Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Montana Owners Club - Keystone Montana 5th Wheel Forum > GENERAL DISCUSSIONS > Tow Vehicles & Towing
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 06-06-2006, 04:01 PM   #21
Sweetfire
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location:
Posts: 540
M.O.C. #4483
I guess I should have read the first page of this thread before I posted. I read Steve's post and thought someone was looking for opinions on TVs. Instead it seems it was more a thread about ranters and forum nazis. I look at the names of posters, those whose opinions I respect or people I don't recognize I read. If someone starts ranting and raving or acting like a jerk I just don't read their posts anymore.
 
Sweetfire is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-06-2006, 04:28 PM   #22
dsprik
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Fort Myers
Posts: 5,933
M.O.C. #4282
Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Sweetfire

I guess I should have read the first page of this thread before I posted. I read Steve's post and thought someone was looking for opinions on TVs....
That's OK, Dennis. We'll still let you in on the group hug...
dsprik is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-06-2006, 05:58 PM   #23
Montana_1240
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Fairbanks
Posts: 650
M.O.C. #1240
I’m not going to comment on anyone’s stated preferences. But I thought that the reasoning behind my choices wouldn’t hurt someone who wanted to approach the choice of a TV in a certain way.

When I first bought my TV, (a 2002 F-350, 7.3L PS Dully,) I found out that it weighed a bit over 8000lbs, without a trailer.

I knew the GVWR for that truck was 20,000lbs.

Well, we bought a 2004 3380RL, and brought it home to Fairbanks, where it sat in the driveway for four months before we had our brick & stick house sold, and most of the stuff we had sold off or stashed in a storage facility.

We packed what we thought were, “things we just had to have” in the Monty.

As we were leaving Fairbanks, I stopped at the scales and found out we weighed just shy of 23,000lbs.

I was nervous, because I had the truck under warranty for a few thousand more miles, and didn’t know how we’d fare if faced with having to be weighed at the Canadian border, or when we entered any of the states.

Whether it was the weight, or the fact that I was constantly using Overdrive, when we got to about 200 miles north of Dawson Creek, B.C., I started to suffer shifting troubles, and saw the tranny temp gage start to rise.

I dropped the trailer, the wife, and our furry kids on the roadside. We made phone calls to Ford dealers in Ft. Nelson, and Dawson Creek. I drove to Dawson Creek, and got a guy to go with me to pick up the Monty, and drop it at the campground in Dawson Creek.

There were burnt out discs in the tranny. The Ford dealer never asked the weight of the combo, or balked at warranty repairs. They just told me not to use OD until I hit Kansas.

I don’t know if the GCVW is there to prevent what I suffered. I don’t know what’d happen if any law enforcement entity discovered the weight was way over specs.

I do know that I didn’t want to be outside limits, again. We started shopping for a truck that’d handle the weight. We were happy to see that Ford’s 2005 F-350 had a new GCVWR of 23,500lbs. I didn’t have to fret over breaking some law, or losing out on warranty repairs if that came up.

As it happens, after we switched to the 2005 3475RL Monty, we also dumped a load of stuff here in Alabama, to store until we really need it. I'm guessing we may now be approaching that magic number, again. I'd better hit a scale to be sure I'm not illegal.

I was concerned with warranty problems on my TV. I was concerned with breaking laws about weight limits in any of the places we traversed. I was also concerned for our safety, and the safety of others on the road, in case braking couldn’t be accomplished when needed.

Whatever one settles on, consider everything about your choice. And do mind the stated weight limits. They’re there for a reason, and the nations DOTs know what they are. But I guess the main thing is to not skimp on the TV when you haven’t skimped on your choice of a Monty. The freedom and life you risk may be your own.

Steve
Montana_1240 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2006, 12:34 AM   #24
Fordzilla
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Marcus
Posts: 1,032
M.O.C. #2819
Send a message via MSN to Fordzilla
My user name says a lot as to what I drive and how I feel. But I have never seen myself as a push person who would try and tell someone else what I have is the best and the only real way to go. 3-4 of my closest camping buddies drive Chevy's. So if I was pushy I would have a few more of them driving F350's. But the facts are they are all great vehicles and will all do a fine job pulling just about any Montana we have. I don't post on another TV specific site anymore because there were people like are being mentioned here that would always harp on you about towing illegally and going to kill someone because you are 100 pounds over weight. We have to feel free to post what we think and others should be free to read what they want. I for one love to read others opinions on lots of subject matters such as TV's and such. Not everyone is going to agree and that's what make the USA so great. We all have that freedom to buy whatever we want.
Fordzilla is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2006, 02:21 AM   #25
Broome101
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Conover
Posts: 995
M.O.C. #1832
Ford Ford Ford, just kidding. I drove 1999 Chevy and love it, until i traded for a diesel and got 2001 F250 7.3. I wanted a diesel Chevy could not touch Ford's price $6,800.00 difference at the time, that's a lot. Had lots of tranny problems out of the 2001, driving with OD on all time I found out hurt me, as well as having a Superchips tuner installed, too much torque for the tranny. All was fixed under warranty no questions asked, but after two tranny's and the other one over heating I traded to the new 2005 models. This is a truck, tows better than anything I have had, plus the tow haul mode takes all guess work out of using OD or not. love it.
Broome101 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2006, 06:30 AM   #26
Montana_1240
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Fairbanks
Posts: 650
M.O.C. #1240
Fordzilla,

I think they’re called the “Weight Police” on one other forum.

