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Old 03-06-2008, 04:42 PM   #1
dcpark
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Truck

We are considering the purchase of a 2008 3400RL Montana.
As planned now our trips will include a trip from central Ohio To Western NY for June, July,Aug, Sept, Oct, back to central Ohio for Nov,Dec, then to Central Florida for Jan, Feb, Mar, back to central Ohio for April & May. Repeat the sequence each year after.
Need opinions on trucks. Will a 2008 Silverado 2500 Shortbed diesel be sufficient truck for this towing pattern? Will the 3400 RL be warm enough for Nov & Dec in Central Ohio?
 
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Old 03-06-2008, 05:00 PM   #2
bsmeaton
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Never been to Ohio in the winter, so I can't answer that question, and I wont answer the other, but -

Welcome to the Forum!

Muskie on the grill soundin awful good right now!
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Old 03-06-2008, 05:29 PM   #3
stiles watson
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Which truck is usually a volatile subject. It seems that we all have our egos wrapped around our choices. You know, my dad can whip you dad stuff. All I can do is tell you why I moved from an F250 to an F350.

The F250 7.3 PSD did the job but it was marginal. We decided we wanted 1-ton, DRW and 4X4. However, If you go dually 1-ton be prepared for fuel pump shock. Any of the big three will get the job done for you. Go with what you like.
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Old 03-07-2008, 01:08 AM   #4
mail2us
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Dave,

Richfaa maybe on here soon. He's from just up the road from you in Cleve area and maybe able to shed light on winter months in an RV in Ohio.

Like Stiles indicates everyone has there pref or choice on towing vehicles. You'll get some great advice here and some bias advice. You can also do a search in this subject of the forum for past threads on vehicles. Good Luck. Dennis
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Old 03-07-2008, 02:01 AM   #5
richfaa
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dcpark..we are in North Ridgeville, not far from you. We winter in Central Florida , near Disney. Do not be taken in by the "Arctic Package" it is not even close.Central Ohio in Nov, Dec..sure you can keep warm but you will use some propane. We leave Ohio right after Thanksgiving and that is too late.Anything after Nov in the part of the country you speak can be very cold and can have a lot of snow and it is no fun. You know about "Lake effect" in that part of NY state. I am sure you have good reason to stay in that part of the country in Nov, Dec and you will be OK in heating..just have a good propane budget.Driving these things in snow and ice is not a pleasant experience.

The "truck" We will not offer the..."we have been doing it for years and have had no trouble" line.. We tow a 06 3400 with the truck in out sig and it falls within ALL manufacturers spec's. I suggest you do your own homework on manufacturers spec's and make the choice that will meet all your needs...Do not forget.....Pin weight..

This link may help.

http://busbuilding.com/bus-conversio...acronyms-mean/
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Old 03-07-2008, 02:56 AM   #6
Emmel
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dcpark, got to jump in here and recommend you check out the difference of pricing.
At our dealership here in Troy, GMC, we have 2500HDs decked out for about $600 less than a 3500HD with the same options. Both diesels.
My 2500HD will do the job, but for the $600 difference, go with the 1 ton.
I will have a new truck next summer and you can bet it will be the 3500HD.
Now, I think you will find this is a very close pricing to the big 3, and they are all very good trucks, you just have to decide which brand you want to purchase.
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Old 03-07-2008, 03:44 AM   #7
Ozzie
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I have to agree the one ton is the way to go to keep in spec for carrying capacity for the 5'ers. You can stay in spec (barely) with a 5'er of lighter pin weight.
Unfortunately, my needs dictate a short box, and GM no longer offers the one ton in a short box. That would force me into a Dodge or Ford to get the right vehicle for my needs.

