The all encompassing RV thread

[troph 24028]

1 hour ago, horn4life said:

Where is the RV wash?  I know there is a truck wash on 37 south of San Antonio at 1604 loop, but it's usually filthy as hell.  

So by North Beach you are talking about the trun towards the beach right before the guardhouse?

Yes the beach before the guardhouse. The rv wash is right after you cross the causeway bridge on the left. Forget the exit but it’s right there. On a side street. In the general vicinity of that Walmart that’s just across on the mainland. 

Edited February 21, 2022 by troph

[troph 24028]

Fuck this happened: 

 

 

 

two points:

 

one I told my partner we needed to upgrade our tires before we headed for Colorado. Ha.

second, the cable holding the spare is not functional. Two guys tried to help after we couldn’t get it, now our RV triple A roadside coverage folks are sending someone. Thank god we have cold beer. 

 

Edited February 21, 2022 by troph

[troph 24028]

Then this happened:

 

 

 

Guys across the road smoking meat came and gave us a plate. Maybe I am living right after all! 

Edited February 21, 2022 by troph

[troph 24028]

Now it’s a legit party!! 
 

 

[fattyflattie 4633]

1 hour ago, troph said:

one I told my partner we needed to upgrade our tires before we headed for Colorado. Ha.

Goodyear Endurance.  Don’t look back. 

[fattyflattie 4633]

9 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

Goodyear Endurance.  Don’t look back. 

Tried to edit but it wouldn’t let me. Keep an eye on that spare on the way home. Highly likely it’s old af and not in great shape too. 

[troph 24028]

Treating this thread like own own effing fb page whatever I figure y’all like the rubbernecking… 

gonna have to cut the cable - freaking spare was wound so tight it won’t come out. Hope I don’t have to call 911 from a cable hurting this fella. 
 

 

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

7 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

Tried to edit but it wouldn’t let me. Keep an eye on that spare on the way home. Highly likely it’s old af and not in great shape too. 

Yep.  Ask me how I know.

and welcome to the blowout club.  It suuucks.  I know someone mentioned to air down on the sand, but I don’t think anyone mentioned to air back up once you’re on pavement.  If you didn’t that could have caused the blow out.  

[troph 24028]

Just now, dingleberryswitzer said:

Yep.  Ask me how I know.

and welcome to the blowout club.  It suuucks.  I know someone mentioned to air down on the sand, but I don’t think anyone mentioned to air back up once you’re on pavement.  If you didn’t that could have caused the blow out.  

We didn’t air down. Just shitty stock tires on a shitty RV. I think we did it all right except running these sons of bitches for too long.  It’s all good. 

[troph 24028]

Ands it’s the F350 club here with 3 7.3Ls … 

[fattyflattie 4633]

2 minutes ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

Yep.  Ask me how I know.

and welcome to the blowout club.  It suuucks.  I know someone mentioned to air down on the sand, but I don’t think anyone mentioned to air back up once you’re on pavement.  If you didn’t that could have caused the blow out.  

I mentioned it in a PM.  

[troph 24028]

2 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

I mentioned it in a PM.  

You did and I was getting new tires after this run. We are testing everything this weekend so I’ll just count this as part of if. We have a maintenance list that’s not too long but tires and siding repair now on it.  

[fattyflattie 4633]

3 minutes ago, troph said:

Just shitty stock tires on a shitty RV. I think we did it all right except running these sons of bitches for too long.  It’s all good. 

Post #1114.  Everyone here been there, done that. The money I spent getting straight on that has been best $$$ I’ve spent so far on the camper.   

[troph 24028]

I’m telling you I thought I’d make it a season and a half I made it one season driving them and one not, then BOOM. I told you I was saying new tires on the drive down. 

[fattyflattie 4633]

11 minutes ago, troph said:

I’m telling you I thought I’d make it a season and a half I made it one season driving them and one not, then BOOM. I told you I was saying new tires on the drive down. 

I believe it. I had plans first year to get it to the lease then bring new tires down. We blew out 40 miles before the gate.

[troph 24028]

On the road again.

