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RE: Engine braking on 2017 F150 5.0L
When towing on flat terrain and taking an exit off the interstate, I would prefer it not do the insane downshifting. In this situation, I've been turning off tow haul as I take the exit cause I have plenty of time to stop.
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plasticmaster
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03/28/23 03:43pm |
Tow Vehicles
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Engine braking on 2017 F150 5.0L
I have a 2017 F150 with the 5.0 engine. When I tow my TT in tow haul mode, it seems to me that Ford has overdone it with the engine braking. As I apply the brakes, it downshifts really hard and revs really high to the point of making me wonder if it could damage the engine or transmission. On my last trip, I would disengage tow/haul when I knew I was getting ready to hit the brakes. Should I be concerned about this, or just let it do its thing?
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plasticmaster
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03/28/23 10:11am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Bill giving residents priority at booking FL state parks
What happened to first come first serve? If you're a Floridian that didn't get a site, you didn't book early enough. It's same with every other CG in the US. Why do I get ads for other state's tourism and state parks if they don't want me there?
It's kind of like when the kids ask to borrow the car. I paid for the car, so if I want to use it, I use it even if they want to borrow it.
No one is suggesting you can't use the state parks just that locals get first chance at the sites. Particularly for working class residents, it may be more of a challenge to hang out on line trying to work the reservations compared to a retired snowbird who has tons of time on their hands and lots of flexibility to switch parks if one is full.I live in South Carolina and vacation at Bahia Honda State Park for 1 or 2 weeks each summer. If Floridians are given even a five second head start at booking reservations then I'll never be able to camp at Bahia Honda again. These sites are always booked the instant they become available. As it is now I've observed 80 to 90% campers there in the summer being from Florida. If this bill passes, it will be 100%.
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plasticmaster
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01/25/23 08:04am |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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RE: Bill giving residents priority at booking FL state parks
... I believe his presentation is a little misguided though because I've observed every summer over the last 14 years at Bahia Honda at least 80 to 90% of the campers being from Florida.
https://www.flsenate.gov/media/videoplayer?EventID=1_ky7xx6qg-202301171330&Redirect=true
Thank you for the link. I agree that the majority of SUMMER campers are from Florida. No one else from up north in their right mind would want to come to camp in HOT Florida in the summer.
The reverse is true, however, for the great weather months of October, November, December, January, February and March. Out-of-staters and Canadians are in the majority.
Most other state parks around the country and many county parks give residents an advantage over non-residents. We are hoping for that to happen here with our Florida State Parks and our residents.
Denny and Cindy HendersonFlorida State Parks FAQ page states that 61% of overnight guests over past 5 years are Florida residents. I guess my observation of summer campers is offset some by the winter campers, but the majority is still Floridians.
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plasticmaster
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01/24/23 10:21am |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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RE: Bill giving residents priority at booking FL state parks
We first stayed in a Florida State Park in 1962. It was then called "Fort Pickens State Park" but is now a part of the National Seashore. On that trip we traveled all around the perimeter of Florida with a tent--all the way down to the Everglade National Park on the Gulf side and back up on the Atlantic all the way up to Tomoka State Park. We were a young couple then traveling with a car and tent. We stayed mostly in Florida State Parks on that trip. We fell in love with Florida State Parks 60 years ago
Later, with our family, we spent weeks instead of days at our favorite parks with a larger tent: Fort Pickens, St. Andrews, Manatee Springs, etc. Upon retirement we became RV campers. Florida remained one of our favorite destinations. We have wonderful memories of staying in our trailer at St. Andrews and Fort Pickens.
I am now 90 years old; my wife is 87; but we have given up being able to spend even 4 or 5 days at St. Andrews--or probably any other state park in Florida. We are lucky to get 3 or 4 days at Fort Pickens National Park, and that is without such a law as this.
We don't blame anyone for this, certainly not the state of Florida or residents of Florida. The same thing has become true all over the country. It is certainly true of our popular state parks here in Texas. It is almost impossible to get a week at Tyler State Park here in East Texas, or in Inks Lake State Park in the Hill Country.
But for the state of Florida to take the step suggested by that Bill is an entirely different thing. The principle of reciprocity is important to "travelers" such as we still are more than it is to full timers. We travel from state to state with the feeling that we are guests, but we know that for people traveling to Texas we are the hosts. I suggest that should be the norm. I can just imagine if we get state after state making such distinctions and passing laws. I look back over 25 years of RV traveling (and 60 years of state park camping) with great appreciation of the hospitality of almost every state in the nation.
This law is not likely to affect the few years I have left to travel, but I think it would be a tragic decision and a terrible precedent for other states. Think carefully and remember to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you."Sir, this is the best and most rational post I've read in a long time. I wish many more happy camping trips for you and your wife. Take care.
