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RE: 2003 Ford F150 4x4 Towing
I towed with a ‘03 F-150 4x4 “Lariat” for 10 years. Nice truck. TT was 5330 lbs. dry weight. Probably was towing 6500-7000 lbs.
The F-150 gave me it’s all, but after 10 years of driving the Mt. Passes up here in the NW it was time for a change. After my last few trips up and over the Mt passes in both the Cascades and in the Calif. Siskiyous I had had enough. Got tired of heading up the passes at 35 mph and sweating whether or not my brakes would hold out coming down the other side.
I traded in my 1/2 ton Ford and bought the 3/4 ton Chevy Duramax diesel, used, in my signature. There is no comparison: up the Mt. Passes at 60 mph consistently, and down the backside with the Allison Transmission slowing us down. I know longer worry about burning out my brakes. Much safer and much more enjoyable. Tows beautifully and very dependable.
Your F-150 will do the job, but it will be working really hard in order to do it. If you can swing it, I advise towing with a 3/4 ton truck at a minimum; a 3/4 ton diesel is even better.
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jamesu
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10/16/20 02:16pm |
Towing
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Just saying
Wondering if the San Juan Ferry will ever sail to Victoria again.
We miss you guys.
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jamesu
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08/28/20 06:20am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Needles Hwy, Height Restriction.
From a guy who was a NPS Ranger at Mt. Rushmore many years ago as a young man: I have traversed the Needles Hwy in my tow vehicle no problem.
IF I was camped in that area in a Class A or B I would seriously consider renting a car in Rapid City for the day I wanted to explore the Needles Hwy and the Iron Mountain Road. You will enjoy the experience a lot more.
There will be plenty of folks trying to explore those “Model T” Hwys in their rigs, and with a rental are you’ll be able to zip around them. The big rigs form inevitable back-ups and clog-points on the Needles Hwy. That awesome, skinny little highway wasn’t designed for today’s big rigs.
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jamesu
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07/22/20 10:34am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Tow vehicle advice
Since you are just starting out, I recommend buying a 1/2 ton p/u at a minimum. Back in the day we (and probably most folks here) started with a small/light trailer but bought a longer, heavier TT within 5 years. That made our tough F-150 way under-powered so we upgraded to the 3/4 ton diesel in my signature...a night & day difference.
Be prepared for fuel sticker shock: when towing my 1/2 ton avg'd 8-9 mpg and 35 mph up our mountain passes; my current 3/4 ton diesel tows at 10-11 mpg and 60 mph up the same mountain.
After a few TT years you will finally find and purchase the "set-up" that makes you happy.
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jamesu
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06/15/20 07:55am |
Towing
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RE: Lolo to Walla Walla, WA
US-12 all the way to Walla Walla. A good road. A scenic drive.
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jamesu
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06/07/20 05:45pm |
Roads and Routes
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Parks in Washington
The governor opened up state, county, city, private parks to day use only. No camping. That’s a start anyway.
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jamesu
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04/30/20 05:15am |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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RE: Slide out awnings yay or nay?
Before I had an awning attach I would always climb topside to sweep off the slide out before retracting if we were parked under trees...with my awning that is not an issue anymore.
Next is something I have not had to deal with so had never thought about it before. An RV service dept guy told me he recommends slide out awnings in the event of camping in the snow. A layer of snow with freezing temps and you won’t be able to retract your slide out. I can’t imagine needing to climb topside onto a slippery roof in freezing temps to scrape/chip snow and ice off the top of the slide out...can’t be at all beneficial to the top of the slide out exterior.
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jamesu
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03/05/20 06:05am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: How noisy is your A/C?
In reply to your “noise” question, every TT we have owned has had a reliable yet LOUD A/C. I didn’t TT’s had any other kind. We are our 4th TT.
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jamesu
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02/23/20 07:19am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Campground suggestions in the NorthWest
A couple of my favorite SP’s east of the mountains:
(1) Hellsgate SP in Lewiston, Idaho. A nice SP with plenty of large shade trees right on the Snake just south of its confluence with the Clearwater. It’s bike trail connects with the excellent Lewiston-Clarkston bike trail system.
(2) Wenatchee-Confluence SP. This a very nice SP with spacious campsites in Wenatchee at the confluence of the Wenatchee and Columbia Rivers. The Apple Capitol Bike Trail, which goes along the Columbia shore on both sides of the river in Wenatchee and East Wenatchee, passes through the SP. A bike trail spur, heading north on the opposite side of the Columbia, continues on to Lincoln Rock SP. Good shade trees, and being so close to town is no big deal. Confluence is probably our favorite Washington SP. (Lincoln Rock SP is right up there also.)
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jamesu
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02/14/20 06:51pm |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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Rodent damage
I just got my truck back yesterday from the shop. Rodents chewed up the wiring under the hood. Repair cost $1,550. My first experience of this sort.
