2019 Cross country RV trip planning

[chineselady00]

Hello, everyone.

This is Lily & Richard. We are new to RV life. Just retired, got a 2014 Crossroad Sunset 5th wheel RV & 2010 Ford F-150 4X4 Supercab XLT 514L V8. Planning our 2019 cross country RV trip now. Hope to hear more suggestion from your guys - experienced RVers. Thanks in advance.

If some experience RVers wants to join our trip or part of our trip, share the cost with us, feel free to contact, please!

2019.5.15 - 6.3 Moncton, NB & Halifax, NS?may need longer, 17 days at least?
Kouchibouguac National Park & Hope Well & Fundy National Park(101km/1h+81km/1.5hx2)
Shediac, Bouctouche, Richibucto, Miramichi,
Truro, Peggy’s cove, Sydney(170/km/2h+301km/3.5h)
2019.6.3 - 6.10 Cape Breton?134km/2h?
2019.6.10 -7.10 Newfoundland
Gros Morne, Deer Lake, Grand Fall, Twillinggate, Argentia(300km/3h+242km/2.5h+150km/2h+
400km/4.5h )
2019.7.10-7.17 PEI(261km/3h+51km/1h)

https://www.trailingaway.com/atlantic-canada-rv-road-trip/amp/

2019.7.17-7.19 Moncton catch up or Fredricton (340km/4h)
2019.7.19-7.25 Maine (1mile=1.61km)
Ellsworth, Acadia National Park, Brunswick(271km/3.3h+203km/2h+228km/2.5h)
87 MT. Desert Island & 86 Maine coast
2019.7.25-31 Boston, New York (346km/4.5h)
2019.7.31-8.2 Hurley, NY (165km/2h)
58 Wisconsin North Woods & 57 North Shore Drive
2019.8.2-8.16 Syracuse, NY then Hamilton, ON (317km/3h+355km/3.5h)
2019.8.16-8.26 Detroit, Mackinaw city, Marinette,ME, Minneapolis, MN, Sioux Falls, Rapid city, SD, Sheridan, WY (308km/3.5h+465km/4h+329km/4h+500km/5h+382km/4h+559km/5h+395km
/3.5h+395km/5h)
62 Lake Michigan Tour & 63 Scenic Sunrise Shore
2019.8.26-9.2 Yellowstone National Park
2019.9.2-9.11 Deer Lodge/Missoula, Spokane, Settle, Port Angeles, Victoria, Vancouver
(505km/5.5h+319km/3h+450km/4.3h+132km/2.5h+Ferry25m+2h+50km/1h)
5 Olympic Loop

RV TOWLING 9286 km, 25L/100km, 2321.5LX$1.49=3460
truck drive 50km x 30days x 4=6000km, 15L/100km, 900L x $1.49=1341

[laknox]

hornet28 wrote:
Lyle, have you checked to see if they there's a brake setup that would bolt on instead of changing axle out?

Easier to just change out the whole axle, then sell the old one. 🙂

Lyle

[BarabooBob]

LAKNOX had great advise. If you don't have a tach in the truck, get one installed. I travelled the country including every major pass in the northern Rockies with a Toyota RV. 22Re engine and auto with a 6000 pound traveling weight. We made every pass but I had to treat the RV like it had a manual tranny. Keep your rpm's up. You may be going slower but you will be driving safer and it is easier on the truck.

Another RULE to live by: Go down every grade in one lower than you used to go up. Use the engine correctly and it will treat you well. Abuse the engine and expect to burn something up. If you don't know what using the engine correctly means, maybe you should take a cruise or tour bus.

[sgfrye]

hate to be repetitive on this topic but i own a 2000 f150 5.4 with factory tow package and a 2017 f250 6.2 gasser. our TT cat scaled weighed ready to camp is approx 7500 lbs. i towed the TT with old bessie for about 3 months on 3 to 4 hour trips with no major problems but bought the f250 because we were planning on longer trips. last one was this sept 1875 total miles in 8 days in the north east. i would not have went on that trip with old bessie.

