinic on Monday two days later and now the fifth wheel is ours. Headed somewhere next weekend for a trial run, then the girlfriend and I are taking the kids to several spots in Colorado for a 15 day trip in June and then looking for another in August.

 

Anyway, no thread here and there have to be RV and trailer folks...

 

Girlfriend is an airstreamer but we moved over to the dark side and found a puma 35 foot toy-hauler that our Toyota Tundra can haul. Kicker was the toy-hauler part has a separate exterior door and an interior door with bunk style dual queen beds that retract so we can take a ton of stuff. Teens will have their own room to sleep til noon and we can do our thing.

 

Pics...

 

 

Pretty happy about it for a starter. I’ve shown you mine now you show me yours.

 

Next up tricks and tips etc. we’ve got a lot of crap to buy. Grill on the way, some outdoor furniture too. Griddle on the way, hoses and adapters and all of that too. On the prowl for generators next and then the game is on.

 

Would love to have a place to share hidden spots and gems out there and hear about funny stories, boondoggles and near disasters averted and envy each other’s set ups.

 

(edit for later newcomers:  we quickly decided against the tundra as a tow vehicle based on the great advice of a bunch of assholes)

Edited May 18, 2020 by troph

[Gil Bang 26377]

Shitter’s full

[Pato del Muerto 53765]

I can’t wait to hear about towing that up and down the Colorado mountains with a half ton truck. 
 

Make sure when you buy your hose for water hookup that you buy a psi limiter so the pressure from a system doesn’t bust the little plastic plumbing. 
 

tools:  small chainsaw and wood splitting axe for firewood.  

if you head up to my part of Wyoming, I can share some spots.

 

Edited May 17, 2020 by Pato del Muerto

[wd40 1976]

saw a dude pulling a 5th wheel camper as big as that, with a fucking pontoon boat hitched up behind the camper at Navajo Lake SP some years back.  can't remember what his truck was...Dodge dually, I think.  but not what I would have expected to be lugging around all that in the mountains.

anyway.  here's mine (on the left).

[fattyflattie 4640]

Awesome.  Get the best brake controller you can buy. 2000# of tongue weight, and 10k empty is going to be a task for that truck. You might look into some overload springs, or some bags.  
 

Make sure it stays covered in storage, if at all possible. And be very weary of branches and the roof.   The roof is the Achilles on all of them.  
 

We found the perfect 5th wheel earlier this year, and by the time we had convinced ourselves it was gone. So have been on the lookout for awhile.  Our deer lease camp is fine for me (I guess, it’s rough af) but not going to be great for the wife and girls (x3).  We are about 1.5 years from our youngest being old enough to really start camping around, and should have it sorted by then. 
 

A few years ago, a good friend of mine was ate up with cancer, terminal type deal.  He bought one and toured all over the country (when not in hospital) with his wife and boys.  Was really cool and they made a ton of memories, saw ALOT of the country.   Your teens should enjoy it, great way to have family time.   Hope y’all have the same experience, except for the whole last trip vibe. 

[troph 25334]

I can’t wait to hear about towing that up and down the Colorado mountains with a half ton truck.       

 

 

 

 We’ve got about a 1000lbs of gear and supplies we can add before we max it out. Actual numbers show us under max payload on the truck and under max tow for the fifth wheel. I think if the water tank is full and we take too much gear we are 500 lbs to 1000lbs too much. May have to borrow from a friend. Service department at camper clinic in Buda said it would be close but we “should be ok”. Ugh.  

 

 

Could be an epic surly disaster.

 

 

Check the boat thread for the start of the truck upgrade discussion. We will be in a larger truck by next year I’m sure. Caught her searching car max for F250s when signing to buy the trailer...

[troph 25334]

Ok so we found this...

 

 

2001 F-350 7.3L Diesel. 266,000 miles. Thinking about third party selling the Tundra and picking this up. 10 years older than her Tundra. Would be a wash as the Tundra is also a work truck and needs some serious TLC to sell for modest dollar.

 

HALP?!

