1300 miles towing our camper

[Jettech1]

Yup. 1300 done in 3 days. The Beast towed our camper like a champ from goodwater Alabama to derry NH.  But I will say after doing it I'm not sure I will ever do it again. The interstate roads are horrible. I-59 heading north in bama will make you want to cringe and throw up. Tennessee wasn't so bad nor was virginia. Pennsylvania on I-81 and I 84 heading east will make you want to shoot yourself. So we are headed into NY on I-84 east. If haven't already driven off the Poconos wanting to die from being beaten so bad from the roads these roads will help you on your final destiny. So you're thinking the roads in Connecticut will be amazing. Not. You will hit bridge upbutments that will send you're entire spirit into the depths of hell. So the roads get better and you're thinking, this is after you've had to pull over and yack last years Xmas dinner out, that all is good now. Not so fast. So you get onto the Massachusetts pike  I 90. Smooth going for a while, then those damn bridges hit. And they keep on hitting until you're thinking either my camper is going to need to axles, my beloved truck will need all new suspension and I need a therapist from this total assault on my being. Lol. Well all, we will be driving the last leg into Maine this Saturday but I can't believe we are here in one piece. One time I looked over at my wife, she was white as a ghost. She was ready to yack too. I'm not sure we will ever do this trip again. The Beast took it in stride. So did our camper. We didn't. Lol. Be well all. I'll be back in a few weeks! 

[Pryme]

Have a good vacation 

[64BAwagon]

We have stayed in Fort Payne AL a few times and traveled I-59. The North end isnt quite as bad but the stretch from Birmingham to Fort Payne was some of the worst interstate ever. 

Nothing can compare with the mess getting through Atlanta but I believe Nashville thinks its a contest to see how bad they can make things. 

Its all part of the joys of RV'ing 

[Jettech1]

4 hours ago, Pryme said:

Have a good vacation 

Thanks Pryme. 

[Jettech1]

4 hours ago, 64BAwagon said:

We have stayed in Fort Payne AL a few times and traveled I-59. The North end isnt quite as bad but the stretch from Birmingham to Fort Payne was some of the worst interstate ever. 

Nothing can compare with the mess getting through Atlanta but I believe Nashville thinks its a contest to see how bad they can make things. 

Its all part of the joys of RV'ing 

I'm just wondering how everything stayed together. We are newbies to this whole RV world and I had no idea the beating those campers can take. At least for now. Lol

[64BAwagon]

I guess we are just used to potholes and lousy roads up here.  

Our Governor has a motto a few years back saying she was gonna "fix the damn roads" but so far all she has done is give money away to people who dont want to work. 

[KARNUT]

2 hours ago, Jettech1 said:

I'm just wondering how everything stayed together. We are newbies to this whole RV world and I had no idea the beating those campers can take. At least for now. Lol

You may want to spend time as my father would say nut and bolting the damn thing. And if it’s a light weight model. Check the frame, especially just under the front. Not to alarm you, but read about some issues with bending on bad roads.

[Jettech1]

1 hour ago, 64BAwagon said:

I guess we are just used to potholes and lousy roads up here.  

Our Governor has a motto a few years back saying she was gonna "fix the damn roads" but so far all she has done is give money away to people who dont want to work. 

Isn't it wonderful how that works.  Give it away to those who don't want to work. Makes me a proud tax payer. Not!!

[Jettech1]

1 hour ago, KARNUT said:

You may want to spend time as my father would say nut and bolting the damn thing. And if it’s a light weight model. Check the frame, especially just under the front. Not to alarm you, but read about some issues with bending on bad roads.

I've read about the frames breaking and bending. Wednesday the weather clears up here so I'll do some crawling around. Can't hurt to keep an eye on things. 

[Jettech1]

People talk about towing their campers with a half ton that weighs 2k less than the HDs. I can honestly say if I was towing our camper with a half ton truck and dealing with the shitty roads, I would have turned around in the middle of I-59 and said hell no. It was tossing around our truck around like a rag doll. The truck never got out of control but those hard hits, those bridge abutments. I can't believe we are still alive. Lol

[Jettech1]

@Pryme my 120 doesnt work. I'm like wth?  I've never had a problem with my truck. So I looked in the owners manual and it was fuse #19 under the hood somewhere that powers the inverter. Another adventure tomorrow

[Pryme]

8 hours ago, Jettech1 said:

@Pryme my 120 doesnt work. I'm like wth?  I've never had a problem with my truck. So I looked in the owners manual and it was fuse #19 under the hood somewhere that powers the inverter. Another adventure tomorrow

Dumb question but you made sure to turn it on with the switch on the dash right? Does the green light illuminate?

it only works with the engine running too. 

[Jettech1]

2 hours ago, Pryme said:

Dumb question but you made sure to turn it on with the switch on the dash right? Does the green light illuminate?

it only works with the engine running too. 

Not a dumb question at all and yes the green light does illuminate but no power is there. Another rainy day here so I might have to wait until tomorrow to check the fuse. 

[Jettech1]

On 8/8/2023 at 12:12 AM, Jettech1 said:

@Pryme my 120 doesnt work. I'm like wth?  I've never had a problem with my truck. So I looked in the owners manual and it was fuse #19 under the hood somewhere that powers the inverter. Another adventure tomorrow

It healed itself. I took the fuse out and checked it. All was fine and works again. It must have been a sketchy connection at the fuse is all I can think of. 

[Jettech1]

Oh yeah, almost forgot. 1300 miles of towing our 8k camper, foot to the floor on on ramps mainly. I had about an 1/8th of an inch of oil in my catch can. Hardly anything. Oil level still at the top of the dipstick. Damn I love that engine. Trans Temps never went about 188'  I'm super pleased with the performance and gas mileage. I love my truck!!!