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

[Stratman50th]

I only tow a SUV so......



This is the drop hitch I have on there now ED. You can't see it in the above picture but that thing was way out of level.
It got fixed as soon as I got back from that trip.



Rear view "mirror" view...

 

[bama_ed]

Like I have said before, if I only camped on weekends at my local SP/COE places, I would love to have something the size of Ed's. Our friends old T@b or an Aliner would be great. DW wouldn't have anything to do with it though.

Now I only have my "little" 42 ft, 15,000 lb camper to pull around, so no sweat.

j

Mrs. tiggerdad, when she saw the Aliner for the first time and stepped in it with Mr. and the kids, said she thought it was cute and she liked it (which as I recall surprised Mr.) but all agreed it's not built for a 4-person outing. DW and I have taken DD who sleeps on the collapsed dinette table and there is not a lot of storage space for suitcases, etc. So even 3 people is really pushing it.

However, DD should fly from the nest this year so then it will be down to me and DW.

So yeah, Jim, keep towing the 42-footer to keep your DW happy. I hope the Aliner doesn't tax the Yukon.

Bama Ed

PS - not truck/towing related but went out today to check a new service/trailer place. We moved almost four years ago and travelling back to the repair/service place we had used for years is not practical. But met the owner and they have good ratings.

 

[mickeyfan0805]

Ed - I love the Aliner, just not an option for us. If I were doing the local weekend thing alone with with our son, I think that would very much be an option we'd consider. But, DW would never use a unit without a full shower and kitchen!

 

[bama_ed]

Ed - I love the Aliner, just not an option for us. If I were doing the local weekend thing alone with with our son, I think that would very much be an option we'd consider. But, DW would never use a unit without a full shower and kitchen!

I hear ya, Marty. I bought it back in 2014 when I was daydreaming of the day when the kids wouldn't be camping with us (inside the trailer that is) because an Aliner is great for two people but as I said, three can feel crowded. But when I stumbled across it on the dealer's lot and it was only $14k brand stinkin' new (and the big Expedition model to boot), I had to jump on it and trade in the ol' Jayco pup.

I also know that my DW would prefer a full bath but the places we tend to camp at the most (Gulf State Park, the local CoE cg on the river here, and the Fort) all have comfort stations that DW approves of so while that situation is not optimal, it's manageable.

Keeping it towing and truck related, I have tracked down all the wires on the YukonXL that need to be used to install the brake controller. Personally I think those YT videos that show how it's done are all staged. The wires are all found in less than 5 seconds and laying out in the open. I spent 5 minutes on my back on the drivers floor staring up behind the dashboard with a flashlight for the 4 wires that were "just hanging right there out in the open" on the YT video. Turns out they were coiled and tucked WAY UP in the dash but they were the right colors so I pulled them down by the brake pedal.

There is a red power wire that has to be secured onto a post where all the fuses are under the hood. In the video the red wire is laying RIGHT BESIDE the fuse box and you just reach down and lift it up. In real life I finally found it coiled up and secured with some black tape against a plastic black wire tube nearly at the driver's wall. Long enough to reach the fuse post but not exactly laying out.

Bama Ed

PS - the YT how-to videos for things like wiring a brake controller are like the cooking shows on tv. I know the chefs have a staff behind them to wash, chop, prep, and get the pans ready. The editing process reduces the cooking time. What takes about 22 minutes on tv really takes an hour plus from start to table. I admit I thought it would be easier than it is turning out to be. The Suburban had a plug-and-play connector for the brake controller but the YukonXL does not.

 

[Sjm9911]

Lol, i did the same in my old truck ed. But my wires were diffent colors. Lol. Untill my freind wiped away the dust, the grey wire was wite afterall. Hook up took 2 days.

 

[tiggerdad]

Mrs. tiggerdad, when she saw the Aliner for the first time and stepped in it with Mr. and the kids, said she thought it was cute and she liked it (which as I recall surprised Mr.) but all agreed it's not built for a 4-person outing. DW and I have taken DD who sleeps on the collapsed dinette table and there is not a lot of storage space for suitcases, etc. So even 3 people is really pushing it.

However, DD should fly from the nest this year so then it will be down to me and DW.

So yeah, Jim, keep towing the 42-footer to keep your DW happy. I hope the Aliner doesn't tax the Yukon.

Bama Ed

PS - not truck/towing related but went out today to check a new service/trailer place. We moved almost four years ago and travelling back to the repair/service place we had used for years is not practical. But met the owner and they have good ratings.

That A-Liner is deceiving. From the outside it appears to be an oddly shaped small one man sleep container, but inside it feels much bigger. I honestly have this come to mind when I see it...



Some of you may need to Google this

 

[Sjm9911]

That A-Liner is deceiving. From the outside it appears to be an oddly shaped small one man sleep container, but inside it feels much bigger. I honestly have this come to mind when I see it...

View attachment 552901

Some of you may need to Google this

Lol, i was expecting you to say from the inside it atually is a oddly shaped small one man sleep container.

 

[tiggerdad]

Lol, i was expecting you to say from the inside it atually is a oddly shaped small one man sleep container.

No, it's weird. Once you step inside it feels like its twice as big as it looked on outside. Ceiling height maybe?

Either way, Ed when is your first camper tow? Interested to hear how it handles.