[Mother mopar 3393]

With regard to truck usage and your proximity to max levels. I would be very weary. Trucks can handled alot on a straight and level road but when you start pulling those type of loads through mountains or baker's grade (vegas) you wish you had more power and hope your tranny will hold up.

I dont haul an RV, mostly cars and some cattle and I can tell you I spent some coin upgrading the brakes and transmission componets on my 07 cummins. Some cheap upgrade are getting a bigger trans pan (more fluid keeps temps cooler), better brake pads. Last advice get some gauges, $350 in a heads up "tool" will save you $5k in have to have parts.

Have fun camping you and the family should have a blast. Ps bring a gun

[Mother mopar 3393]

Ok so we found this...
 

 
2001 F-350 7.3L Diesel. 266,000 miles. Thinking about third party selling the Tundra and picking this up. 10 years older than her Tundra. Would be a wash as the Tundra is also a work truck and needs some serious TLC to sell for modest dollar.
 
HALP?!

7.3s are a beast, loved my old one. Change the fluids, filters and get good fuel and she should last for years. At 266k miles it is just getting broke in.

[Pato del Muerto 53765]

Well that would tow it, and you’d get more than 4 mpg doing it. 
 

do trucks that old have trailer brake control?

Edited May 17, 2020 by Pato del Muerto

[fattyflattie 4640]

10 minutes ago, Mother mopar said:

17 minutes ago, troph said:

Ok so we found this...
 

 
2001 F-350 7.3L Diesel. 266,000 miles. Thinking about third party selling the Tundra and picking this up. 10 years older than her Tundra. Would be a wash as the Tundra is also a work truck and needs some serious TLC to sell for modest dollar.
 
HALP?!

Read more  

7.3s are a beast, loved my old one. Change the fluids, filters and get good fuel and she should last for years. At 266k miles it is just getting broke in.

Just keep a handful of crank sensors on hand. Great motors tho. 
 

4 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

 

do trucks that old have trailer brake control?

Just aftermarket. The integrated stuff came along in 05-06 era iirc.  But there are some great aftermarket units for a few hundred bucks. 

[troph 25334]

Or this... same truck just not a dually. 244k miles. 7.3L F350, etc.

[troph 25334]

(Listening to all of you on the minor stuff)

Y’all are bad ass. Hope other novice haphazard types like me find this info.

[Texaus 390]

I don’t think that truck is a 7.3 year model.

 

Edit: the second one. The first one appears to be 7.3 year model

[troph 25334]

11 minutes ago, Texaus said:

I don’t think that truck is a 7.3 year model.

 

Edit: the second one. The first one appears to be 7.3 year model

you're right.  it's 6.2L

[fattyflattie 4640]

12 minutes ago, troph said:

you're right.  it's 6.2L

That’s a gas. But still a long way ahead of the tundra.   How many miles? If 244k, go with the old 7.3. 

Edited May 17, 2020 by fattyflattie

[Texaus 390]

No 6.2. You’ve got 7.3, 6.0, 6.4, and 6.7. 6.0 is the turd you don’t want. 6.4 is good if it has been maintained. Major repair on anything after 7.3 has potential to be very expensive because cab has to be removed.

[troph 25334]

and gas, we missed that.  but the ad does say 6.2L.  dually is available. 

Edited May 17, 2020 by troph

[troph 25334]

11 minutes ago, Texaus said:

No 6.2. You’ve got 7.3, 6.0, 6.4, and 6.7. 6.0 is the turd you don’t want. 6.4 is good if it has been maintained. Major repair on anything after 7.3 has potential to be very expensive because cab has to be removed.

meaning go with the 7.3?  they will take $9500 on that dually. we are discussing this morning and may be the embarrased but soon to be proud owner of a beast of a truck.

[troph 25334]

Info on dually...

 

 

Thoughts fellas ??

[Texaus 390]

Not necessarily, they are all good trucks, even a 6.0 that has been “fixed”. The 7.3 is probably the best diesel truck motor ever built in terms of reliability. You still see them regularly on the road. Ive owned two of them and wouldn’t hesitate buying one again. That said, those trucks are getting old now and the insides will be tired. The shit around that great motor is also getting old, some some minor repairs you should be prepared for. The hp and torque on the newer 6.7 absolutely crushes the 7.3.

