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Filled the fresh water tank, pressurized the water system, and checked for leaks. Adjusted air pressure in new water pressure tank so pump cycles as desired.

I have always been suspicious of level sensors in the three tanks, so I filled the fresh water tank, nominally 35 gallons, a gallon at a time while watching lights on the monitor panel.
  • From 0 to 41% full, sensors regard tank as empty.
  • From 44% to 58%, sensors regard tank as 1/3 full.
  • From 61% to 76%, sensors regard tank as 2/3 full.
  • From 79% to 100% (34.3 gallons), sensors regard tank as full.
 

BadDNA

hophead
Mar 31, 2006
4,263
237
Living the dream.
Filled the fresh water tank, pressurized the water system, and checked for leaks. Adjusted air pressure in new water pressure tank so pump cycles as desired.

I have always been suspicious of level sensors in the three tanks, so I filled the fresh water tank, nominally 35 gallons, a gallon at a time while watching lights on the monitor panel.
  • From 0 to 41% full, sensors regard tank as empty.
  • From 44% to 58%, sensors regard tank as 1/3 full.
  • From 61% to 76%, sensors regard tank as 2/3 full.
  • From 79% to 100% (34.3 gallons), sensors regard tank as full.
I've never trusted my level sensors either, good test. I'm still thinking about the pressure tank for my trailer as well, you went with a 2-gallon, right?
 

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,638
8,683
So if you have a FB account Torklift International is using a photo of my truck, camper and horse trailer in one of their ads https://www.facebook.com/TorkliftCentral/posts/10155218918881340
yes I am one of their in field product ambassadors and I get free gear but I was using their stuff prior to my affiliation
That's pretty cool. They're a Seattle area shop, and I got my old LEAF's hitch from them. (They specialize in making 2" hitch options for lightweight vehicles that don't tow, just for bike racks and the like.) If they haven't made a 2" Prius Prime hitch by winter and I do head back to Seattle then I'm going to offer up my vehicle as a template so as to get the hitch for free.
 

jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
20,041
8,757
Nowhere Man!
Been making trips to Ithaca from here in Rochester in a Mercedes sprinter. I was planning on buying one to convert into a camper. Or buying one completed. On windy days it is a bear to drive. It is not a very comfortable for trips over a hour. The motor seems under powered. It is not suited for hilly terrain either. Both up and down. The tranny seems to shift needlessly and is highly annoying. It is not a safe vehicle to pull a trailer with.

Tried a Tacoma pulling a trailer also. I just don't like trailers or the Tacoma also... Currently own a Honda CRV. Not enough power or brakes to pull a trailer. Kind of a versatile vehicle for bikes however. I have no problem unloading the CRV. I will get what I paid for it. My brother has a monstrous super duty thing. Lots of power. Can haul everything even the stupid fucking boat if needed. What do you all use to pull your trailers?
 
My TV is a 2012 Chevy Express AWD cargo van. It has a V-8 engine and is quite happy pulling the 3,000# GAWR R-Rod,

I'm sorry to hear that the Sprinter is such a slug since Chevy stopped making half ton cargo vans and has nothing in AWD any more, and I was thinking that a Sprinter would be next. I do not want a fucking pickup truck.

On a side note, I woke up this morning and air temperature was 27 F. Went out and turned on heat in the trailer since I now have water on.
 

Jozz

Joe Dalton
Apr 18, 2002
6,087
7,755
SADL
Drove the Sprinter out west, over steep mountain passes without complaints. Enough power (V6) and not a fuel guzzler. Perhaps you drove the 4 banger with 7 speed?
 

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
42,966
15,044
Portland, OR
I have a '92 K2500 (3/4 ton but has 6 lug axles) that pulls very well. I don't know that I would pull anything larger than a 20ish foot trailer with it just because I would rather have a diesel for heavy towing. Depending on what we end up getting will decide if I keep Amber or sell her off for a diesel something.
 

stevew

resident influencer
Sep 21, 2001
41,116
10,074
I have a '92 K2500 (3/4 ton but has 6 lug axles) that pulls very well. I don't know that I would pull anything larger than a 20ish foot trailer with it just because I would rather have a diesel for heavy towing. Depending on what we end up getting will decide if I keep Amber or sell her off for a diesel something.
not sure if it was last year or the year before out west but i saw a guy with a ford diesel pulling what looked like a 30-40 foot trailer....the sides of that trailer were painted black with soot 1/2 the length of the trailer....solid black....me thinks it was a wee bit over matched...
 

eric strt6

Resident Curmudgeon
Sep 8, 2001
24,323
15,046
directly above the center of the earth
not sure if it was last year or the year before out west but i saw a guy with a ford diesel pulling what looked like a 30-40 foot trailer....the sides of that trailer were painted black with soot 1/2 the length of the trailer....solid black....me thinks it was a wee bit over matched...
black soot means he had a tuner. you have to want to make them smoke. Small dick syndrome. Smoke is unburnt fuel but for some it makes them "feel like a real man":sarcastic:
 

stevew

resident influencer
Sep 21, 2001
41,116
10,074
black soot means he had a tuner. you have to want to make them smoke. Small dick syndrome. Smoke is unburnt fuel but for some it makes them "feel like a real man":sarcastic:
maybe...
.but this thing was struggling with average hills....
 

