anthonyca
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Re: New Gears and Lockers
msiminoff wrote: 2 MPG better ? VERY IMPRESSIVE ! Yeah, I'm totally blown away by this! I expected expected worse MPG unloaded and about the same (or a smudge better) with the TC on. It's a really nice bonus for sure. ARB locker are kind of expensive, especially with the compressor. Did you look into E-lockers? I looked at all of the available options before deciding on ARB. In second place was the combination of TruTrac in the rear and E-Locker up front. I already had onboard air and I wanted to have a bulletproof driveline that had excellent street manners (99.9% of my driving) and was a spool when I need it to be. I felt like I needed to re-gear, and at that point the brand of locking diff I selected really didn't change the total cost all that much. I'm pretty good mechanically but when it comes to setting preload and coast and load on the ring gear, I leave that up to a good, reputable shop. Takes skill I don't have to set it correctly. I also do all of my own wrenching, but I let the nice guys at Rearend Specialties install the gears for me. Their shop does one thing and they do it very well. There's zero gear noise at all and when I pulled the cover off to do the fluid change the wear marks are full depth and dead-center on the ring gear. No point in turning over the output shafts and universals when I don't require it... I have manual hubs too, so none of the front drivetrain is spinning when it isn't needed. Hard surfaces and a locker (especially with a loaded truck) can find the weak point in the driveline real fast, usually a universal joint but sometimes a drive hub or wheel output shaft. Can't imagine any time when I'd lock either diff' on a hard, dry surface. I'd say there's a pretty good chance that I'll never actually need to lock the front one off-road... it's just insurance. Still carry my Lewis winch. Sometimes, locked diff's don't cut it. Ya, I carry a MorePower puller for exactly that reason. How did you calculate mpg? Did you recalculate odometer difference from real distance? Um, I divided the number of miles driven by the amount of fuel I put into the tank... I've counted ever gallon of fuel I've put into the truck since the day I bought it. Yes, my speedo has been re-calibratedand matches my GPS within ΒΌ MPH. I don't want an air locker in the back, tire wear becomes an issue... Tire wear? With an open diff? Cheers, -Mark There is a shop I haven't heard of or thought of for years. They used to build the rear ends for all my friends cars.704Views0likes0CommentsRe: CA form 4008
Reddog1 wrote: If you have commercial plates on your truck it is not likely you would be pulled over with cargo. If you had non commercial plates on your truck and had cargo in the back you probably would be cited. The numbers and letters are arranged very differently. I am referring to California. Years ago my dad had truck with a camper shell on the back. The truck had non commercial plates. He used the truck with camper shell for his work tools. He loaned the truck to a friend. The friend took the shell off, and had a wheel borrow in the back. He was stopped by a policeman and given a citation for using a non commercial vehicle for commercial use. On occasion you will see a CHP pickup on the road. He is the one most likely to check your weight status. I have had that experience. Did the CHP weigh you on the side of the road or make you go to a scale? Did they go by the declared weight or the GVWR? What happened? If this thread is the wrong place to ask, please PM me. As we all know, the older 2500 and even 3500 4WD diesels had a laughable GVWR almost any camper puts them well over. This is the main reason I haven't purchased a camper for my 1997 2500 Dodge.340Views0likes0CommentsRe: Truck camper, towing a boat and payloads
KD4UPL wrote: A 1500 is certainly the wrong truck for a TC, let alone one towing a boat. Been there, done that. If you're going to a 2500 you might as well get a 3500 SRW. It's no bigger, not really any more expensive, but generally gains several hundred pounds to 1,500 pounds in the payload department. Weight adds up fast. When you add people, pets, water, propane, gear, fuel, camper, tongue weight, truck accessories, fire wood, etc. you'll be glad for a 3500. My truck camper and boat in tow put me 1,600 pounds over the GVWR of my dually. I agree. I have an older 3/4 ton and the GVRW is a joke. The next generation after mine is so heavy that the 8800lb GVRW doesn't leave much payload. If you get a diesel, almost all 3/4 tons are useless if you want to stay under the GVWR with a full load and camper. Just get the one ton if buying new. Since you were set on a 1/2 ton, I'm assuming you want a gas truck. That will be lighter but either way get the largest payload possible if you don't want to go over the GVRW.258Views0likes0Comments- 340Views0likes0Comments
Re: Upgrading from popup to 80RB
I am also interested in this camper for its small size and light weight. Of course with that are the trade offs, the main one for me being the small tank sizes. Does anyone know if it is available with a cassette or composting toilet? I could carry some extra water in the truck and camper and the cassette toilet would alleviate the small black tank. OP, what makes you want to get away from the pop up? I love the idea of a pop up but can't stand the soft sidewalls for noise and the conspicuousness when trying to stealth camp to catch some z's on a trip.447Views0likes0Comments
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Prefer to camp in a travel trailer? You're not alone.Jan 13, 202544,029 Posts