[hornet28]

Lyle, have you checked to see if they there's a brake setup that would bolt on instead of changing axle out?

[laknox]

hornet28 wrote:

obgraham wrote:
Indee, downhill brake usage is matter of brain power, not vehicle power.

On our return to Arizona this week, I was behind a guy in a pretty old Suzuki Sidekick. (Very amall SUV, for those wondering). He evidently rode his brakes the whole descent on AZ87, because smoke was pouring out of both rear wheels. Surprised he was able to stop at all.

Seen that more than once running east on 89A from Prescott to Cottonwood

Our kids got a small popup (Fleetwood Roanoke) and I really hammered into the s-i-l to use his gears when towing. He's got a '10 Tacoma TRD, so it does tow OK, but when he's loaded up, I didn't want him to have =any= issues, especially with the babies on board. Even though it's well below the GVW for mandatory brakes, I considered paying for an axle swap and controller install.

Lyle

[hornet28]

obgraham wrote:
Indee, downhill brake usage is matter of brain power, not vehicle power.

On our return to Arizona this week, I was behind a guy in a pretty old Suzuki Sidekick. (Very amall SUV, for those wondering). He evidently rode his brakes the whole descent on AZ87, because smoke was pouring out of both rear wheels. Surprised he was able to stop at all.

Seen that more than once running east on 89A from Prescott to Cottonwood

[temccarthy1]

Road Phantom wrote:
Start removing as much weight as possible, especially from the truck, anything not necessary for the trip. Don't fill water tank in between CG. or only leave enough to wash up. Be honest with yourselves when dumping unneeded weight, like clothes, canned goods, etc.
Here's a link to routing your trip. Copy and paste in your browser.

https://www.flattestroute.com/

Surprisingly, buying less of a truck with a smaller engine doesn't save gas. Your truck will work harder and therefore suck up more gas than normal. Your brakes will be compromised, so keep plenty of space between cars (four second rule, maybe six or seven in your case) to make up the added stopping distance. Have your brakes and truck bearings checked often. They can burn out from the added weight they are carrying and not designed for. Another weak link are the truck tires which are not designed to carry the extra weight over and above factory recommendations.

X2-- BEST advice I have seen yet! also, MAKE SURE you bypass all the big cities you are going near by taking the I495 or I295 loop interstates that are available in many cities to GO AROUND them rather than right through the middle with it's huge congestion and too many lane changes. Purchase a NEW Road atlas to better plan the trip, buy a good RV 7"GPS for your dash from Amazon ( Garmin 750) that is specifically designed for RV's with gas stops, restaurants you can actually get into, and trailer height or propane gas restrictions built in. . Lots of planning and reservation making ahead for you. It is a lot of work but well worth it if you want a smooth, enjoyable trip. Don't try to wing it as far as overnights and forget trying to overnight at a WALMART or TRUCK STOP. neither are pleasant and can actually be big pain! Limit your travel miles to 200-300 max a day. Any more and you will be exhausted and arrive after dark which is no fun to set up in. Stay in as many State ( provincial in Ca.) parks as you can. Much nicer, bigger sites, and more private sites as well as half the price of private campgrounds. You can reserve most on line and they even have photos of each site so you can find a nice private one with the type of hookups you need. Don't worry if only electric and water. sewer hookup not needed as all have dump stations. GOOD LUCK!

[Road_Phantom]

Start removing as much weight as possible, especially from the truck, anything not necessary for the trip. Don't fill water tank in between CG. or only leave enough to wash up. Be honest with yourselves when dumping unneeded weight, like clothes, canned goods, etc.
Here's a link to routing your trip. Copy and paste in your browser.

https://www.flattestroute.com/

Surprisingly, buying less of a truck with a smaller engine doesn't save gas. Your truck will work harder and therefore suck up more gas than normal. Your brakes will be compromised, so keep plenty of space between cars (four second rule, maybe six or seven in your case) to make up the added stopping distance. Have your brakes and truck bearings checked often. They can burn out from the added weight they are carrying and not designed for. Another weak link are the truck tires which are not designed to carry the extra weight over and above factory recommendations.

