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Re: The China-Bomb debate Put to rest
gmw photos wrote: lbrjet wrote: If I had 16 inch rims (or room to change to 16 inch rims) I would use LT tires. We don't all have that option. there are 14" and 15" LT tires available NOT in the load range req'd by some trailers. My 4,000lb single axle 15" wheels cannot be fitted with LT tires for that reason. The reason the Airstreams are sometimes offered with Michelins as an option is because this same ridiculous bantering at the Airstream forums led a whole crowd of voodoo believers to demand them. Airstream makes a very nice profit selling $750 (each) wheel/tire options to the afflicted. I have ST load range E Carlisles on mine because there is no load range LT tire in 15" to fit. These new Carlisle HD's are rated at 81 mph, but I'm not so foolish as to run 'em that speed.1.7KViews0likes0CommentsRe: Anyone have any updates on their Carlisle Radial Trail HD's?
I just installed Carlisle HD's on my 4,000 lbs single axle Bambi and have only run it on one short trip. They rolled just fine. However, The previous tires (Gremax load range E) dated 2012 shed the belt and lost air just as I pulled into home on the last trip, which is why I bought new tires. Discount tire warranted the Gremax. (I bought the TT used and immediately took it to Discount and bought their road hazard/balance warranty) and ran it about 5K miles on the Gremax tires. Previous miles on them estimated by prev. owner to be about 3K miles. They looked fine and were stored covered.) The praises some folks sing about LT tires are unwarranted, in my opinion because those tires will not carry the same load in 15" wheels that ST tires will carry. ST tires should be replaced every 5 yrs regardless of miles. LT and P tires should be replaced at 6 years according to Discount (not the 10 yrs quoted elsewhere.) I don't believe the average tire owner knows more about tires than a reputable tire dealer such as Discount. Anecdotal information is not helpful when compared to the much larger experience-base of a large distributor such as they. IMO. PS: I had them install metal-valve stems because of the higher/longer ratings. Rubber stems should not be on trailers, in my view.440Views0likes0CommentsRe: Homade Jack Scale
Simpler method: Use any bathroom scale and place a 2x4 block on it (cut it about 4" square). Take a 4-foot long 2x4 and place one end on that block of wood. Place the other end on a couple of 2x4 blocks on the ground. Place your tongue jack onto the long 2x4 at the mid-point. REad the bathroom scale. Multiply that reading by 2. Example: 150 lbs read on the scale would indicate your tongue jack is supporting 300 lbs. If you wish a more delicate/accurate measurement, make the block on the bathroom scale and the one at the opposite end shaped like a pyramid for more accurate placement.438Views0likes0CommentsRe: Fresh water tank back filling thru pump
Sand, grit, or calcium (from some sources of hard-water) can cause the check-valve built into the exit-side of your water pump to stick slightly open. Then when hooked up to city/camp water it will back-flow thru the open check-valve and eventually overfill your fresh water tank. First, turn the city water off at the faucet. Then turn your pump ON, then open a faucet in the lavatory or galley, etc. to allow the pump to push the debris out/thru the check valve. Operate the pump on/off/on/off a could times with the faucet open. Then with the pump flowing water close the faucet and turn OFF the pump. Open the city/camp water and observe if that hasn't cleared the problem. I've demonstrated this to several owners and it solved the problem for all but one of them. We had to disassemble the checkvalve for his pump and clean it out with vinegar, then reassembled it at it was fixed. Hope this helps.725Views0likes0CommentsRe: 3000W Chinese Gensets Info.
padgett wrote: Pep Boys can be very confused. For those that are interested, the $249 price and $20 rebate for the Eliminator 3000 with "through April 2nd" and NO limitations such as "supply on hand" is on a 8 1/2x11 "Grand ReOpening" placard with the notation in the bottom right corner of 10025-78 US. The *other* Chinese genset they were carrying, Nikota, does appear to have gone out of business but Elim ( http://www.eliminternational.com - Generator section is down the page a bit and in Red) is still around. Be that as it may, does anyone have experience with the Coleman Powermate 3750 ? Looks like all it has are two 110v outlets and it does not mention a db rating. Am also not sure how they can get a 3750 rating with a 5.5 hp motor. Have been looking a bit further into the Coleman - user's manual says: "A & B. 120 V, 20 Ampere Duplex Receptacle This duplex is split so that 20 amps of current may be drawn from each half of the receptacle. However, total power drawn must be kept within nameplate ratings." - (3000 watts continuous ?). Motor appears to be a Tecumseh OHH55 5.5 hp OHV which seems a bit small for the rating. Should this be in a different thread of "American Generators" ? Pardon if this is a bit late (I've just registered and getting around to visiting this thread)... I have a similar unit, a "Powermate ProForce" (supposedly by Coleman) and it is a model rated at 3125 max with 2500 continuous, with a 5.5 HP OHV engine, and 3 gal gas tank. It is 120 volt ONLY, with no other provision. It has only two 20A outlets, which the manual states may supply 20A each, but not to exceed the gen total capacity. I have a 2008 Airstream 22' Safari Sport with a 13.5 Carrier AC which runs just fine on this unit. It will simultaneously run the convection microwave when the wife forgets, but it struggles with that double load. I use a 30/15 adaptor at the gen to adapt to the RV cord. I feel like a cat caught with a bird-feather in his mouth since I bought it at a Pep Boys clearance sale in Dec '08 (just before the crash...they were looking ahead while I was not) for $149. It's perfect for our RV as long as only one large-amperage item is running at a time. When the wife wants to use the hairdryer we just temporarily switch the AC to fan only for a minute or two. Otherwise , this cheap little chineese unit meets our every need, fits beneath the PU tonneau cover, runs all nite with AC running her in HOT HOT TEXAS, on 2.7 gals of gas. I wake up just in time to replenish the fuel for the rest of the day. Happy Happy Joy Joy... I also have the HF 8750/7000 unit I use to backpower the ranchhouse and also to run my wire-feed MIG welder on 220v. I no longer condemn all Chinese goods... after all...they keep the American HF cashiers employed, and they're learning capitalism is better than communism... Maybe another 50 years and they'll completely wake up. (I still buy only U.S. branded big items like cars, travel-trailers, guns (NO AKs!), etc.. ) (BTW, I've noticed that lately when one examines copper-wired items from China such as jumper-cables, extension-cords, etc.,... that in fact they are ALUMINUM wire with a copper WASH coating. I have a feeling that dissimilar-metal-corrosion and heat will eventually kill these things, including generators wired with that kind of wire.)606Views0likes0Comments
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Prefer to camp in a travel trailer? You're not alone.May 10, 202544,031 Posts
