Trucks

[LoudRam]

I let it drive itself for a while... that was pretty interesting. Ford approached driving automation incrementally. My Bronco Sport isn't quite a drive itself car but almost is. The F-150 will drive itself on the freeway system, but the driver has to keep their eyes on the road. If you try napping or reading a book or otherwise become distracted the car/truck will tell you to put your hands back on the steering wheel.

I'm still not sold on this self driving. It worries me that drivers will get complacent and you know where that road leads to. Many drivers are already oblivious to everything around them. I'm a fan of these YT dash cam channels and I now have had a cam for about a year. Some of the things people do. Right turn from the left lane and a left from the right lane. Cutting people off. Stopping on on ramps not knowing how to merge and the list of insanity goes on and on and on. Now add in inattentive drivers on auto pilot? What could possibly go wrong?

My truck is a Bighorn trim. It's a mid level trim but on the nicer side of mid level. It does have auto lane keep and will correct itself if I drift over the line as well as emergency collision avoidance braking front and rear. Those systems aren't perfect and they've caught me off guard a few times.

Once I was pulling out of my driveway and the neighbor had some leaves in the street at the curb for collection. As I got close my truck sensed them. I was just going to drive through them when my truck locked up my brakes. Caught me totally off guard. Thankfully I wasn't going that fast.

Another time I was backing out of a local pizzeria. It had an inclined parking lot. When I got to the bottom of the incline my rear sensors picked up the street and thought it was an object. Locked up my brakes again. I thought I hit something.

These systems are nice and they work very well but they aren't perfect.

 

[Tall Timbers]

These systems are nice and they work very well but they aren't perfect

I don't trust them, but that won't keep me from playing with it... I put dashcams on all out vehicles after someone who hit me filed a false report and got away with it.

 

[RandallB]

Guy from my bible study told us this: Guy pulled his truck & trailer to their parts place for some parts. He notice that there was a big pipe wrench laying on the back bumper. Then he noticed that it was spot welded there.... He asked the owner and was told that he had no problems with tailgaters since he installed that... I bet it does work...

 

[caligal]

 

[Tall Timbers]

Yer welcome here as far as I'm concerned. There's some folks here who think the wrong trucks are the cat's meow, but there's at least one level headed fella who appreciates the number one selling truck in America...

 

[Andy C]

Yer welcome here as far as I'm concerned. There's some folks here who think the wrong trucks are the cat's meow, but there's at least one level headed fella who appreciates the number one selling truck in America...

Amen, RAM tough

 

[caligal]

Can we say HEMI?

 

[Andy C]

No more big trucks for towing for me. We are getting close to buying a 2023 Winnebago Vista 29v. We want a smaller MH for easy access in state parks, and this one is only 30 feet, but has the perfect floor plan for us. Normally, small MHs are only 30amp, but this one is 50amp. Its also a gas MH vice a diesel pusher. Getting a much bigger MH is tempting, but we dont mind a smaller living space, we just want to travel while we can.

If we do get this MH, I will trade in my small GMC Canyon truck, and get a small and light vehicle that will be able to be towed with all four wheels on the ground.

 

[Andy C]

No more big trucks for towing for me. We are getting close to buying a 2023 Winnebago Vista 29v. We want a smaller MH for easy access in state parks, and this one is only 30 feet, but has the perfect floor plan for us. Normally, small MHs are only 30amp, but this one is 50amp. Its also a gas MH vice a diesel pusher. Getting a much bigger MH is tempting, but we dont mind a smaller living space, we just want to travel while we can.

If we do get this MH, I will trade in my small GMC Canyon truck, and get a small and light vehicle that will be able to be towed with all four wheels on the ground.

Buying the Motorhome may be a no go because the closest place I could get any warranty work is in Portland, 125 miles away. None of the local ford dealers work on a ford chassis MH.

We are considering going back to a truck and 5th Wheel trailer, so time to check out the one true brute of a truck, RAM 3500!

 

[Tall Timbers]

Buying the Motorhome may be a no go because the closest place I could get any warranty work is in Portland, 125 miles away. None of the local ford dealers work on a ford chassis MH.

We are considering going back to a truck and 5th Wheel trailer, so time to check out the one true brute of a truck, RAM 3500!

Maybe you should move to a different state where there's a closer service center for that motorhome. There's some Winnebago dealers in this neighborhood.

 

[Andy C]

Maybe you should move to a different state where there's a closer service center for that motorhome. There's some Winnebago dealers in this neighborhood.

The majority of gas motorhomes are on the Ford chassis, and no matter where you live, its hard to find a place close that will do warranty work. Diesel MH dont have the same problem.

