Rancher_Will
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Re: Def fluid
I own a small trucking company, two cattle ranches and I pull our Montana 5thWheel with a diesel RAM truck. On average I pay for over 150 gallons of DEF per week. I learned that I save over $2.00 per 2-1/2 gallon jug by my employees buying at WalMart rather than at truck stops and other sources. We have had no problem with WalMart DEF in the Blue jugs plus it is cheaper than even bulk supply.495Views0likes0CommentsRe: Why did you choose a 5th wheel
55 years ago we bought our first 5th Wheel RV for the reason that I owned Gooseneck and bumper pull ranch trailers. The gooseneck trailers were always the safest and easiest to handle and pull with a load. We did check out Class A RVs each time we upgraded but both my wife and I always agreed to buy another 5th Wheel for various reasons. We have our 5th RV now, a Montana. We have used our RVs every month of the years, usually at least two trips per month. The total cost of a 5th Wheel, initial and regular maintenance, license and insurance, etc., is much less than the Motor Coach. We also like the floor plans of the 5th Wheels that we have had and have better than any motor coach we have seen. I own both SRW and DRW trucks on our ranches and over the years have learned to use DRW trucks to pull all of our trailers, RVs and Ranch Trailers. We live in the Colorado Mountains and travel in all Western States so we have learned that 350's, 3500's dualies have much better traction, more stability, and better braking than lighter SRW trucks, even 250's or 2500's when pulling any trailer. 2500's have the same power as 3500's but we long ago learned to prefer dualies under most conditions. Although everyone has their opinion, I have never had any problem driving a dually, with or without any trailer, in or out of towns. Of course, with a 5th Wheel RV there is no need for having to pull and mess with a toad since we always have the RAM PU use anytime the RV is parked. Plus the hitching and unhitching of a 5th wheeler is a snap compared to hitching and unhitching a Toad.659Views0likes0CommentsRe: Pulling A Fifth Wheel vs. Bumper Pull
We have had only 5th Wheel RVs for over 50 years. So I have no real actual experience with others. However, over the years, while on our trips I often visit with the drivers who work full time towing all models of RVs from the factories to dealers. Some of these drivers have pulled hundreds of RV's. When the subject has come up in our visits, every one has said that they prefer to pull 5th Wheels rather than TT's since the 5th Wheel RVs pull better.472Views0likes0CommentsRe: Gas station pet peeves
Modern technology has made modern diesel as clean or even cleaner burning than gas in many angines. This is especially true for any gas engine that is burning gas with ethanol. The laws of physics have not been repealed. When ethanol is added to gasoline, as is required in some states, the result is that more gasoline is burned in that engine per mile driven along with the ethanol burned. Burning more gasoline results in more emissions per mile no matter how much ethanol is burned along with the gas. Burning the ethanol also results in more emissions from the ethanol also. Ethanol produces less energy per volume than gasoline so when added to gasoline more total volume of the mixture of gas and ethanol is required to produce measured energy. Modern diesel engines have been improved to be cleaner fuel burning that even most gas cars today. Our newer diesel tractors and trucks now require the addition of DEF to the exhaust system. After the DEF law was passed, Cummins engines were able to have an exemption for a few years since DEF actually has no effect on the combustion of diesel fuel in an engine. Adding DEF to the exhaust system of any diesel engine actually has no reduction of any exhaust of burning diesel. DEF added to the exhaust of a diesel engine does increase pollution, adding Nitrous Oxide to the atmosphere that we breath.385Views0likes0CommentsRe: Gas station pet peeves
I believe this is a tempest in a teapot. It works both ways. I have diesel trucks and gas trucks and gas cars. Many times I find a car fueling with gas blocking the diesel pump for a few minutes. I also often find a diesel unit blocking the gas pump for, usually, much longer. It does not upset me since I have often been on both sides. Many times it is because of the arrangement of the pumps, how busy the station is at that moment, and often because of convenience for each customer. I also believe that very few, if any, people block a pump deliberately. Usually the customer fueling with gas, especially a woman, has no idea that even diesel is different than any other fuel pump. Anyone that gets upset about this would probably complain if a brand new rope was used to hang them.386Views0likes0CommentsRe: Fuel Discounts - The Flying J Question
We travel at least two or more trips per month with our 5th Wheel RV pulled by one of our Diesel RAM Trucks. Always, when possible we refuel at Flying J or Pilot, usually Flying J. The Flying J stops have a designated RV fuel pump islands that are handy to get into and out of. Since we have had a Lifetime Good Sam membership for decades and we also have a Pilot-Flying J Plus Card.Using that card at the pumps we always get an 8 cents per gallon discount, priced 8 cents below the cash price that is often even much lower than the normal credit posted price. Our normal fuel usage for our monthly business and pleasure trips easily totals close to 300 gallons of diesel, sometimes more, so 8 cents per gallon saving adds up over the year. When there is no Flying J or Pilot available where we fuel up, I use our American Express card that gives us always a discount for every purchase.292Views0likes0CommentsRe: Travel trailer "vs" fith wheel --MPG to tow
We have always owned and pulled 5th Wheel RVS. However, over the years, usually at truck stops, I make a point of visiting with any commercial drivers who deliver RV's to dealers from the factories. Those drivers tow hundreds of all types of RV's and are very willing to give their impressions, advice and experiences. There have been times when we visited about MPG towing various RV's. My experience over the years is that most of the commercial drivers believe that there is little difference in MPG between pulling 5th Wheel RV's compared to TT RV's. However, most have told me that when comparing the two of approximately equal size the 5th Wheel RV permits a little better MPG, perhaps one to three MPG compared to a TT of the same size. They also say that the shape of the front of the RV affects the MPG on any RV that they pull. Some have said that the smaller TT RVs usually have a flat front and even those smaller ones require more fuel per mile than most 5th Wheel RV's that have a more rounded front.1.4KViews0likes0CommentsRe: Sleeping Overnight at Flying J's
Everyone to their own taste,said the Cow, as she licked her tail. For over 55 years we have stayed in our RV's in Truck Stops, Rest Areas, shopping centers, Wal-Mart, employee parking lots, private, commercial, Corps of Engineers, State, County and City Park camp grounds, etc. We have always used our generator(s) when we had a generator and when we needed it. That's what the Generator is for. I can't remember ever, even once, when we had a problem with noise, with our without the generator running. Yes, trucks run their Reefer Engines, truck engines, and APU's at truck stops and rest areas. Railroads run trains past many Campgrounds. Highways have vehicles running past Rest areas. Camp Grounds have rigs entering and leaving. All make noise. Long ago we must have learned to sleep through it all.357Views0likes0CommentsRe: Dumping Waste in Septics
We have always dumped our RV tanks in our Septic System on our home Ranch since I bought the Ranch in 1960. I do put RID-X in our home septic system every month but nothing in the RV holding tanks except a little laundry detergent, about a table spoon full in each tank, when we start on each trip. I can't prove that the laundry detergent helps but we seem to always have easy rinsing of the tanks when we dump them. We have never had any problem with our septic system either.1KViews0likes0Comments
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