The repair shop gave me advice to place “Mouse Magic” peppermint scent packets under the hood which I have done. I am also increasing rodent precautions around my property in response. Am even thinking seriously of getting a cat.
Any other good advice is welcome. Thanks.
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jamesu
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02/08/20 08:52am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: AZ recommendations
Push the RV Parks button at the top of this page and you will be able to do a thorough search complete with campground specs, ratings, and recommendations.
All these years I have been reading this blog I have never even noticed that feature. Thank you for pointing me to it. It looks like a great resource. Wow.
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jamesu
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02/02/20 10:12pm |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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AZ recommendations
Looking for good, clean, safe camping recommendations with full TT hookups in the Sedona/Cottonwood Area. Doesn’t need to be “fancy”, just “good, clean, safe” with hookups. Spring or Autumn.
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jamesu
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02/02/20 03:10pm |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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RE: Absolute positively the worst road ever
OR-31 between Valley Falls and La Pine, OR. 120 miles. An absolute Washboard for a good 80-90 miles of that route. Posted 60mph but we could not tow over 40-45mph. On the map it looked like a shortcut between Lakeview and Bend. (Actually that road is the hypotenuse if your going from Lakeview to Bend, and Klamath Falls is the 90 degrees on that triangle.) The map looked like it would save us time. Never again, unless ODOT smooths out that Hwy. Too bad because the terrain is central Oregon very scenic high desert.
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jamesu
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01/24/20 06:10am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: North Whidbey Rv Park @ Oak Harbor,WA
Oops: They were “F-18’s”. The USN flies “F-18’s”. The USAF flies “F-16’s”.
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jamesu
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01/24/20 05:47am |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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RE: North Whidbey Rv Park @ Oak Harbor,WA
We stayed at N. Whidbey RV Pk 2 nights in September. It is right on SR-20 adjacent to the entrance to Deception Pass SP. We were camped far enough back that road noise was not an issue, but the jets were.
F-16’s at adjacent NAS Whidbey we’re doing “touch and goes” and flying no more than 400’ right over our heads. This went on from when we got there at 3pm until about 9pm and went on for 10-12 hrs during the next 24 hr day. Sunday it stopped. I asked the lady at the office and was told this isn’t the norm, “but it happens from time to time.”
We have stayed at all 3 WA SP’s in the Oak Harbor area many times over the years (Deception Pass, Ft. Ebey, Ft. Casey) and the fighter jets are always something to be taken into consideration. I am a local. We have never let the jets determine our camping plans. That’s the worst it has ever been, but with a Naval Air Station so close to some of the most beautiful camping in the state, it’s the price to pay when the fighter jets are doing “touch and goes”.
N. Whidbey RV Pk is a good one. We would stay there again if the 3 SP’s in the area are full.
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jamesu
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01/24/20 05:39am |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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RE: Traveling to the NW
The only road that warrants special consideration is Going to the Sun in Glacier National Park. Leave the trailer behind and loop back via US2. If you don't like heights it's not a good idea. Otherwise you are good to go, enjoy the trip.
X2
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jamesu
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01/23/20 06:24am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Purchasing First RV- would like some advice...
After 2 or 3 seasons in whatever you choose to buy you will have enough experience to make a good decision based on experience. I pretty much guarantee that you will be ready for a different TT by then and you will find and purchase one that better suits you. Our current TT is our 4th over the past 20 year period. It meets our needs well.
You will also have a much better feel for the tow vehicle that keeps you happy. My philosophy is: “Being over-powered is way better than being under-powered.” My first 15 years I towed with a half ton (F-150)...lots and lots of days creeping up mountain passes and fretting about my brakes descending the other side; the past 5 years with the 3/4 diesel in my signature...going up is easy and the compression brake takes away fretting coming down the back side. A much, much better towing experience. Powerful, safer, and less stress.
I learned as I went and upgraded when I could. It works for me.
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jamesu
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12/25/19 09:46am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Current weather warning for WA & OR coast
Lots and lots of rain from this latest winter “Pacific Fire Hose” aimed at W. Washington. Has really impacted the Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia areas south of here.
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jamesu
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12/21/19 05:58am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Camping Suggtions for Baker City, Oregon area please
This May we stayed 2 nights at Mt. View RV Pk, 2845 Hughes Ln, Baker City, OR 97814. On the edge of town, clean, good staff, level sites, decent shade trees. There were a few worker guys across from us: out early and back at the end of their work day. We felt safe here and no problem returning if we pass through Baker City agIn.
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jamesu
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12/01/19 07:28am |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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RE: Maryland to Washington State -- best routes
Seems to me if you need to hog out miles from the east coast to Washington I would look for a fairly direct route northerly from Maryland to I-90 and start driving west. I-90 starts and ends in Boston and Seattle on either end. There are plenty of routes west, some more scenic than others, but 90 was designed to get you there fast. It is a very efficient route over the 2 major mountain ranges: the Rockies and the Cascades.
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jamesu
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11/30/19 04:43am |
Roads and Routes
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