[davidg 4015]

2 hours ago, fattyflattie said:

Tried to edit but it wouldn’t let me. Keep an eye on that spare on the way home. Highly likely it’s old af and not in great shape too. 

This.  I pulled my spare off the trailer last time I put it up with the intent f putting an Endurance for the spare too.  Need to do that this week.

Also, I think I asked you once about your old tires and rims. Do you still have them and do you want to get rid of them? I need to upgrade a farm utility from mobile home donut style 14.5” rims.  

Edited February 22, 2022 by davidg

[troph 24028]

Home. If I can save one poster from his or her (or their?) own stupidity with my posts showing shit tires that look good blowing up then this was all worth it.  
 

though I always tell her - so long as we don’t die we have a great time or we get a story to tell. Today we got the story. 
 

[troph 24028]

Oh and RV roadside service is worth every penny. Used them twice now. Ours is coach net I think. 

[Pato del Muerto 52114]

Looks like quite a spontaneous sausage party.  
 

I really need to look at the dot code on our tires and see how old they are. They look good, but old rubber on cheap trailer tires is asking for trouble.  Double axel does make changing them easier though. 

[troph 24028]

31 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

Looks like quite a spontaneous sausage party.  
 

 

As my friend fattyflattie would say… phrasing. 
 

Quote

I really need to look at the dot code on our tires and see how old they are. They look good, but old rubber on cheap trailer tires is asking for trouble.  Double axel does make changing them easier though. 

Please let me be your example. 

[troph 24028]

Ok boys I’m out of the spot light for a while. We’ve got a list of crap to fix and replace then it’s up to Chewbacca’s home state then maybe up to see John Dutton if we get lucky this summer. 

[fattyflattie 4633]

45 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

I really need to look at the dot code on our tires and see how old they are. They look good, but old rubber on cheap trailer tires is asking for trouble.  Double axel does make changing them easier though

I’ve been pulling trailers of all sorts my entire life. On small trailers I go 3 years then gone. Sometimes it stings, but it has been foolproof for years now.  Friend of mine taught me that years ago.  It helps now that there is a good US manufacturer back in the small diameter game. But to be honest, I’ve had more luck just changing everything I own to 16” where there are TONS more quality options. 
 

*on 14 ply types of really good tires for really heavy shit, I’ll push to 4 years.  

1 hour ago, davidg said:

 

Also, I think I asked you once about your old tires and rims. Do you still have them and do you want to get rid of them? I need to upgrade a farm utility from mobile home donut style 14.5” rims.  

Yeah sorry I’m freaking terrible with PMs for some reason. I would have give them to you but wife sold them for like $50 when I was on a work rotation this past year.  She just wanted them out of the garage.  
 

One thing to remember with trailer tires.  Air them up to within 5 psi (when asphalt is hot) or to the hilt when not.  The less sidewalk flex the better. They’re just not built for that. 

[fattyflattie 4633]

Christmas Day, 35 mins from destination. Shitty south Texas roads so didn’t feel it when it went. Saw a piece fly and knew what the deal was. Thankfully, we had no damage. Spare was iffy af but got us there. I had filled it before we left, hoping I wouldn’t need it.


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[Brew 2917]

28 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

I’ve been pulling trailers of all sorts my entire life. On small trailers I go 3 years then gone. Sometimes it stings, but it has been foolproof for years now.  Friend of mine taught me that years ago.  It helps now that there is a good US manufacturer back in the small diameter game. But to be honest, I’ve had more luck just changing everything I own to 16” where there are TONS more quality options. 
 

*on 14 ply types of really good tires for really heavy shit, I’ll push to 4 years.  

Yeah sorry I’m freaking terrible with PMs for some reason. I would have give them to you but wife sold them for like $50 when I was on a work rotation this past year.  She just wanted them out of the garage.  
 

One thing to remember with trailer tires.  Air them up to within 5 psi (when asphalt is hot) or to the hilt when not.  The less sidewalk flex the better. They’re just not built for that. 