[fattyflattie 4640]

You’ll be able to sell that 7.3 for that when you are done with it.  They have a cult following.

I wouldn’t mess with a 6.0 unless it’s been bulletproofed. And I don’t have any passion for the 6.4, but several of my buddies had them and blew them up.   7.3 or 6.7 and you’ll be golden.   I know 2 guys that went from 6.7’s to the 6.2 and they said it wasn’t too terrible.  But think the most the pulled was a few side by sides around. 

[fattyflattie 4640]

11 minutes ago, Texaus said:

The 7.3 is probably the best diesel truck motor ever built in terms of reliability.

5.9’s and a mostly unchanged 19 years of 6.6 dmax might have a word with that. Besides B block 5.9’s, great record.  Aside from the LB7 injector issues, Dmax has been solid af. 

[troph 25334]

Dude I coached two of my sons’ Little League teams with who owns lots of toys and trucks wants to geek out on this with us, he’s said some of the same things. That old 7.3L is great but the worry is all the parts around the engine. We may be going to Kyle to take a look later today. Will keep you posted.

[Handcruser 2818]

Info on dually...
 

 
Thoughts fellas ??

This makes me nervous. Buying a truck that old with that many miles without any history or provenance would make me hesitate.

Why did the owner leave a perfectly good truck in the tow yard? Why didn’t they pick it up?

If you’re serious about it, spend good money and take it to a reputable diesel shop/ford specialist and have them detail everything that needs to be done along with a full history by vin of where it has been and what has been serviced.

If that thing originated up north that would be a hard stop for me.

If it is a southern truck, and vin checks out, don’t be surprised at 5k worth of maintenance needed before you go hauling 15k pounds around the country.



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[Handcruser 2818]

But yeah, dually is the way I’d go.


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[Handcruser 2818]

Found it. It’s fucking perfect.




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[troph 25334]

Haha tons of lifted ones out there. Y’all are crazy with that shit. Looking at this one now...

 

 

 

 

 

https://sanantonio.craigslist.org/cto/d/san-antonio-2000-lariat-f-diesel-crew/7117115816.html

[Pato del Muerto 53765]

Is there a budget concern as to why you are shopping early 2000s?  A 2013 or so with the 6.7 would be great and have more creature comforts like Bluetooth and stuff. 
 

i think that style is too chromey at the front end so I’m waiting for a 2017 to drop into my price range. 
 

also, I’ve never driven with a fifth wheel or goose neck, but i did watch my neighbor crumple the top of his bed when backing it in because he got it close to 90°. So be wary of that clearance. 

[troph 25334]

Budget and someone else saying besides y’all saying avoid 04-12 fords because the 6.0L was a shitshow. I’ve read up on that and see what some of y’all are saying. We’ve got to buy generators and other gear and just don’t want to dive all in right now. I want to pay cash for this with no new payment. We’d upgrade in 12-18 months I’m sure.

[fattyflattie 4640]

49 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

also, I’ve never driven with a fifth wheel or goose neck, but i did watch my neighbor crumple the top of his bed when backing it in because he got it close to 90°. So be wary of that clearance. 

Shortbeds suffer from this a lot. They have slider 5th wheels that help with that, but there’s things to watch with those too. But you can still dent the cab or bedrail with an 8’ if you are careless.   In and out of parking lots with wedge trailers make up a good bit of bed rail nightmares too. 

[Pato del Muerto 53765]

I’m a little surprised one that big doesn’t have an onboard generator. No reason to go nuts there with a big expensive Honda or similar unless you just want to.  Probably need 1000 watts and a 240 plugin?

[davidg 4059]

I’m a little surprised one that big doesn’t have an onboard generator. No reason to go nuts there with a big expensive Honda or similar unless you just want to.  Probably need 1000 watts and a 240 plugin?

That trailer has 2 ACs and probably a 240V, 50a plug. Probably take a 5 kw generator minimum to be able to start the second one while the first is running.