[obgraham]

Indee, downhill brake usage is matter of brain power, not vehicle power.

On our return to Arizona this week, I was behind a guy in a pretty old Suzuki Sidekick. (Very amall SUV, for those wondering). He evidently rode his brakes the whole descent on AZ87, because smoke was pouring out of both rear wheels. Surprised he was able to stop at all.

[laknox]

chineselady00 wrote:
Hi, Lyle

Thanks. So we are in the same camp “ not enough truck “ 🙂 We struggled before we bought it and asked lots of people at that time. But so far, I think it met our expectation, don’t regret my decision.

Well, since you're locked in to the 150, then I'll pass on a couple tips for a gasser. First, on uphill grades, don't be afraid to rev it up. Most v-8 gas engines make their max horsepower at 4,000-5,000 rpm; USE it. When you get on a grade, don't worry about speed, but drive by RPM. Find the speed and gear at which your truck will hold that RPM without you having to floor it. You'll notice that the engine will stop either trying to lug or you have to mash your foot to the floor to keep it there. Just back off, manually select that gear and just hold the RPM steady until the grade changes. You'll also get slightly better mileage, as a bonus. Second, on downhills, start out SLOWLY (within reason) and try and let the engine help with braking as much as possible, by manually downshifting. When that's not enough, then stab the brakes pretty hard to slow down to well below your "target speed", then let it coast on the engine, while your brakes cool off. Never, EVER, just ride your brakes or you'll get into serious trouble. If you ever feel that you're not braking enough, stop and let things cool off for a while. Better safe than sorry! E-blinkers are appropriate in both cases, just like the semis do.

Lyle

[chineselady00]

Hi, Lyle

Thanks. So we are in the same camp “ not enough truck “ 🙂 We struggled before we bought it and asked lots of people at that time. But so far, I think it met our expectation, don’t regret my decision.

[chineselady00]

RickLIght wrote:
https://www.flattestroute.com

Lets you plan and see just how bad it might be. It seems built mostly for bicyclists!

Thanks. For some reason, I can’t use that site? But thanks anyway.

[chineselady00]

obgraham wrote:
OP, I think you should change your approach to RV planning. Don't look at the cities and urban areas as a goal for any of your driving, but rather as an obstruction. With an RV you want to be out in the countryside, looking for scenic views, nice roads, and offbeat things to see.

An RV is not designed to visit Toronto, Detroit, Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles, although you might have to pass through them to get where you are going.

And don't obsess about the mountains. I won't comment on whether your truck is the right one or not, but most all RV's will handle the normal grades across the US and Canada, even if you have to slow down and use up fuel like it was free.

We've done both countries side to side and top to bottom, and never gotten stuck on a mountain grade. (Well, there were one or two where I had to pull over and cool her down a bit!)

Thanks a lot. Yes, not going inside the big cities. Thanks for encouraging us! Any must visit in your mind after you have done both countries?

[obgraham]

OP, I think you should change your approach to RV planning. Don't look at the cities and urban areas as a goal for any of your driving, but rather as an obstruction. With an RV you want to be out in the countryside, looking for scenic views, nice roads, and offbeat things to see.

An RV is not designed to visit Toronto, Detroit, Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles, although you might have to pass through them to get where you are going.

And don't obsess about the mountains. I won't comment on whether your truck is the right one or not, but most all RV's will handle the normal grades across the US and Canada, even if you have to slow down and use up fuel like it was free.

We've done both countries side to side and top to bottom, and never gotten stuck on a mountain grade. (Well, there were one or two where I had to pull over and cool her down a bit!)

[RickLight]

https://www.flattestroute.com

Lets you plan and see just how bad it might be. It seems built mostly for bicyclists!