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plasticmaster
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01/24/23 10:14am |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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RE: Bill giving residents priority at booking FL state parks
... I believe his presentation is a little misguided though because I've observed every summer over the last 14 years at Bahia Honda at least 80 to 90% of the campers being from Florida.
https://www.flsenate.gov/media/videoplayer?EventID=1_ky7xx6qg-202301171330&Redirect=true
Thank you for the link. I agree that the majority of SUMMER campers are from Florida. No one else from up north in their right mind would want to come to camp in HOT Florida in the summer.
The reverse is true, however, for the great weather months of October, November, December, January, February and March. Out-of-staters and Canadians are in the majority.
Most other state parks around the country and many county parks give residents an advantage over non-residents. We are hoping for that to happen here with our Florida State Parks and our residents.
Denny and Cindy Henderson
I agree... in 2010 I did a study of park occupancy during the snowbird season in south Florida ( e.g. Collier Seminole,Pennekamp,Long Key, Bahia Honda,Curry Hammock ) and the vast majority of sites were occupied by out of state residents. For example at Collier Seminole, on many of the days, over 90% were non-residents. This data was captured by site visits and from Reserve America reports. The results were presented to the then Director of State Parks, Don Forgione and staff. They then undertook a study and reviews confirming my findings. Due to political considerations, it never moved much forward other than continued discussions. I also pointed out that several counties in Florida offer preference in reservations to their county residents and that 18 other states offer some type of preference to their residents.
It's about time Florida did the same. Residents pay for the parks via taxes and should be able to use them. There are plenty of commercial campgrounds to accommodate visitors from other states.
To put it in perspective, there are only 3600 campsites in the state park system, that people are trying to reserve and there are well over 100,000 commercial campsites that those visitors can use.I'm from SC and vacation at Bahia Honda State Park in the Keys for a week or two each summer. Show me a private campground that offers anything close to what Bahia Honda offers especially at similar price. This bill will eliminate folks like me from ever visiting these wonderful parks again due to the competitive nature of acquiring a campsite.
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plasticmaster
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01/24/23 07:24am |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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RE: Bill giving residents priority at booking FL state parks
When I camp at popular state parks in my home state of SC, the vast majority of license plates are from SC with the remainder from other states and Canada. When I camp at popular Florida State Parks like Bahia Honda, the vast majority of license plates are from Florida. I don't understand why Floridians claim that they can't get a campsite. Anyway, I just hope this doesn't pass as it would eliminate me and other out of staters from camping at popular Florida State Parks. Btw, I don't want this conversation turning political either, but I think it's a relevant subject for those who enjoy camping at Florida State Parks.
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plasticmaster
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01/23/23 02:56pm |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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Bill giving residents priority at booking FL state parks
If you're interested in Florida State Bill 76 which allows Floridians a one month head start at booking Florida State Parks campsites, here's Senator Hooper's presentation to committee. He begins at the 8:15 mark. If passed, it would basically eliminate non Floridians from camping at popular Florida State Parks, due to the competitive nature of reserving these sites. I believe his presentation is a little misguided though because I've observed every summer over the last 14 years at Bahia Honda at least 80 to 90% of the campers being from Florida.
https://www.flsenate.gov/media/videoplayer?EventID=1_ky7xx6qg-202301171330&Redirect=true
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plasticmaster
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01/23/23 12:46pm |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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How much of rise on front of truck acceptable when hitched?
When hitched with the load bars, the front fender of my F150 rises a half inch verses unhitched. Is this acceptable?
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plasticmaster
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11/27/22 05:24am |
Travel Trailers
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Does travel trailer furnace have a filter?
The ac unit in my travel trailer has a filter that I clean periodically. Does my furnace have a filter? I've never opened the compartment that houses the furnace.
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plasticmaster
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11/22/22 09:17am |
Travel Trailers
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Heavier Blue Ox load bars?
The published tongue weight of my TT is 800#. This is the dry tongue weight and I'm sure when loaded for a trip I'm probably at least 1000# on tongue weight, maybe more. I plan to weigh it soon to know for sure. I have the 1000# bars with my Blue Ox sway pro hitch. On my previous truck I ran these bars with 3 and a half links showing under the latch and later went up 1 link to where 2 and a half links were showing. Now, on my new truck, with the same setup (2 and a half showing), I don't feel like I'm obtaining the proper load transfer to the front axle cause the front raises as compared to the unloaded condition. Also, I don't feel safe tightening another link. Is it time to switch to 1500# bars? Thanks.
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plasticmaster
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11/10/22 12:56pm |
Travel Trailers
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Grease Lippert electric tongue jack?