I change all my trailer tires out every 2-3 seasons and that partially depends on how long they sit. I put my boats on jack stands for the winter, but if they sit most of the summer I’ll change them out quicker. If I buy a used trailer, they get changed immediately. I’ve dealt with too many trailer tire issues. Spare is always full size and changed on same rotation. Those things suck too and have caused me too many problems.

troph, awesome road side hospitality. Makes you remember there are still good people out there especially when you get a little further out from city centers. 

[Pato del Muerto 52114]

On 2/16/2022 at 1:49 PM, troph said:

@Pato del Muerto I've got a full day and a half day with a guide this weekend off PINS will let you know. 

picking up our fifth wheel in about 2 hours.  been waaaaaaaay too long.  I'm so excited!  beer, beach fires, beer, fishing, more fishing, bay fishing, surf fishing, fly fishing, spinner rod fishing, fishing to catch, fishing for show (rod holders in the sand while I drink beer), more beer, generators, guns (in case any of your creepers come at us), big truck, shit I might even start spitting again. good times are about to be had.

Booked for 26march. Let’s hope for fair weather. 
 

now I need an outdoor dining option on PA or rockport, and a place that will cook our catch on Saturday night if we are so fortunate. 

[troph 24028]

7 hours ago, Pato del Muerto said:

Booked for 26march. Let’s hope for fair weather. 
 

now I need an outdoor dining option on PA or rockport, and a place that will cook our catch on Saturday night if we are so fortunate. 

The guide I used was good, skiff and a push oar or whatever. Fly fishing, barbless hooks, catch and release only.  If that interests you let me know. Works on his own and back fills with all water guides referrals. 

Edited February 23, 2022 by troph

[rage-a-holic 4256]

On 2/21/2022 at 5:34 PM, troph said:

Ands it’s the F350 club here with 3 7.3Ls … 

F350s or E350s? Never see any SMBs posted on this thread.

Edited February 23, 2022 by rage-a-holic

[Pato del Muerto 52114]

Me, getting home this evening:  hmm its already getting cold, I think I should drain the water heater in the camper. 
 

also me:  I can’t imagine there’s any pressure in the system since I unhooked from the terminal last time. I’ll just grab the channel locks and turn loose the drain plug. 
 

also me:  well shit. 

[troph 24028]

2 hours ago, rage-a-holic said:

F350s or E350s? Never see any SMBs posted on this thread.

Old F350s… 2 here and one at the grillmaster’s house.

[JMFP 1113]

A couple of weeks ago we booked a campsite for next weekend in a state park at the local lake for our spring shakedown/first trip of the year. Was hoping for the best weather wise but at the moment it looks like it's going to be a little chilly. I've got some heat tape and insulation I bought a couple years ago to make a heated hose, looks like I might need to throw it together before we go 🥶

 

[utee94 15722]

Is your belly open, or closed and insulated?  If closed and insulated, the heat from the RV itself will go a long way toward keeping the plumbing warm.  My belly is open and exposed and even so, temps that dipped into the mid 20s overnight didn't cause any problems.

 

 

[JMFP 1113]

Is your belly open, or closed and insulated?  If closed and insulated, the heat from the RV itself will go a long way toward keeping the plumbing warm.  My belly is open and exposed and even so, temps that dipped into the mid 20s overnight didn't cause any problems.
 
 

Yeah its closed and heated. My only worry is the water hose coming in. I could just unhook it for the nights but I've had this stuff sitting around for a while with the intention of making one.

[troph 24028]

update: @fattyflattie no looking back. Goodyear Endurance tires on the 5th wheel and spare - as of today. Then took it to the dealer for repair and inspections. fenders in for repair, asked them to inspect underneath and check out the suspension for a long drive to Wyoming/Montana this summer.  getting the goosneck/hitch adjusted for a more level ride too.  getting ready for a nice summer of use. 

[fattyflattie 4633]

@troph I’ve been collecting some parts and putting together a to-do list for when it comes home in late April.  New, quality tires are a peace of mind it’s hard to put a price on, for me anyhow.  Great feeling to know you’ve done everything you can to ensure your travel will be as safe as possible.  It bothers me immensely that I can’t see the trailer tires in my mirror.  Every other trailer I have, I can. 

