pbar34
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Re: Is a slider hitch worth the extra money?
I have a slider for the last 11 years with SB Chevy 2500HD and have not used it once. In my driveway, I have to load and park the 5th wheel at near 90 deg angle and have to be very attentive. It will take out my back window if I'm not careful but I'm careful. I have the Reese manual slider and it is a pain to use. For mine, you effectively have to drop the legs to remove some weight from the hitch when at extreme angle (when you realize you may need the slider). I've experimented with backing into my driveway with the slider extended and the trailer definitely responds quicker to the maneuvering, which can be helpful in tight spots. I like the idea of the auto sliders but for their price, I've elected to just get really good at being attentive while backing my rig. Phil496Views0likes0CommentsRe: Breaking wheel studs
Wind Surfer wrote: Thanks for the responses. Actually aluminum wheels require a higher torque level than steel wheels. I think at this point I need to check the wrench. Wheels have not been removed for some time (for new tires over a year ago) and I watched them use a torque wrench. I am curious your source regarding Al wheels requiring more torque than steel? I have heard this before but the sources I've checked in the past, in addition to a lot of stories regarding cracked alloy rims due to over torque, has always led me to believe that Al rims will usually have a lower or equal torque to steel but not higher. Below is one source that I trust. Take a look at the table on this and compare the steel vs. Al wheels. If you have another source, please share since it is good to debunk any myths in this area (especially if you've ever lost a wheel at 60 MPH…). http://www.etrailer.com/question-75604.html Phil334Views0likes0CommentsRe: Breaking wheel studs
One other thought to consider is that if you have aluminum rims, 120 ft/lbs may be too high. The aluminum will creep if overtightened and you will loose torque. I've observed that many aluminum rims have a lower torque setting than the steel rim equivalent. What is strange is that in my experience, most of the other lug nuts would have to lose torque for to cause a loose wheel to stress and begin breaking lug nuts but you're reporting that none of them are loose. I'd wager you have a grossly out of calibration torque wrench and are over torquing the lug bolts (?). I found that my torque wrench was almost 30% out of calibration (too low). Harbor Freight sells what we used to call a "torque watch." You can put one end in a vice and your torque wrench on the other end and verify if your wrench is in calibration. You can also use the torque watch to put on the end of a non-torque ratchet and torque your wheels that way. Very helpful tool. Here's a link for the tool: http://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-drive-digital-torque-adapter-68283.html After losing a wheel on the interstate, I'm paranoid about this subject. If you think you've stressed the other lug bolts, you may want to consider pounding out all the old ones and starting with new bolts, properly torqued. Good luck, Phil335Views0likes0CommentsRe: Good and bad about Cougar Fifth Wheels
Anyone who calls this an entry level trailer has never had an entry level trailer... LOL Depends who you talk to but the Cougars are generally mid level in my experience. That looks like a great model. We've been happy with ours for 10 years now. Nice tour of the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxIFjW75MAU Phil687Views0likes0CommentsRe: Front gel cap
rockintom wrote: Not trying to rain on your parade cause the shine does comeback and looks nice. But when gelcoat/fiberglass get oxidized it become very porous and it doesn't stay protected (wax not staying on) very long and in short order the wax is gone and the whole process starts all over. My point is you have to keep the wax on it to retain the shine. Like once a month depending on the elements. Just my experience. rockin' He's right but it is manageable if you keep up on the cleaning/polishing and waxing. I've taken several oxidized gelcoat finishes and got them back to a shining luster. They will fade back more quickly due to the previous oxidation/porous surface but it's not that bad. If you're ambitious, a 1000 grit wet sandpaper, followed by 1500 (wet) then a compound/polish and wax will keep it looking great for years - if you keep up on the cleaning and waxing. Good luck, Phil351Views0likes0CommentsRe: Sudden stink!
We had a similar problem with sewer smell and I thought it was water in the trap but it ended up being an intermittent air valve that is on both the sink drains. I didn't even know we had these air valves. They are spring loaded valves that allow air to drawn in under vacuum (when water is going down the drain) and the plastic flap or spring ages and it no longer seals properly, allowing the tank gasses into the RV. Yes, these gases permeate down into the storage areas and below the RV. I was searching for a crack since the stench was strong in the basement and underneath the RV. Replaced the valves and it fixed the problem for good. Keep this in mind if the stench comes back. Ours would happen intermittently. Here's a good write up: http://www.adventure.1tree.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=133&Itemid=266 Phil518Views0likes0CommentsRe: Duravis R250 or M895?
I was typing my reply to Mark before I read your suggestion below. I'm running 80 psi now but will experiment with a lower pressure for kicks. I also tow a 21' boat behind my trailer. Same set up for the last 10 years and I hit the scales every year for confirmation that my wife didn't pack too much. My weights are always within 300 lbs of each other. Since I've added 2"x2"x1/8" square tube cross members to the three spring hangers and reinforced the hangers (doubled their thickness), and reinforced the hangers to frame connections, I am confident that frame or hanger flex is not my problem. Okay back to the OP's question... Phil P Kennedy wrote: I don't know unless the axles and suspension are flexing more but I can't see the tires doing. My trailer has 6k axles and I am usually pretty consistent at 11600/11800 which puts me on the upper limit as well as the tires at 3042 lbs per tire. What I can tell you is the 1st trip with this pig was bringing it home on the stock GY Marathons it towed like a drunken rock. I was talking to the tire guy I dealt with for years on my class 8 trucks and suggested the R250 as I used to run a similar tire on the steering and trailers. Now I can tell you the trailer tows better behind my dually better than it ever did behind the pickup. It may be the air pressure you have them set at but it sounds like you are a lot lighter than a lot of us. Truck 10,600 + trailer 14,200 + 4700 boat behind and we are getting right up there but tows good and straight which you can see by watching the 2nd trailer. My suggestion would be adjust tire pressures to see if it makes a difference.251Views0likes0CommentsRe: Duravis R250 or M895?