As far as a diesel staying warm in the winter, we're from Minnesota, and the winter temps can get well below zero. Using a front cover and an anti-gel additive will keep you going. I also use an additive year round to offset the effects of the low sulfur fuels. The cost is pretty much wash for me with a slight increase in economy.
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Old 03-07-2008, 04:02 AM   #8
racerjoe
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My opinion (yes here he goes again!!!) is that all truck makes and models are so close,that whatever you are comfortable with should be your choice. Just do your homework on towing capacities,pin weight, gross weight etc: Another thing is,will you replace the trailer before the truck? If you do they might be even heavier then the one you have now. So,just make sure you build in a "future factor" when you find your truck. The one ton dually diesel might sound like too much right now,but what about next time? Another thing,where are you staying in Western NY, thats where we are from and still are.
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Old 03-07-2008, 07:19 AM   #9
Snownyet
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Another Western NY'er here too, north side of Chautauqua county! I see muskie fishers in dcparks signature so Im wondering, Chautauqua lake area?
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Old 03-07-2008, 07:24 AM   #10
dcpark
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Racerjoe,

Our son has a park model at Camp Chautauqua on Chautauqua Lake, NY. We share it with him now. Are planning to get our own trailer and lot in the future.
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Old 03-07-2008, 07:51 AM   #11
TLightning
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Had the 3/4 ton, moved to the dually. Do the numbers...not towing ability, any diesel will tow the 3400, but the pin weight and weight in the truck.
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Old 03-07-2008, 08:17 AM   #12
racerjoe
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We are about an hour from Chautauqua, on lake erie, but not a fisherman, just a part time farmer. You won't go wrong with the Montana, If I am not mistaken,your weather in Nov-Dec isn't much worse than the 30's and 40's, so you should be able to survive that time of year. If icehouse can survive in Alaska through the winter I guess none of us can complain. You might have to go with an 100 pound propane tank just for the economics.
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Old 03-08-2008, 05:56 AM   #13
rving2us
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As far as winters in Ohio are concerned, today we have gale force winds with nearly 12 inches of snow on the ground and it is still snowing. I can not get out to our Monty that is parked for the season, waiting for spring and since we are in a level 3 snow emergency we are not allowed on the roads anyway.

Last year we pulled our 3000RK from Ohio to Seattle and then down through northern CA and back to Ohio via I-80. We have an 03 Dodge 2500 diesel short bed and the only thing I would change is the bed size. Good luck making your truck choice. Even thinking about pulling my Monty out of the drive makes me smile.
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Old 03-09-2008, 10:55 AM   #14
sreigle
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You'll be over the ratings for that truck but as you already know many are doing it successfully without problems. You may need airbags to maintain a level ride on the truck.

As for handling the cold in Ohio, if you have the dual pane windows, I say yes. If you do not have those windows then I recommend you get some of that 3M (or other brand) film for windows and install it on all windows. Otherwise you will notice a draft off the larger windows.

We have spent several Novembers and Decembers in the Kansas City area, down to five below. With the new Montanas, just be sure the furnace runs occasionally and your pipes and tanks will not freeze. At least ours didn't. Not down to five below.

Your outside water hose is a different story. You have a couple of choices. You can fill your freshwater tank and use the pump, refilling the tank as needed. But since you'll be there for a few months, I'd recommend you heat tape a water hose. That's what we did and we don't freeze our water hose. I also heat tape the part of the park's water pipe that is above ground, if they haven't already done it. And also the head. Anywhere water flows, in other words.

Last, keep the dump valves closed. When it is time to dump, dump the tanks, close the valves, and make sure the sewer hose is empty. The valves are inside the heated belly so you should not have a freezing problem there. Someone had a problem with the galley tank valve freezing. If that happens, turn up the furnace for awhile. If it still doesn't free up, run as much hot water down the kitchen sink drain as you can get in there without overflowing the tank.

If you can skirt the rig, that will also help. I've never done that but thought about it. The floor in the bedroom gets cold. If you can skirt that area, it would help. Or maybe drop the pan on the overhang and put more insulation in there. I never did that, either, but our floor upstairs was pretty chilly. So I wore slippers.
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Old 03-09-2008, 05:37 PM   #15
clutch
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I can't answer your winter canping question because we leave before the cold weather comes. As far as a truck goes the one ton will carry a lot more weight. I have a 3/4 ton now and my next one will be a one ton. I havn't made up my mind about a dually or single rear wheel. My next truck will also be a 6 speed, either manual or automatic.
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