My Lippert electric tongue jack is making noise and appears to be straining when I raise the tongue of the camper. Is there a way to grease or lube the components of this jack to help with this? Thanks.
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plasticmaster
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11/08/22 10:38am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Stiffer bars for Blue Ox hitch?
My blue ox hitch does not tilt. The battery tray is welded to the A frame and sits lower than the a frame. It's a Forest River Vibe.
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plasticmaster
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08/28/22 02:52pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Stiffer bars for Blue Ox hitch?
You need to have the head adjusted for the new truck, either up or down, and the tilt. The hitch is set up for the truck, not so much the trailer.The receiver of the new truck sits 1 inch lower than the old truck. Therefore, I raised the ball portion of the blue ox hitch 1 inch (the part that's made for raising and lowering held with the 2 large bolts). I did this before ever hitching camper to the new truck.
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plasticmaster
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08/28/22 05:55am |
Travel Trailers
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Stiffer bars for Blue Ox hitch?
Just got a new truck and noticed that when I hitched my travel trailer to it, the rear end squats a little as compared to the front of the truck. I have the Blue Ox hitch and typically I would adjust the chain length to give it more tension. However, doing so would cause the bar to hit the battery tray on the tongue of the camper in turns. Could I use stiffer load bars to provide the correct leveling which would allow the chains to be longer?
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plasticmaster
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08/27/22 06:32pm |
Travel Trailers
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Tow Packages on 2015 to 2020 F150 5.0 L
For model years 2015 to 2020 F150s with the 5.0 engine, how do I tell if it has a tow package? I'm shopping for one. Do I just verify if it has the round 7 pin connector and receiver hitch or do I look for other clues? Thanks.
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plasticmaster
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08/15/22 03:11pm |
Tow Vehicles
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F150 3.31 gears vs 3.55 gears
I accidentally posted this in the wrong section earlier, but please indulge me in 1 more question. I sort of asked this in another thread, but wanted to devote a thread to this particular question. My current truck is a 2014 Silverado 5.3L with payload capacity of 1638# and 9700# tow capacity as I have the 3.42 gear ratio. I tow a TT that's close to 9500# loaded and it tows it very comfortably. I'm looking at getting a 2015 to 2020 Ford F150. The payload capacity of the F150 will be greater than my Silverado, so I'm good there, but the tow capacity will either be 9100 or 10100 depending on whether I get the 3.31 gears or the 3.55 gears. Do I really need to be that worried about which gear ratio? Would it really make that much of a difference towing my camper? Please refrain from telling me I need a 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck as I'm looking for the answer about the gear ratio. Thanks.
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plasticmaster
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08/15/22 03:07pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: How to find tow rating of an F150?
So, in all honesty, if I'm good on the payload number, will I notice much difference between the 9100# and 10,100# difference in tow capacity for the different axle ratios? My total loaded camper weight is between 9000 to 9500#. I'm looking for answers to this question and not recommendations to get a F250 or F350. Thanks.
Through your last few posts, it's become evident that, while you appear to be capable/comfortable towing big loads behind a half ton, you have no idea why it "feels" ok to you.
Virtually any new F150 with a tow package that isn't the base 3.3L V6 will pull as well or better than your current truck. And you appear to not have looked at the towing guide, or you'd already be honing in on the "right" models for "you."
2.7 Eco boost with 3.73s will tow better than your Silverado.
3.5 Eco boost and 5.0 with 3.73s will embarrass the old 5.3 6 speed.
And yes, you should notice the difference between 3.31s and 3.73s. However, with a 10 speed, you can just about drive around the higher final drive ratio with the plethora of trans gears to choose from.
Is your next thread going to be about Rams or Nissans?
I'm shopping for a used truck. I have looked at the towing guide and would prefer to get the 3.55 gears for the 5.0, but if I can't find one and get the 3.31 gears, would I really feel a big enough difference to really matter? That's what I'm trying to figure out. Either way, I would have either 9100# or 10100# tow capacity according to the chart. I'm good on payload as it is higher than my current truck.
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plasticmaster
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08/15/22 12:11pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: How to find tow rating of an F150?
So, in all honesty, if I'm good on the payload number, will I notice much difference between the 9100# and 10,100# difference in tow capacity for the different axle ratios? My total loaded camper weight is between 9000 to 9500#. I'm looking for answers to this question and not recommendations to get a F250 or F350. Thanks.
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plasticmaster
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08/15/22 10:41am |
Tow Vehicles
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How to find tow rating of an F150?
I'm shopping for a used F150. Can someone please explain the easiest method of finding the actual tow rating for an individual truck? I know I can find the axle ratio and payload capacity on the door jamb sticker. That's as far as I've gotten. Thanks.
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plasticmaster
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08/13/22 09:18pm |
Tow Vehicles
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