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RV's - Who has em'
- Thread starter SilvrSRT10
- Start date
SilvrSRT10
Super Moderator
Stop right there. You aren't butting in at all. I look forward to all input and advice on this subject. It's my hot topic at the moment and I can't get enough of it. Heck, I've watched the Robin Williams movie "RV" three times and I might watch it again this weekend. I'm burning up RVTrader, Ebay and the internet looking for what I want. So keep the info coming. Post some pictures of your camper even if it's just a tent.
And I like your advice about the tires. Can't hurt to go overkill specially on something like tires. Someone on another site even suggested going to the LT tires for the truck (at least the rear axle) the LT tires have a higher weight capacity and typically run 80psi. I'm almost hoping the trailer I get needs new tires so that I can do what you suggested and up the load range.
Sitting on the side of the road waiting for help sucks. Been there. My wife and I were on our way to South Florida when the front right wheel started making a racket. I had just had it serviced at a Sears auto center. I figured we lost a lug nut or two. I had extras so I thought we'd be back on the road pretty quick. I get to the wheel and there's only one lug nut still holding the wheel on. So I grab my spares and well, there weren't any studs to screw them on. Four of the five wheel studs had snapped off. I think the tech (use the term loosely) overtightened the lug nuts. As the wheel aluminum heated up and expanded it popped the studs. The reason the last one didn't pop is because it was the locking lug nut. He couldn't over torque it. This was before cellphones. I got on the CB and radioed our location. To my surprise someone responded and said they'd send help. Awhile later a flatbed truck shows up and takes us in to Yulee Florida. 5 hours later they have the new studs pressed in and we're back on the road. Not an adventure I want to repeat.
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SilvrSRT10
Super Moderator
My parents lived in Ft. Myers. We were traveling from Raleigh, NC. We left about 4:00AM that day and made it to Yulee about 10:00AM. That's when the E150 van and wheel attempted to part ways. It really would have been a mess if it had. This was back in early '90's. I use to live in West Palm Beach but moved to NC in '87. IBM transferred me up here.
oppo
Full Access Member
Just a little clarification, LT is an abreviation for light truck. It doesn't actually specify a load rating. That said, an LT will typically be a bit tougher because it is intended for a truck. What you are really looking for is load range/ply rating (not the actual number of plies). IIRC...
C/6 = 50 psi
D/8 = 65 psi
E/10 = 80 psi
F/12 = 95 psi
G/14 = 110 psi
H/16 = 125 psi
Most 1/2 ton trucks have load range C tires. They ride nice and are fine for picking up groceries. 3/4 and 1 tons nearly all have load range E tires. They have a noticeably stiffer ride but hold more weight and, more importantly, are a lot tougher. Above E, you are looking at heavy duty tires for commercial use. They are really tough and great for some things but definitely overkill for your application.
C/6 = 50 psi
D/8 = 65 psi
E/10 = 80 psi
F/12 = 95 psi
G/14 = 110 psi
H/16 = 125 psi
Most 1/2 ton trucks have load range C tires. They ride nice and are fine for picking up groceries. 3/4 and 1 tons nearly all have load range E tires. They have a noticeably stiffer ride but hold more weight and, more importantly, are a lot tougher. Above E, you are looking at heavy duty tires for commercial use. They are really tough and great for some things but definitely overkill for your application.
SilvrSRT10
Super Moderator
Yes, you are correct. I didn't clarify that I was talking about the tires on the truck. I'm currently running P245/75R16. Their max load is 2271 lb. per tire at 44 psi. This is more than enough for what I'm going to be hauling. But the LT version of the same tire is rated at 3042 lb. per tire at 80 psi. That ups the safety margin another 771 lb. per tire. When it comes time to change the tires again I'll be wanting the LT tire for the truck if not something even heavier duty. Have to see how it rides with what's currently on there.
I have another set of wheels with P275/55R20 tires on them. That max load is 2403 per tire which only increases the margin by 132 lb. per tire.
The trailer I'm considering only weighs 6500 lb. fully loaded. Thats the max weight the trailer is rated for. The trailer itself weighs somewhere around 5000 lb. so that's approx. 1000 lb. of stuff we can put into it. That's after putting water and propane into it. It's a tandem axle trailer so I'll be looking for the highest capacity tire that will fit on the rims.
I have another set of wheels with P275/55R20 tires on them. That max load is 2403 per tire which only increases the margin by 132 lb. per tire.
The trailer I'm considering only weighs 6500 lb. fully loaded. Thats the max weight the trailer is rated for. The trailer itself weighs somewhere around 5000 lb. so that's approx. 1000 lb. of stuff we can put into it. That's after putting water and propane into it. It's a tandem axle trailer so I'll be looking for the highest capacity tire that will fit on the rims.
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SilvrSRT10
Super Moderator
You may already know this but I'll put this here for informational purposes for anyone else wanting to know about brake controllers.
Surge brakes and electric brakes are two different animals. The surge brake is built into the hitch and there is a delayed reaction to applying brakes to the trailer. Surge brakes are typically hydraulic. As the tow vehicle stops the trailer continues forward slightly compressing a master cylinder which sends brake fluid to the wheel brakes.
And there are two different versions of electric brakes as well. Progressive and timed. Progressive brake controllers sense the deceleration speed at which the tow vehicle is stopping and applies the same braking force to the trailer. Timed just senses that the brakes were applied and then ramps up braking force to the trailer. Progressive is the best way to go for the utmost in safety. Most brake controllers have a manual lever on them so that you can if need be activate the trailer brakes before the tow vehicle.
I already have my progressive brake controller but I still need to install it in my tow vehicle.
I've got a brake controller in my work truck but I've forgotten what system it uses. I think it's just a timed controller. But there is some sort of pendulum built into it so it may be the progressive.
It's a Hayes Energizer III. It acts like a progressive controller but isn't really classified as one.
We used to have a 1999 Mercedes Sprinter (that one: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) with a so called James Cook equipment, looking much like the one on the picture, only with the roof being flush with the windshield (made an important difference in how much we had to pay for campsites):
It was the smallest camper-van we could press the four people of our family into, only a little larger and my parents would've needed a truckdriving-license.
Sadly, we'd been ripped off when we bought it, and constantly had to fix stuff, so my parents sold it after only two years.
Max
It was the smallest camper-van we could press the four people of our family into, only a little larger and my parents would've needed a truckdriving-license.
Sadly, we'd been ripped off when we bought it, and constantly had to fix stuff, so my parents sold it after only two years.
Max
SilvrSRT10
Super Moderator
We have the Sprinter RV's here too. We had considered one for their compactness and ease of driving. But they are really too small on the inside for me to feel comfortable. So we are looking at larger alternatives.
I worked all day yesterday on my '94 Dodge Ram. I have the bed off of it and am cleaning 20 years of road grime and rust off the frame and getting it ready for a gooseneck hitch. We're going to start out with a 26-28 foot 5th wheel camper. Then down the road may get a Class "A" motor coach.
I worked all day yesterday on my '94 Dodge Ram. I have the bed off of it and am cleaning 20 years of road grime and rust off the frame and getting it ready for a gooseneck hitch. We're going to start out with a 26-28 foot 5th wheel camper. Then down the road may get a Class "A" motor coach.
Bigdaddy
Full Access Member
I have being wanting an RV for about 20+ years but the time was not right so before I finally retired from work I bought a 2014 3/4 ton dodge ram hemi to tow one, I still don't have one but it's in the near future.
