*Truck and Towing thread........ask your questions here.*

[tiggerdad]

Thanks Everyone. Things will workout and it will be okay. I feel confident I will get a job offer soon and besides I will be rolling into the Fort in two weeks so life ain't too bad. There's nothing 9 days at the Fort won't cure.

This...

 

[peg110]

I did 27 years between police and fire. Not counting my volunteer years and my time in the Army. This guy is tired and worn down. The only job I planned at this point in my life was driving a Monorail. That will have to wait if it ever happens.

Thank you for your service. As Police, as a Fire Fighter, and as a soldier.

While I still have a while to get to retirement, I can still empathize with you. I too have done Police and Army (actually I was Police in the Army) as well as Emergency Services for about 15 years (as an EMT, but that was mostly all volunteer).

I work with computers now, and while the pay is okay, I do miss being Out and about doing more physical things, but the pay just isn't there (sadly). Still and all, I'd like to make to that monorail driver too, but probably still got another 20+ years to go before I can think about it.

I hope things work out for you. My Ford F-250 is only a couple of years old, so no real issues yet, but I surely hope I don't get issues like you are describing. While I am fairly handy and could probably do a lot of the work myself, I don't really have a good location to do it, nor do I have the time.

Good luck with the Job Interview. Hopefully if you get it they will see that you should be higher up then the near entry level.

Once again, a Sincere thanks for your service (on multiple levels) to your country and community.

 

[jaredjohn4]

We made it. About 22 hours straight through from northern Illinois, raging wind, rain, mist most of the way. Got here and set up before the rain hit here too. Thanks for the info about the Flying J charge card, that made the many trips to the pump a lot easier. The wind was so strong in southern Illinois in one point we ran about thirty miles in fifth gear. Surprising, 1200 miles and 10.5 mpg. But the def! I topped off before we left Illinois. Usually been adding every few months. At 900 miles the warning light came on. Working that big engine was hard on defy. I'm at about 1/3 left, and am going to buy three boxes to try to get home. I have a Jeep Cherokee with the small diesel and love it. 10,000 miles between def refills, not 900 like this trip. The new truck and camper were a good team together. Might look into a bigger fuel tank though just to be safe and bring def with.

Nov 1975 FW 500 Loop 3 Nights.......Jun 1977 Off-Property 5 Nights.....Jul 1993 Off-Property 7 Nights
Jul 1995 Dixie Landings 7 Nights.......Jul 2003 FW 1400 Loop 7 Nights.....Jun 2006 DL Off-property 7 Nights
Jul 2006 FW 900 Loop 12 Nights.......Jul 2009 FW 1300 Loop 14 Nights....Mar 2010 DL Paradise Pier 8 Nights
Mar 2011 FW 1300 Loop 11 Nights....Mar 2013 FW 1300 Loop 10 Nights.....Mar 2014 FW 1300 Loop 12 Nights
Mar 2015 FW 1300 Loop 9 Nights

***2008 Chevy Express Conversion Van / 2007 Coleman Bayside***
Upgraded to
### 2015 Ram 2500 Diesel MegaCab / 2016 Keystone Cougar 326RDS ###
55 foot long when hooked up!

 

[dmaxphil]

Drink a beer for me.

 

[tiggerdad]

Bigger tank made it much better for me. The extra 60 gallons allows me to make a non-stop run from Mississippi to the Fort (but doesn't help with bathroom breaks).

 

[jbrostek]

jaredjohn4 - why not fill your def on the way home next PFJ fuel stop? The price per gallon is CHEAPER then the cost of most of the 2.5 gallon jugs.

As for larger tank, I definitely love that. It does not solve bathroom breaks but if you can skip the more expensive states for fuel, it works out in the end saving you over time.

I generally can skip NC and SC which tend to be 10-20C a gallon higher then VA or GA. And I never have to buy fuel in FL (unless its equal to or lower then GA.)

