First Tow with my 04

[Page5240]

Finally had a chance to try out the new truck. I towed my 01 Excel 28 RGO from Murphy, Tx to Ruidoso, NM and back this past weekend. Just a shade over 600 miles each way. The truck performed as expected, I got 11. 4 MPG running 65-70 for the whole trip. Fiver weighs 12 K and with the truck I had a combined gross of about 18 K, with 9300 LBS on the truck with a full load of fuel and momma and the dog. I now have 8K miles on the truck and am pleased with everything about it. I get 16-17 in town and 20 on the highway without a load. All in all an excellent truck that I am looking forward to wearing out.



This being my first real trip towing a fiver I was surprised with the bucking on our expansion joint roads here in Texas. On the blacktop it was fine but a real PITA in the metroplex where almost all roads are concrete and poorly done. Oh well, gotta love those A&M Costruction Science grads. (just kidding)Any information on how to lessen the effect of the concrete expansion joints would be appreciated. BTW I have a Reese classic for a hitch and am curious about hitch options or airbags or whatever.

 

[GerryDrake]

bucking

If you want to appreciate the roads in Texas, take a trip to Louisiana... The stretch of I-10 from New Orleans, NE to Slidell tries to pull your hitch out of your truck. .

 

[PUMPERDUDE]

Roger on the 1-10 east of New Orleans to Slidell. Talk about a rodeo ride. And guess what . They just raised the speed limit from 60 to 70 mph. Can't figure that one. Roads getting worse and they raise it??Buckle your belt buddy.

 

[RMcCulloch]

Can't say about the LA stretch, but the Metroplex roads are smooth compared to a lot of Interstates - especially in Missouri and Oklahoma.



If you REALLY want some bad roads, try the hinterlands of Nebraska: ancient blacktop with 2" grooves every 10' for a couple of hundred miles and lots of badly-patched potholes. (Blessed be the builders of the EasyRider Hitch!) The best speed that our tailbones could stand was a blazing 40 MPH.



I've found [the hard way] that my towing speed is, generally, limited by the road surface rather than the various state legislatures.

 

[Tcolesanti]

Take a ride on the good ole 101 freeway in so-cal. You'll lose your teeth and your kidneys.

 

[GerryDrake]

... or, while in CA, go out to Hwy 1, and loose your cookies out the window... . The perennial fog doesn't help either. .

 

[tgrfan2]

I have a friend with a 2003 3500 SRW HO QCSB 48re that has the same problem here in SC on some roads and bridges. There are some good threads here and on Open Roads forum on this subject. As one guy put it his overloads just kiss the bumpers and when you get undulation they can smack pretty hard. I prefer air bags because of the flexiblity. I run 50 psi unless I am carrying some fresh water and then I bump it to 55 or 60psi. Other guys like the Timbrens and I think they would be good for a consistent load. I saw pictures this AM of some bumpers to replace the OE ones on a 3500. They are thicker so that they catch with less load. That would probably solve your problem and they were only about $60 I think.

My friend has 2700# pin wgt which if I remember correctly puts the front of the overload on the pads and leaves the rear off a bit or vice versa.

Good luck and be kind to those A&M guys. They will need some TLC after Clemson comes to Texas in September. I wish we could come. It should be a great game. My dad was from Cooper so I have always pulled for the Longhorns, A&M, and the Cowboys minus Jerry Jones.

 

[SnoKing]

You always want to come up Hiway 1, not go down it. Your wife will not like looking at those burned out cars over the cliffs North of Jenner. I spent a year and a half in Point Area in late 60's while at the Coast Guard Loran Station there. It is quite a drive going North or South from there on Hiway 1. Snoking

 

[JoshPeters]

Aww common guys... . some expansion joints are the least of our worries here in the Great White North. In the spring, we have pot holes that will loose a Geo. We've had quite a few customers come in with SEVERE suspenision damage due to them. It's kinda fun having to repair $8000 in suspension on a $45,000 car that's a year old.





Josh

 

[RMcCulloch]

Aww common guys... . some expansion joints are the least of our worries here in the Great White North. In the spring, we have pot holes that will loose a Geo. We've had quite a few customers come in with SEVERE suspenision damage due to them. It's kinda fun having to repair $8000 in suspension on a $45,000 car that's a year old.





Josh

Josh,



I just got back from 3 months in that area [Warroad isn't quite in Canada] and the roads weren't all that bad - certainly not in comparison to those in S. Central Nebraska - even if you are including the unpaved roads.

 

[JoshPeters]

Way up north there isn't as much traffic... the roads aren't to bad. This time of year they have patched most of the bad stuff. Enjoy while you can!



Josh

We have 2 seasons, Winter and road construction!

 

[tschwab]

Which rear axle did you get? And is your truck a 2wd or a 4wd? Thanks - Terry

 

[Page5240]

Sorry, I have a 373 and a 4X2... .

 

[Jeff Knight]

The PA Turnpike is another jewel !!!! Jeff

 

[u2plt]

Exspansion Joint Problem

I have a 2WD O4. 5 Dodge 3500 LB Dully that I just had Kelderman put on their 4Link 2 Air Bag rear suspension at their factory in Iowa. I live near Pottsboro, Tx and went to La Crosse, WI up US69, I44, I35, I90 to La Crosse. I had terrible stretches on almost every highway that made our teeth chatter. So on way back stopped at Kelderman. They had a 50amp connection to park at at no cost on Sunday 22Aug. They started at 0700 on Monday and finished by 1100. Took test ride without 5th wheel and it was like night and day difference (not loaded) for improvement. Hooked up 35' Hitchhicker and took off. The Kelderman made a significant improvement while pulling the 5th wheel. There is stretch on US69 in Okie that was just terrible, that improved to tolerable. I feel Kelderman was worth the investment and would do it in a heart beat. Kelderment just treated us terrific. Cozy Kline, The Old Fighter/U-2 Pilot