They enjoy attempting to shame others into their rigid way of thinking.

Makes me wonder if they all might be driving MDTs, if they live by what they post!

----------

Broome,

Do you find the 2005 has far less jerking motion than your previous TVs? I know that as soon as we started pulling with the 2005, the new suspension proved to be a great feature over the 2002’s features.

And, yeah. The “Tow/Haul” is fantastic. Lots less brake use, without having to add an after-market exhaust brake.



Steve

Montana_1240 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2006, 07:13 AM   #27
richfaa
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
Speaking of the weight police..Friday while on a school bus charter on I- 71 in Ohio I noted the Ohio Weight Police had a RV transporter pulling a Fairly good size Fith wheel pulled over. It was a 1 ton Dodge Dually..Never saw that before and It got me to thinking if Ohio is starting to look at Rv'ers. I know there are some Rv transporters in the forum..Are you considered a commericial hauler?
richfaa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2006, 07:24 AM   #28
Montana_1240
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Fairbanks
Posts: 650
M.O.C. #1240
Rich,

Could have been any one of a million infractions. Or did they have portable scales with them? (I think there are such things. Aren’t there?)

I don’t know enough about weight laws, so I figure I’m going to stay on the “authorized” side of them whenever possible.

Speaking of states cracking down on RVers…Another thread tells of how NY has started making fivers pay the higher rate of tolls on its toll roads!

Seems it’s often “about the money."


Steve
Montana_1240 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2006, 07:26 AM   #29
Merv
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Three Lakes
Posts: 264
M.O.C. #1001
Did someone mention MDT's?
Dont forget us Heavy haulers too.

I also have been to the other forums and can say this is one of the best. Much less arguing. You dont have to be affraid to post something without being attacked.

Merv
Merv is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2006, 07:56 AM   #30
richfaa
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Gyro

Rich,

Could have been any one of a million infractions. Or did they have portable scales with them? (I think there are such things. Aren’t there?)

I don’t know enough about weight laws, so I figure I’m going to stay on the “authorized” side of them whenever possible.

Speaking of states cracking down on RVers…Another thread tells of how NY has started making fivers pay the higher rate of tolls on its toll roads!

Seems it’s often “about the money."


Steve
Well it was not the Ohio State patrol it was the weight police and I did not notice any portable scales. They were out in force that day as I saw them several times while on my trip. I jut wonder because with the economy as it is the state is looking for any way they can to make a few bucks and we RV'ers would be a bonanza for the weight police..I will keep my eye open as I have many charters coming up in the next couple of weeks..
richfaa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2006, 08:08 AM   #31
Montana_1240
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Fairbanks
Posts: 650
M.O.C. #1240
Hi, Merv!

Cool TV!

And I bet you have no more trouble maneuvering and parking that, than I do with this huge dually.

----------------

Rich,

“Weight Police” is what the other forum’s posters call the guys who come out to cite limits and shame posters who aren’t dotting ‘i’s” or crossing “t’s” to the level those posters feel they should be regarding weights.

But I know who you mean, there, too. And “Weight Police” works for what they often are doing.

Steve
Montana_1240 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2006, 11:10 AM   #32
snfexpress
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: South
Posts: 2,499
M.O.C. #5140
The "Weight Police" are usually the commercial enforcement division of the state's Highway Patrol or equivalent and they do have portable scales. However, I have a friend who is one of these enforcement officials in Nevada, and he tells me that they are really only looking at commercial drivers, unless an RV comes by that just "needs" to be pulled over.
snfexpress is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2006, 11:37 AM   #33
Montana_1240
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Fairbanks
Posts: 650
M.O.C. #1240
Mike,

Sounds about right.

And I’m guessing that if someone rents himself out to haul RVs across country, they are probably a “commercial” entity. Often, on the sides of personal MDTs and/or heavy haulers, you will often see that the owner’s made it clear that it’s a private rig, and not for hire. I don’t know if any that don’t have that comment evident would default into being seen as commercial, or not.

But those official “Weight Police,” by what they do, gave rise to the name of the group or groups of posters on some forums who lash out at anyone who either doesn’t know all his exact weights, or who actually admits to being overweight in any area(s). Those posters who comprise that group of “Weight Police” will swoop down and paste a bunch of figures on the forum(s) to apparently shame the declared “offender.”

I suppose the term is just a way of a forum not being peppered with something like “Weight Nazis,” or worse.

Often, (actually inevitably,) such threads devolved into ugly affairs.

In Alaska, it is the Division of Measurement Standards and Commercial Vehicle Enforcement, of the Department of Transportation that checks commercial rigs for whatever the various areas of possible faults are. Other states use their Department of Public Safety to check on violations.

