Fuzzy_Bear
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Re: Dodge/Ram HD truck specs 2003-2019
LIKE2BUILD wrote: Grit dog wrote: You've been around this forum long enough to know that answer...or are you just seeing of there's any hungry weight cops that will bite on what your casting? Lol :S No, not fishing. It just seems on 1/2 tons the numbers usually work out pretty square. So, when folks jump on here asking “can I tow this....” we tell them to stay within the numbers and it’s solid advice. On these 2500’s Ram seems to have thrown this out the window. My comment was more of an open ponder. I know it’s more of a legal number but it really floors me the truck can handle 1.25 tons more than the badge rating. I’m certainly glad it can. I’ve hauled maxed out on everything a few times and it’s pulled just fine and I never felt over matched by the trailer. I can’t say I want to do that routinely, but the beast has the chassis and grunt to handle right up to all the ratings. This was a big lesson for me moving from Washington State to Massachusetts. I had a 2008 3500 DRW with a 5K slide in camper. In Washington the truck was registered for 13K and the camper had to be registered too. Massachusetts considered the camper cargo so no need to register it. The truck however had to be registered commercial because the GVWR was over 10100# and had dual wheels. This also required commercial insurance! We moved to a travel trailer so no more need for the dually and commercial registration and insurance. Sold the dually and now have a 2500. The GVWR at 10K lets me register it as a passenger vehicle (yeah, got my veteran plates again!) and no longer have commercial insurance. Registration is good for 2 years versus every year for a commercial vehicle. And I save the hour of labor on inspections. So my take is that the manufacturers keep the GVWR at 10K to make their truck more marketable in these areas. Doug804Views0likes0CommentsRe: Towing: I may have a problem...
Have to ask, has the fluid and filters ever been changed? Yes, pulling the stick and looking at and smelling the fluid is a quick check, but I think it needed to go further. Dropping the pan will provide a lot more insight. Plus if it has been some time since the fluid and filters were changed it might be best to have it all fresh and new. Doug531Views0likes0CommentsRe: Toll roads
With the discount of the NY EZPass I would say that might be the best. I-90 all the way across the state will be a pretty big toll with the overheight and towed vehicle. Crossing NY from west to east you can avoid the I-90 tolls and take HWY 20. Takes a little longer but the route is way more enjoyable. Massachusetts has all electronic tolling now. EZPass is the best way. New Hampshire charges a bit more for out of state EZPass users. Enjoy the trip! Doug887Views0likes0CommentsRe: Loading TC with a Dually challenging?
Kayteg1 wrote: That is how I ended with few scratches inside my bed. I tried to keep it clean, but it is not working too well regardless factory mat. All the systems will help to some degree, but what makes me wonder why in those years no manufacturer developed really working system. I've been doing fine observing just mirrors, but my senses are getting dull with age, so I might work on it sometime. I think laser on driver side mirror and reference points added to the side of camper along the main floor would be bulletproof. At least for drivers who have good eyes. Yup. I have so little room between the wheel wells that distance from the jacks is of no concern. Centered and straight I have no issues. Now if the truck bed were square. Doug564Views0likes0CommentsRe: Lancer Camper. Inc Sold Out
My hope is that the quality of their trailers starts showing up here on the east coast. We are approaching the time of moving from a camper to a trailer. We have looked at the Lance trailers for several years and the lessons they learned with truck campers seems to have made it into their trailer line. Good solid trailers. Most of what we have seen here in the northeast has had nowhere near the quality. Limited supply and added transportation costs make it a bit harder to find a good deal. A second manufacturing location in the east or central part of the country would be nice. But I look back at what happened with Arctic Fox when they opened a facility in the east. Didn't work out so well for them. But if REV takes lessons from Lance, perhaps their bottom line will improve. Doug687Views0likes0CommentsRe: First time TC owners, questions before we buy!
Not much additional advice about which brand or model. I started with a 2001 AF 990. It had wood framing and the front window. It sat outside all the time and eventually had moisture issues. Took it to the factory and had the outside walls replaced. Now we have a 2007 Lance 1191. My main reason for this one was I needed a side entry camper. We have two big dogs, the smaller a 100 lbs St Bernard, the larger a 248 lbs English Mastiff. Trying to coax, push, shove or lift him up the rear entry was a lot of work. The side entry works better for all of us. My main point though is your plan to store the camper at home. We did that at our old house. We had plenty of room and a good spot in our gravel/mud driveway. Mud because Western Washington is wet most of the year. My biggest complaint about that though was not having a long level spot. Level is important for both loading and unloading. There was more room between the basement and the wheel wells on the Arctic Fox than our Lance. The Lance is very tight and if I was not pretty level and straight it took a bit more effort. Important too when you pull out from underneath, all of that 8ft bed has to get clear before you can turn. Nudging that 5000 lbs of camper high up on the jacks can get scary. We now store it at a lot on pavement. A bit easier with it on firm level ground. Doug548Views0likes0CommentsRe: 16 days till we hit the road!!!
GeoBoy wrote: gbopp wrote: MP soldier wrote: The kids are excited that I'm springing for unlimited data on their phones for the trip! They'll never look out the window and see snything if they have unlimited data. :B Enjoy your trip, it will be a great memory for everyone. I have to agree, life is just going to pass them by, while looking at a phone/electronic device. Too bad, because there is a lot to see and we are not here long enough to see but a little piece of it. Have fun, together. In this case it is a good thing that there isn't coverage everywhere. In some of the more remote areas they won't have coverage and will be able to see some of the most memorable sights on their adventure. Or maybe put limits on their service? Doug178Views0likes0CommentsRe: Cape Cod Suggestions
jplante4 wrote: mdcamping wrote: Beer Belly wrote: as far as Atlantic Oaks (been there too) making a left out of that place is dicey at best, yup, got to love those MA drivers! ;) Mike Yeah, except in the summer on Cape Cod, most of them are from CT (a.k.a. Newyorkachusetts). :):E:M Only my second summer here and I learned it real quick. Really tests my patience dealing with it. But it is the Cape and I wouldn't trade living here. Doug446Views0likes0CommentsRe: Cape Cod
NY RVer wrote: jplante4, that's not exactly what I wanted to hear, lol, especially since that is what I am trying to avoid! Is it better to go central cape and be in the middle of everything or stay by bridge? Probably is 6 one way, half dozen another; fighting traffic to get to where you want to go during stay, or fight traffic on way out, correct? I would say it depends on what you are going to do while here. If you're exploring the Cape go further to the middle. I think there is much more nearby than having to travel 25 or more miles to get to some of the cool places further east. This only my second summer here as a resident so I haven't had a lot of experience. I also work from home so I am not out and about every day. But one thing I can say with certainty, I seems so many folks check their brain at the bridge. They drive like they're the only one on the road, no concern for anyone behind or around them. Gets frustrating but I am finding my ways around the likely places they are. Doug372Views0likes0CommentsRe: I-90 alternative thru New York
Hwy 20 is my preferred route when I have the time. But I am going back and forth from MA. I just love the scenery and towns and not having to pay the toll. I would second the Hwy 3 and 104 route though for coming from Vermont. That too has some great scenery and it a pleasure to drive. Doug914Views0likes0Comments
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