I thought I was done towing, but now that were considering it again, Im getting excited about traveling again.

Fifth wheels have the best floorplan options over any motorhome. We will look (just look for now) at trailers 35 ft long.

Another key consideration is the ride in a diesel truck while towing is quiet and smooth compared to riding in a MH.

Dont worry brother, I plan on visiting a close by state, especially one high falutin “hood” - Think Randy Quaid, National lampoons “Christmas Vacation) RV scene in front of Chevy Chase’s home….

 

[Andy C]

Forgot to add in my last post

When driving in a MH and flat towing (all 4 wheels on the ground) a small vehicle behind, you cant back up without damaging the car, even for a short distance. Not an issue when towing a fifth wheel.

 

[Tall Timbers]

Another key consideration is the ride in a diesel truck while towing is quiet and smooth compared to riding in a MH.

I've found gassers to be horrible for loads, unless they're turbocharged, and then they'll drink a little too much...

 

[Andy C]

Today or tomorrow Im going to go look at the new RAM 3500 truck. They have some new convenience upgrades to include reverse trailer guidance - which shows on the display, the area behind the trailer, and once engaged, hands off the steering wheel, and you turn a knob in the direction for the trailer to turn, and it turns the steering wheel. Also, it comes with a camera that shows the truck bed, which I could use for guidance in hooking up the fifth wheel king pin to my truck fifth wheel hitch. Additional cameras cover the left and right side of the truck while driving, and a camera can be attached to the back of the trailer to see whats behind me while driving.

The truck Im looking at can tow 20,000 pounds, but most likely the heaviest trailer I would want is no more than 12,000 pounds.

The truck has a payload capacity of 4300 pounds which is a spec most dont pay attention to, especially those who are new to towing a fifth wheel. When a fifth wheel is hitched on the truck, approx 10-15 of the total weight of the trailer is placed on the truck. For a 12k trailer, that's 1800 pounds. My truck has a payload capacity of 4300 pounds, so I would still have 2500 more pounds I could place on my truck. For a smaller 3/4 ton truck such as a 2500, the payload capacity is around 2000 pounds, and pulling the same trailer would exceed the payload capacity when you factor in truck passengers weight, tool box….etc….3/4 ton trucks are great for bumper towing heavy trailers, but not really built for anything other than a small and lite fifth wheel trailer.

Im just looking for now.

 

[fl2007rn]

Forgot to add in my last post

When driving in a MH and flat towing (all 4 wheels on the ground) a small vehicle behind, you cant back up without damaging the car, even for a short distance. Not an issue when towing a fifth wheel.

I know this is the men's discussion but I had to tell this story! I am on a camping trip now and just today we had to unhook our Jeep that we are towing because we could not back up. It happens every now and then that we turn down the wrong road. My husband does the driving and I am the navigator but we were trying to go to a Buc-ee's Super gas station and accidently turned down a road that was a dead end. Of course it was pouring down rain as we were doing this.


Best wishes and good luck with getting a nice Ram 3500 truck with 5th wheel! Some of those 5th wheels are like apartments! Your going to be a glamper.

 

[Andy C]

I know this is the men's discussion but I had to tell this story! I am on a camping trip now and just today we had to unhook our Jeep that we are towing because we could not back up. It happens every now and then that we turn down the wrong road. My husband does the driving and I am the navigator but we were trying to go to a Buc-ee's Super gas station and accidently turned down a road that was a dead end. Of course it was pouring down rain as we were doing this.


Best wishes and good luck with getting a nice Ram 3500 truck with 5th wheel! Some of those 5th wheels are like apartments! Your going to be a glamper.

Thanks for sharing that. Most people who have never towed behind a MH have no idea you cant back up while flat towing. However, hopefully while in the process of looking to buy one, they do the research, and not rely solely on what the RV salesman tells them.

Every MH owner I asked said the same as you, having to unhook does happen, but its rare.

Speaking of “glamping” your mini penthouse on wheels probably wont fit in some RV campgrounds…..

 

[fl2007rn]

Speaking of “glamping” your mini penthouse on wheels probably wont fit in some RV campgrounds…..

It can be challenging to find campgrounds to stay in but most of the newer campgrounds can accomodate the bigger RV's. However, many of the state and national parks have size limits that we have to account for. I do most of the camping reservations so I always check out the size restrictions. We are going to Yellowstone next summer (If we are still here) and they renovated the Fishing Bridge Campground to accomodate the bigger RV's but it is a $100 a night for a camp site. I have a hard time spending that kind of money on a campground but this will probably be the one and only time I will ever get to see Yellowstone. It is on my bucket list.