But where there’s even a perception of money, there’s going to be more scrutiny in the works, I’m thinking. Lots of people think RVers are simply made of money. And, if I do say so myself, watching a big clean Monty tooling down the highway does bring rise to a feeling of envy in many a person’s head.

But I may be wrong!


Steve
Montana_1240 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2006, 12:31 PM   #34
dsprik
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Fort Myers
Posts: 5,933
M.O.C. #4282
Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Gyro

...Lots of people think RVers are simply made of money. And, if I do say so myself, watching a big clean Monty tooling down the highway does bring rise to a feeling of envy in many a person’s head.

But I may be wrong!


Steve
This is great! I'm going to be able to fool a lot of people about how rich Cheryl and I are, when I pull our "home' down the road...
dsprik is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2006, 01:19 PM   #35
richfaa
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Gyro

Hi, Merv!

Cool TV!

And I bet you have no more trouble maneuvering and parking that, than I do with this huge dually.

----------------

Rich,

“Weight Police” is what the other forum’s posters call the guys who come out to cite limits and shame posters who aren’t dotting ‘i’s” or crossing “t’s” to the level those posters feel they should be regarding weights.

But I know who you mean, there, too. And “Weight Police” works for what they often are doing.

Steve
I don't remember exaclty what they had printed on the cars..They look exactly like Ohio State patrol cars and I see them everywhere..Weight Police was the only thing I could think of to call them..
richfaa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2006, 01:26 PM   #36
richfaa
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
Quote:
quote:Originally posted by richfaa

Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Gyro

Hi, Merv!

Cool TV!

And I bet you have no more trouble maneuvering and parking that, than I do with this huge dually.

----------------

Rich,

“Weight Police” is what the other forum’s posters call the guys who come out to cite limits and shame posters who aren’t dotting ‘i’s” or crossing “t’s” to the level those posters feel they should be regarding weights.

But I know who you mean, there, too. And “Weight Police” works for what they often are doing.

Steve
I don't remember exaclty what they had printed on the cars..They look exactly like Ohio State patrol cars and I see them everywhere..Weight Police was the only thing I could think of to call them..
OK,OK I looked it up...Motor Carrier Enforcement part of the Ohio State patrol/AKA here in Ohio ..The weight police.They can stop you for anything//Log checks, Lights, Brakes..Etc.
richfaa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2006, 02:11 PM   #37
Montana_1240
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Fairbanks
Posts: 650
M.O.C. #1240
Quote:
quote:Originally posted by dsprik
This is great! I'm going to be able to fool a lot of people about how rich Cheryl and I are, when I pull our "home' down the road...
Aren't we ALL rich?

Or haven't we all yet bought RV toilet paper for our camping?


Steve
Montana_1240 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2006, 02:16 PM   #38
Montana_1240
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Fairbanks
Posts: 650
M.O.C. #1240
Rich,

You didn't have to go through that trouble. I understand their functions. One of them is weight restriction enforcement.

And you said it. They could stop you for a plethora of reasons. Let’s hope they aren’t starting to bug us RICH RVers, just out of jealousy and class envy!

So…You are seeing Ohio State Police cars EVERYWHERE? Hmmmm…Just what is tweaking that paranoia?


Steve
Montana_1240 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2006, 02:19 PM   #39
Broome101
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Conover
Posts: 995
M.O.C. #1832
Gyro,
The 1999 Chevy was very light duty compared to this unit. The 2005 is a lot better than the 2001 I had, and yes I have noticed whole less plugging going on with this unit. no sag in rear at all, just a lot heavier duty unit than anything I have owed before.
Broome101 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2006, 02:46 PM   #40
Montana_1240
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Fairbanks
Posts: 650
M.O.C. #1240
Broome,

I was told that they more or less brought the F-350 up to F-450 standards in 2005.

Tickled us pink, too. When we knew we were so much over the 2002 F-350’s gross limits, and had the tranny problems, we actually started looking at Rams.

When I learned what Ford had done, I was relieved. I had fashioned a platform that covered the rear seats for our dogs. So, it was directly interchangeable with our 2005. Our dogs love it.

Although, I’d have appreciated the same 60/40 seats in front, as we had on the 2002, over our 2005’s captain’s chairs. The dogs have been walking up onto the console to “visit” with us while we’re driving, ever since. And my right arm is so sore from having to reach around them to scritch them for a while, before telling them to get back into the back.

Steve
Montana_1240 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
VW TDI vehicles tim43 Sitting around the Campfire 11 09-23-2015 06:04 PM
WAXING OUR VEHICLES jackel1959 Tow Vehicles & Towing 7 10-02-2013 01:03 AM
Montana Tow Vehicles Cat320 Tow Vehicles & Towing 21 05-08-2006 09:48 AM
Tow Vehicles Montana_3197 Tow Vehicles & Towing 5 02-23-2005 03:33 PM
Tow Vehicles Montana_2755 Tow Vehicles & Towing 14 12-30-2004 10:41 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Montana RV, Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:04 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.