 

[Maligator]

We just bought a new (to us anyway, 2014) class A. I was stoked to find out it has an 80gal tank vs the 45gal tank we had in or class C. That should get me a few hundred miles further between stops now! I'm hoping between the added range and using the Good Sam card this time at Pilot/FJ we can save some fuel $$$.

 

[PaHunter]

We just bought a new (to us anyway, 2014) class A. I was stoked to find out it has an 80gal tank vs the 45gal tank we had in or class C. That should get me a few hundred miles further between stops now! I'm hoping between the added range and using the Good Sam card this time at Pilot/FJ we can save some fuel $$$.

Maligator, if you get the Pilot/Flying J charge card you get a bigger discount and it is off the cash price. When talking about a tank that big I would at least give it a thought.

 

[jaredjohn4]

We had a casualty on our trip. Not sure how I'm going to get home! Bobble Head Steamboat Mickey was my navigator. The Florida heat has weakened his knees. Right now he is in a great limbo position, but I think by the time we leave he will be resting flat and won't be able to point me in the right direction. Must be a sign I can't leave.


Nov 1975 FW 500 Loop 3 Nights.......Jun 1977 Off-Property 5 Nights.....Jul 1993 Off-Property 7 Nights
Jul 1995 Dixie Landings 7 Nights.......Jul 2003 FW 1400 Loop 7 Nights.....Jun 2006 DL Off-property 7 Nights
Jul 2006 FW 900 Loop 12 Nights.......Jul 2009 FW 1300 Loop 14 Nights....Mar 2010 DL Paradise Pier 8 Nights
Mar 2011 FW 1300 Loop 11 Nights....Mar 2013 FW 1300 Loop 10 Nights.....Mar 2014 FW 1300 Loop 12 Nights
Mar 2015 FW 1300 Loop 9 Nights

***2008 Chevy Express Conversion Van / 2007 Coleman Bayside***
Upgraded to
### 2015 Ram 2500 Diesel MegaCab / 2016 Keystone Cougar 326RDS ###
55 foot long when hooked up!

 

[peg110]

We had a casualty on our trip. Not sure how I'm going to get home! Bobble Head Steamboat Mickey was my navigator. The Florida heat has weakened his knees. Right now he is in a great limbo position, but I think by the time we leave he will be resting flat and won't be able to point me in the right direction. Must be a sign I can't leave.

View attachment 159038
Nov 1975 FW 500 Loop 3 Nights.......Jun 1977 Off-Property 5 Nights.....Jul 1993 Off-Property 7 Nights
Jul 1995 Dixie Landings 7 Nights.......Jul 2003 FW 1400 Loop 7 Nights.....Jun 2006 DL Off-property 7 Nights
Jul 2006 FW 900 Loop 12 Nights.......Jul 2009 FW 1300 Loop 14 Nights....Mar 2010 DL Paradise Pier 8 Nights
Mar 2011 FW 1300 Loop 11 Nights....Mar 2013 FW 1300 Loop 10 Nights.....Mar 2014 FW 1300 Loop 12 Nights
Mar 2015 FW 1300 Loop 9 Nights

***2008 Chevy Express Conversion Van / 2007 Coleman Bayside***
Upgraded to
### 2015 Ram 2500 Diesel MegaCab / 2016 Keystone Cougar 326RDS ###
55 foot long when hooked up!

On the next "HOT" day (if you have any/many left), help him to a standing position then take him into a camper/rv. Maybe put him in a fridge/cooler to help him stand again.

While a limbo Mickey is kind of cool, he doesn't seem to bobble as well at that point.

Poor Mickey.

 

[jaredjohn4]

Mickey finally laid down after a day at Typhoon Lagoon Thursday. Now back here in Illinois, I think he will get a double knee replacement this week and be back in action soon, guiding me back to the land of sunshine. We ran 2750 miles round trip at 10.5mpg running 70 when we could Traffic was thick Saturday from the Fort all the way to Illinois.