[Hawndoh 2362]

There are several tire pressure monitor systems you can get. Some have their own little monitor, some I think Bluetooth to your phone. You can see pressure start to drop before it fully blows out.

[troph 24028]

The stock tires were crap, castle rock? What the hell are those but cheap crap. We probably did over inflate but we learned our lesson. Today I had to maneuver quiet a bit and did a great job so the whole thing is just one giant learning experience. That’s what makes it fun. Learning that you pay for shortcuts or guessing. As I get older I like how being methodical gets you where you want to go. I’ll probably get a IR temperature gauge for tires and bearings too. Kinda like watching oil and transmission fluid temps in the mountains - we are going to make it to the north country without problem. 

[troph 24028]

1 hour ago, Hawndoh said:

There are several tire pressure monitor systems you can get. Some have their own little monitor, some I think Bluetooth to your phone. You can see pressure start to drop before it fully blows out.

That sounds like a cool gadget. I should get me one. 

[horn4life 3749]

Yeah I was thinking that since I go the the coast a lot I probably need to go ahead and break loose all the lug nuts and re-torque them.  I remember a half daylong battle with some lug nuts on my old F-150 years ago.  I do have a tall bottle jack that I carry along for the inevitable.  

For me the main thing about the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) is that I can catch the tire before it's destroyed like Troph's.  It's a LOT, LOT easier to get lugs off when the tire is still in contact with the ground to give you the leverage you need to break the lug nuts loose.   I also just remembered I need to put that breaker bar back into the rig.  

[troph 24028]

Anyone up for a Texas OU rally down at the coast this year?  Approaching 50 years old - watching outside our 5th wheel in south Texas seems more ideal than going to Dallas.  Could be hotAF tho.

Edited March 6, 2022 by troph

[Johnny Sack 8397]

On 3/6/2022 at 8:03 AM, troph said:

Anyone up for a Texas OU rally down at the coast this year?  Approaching 50 years old - watching outside our 5th wheel in south Texas seems more ideal than going to Dallas.  Could be hotAF tho.

That time of year even on a warm day it should be comfortable with the breeze.

[utee94 15722]

We did an RV park in PortA and some beach-camping at PINS for TX-OU/Columbus Day during the 2020 COVID year, spent 6 days total down there.  Weather was great.

But as long as my kids tell me they want to go to the State Fair and TX-OU, we'll be in Dallas.  We stay in the RV area every year, it's a blast.

[troph 24028]

If your kids wanna go, you go. 

[Hawndoh 2362]

Spending spring break with the RV at Guadalupe River State Park. First time visiting this one and it's real nice.

I don't know how recently they renovated but this has the best shower house/toilets in any Texas state park I've ever seen. Sites are nice and big as well. It's too cold to do anything in the river but it's still pretty and we've liked the hiking.

 

 

[horn4life 3749]

On 3/6/2022 at 8:03 AM, troph said:

Anyone up for a Texas OU rally down at the coast this year?  Approaching 50 years old - watching outside our 5th wheel in south Texas seems more ideal than going to Dallas.  Could be hotAF tho.

We have been going to the coast for more than 20 years now.  Weather is usually good.  I did go wade fishing once in my Texas gear in the early 2000's when the weather was shit, and we were shittier losing 63 to... maybe 13?  The 63 and the crap weather I remembered pretty well.  

The good news is that about 80 percent of the time the weather is great.  More importantly the fishing is usually very good in the surf, and a throw next will get you the live mullet you want for a solid chance at the trouts and reds while DWFing (drinking while fishing).  So likely I will be down there in some capacity or another.

[JMFP 1113]

Spring shakedown trip... Gonna be cold this weekend but if you waiting for perfect weather you'll never go... Grand Cherokee State Park; Langley OK

And the homemade heated hose

[JMFP 1113]

Snow this morning

[troph 24028]

I love snow when camping like that.  had it in CO in May 2020 it was awesome.

[CoachTex 2612]

Heading to Dinosaur Valley State park on Monday.  2022 shake down. Gotta a full slate in the coming months.  Pictures to follow. 

[CoachTex 2612]