Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
C
Casey Balvert
Guest
Even though I have had the truck for over a year and a half this was the first long distance run with the new rig and some real weight.
After an overnight stop at my buddy’s place in Jackson, MI the two us and our wives headed south on April 3rd, destination, Gulf Shores, Alabama. Our 2003 dually was pulling our new 36 foot Mountain Aire fiver. My buddy was pulling his 30 foot fiver with his 2002 manual transmission equipped Chevy Duramax which was quite a bit lighter than my rig as I soon found out. Conditions on the way down were sunny with a slight tail wind off the right rear quarter. Total distance one way was just over a thousand miles and we stopped overnight near the Kentucky/Tennessee border. I noted early on as we entered Kentucky that the Chevy was just catching up on the long hills. Not a lot but he was definitely out-pulling me. He was also averaging about a mile to the gallon better than me but then his truck has more miles than mine, which has about 12,000 miles and probably is not completely broken in. His rig weighs in at around 20,000 pounds and since I had only guesstimated my rig at 24,000 pounds combined I figured I might as well weigh this thing. We stopped for lunch and a bite to eat on the first day at a truck stop. Noting they had a truck scale I decided now was as good a time as any. I pulled the rig up on the multiple platform CAT scale and pushed the button. After paying my 8 bucks, I checked the weight sheet. Surprise!!! The rig weighed 26,500 with everyone on board. Based on previous weights for the truck alone, I calculated the truck at 12,000 gross, the pin weight at 3500, and the trailer axles showed about 14,500 pounds. That put the trailer at 18,000. Eeek. Well I went nuts on my wife who has the really nasty habit of putting stuff into every nook and cranny, even if she has absolutely no use for it. She in turn blamed the small tool box I had in one of the compartments. To be fair I did have around 70 gallons of water on board which I promptly drained most of. Of course, when I got home, I started turfing stuff out. I was just glad I had ordered the trailer with the optional dual wheels.
Regardless of the weight of the rig, it towed the trailer just great. We cruised in overdrive 99% of the time at anywhere between 62 and 65 mph. She was rock steady and I calculated my mileage at 11. 0 mpg for the trip. By buddy averaged around 12. 0 mpg. All in all not bad for a couple of good-sized rigs. The difference in mileage between the new fiver and the old 31 footer, which weighed 11,500, was about . 5 miles to the gallon.
We spent 4 great weeks in Gulf Shores. We were joined by TDR member Fireman and his wife Lisa. Just before leaving on vacation, I ordered the Westach Combo egt/boost gauge from Geno’s for the SRT-10 pillar I already bought from the dealer. Because I was leaving the next day, I had it shipped by 3 day priority to TDR member Dean Upson who was leaving the following week for Tennessee and was meeting Fireman for a few days there. He handed the gauges off to Fireman and he completed the rest of the relay to Gulf Shores the following week. Fireman and I spent an afternoon doing the gauge installation and generally “talking truck”. He was kind enough to bring a drill and tap and with the exception of a fitting that went missing for an hour after I dropped it the installation went smoothly. The only problem I had was the boost hose blowing off the fitting on the back of the gauge on the way home. I just about had a coronary when that let go with a loud pop and a long hiss about a foot and a half from my left ear. I wire tie at the next rest stop fixed that. I didn’t notice any mention of clamping the hose in the instructions but no big deal. The gauge looks and works great.
Overall, I could not be more pleased with the rig. The truck was bought specifically for pulling this trailer and she performed as expected. Thanks again to my friends Dean Upson and Fireman for helping with the gauge relay and installation.
Sad to say, the month was over before we knew it and were headed home. If all works out, we will be joining Dean in Bar Harbor for a few days in the fall.
Casey
After an overnight stop at my buddy’s place in Jackson, MI the two us and our wives headed south on April 3rd, destination, Gulf Shores, Alabama. Our 2003 dually was pulling our new 36 foot Mountain Aire fiver. My buddy was pulling his 30 foot fiver with his 2002 manual transmission equipped Chevy Duramax which was quite a bit lighter than my rig as I soon found out. Conditions on the way down were sunny with a slight tail wind off the right rear quarter. Total distance one way was just over a thousand miles and we stopped overnight near the Kentucky/Tennessee border. I noted early on as we entered Kentucky that the Chevy was just catching up on the long hills. Not a lot but he was definitely out-pulling me. He was also averaging about a mile to the gallon better than me but then his truck has more miles than mine, which has about 12,000 miles and probably is not completely broken in. His rig weighs in at around 20,000 pounds and since I had only guesstimated my rig at 24,000 pounds combined I figured I might as well weigh this thing. We stopped for lunch and a bite to eat on the first day at a truck stop. Noting they had a truck scale I decided now was as good a time as any. I pulled the rig up on the multiple platform CAT scale and pushed the button. After paying my 8 bucks, I checked the weight sheet. Surprise!!! The rig weighed 26,500 with everyone on board. Based on previous weights for the truck alone, I calculated the truck at 12,000 gross, the pin weight at 3500, and the trailer axles showed about 14,500 pounds. That put the trailer at 18,000. Eeek. Well I went nuts on my wife who has the really nasty habit of putting stuff into every nook and cranny, even if she has absolutely no use for it. She in turn blamed the small tool box I had in one of the compartments. To be fair I did have around 70 gallons of water on board which I promptly drained most of. Of course, when I got home, I started turfing stuff out. I was just glad I had ordered the trailer with the optional dual wheels.
Regardless of the weight of the rig, it towed the trailer just great. We cruised in overdrive 99% of the time at anywhere between 62 and 65 mph. She was rock steady and I calculated my mileage at 11. 0 mpg for the trip. By buddy averaged around 12. 0 mpg. All in all not bad for a couple of good-sized rigs. The difference in mileage between the new fiver and the old 31 footer, which weighed 11,500, was about . 5 miles to the gallon.
We spent 4 great weeks in Gulf Shores. We were joined by TDR member Fireman and his wife Lisa. Just before leaving on vacation, I ordered the Westach Combo egt/boost gauge from Geno’s for the SRT-10 pillar I already bought from the dealer. Because I was leaving the next day, I had it shipped by 3 day priority to TDR member Dean Upson who was leaving the following week for Tennessee and was meeting Fireman for a few days there. He handed the gauges off to Fireman and he completed the rest of the relay to Gulf Shores the following week. Fireman and I spent an afternoon doing the gauge installation and generally “talking truck”. He was kind enough to bring a drill and tap and with the exception of a fitting that went missing for an hour after I dropped it the installation went smoothly. The only problem I had was the boost hose blowing off the fitting on the back of the gauge on the way home. I just about had a coronary when that let go with a loud pop and a long hiss about a foot and a half from my left ear. I wire tie at the next rest stop fixed that. I didn’t notice any mention of clamping the hose in the instructions but no big deal. The gauge looks and works great.
Overall, I could not be more pleased with the rig. The truck was bought specifically for pulling this trailer and she performed as expected. Thanks again to my friends Dean Upson and Fireman for helping with the gauge relay and installation.
Sad to say, the month was over before we knew it and were headed home. If all works out, we will be joining Dean in Bar Harbor for a few days in the fall.
Casey
and 11 mpg is impressive!