Nov 1975 FW 500 Loop 3 Nights.......Jun 1977 Off-Property 5 Nights.........Jul 1993 Off-Property 7 Nights
Jul 1995 Dixie Landings 7 Nights.......Jul 2003 FW 1400 Loop 7 Nights.......Jun 2006 DL Off-property 7 Nights
Jul 2006 FW 900 Loop 12 Nights.......Jul 2009 FW 1300 Loop 14 Nights......Mar 2010 DL Paradise Pier 8 Nights
Mar 2011 FW 1300 Loop 11 Nights....Mar 2013 FW 1300 Loop 10 Nights.....Mar 2014 FW 1300 Loop 12 Nights
Mar 2015 FW 1300 Loop 9 Nights

### 2015 Ram 2500 Diesel MegaCab (Black on Black with Black) / 2016 Keystone Cougar 326RDS ###

 

[PaHunter]

Well the only good thing about the snow earlier this week was I got to run the truck in 4wd. Really had not had a need before that.

 

[peg110]

Well the only good thing about the snow earlier this week was I got to run the truck in 4wd. Really had not had a need before that.

Might get another chance. They are calling for a possible 1 - 3 inches here in NEPA this weekend.

Really... someone needs to figure out these seasons.
They go Spring -> Summer -> Fall -> Winter.
NOT Spring -> Winter -> Summer -> Winter -> Spring -> Fall -> Summer -> Spring -> Winter.

I think the only season that doesn't repeat (or at least not fully) is Fall. I say not fully because my Peach tree (as well as many others around the neighborhood) was growing nice blooms, but then it got cold again (some flurries) and they died. (although they didn't actually "Fall" yet).

I am afraid to plant my garden.... Just as they are starting get going, I fear it will snow on them.

 

[tiggerdad]

Let's talk tires. The Michelin's I got on right now are 2012 LT 275/65/R20. They are the original tires and still have about 8/32 tread, but now in the last year two of them have come apart. The last one while I was towing the camper.

So, I'm looking into new ones. What you guys (& gals) running? I don't use off-road tread as I primarily tow and Street run it. I kept my 97' Tacoma for the off-road stuff.

 

[Teamubr]

Let's talk tires. What you guys (& gals) running?

I've run Firestone Transforce HT on my last couple of trucks. Decent highway tread, quiet and cheaper than the other name brand tires. 40-50,000 miles on them.

j

 

[PaHunter]

I've run Firestone Transforce HT on my last couple of trucks. Decent highway tread, quiet and cheaper than the other name brand tires. 40-50,000 miles on them.

j

I am running the same tire on my truck.

 

[tiggerdad]

Hmm, looked into them but not seeing them available in my tire size. I see them up to an 18, but not a 20.

 

[Teamubr]

Are you running load range E tires? A few years ago a friend bought a GM truck (2500) with 20 inch wheels and then found out it cut his tow rating and GVWR by several thousand pounds. He bought a set of 18 inch wheels to put on when he was towing his Cardinal 5er. I'm not sure if it was a wheel limit or tire, but he wasn't happy about needing 2 sets of tires.

I told him he should have bought a Ford.

***EDIT- I just checked the Firestone site. They make the Transforce HT in a 265-50-20E. NOt sure what size you are trying to matchup, but moving up or down a little on aspect ratio won't effect much. And even better, the Firestone web site says the 265/50-20E "Start at $160.99". Try to find a Goodyear, Michelin or Bridgestone for that.

j

 

[Teamubr]

Checked on the Firestone site again.

Looks like both the AT (all terrain) and HT (highway tread) come in a number of 20 in rim sizes. 275/every aspect ration from 35-65/20.

These should work for you.

j

 

[tiggerdad]

I'll check it again when I get home from work. Sure won't get Goodyear's for that price but current Michelin's have given 74,000 miles so hard to change.