[Kilgorehorn 308]

13 minutes ago, davidg said:

That trailer has 2 ACs and probably a 240V, 50a plug. Probably take a 5 kw generator minimum to be able to start the second one while the first is running.

RV's don't have 240 volt plugs. It would be a 120V 50a plug.

[austingirl 2198]

22 hours ago, Pato del Muerto said:

I can’t wait to hear about towing that up and down the Colorado mountains with a half ton truck. 
 

Make sure when you buy your hose for water hookup that you buy a psi limiter so the pressure from a system doesn’t bust the little plastic plumbing. 
 

tools:  small chainsaw and wood splitting axe for firewood.  

if you head up to my part of Wyoming, I can share some spots.

 

 

21 hours ago, troph said:

 We’ve got about a 1000lbs of gear and supplies we can add before we max it out. Actual numbers show us under max payload on the truck and under max tow for the fifth wheel. I think if the water tank is full and we take too much gear we are 500 lbs to 1000lbs too much. May have to borrow from a friend. Service department at camper clinic in Buda said it would be close but we “should be ok”. Ugh.  

 

 

Could be an epic surly disaster.

 

 

Check the boat thread for the start of the truck upgrade discussion. We will be in a larger truck by next year I’m sure. Caught her searching car max for F250s when signing to buy the trailer...

My parents bought their first RV in the late 80s - a Starcraft pop-up. 30 years later, yadda yadda yadda, they're now in a 38-ft Elite Suites 5th wheel and all my childhood vacation stories involve RVs. The most memorable one was in Colorado, where we went several times but only once decided to head up to Silverton. I was in high school at the time, so it was in the mid-to-late 90s. I don't remember all the details of the day we tried to get up there, but the gist was that the map did not indicate that at one of the mountain passes, we'd have to drive through a covered bridge around a sharp turn. We were pulling a 30-ish foot 5th wheel with a large pickup and once we got up there it was clear that there was no way we were going to make it through. My dad had to back the whole rig down the mountain, and of course the road was narrow and winding. Had I been paying much attention I'd have been terrified, but I was an oblivious teenager reading a book and didn't realize the gravity of the situation until later. 

Anywho, my dad tows their current RV with a 2005 F350 diesel. I can find out more details if you need them.

[ChickenSandwich 10003]

Why trailer style vs truck/coach style?

Price the biggest difference?  Or less reliable?  Can get a bigger rig without the class C?

 

[troph 25334]

Just got back from SA. Gonna make an offer on that F350 7.3L diesel 4x4 if the inspection comes back clean. It drove really well. Clean, quiet, ran cool, ran straight, no whistle type sounds, smooth ride at 70mph, no shimmies, no shakes, started great and the engine seemed like it was secured in there well.

 

Re generator we are considering the predator 3500 or couple two predator 2000s. None on board. 50 amp power. Because it’s a toy hauler it has a sizable gas tank on the trailer with a pump. Hot water and stove/oven are gas, furnace is too. Two ACs, fridge, microwave, hair dryers, two TVs with hook ups for a third, and all the bs that comes with, we think that’s the way to go. Willing to listen if we are going wrong.

[austingirl 2198]

35 minutes ago, troph said:

Just got back from SA. Gonna make an offer on that F350 7.3L diesel 4x4 if the inspection comes back clean. It drove really well. Clean, quiet, ran cool, ran straight, no whistle type sounds, smooth ride at 70mph, no shimmies, no shakes, started great and the engine seemed like it was secured in there well.

 

Re generator we are considering the predator 3500 or couple two predator 2000s. None on board. 50 amp power. Because it’s a toy hauler it has a sizable gas tank on the trailer with a pump. Hot water and stove/oven are gas, furnace is too. Two ACs, fridge, microwave, hair dryers, two TVs with hook ups for a third, and all the bs that comes with, we think that’s the way to go. Willing to listen if we are going wrong.

I just got off the phone with my dad and he said to absolutely not get the 6.0 diesel (that's what he had at one point) but you should be good to go with what you got. He says Fords are the best he's had for towing.