 

[bama_ed]

No, it's weird. Once you step inside it feels like its twice as big as it looked on outside. Ceiling height maybe?

Either way, Ed when is your first camper tow? Interested to hear how it handles.

Brake controller plug/harness wire arrived in today's mail while I was over at Alabama's baseball field watching the first scrimmage of the spring (season starts in 3 weeks). However, since fans were not allowed INSIDE the stadium due to covid rules to watch the scrimmage (parents of players were tho), technically my folding chair was set up on the public sidewalk outside the chain link left field fence. So I essentially had a bleacher seat while I complied with the health regulations.

I will get the brake controller wired in tomorrow and may take the Aliner over to the service place in the afternoon. Then I can report back. But that's if it all goes smoothly.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

Yours truly FINALLY got the brake controller working and the trailer to the service place today.

As an licensed, registered professional engineer I am honest in my data driven evaluations even when evaluating myself and I have to say that I am no electrician.

Oh I can whip up a cheesecake and feed 17 people a thanksgiving dinner out of my popup at the Fort.

Microsoft Excel pivot tables are putty in my hands.

Physics, astronomy, and calculus are like falling off a log.

But give me a wiring diagram and a bundle of wires in a confined space and butt crimp connectors with a YouTube video of my exact situation and you would THINK that ol' Eddie could pull it off.

And I did. Barely.

One broken drill bit, some skinned knuckles, and a few choice words uttered in the safe enclosure of my vehicle later, the little Prodigy P2 controller blinked "nc." (no [trailer] connection) when I powered it up. Praise the Lord.! It was time to now hitch up the trailer and check the drop/tow level.

I think the 8 inch drop I got (allowing for some rear sag) works fine.

Just before leaving I threw my level on it and the bubble is acceptable.

Then I towed it to the service place and took the longer way around so I could take it up on the interstate for a short run at highway speed. My first impression is that GMC at highway speed barely acts like it knows the trailer is there. Now I was by myself in the vehicle with no gear in the rear but it felt a little stronger. The SUV as a whole rides a little taller and firmer than the Chevy did. So I don't know to what extent the 3.42 rear axle makes a different versus the old 3.08. Or if it's the changes that took place in GM on the big SUV redesign in 2007. I'll be curious to see what kind of gas mileage I get on the first tank towing to Cocoa Beach in a few weeks.

Thanks to all of you for your advice and looking over my shoulder with suggestions.

Bama Ed

PS - ol' Eddie can't hit the curveball either ......

PPS - and the work being done at the service place? Wiring .....

PPPS - tiggerdad, that green apartment building under construction over my car on the street now blocks the view of Bryant Denny Stadium (Alabama football's home on gameday) that I once had and it makes me . I'm gonna have to call the Mayor!

 

[Sjm9911]

Looks really good ed!

 

[Stratman50th]

Congratulations on a successful install. I think you'll like the new ride.

 

[tiggerdad]

PPPS - tiggerdad, that green apartment building under construction over my car on the street now blocks the view of Bryant Denny Stadium (Alabama football's home on gameday) that I once had and it makes me . I'm gonna have to call the Mayor!

We could go...John Wick...

Seriously, it looks on street level like trailer rides very level.

 

[tigger92662]

Something like this:

Ed, if you add up all the titles on that hitch cover, it'd be draggin' on the ground.

 

[tigger92662]

We could go...John Wick...

Baba Yaga, and no one would know

 

[tiggerdad]

Baba Yaga, and no one would know

Are you working again sir?

Afraid so Frances...

 

[bama_ed]

Ed,

I have the receiver plug you need.

View attachment 552594

j

Teamubr,

My receiver plug FINALLY arrived after being ordered nearly two weeks ago. Since the YukonXL came with chrome wheels, I went with a beautiful chrome plug.

Simple, powerful, and elegant.

Ed

PS - I prefer the swoosh A logo and my Crimson Tide brother tiggerdad prefers the block A logo IIRC but both rep the school just fine.

 

[Teamubr]

Teamubr,

My receiver plug FINALLY arrived after being ordered nearly two weeks ago. Since the YukonXL came with chrome wheels, I went with a beautiful chrome plug.

But your name starts with a "E".

j

 

[Flametamr]

Figured I will keep the trend going. Put new tires on my camper before this past Halloween trip. Now that I'm in management and can afford it I'm adding air bags and a camera system to my truck before our April trip. It doesn't squat too bad but it is noticeable so I figured I would put them on now. I will try and return with pictures when I hook up the camper in a few weeks. We will be at the Fort April 3-9 and booked a full hook up site.

 

[tiggerdad]

Figured I will keep the trend going. Put new tires on my camper before this past Halloween trip. Now that I'm in management and can afford it I'm adding air bags and a camera system to my truck before our April trip. It doesn't squat too bad but it is noticeable so I figured I would put them on now. I will try and return with pictures when I hook up the camper in a few weeks. We will be at the Fort April 3-9 and booked a full hook up site.

You won't regret the airbags. Made a world of difference with my F-250 and better than the helper spring since when you aren't towing the weight you can let the air out of the bags and maintain smoother ride. I didn't install a compressor. My air intakes are mounted in top of fueling area so out of site. I just use very simple 12v air pump with built in gauge to air them up when needed.

Good to hear from you sir.