I tend to agree with you that the 2" is not a significant contributor to the sway I'm experiencing on my maiden (1,200 mile) voyage with the new wheels and tires. I've checked bearing pre load, hangers, frame, king pin and associated structure and all check out fine. I've towed this same rig for 10 years now and even to the same destination/roads as this last trip, where I've experienced the sway problem. One of the areas I want to investigate further, under the premise that the sidewalls are less stiff than a ST Load E, 10 ply tire, is weight distribution. My axles are almost maxed out. They are 4,400 lb axles and on the scales, I am at 8,300 on the 5ver axles (same as its been over the last 10 years). I am wondering if those who are reporting great success with the Duravis R250 have more margin than I do and therefore, don't stress the sidewall strength as much (?). Pure speculative thinking at this point. Phil P Kennedy wrote: The Bridgestone R series tire has been through several updates a premium commercial truck steering and trailer tire with a closed outside rib, rim protection bead and more square tread to sidewall profile due to a stiffer sidewall. I cannot without towing your trailer see why you would have more squirm in the tires but it does not do it on mine. 2" higher in a trailer despite rumors here does not create a detrimental high center of gravity causing sway 12" maybe. The majority of your trailer weight is no higher than 5' off the ground with the exception of the structure itself and is deceiving by looking at the profile from the front. Like Me Again mine rides like it is on rails and my truck is air ride so until the bag on the outward side of the curve is filled to match the difference it leans. Partially filled water and sewage tanks will cause weight to transfer to the outside in a curve. This can also cause minor sway on rutted roads where the narrow light truck front tracking is walking the edges of the ruts and the fluid sloshes. Your trailer should be in the ruts as they fairly close to the track of semi trailers your truck especially SRW are not. Wind is the biggest reason RV's sway due to the extensive surface area along the length of the unit combined with height.251Views0likes0CommentsRe: Duravis R250 or M895?
Hi Chris, I agree with most of your sentiment about ST tires and that is why I upgraded to 16" Duravis R250 tires from my 15" ST. I have been towing for a while and own several trailers (11 axles of ST tires, total), so I've seen my share of ST tire failures and have been a student on this forum and other forums of other tire failure stories. My experience is that the ST tire lamination process is unreliable for our heavy trailers. This said, your exclamatory comment to me was that I must not have compared the R250 specs to the ST tires. Since I'm talking about sidewall stiffness here, my question to you remains what data do you have, which you think I didn't compare, that shows the R250 sidewalls are stiffer than an ST, Load E, 10 ply tire? I'm not doubting but asking for the data/info since every manufacturer's website that I have visited, including for LT tires, cite the stiffer sidewalls of the ST tire, when compared to an LT or passenger tire. mrw8i - Not sure who your question or comment is directed but if it is to me, yes I do have three engineering degrees (not up to PhD just MSME) with a heavy emphasis on materials science in my engineering career. Doesn't make me a tire expert by any means! but I do understand mechanics and physics pretty well. For technical stuff, I typically do not put a lot of faith in much of what I read in a forum or on a manufacturer's website unless I can validate the info/data from other sources. Thanks, Phil251Views0likes0CommentsRe: Duravis R250 or M895?
Not sure how my observation leads to the conclusion that I did not compare tires, Chris? What exactly are you referring to with regards to the comparison of the R250 to ST? Nothing I've read leads me to believe that the Duravis R250 is going to be stiffer than a 10 ply ST tire in the area of the sidewalls. I do like the R250's fully reinforced steel casing that runs along the sidewalls and tread area of the tire but this is designed for wear and retreadability, from what I've read and not for stiffness of the sidewalls. Most of the conventional wisdom you hear from tire dealers is that ST tires do provide more sidewall stiffness than LT tires. Whether that is true or not, I will defer to the experts in this area. Without test data, I'd be hard pressed to confirm that the ST tires are firmer than LT/Duravis tires, or vice versa. I simply made an observation that I have more sway, which may be due to the added height of the trailer, or the tires, or both. You seem to have this data or knowledge (that the Duravis has more rigid sidewall than a 10 ply Load E ST tire), so please do share it here. I'd like to better understand your perspective and certainty that the tires are not the source of my sway. Thanks, Phil Me Again wrote: pbar34 wrote: I put them on my 5ver after having to lift it by two inches to accommodate the 16" wheels/tires. No issues in the rain we've traveled through but I did notice a bit more sway from the trailer. Very noticeable in cross winds. Could be the higher profile (2") of the trailer or the sidewalls of these tires are not as stiff as my old 15" ST tires... Phil Guess you did not compare the sidewalls before installing the R250's!!! If you now have sway it is something besides the R250's causing it!! Chris251Views0likes0Comments
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