[troph 25334]

Crash course on the 6.0s today... not a single dude out there says the 6.0 is worth it.

[Handcruser 2818]

Crash course on the 6.0s today... not a single person (+austingirl) out there says the 6.0 is worth it.

Fify


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[troph 25334]

For sure !

[davidg 4059]

RV's don't have 240 volt plugs. It would be a 120V 50a plug.

There might not be true 240v loads on an RV, but the 50 A receptacle at an RV park will be a 14-50R which is a 4 wire 120/240V circuit. This is the same 50 outlet on most 240V generators.

[davidg 4059]

 Re generator we are considering the predator 3500 or couple two predator 2000s. None on board. 50 amp power. Because it’s a toy hauler it has a sizable gas tank on the trailer with a pump. Hot water and stove/oven are gas, furnace is too. Two ACs, fridge, microwave, hair dryers, two TVs with hook ups for a third, and all the bs that comes with, we think that’s the way to go. Willing to listen if we are going wrong.

 

Post up a picture of the power plug on your RV. If it’s a 50A circuit, neither of those generator setups will work for your trailer. If it’s a 30A, you will need a crossover from the Predator 3500 twistlock to a typical RV 30A plug.

 

 

This is a 120V 30a RV outlet (known by its NEMA designation: TT-30R). A lot of your smaller, less that 4kw generators will use this plug.

 

 

 

 

 

This is a 50A 120/240V receptacle (known as a NEMA 14-50R) typically used at RV parks and is what you will find on most generators that have a 240V circuit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[austingirl 2198]

2 hours ago, ChickenSandwich said:

Why trailer style vs truck/coach style?

Price the biggest difference?  Or less reliable?  Can get a bigger rig without the class C?

 

I can't speak to all the pros/cons as we always had a 5th wheel/pull trailer, but my parents' standpoint has always been that it's easier to pull an RV than it is to drive a motor home while pulling a car, and 5th wheels are cheaper than motor homes, and it's a pain in the ass to get somewhere and not have any other way to get around than by driving the RV around. I'm sure you know this but you don't want to get it hooked up to water, sewer, etc and then have to unhook it to get somewhere. 

[ChickenSandwich 10003]

Does the family ride in the truck or trailer when traveling? 

[Pato del Muerto 53765]

@troph the one place I’ve been that had hookups, the power box had multiple socket types to accommodate different plugs that are out there, but it might be a good idea to have some adapters in a cabinet somewhere just in case. 

[austingirl 2198]

42 minutes ago, ChickenSandwich said:

Does the family ride in the truck or trailer when traveling? 

Truck, in my family.

[troph 25334]

[mention]davidg [/mention] I’ll take a hard look at that. Great info. Will be a few days before we get to that.

[troph 25334]

I can't speak to all the pros/cons as we always had a 5th wheel/pull trailer, but my parents' standpoint has always been that it's easier to pull an RV than it is to drive a motor home while pulling a car, and 5th wheels are cheaper than motor homes, and it's a pain in the ass to get somewhere and not have any other way to get around than by driving the RV around. I'm sure you know this but you don't want to get it hooked up to water, sewer, etc and then have to unhook it to get somewhere. 

Same here and when we looked at all floor plans available the toy-hauler with a separate convertible bunkhouse for teens, segregated by an interior door and a separate exterior door won walking away.

The big airstream with the front beds and living in the back was sexy as could be, the motor homes didn’t have enough real sleeping capacity despite their size and the other fifth wheels would require stepping over teens til noon.

So having a spare vehicle, cheaper, disconnecting the motor from the living quarters for cost and reliability and ultimately how it functions and lives led us to our choice.

[troph 25334]

[mention=93]troph[/mention] the one place I’ve been that had hookups, the power box had multiple socket types to accommodate different plugs that are out there, but it might be a good idea to have some adapters in a cabinet somewhere just in case. 

We have 50 to 30 but if you mean plugs generally I’ll def grab those.

Picked up an RV supply catalog, it’s as thick as the yellow pages used to be almost.

Money. pit. O_O