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
42,966
15,044
Portland, OR
My '00 F350 7.3 running B99 had no issues pulling anything. Best thing was I averaged about 20mpg vs the 5.7 gas that gets 14mpg.
 

jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
20,041
8,757
Nowhere Man!
I looked at a Chevy Tahoe. Big powerful motor. Easy to drive. Girlfriend likes it. I don't have pay for it. Low miles and clean. It has a cop searchlight and a cage in the back also....
 

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,732
1,243
NORCAL is the hizzle
Been making trips to Ithaca from here in Rochester in a Mercedes sprinter. I was planning on buying one to convert into a camper. Or buying one completed. On windy days it is a bear to drive. It is not a very comfortable for trips over a hour. The motor seems under powered. It is not suited for hilly terrain either. Both up and down. The tranny seems to shift needlessly and is highly annoying. It is not a safe vehicle to pull a trailer with.
Which motor? I've got the 4 cyl turbo diesel with the 7 speed tranny in my sprinter conversion van and have no problems running up and down to the mountains from the bay area, fully loaded. Sure it gets worked on some steeper climbs but I generally cruise at 75 - 80 mph with no issues, and get surprisingly good mileage too. It's a bigger, flat-sided vehicle so of course wind is more of an issue as compared to a car or SUV.

I don't pull a trailer but lots of people do, including a bunch of rolling demo bike programs. What about it was less safe than anything else out there? (I think trailers on the freeway are sketchy in general, just wondering what made you think it was particularly bad with a sprinter.)
 

jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
20,041
8,757
Nowhere Man!
Which motor? I've got the 4 cyl turbo diesel with the 7 speed tranny in my sprinter conversion van and have no problems running up and down to the mountains from the bay area, fully loaded. Sure it gets worked on some steeper climbs but I generally cruise at 75 - 80 mph with no issues, and get surprisingly good mileage too. It's a bigger, flat-sided vehicle so of course wind is more of an issue as compared to a car or SUV.

I don't pull a trailer but lots of people do, including a bunch of rolling demo bike programs. What about it was less safe than anything else out there? (I think trailers on the freeway are sketchy in general, just wondering what made you think it was particularly bad with a sprinter.)
It was the Sprinty Sprinter with the 4cylinder diesel. I think it has a tranny problem as it winds out between shifts. It is a delivery van and I suspect it is whipped on. I am fine driving it. My girlfriend not so much. We drove a Dodge Ram pickemup and she liked it. It has plenty of bells and whistles to distract here from the actual task of driving. It seems no matter how shitty your credit is they will sell you one. It did donuts pretty capably even on the bare dry pavement.... She thinks she will take the Honda and leave me with the Pickup shes high. I don't own a camper and want to live in it down by the pond behind her Moms house. I have a house nowhere near the River nor in somebody's back yard. I am perfectly fine with electricity, plumbing, heating, cable TV, privacy and things like that.
 

boogenman

Turbo Monkey
Nov 3, 2004
4,384
1,063
BUFFALO
Tow vehicle is a 2012 Honda Pilot. Dragging a 4,500 camper is a strain on the damn thing.
I towed the camper from Albany, NY to Buffalo, NY with a 2014 Ford F-150 ecoBOOOOOST like it wasn't there. Fuel economy went from 22mpg driving to get camper to 7.8mpg towing it back. Thinking about replacing the Pilot with a F-150 but I will get the 5.0 V8 in hopes of better fuel economy when towing.
 

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
494
Im over here now
Tow vehicle is a 2012 Honda Pilot. Dragging a 4,500 camper is a strain on the damn thing.
I towed the camper from Albany, NY to Buffalo, NY with a 2014 Ford F-150 ecoBOOOOOST like it wasn't there. Fuel economy went from 22mpg driving to get camper to 7.8mpg towing it back. Thinking about replacing the Pilot with a F-150 but I will get the 5.0 V8 in hopes of better fuel economy when towing.
a friend has the coyote engine and gets around 13ish towing 7,000ish lbs around
 

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,638
8,683
Tow vehicle is a 2012 Honda Pilot. Dragging a 4,500 camper is a strain on the damn thing.
I towed the camper from Albany, NY to Buffalo, NY with a 2014 Ford F-150 ecoBOOOOOST like it wasn't there. Fuel economy went from 22mpg driving to get camper to 7.8mpg towing it back. Thinking about replacing the Pilot with a F-150 but I will get the 5.0 V8 in hopes of better fuel economy when towing.
If the max tow rating for that thing is 4.5k (which it seems to be) then you're probably over the vehicle's combined (vehicle + trailer) GVWR, as I'm assuming you're not towing it without family members + luggage also stashed away inside.
 

jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
20,041
8,757
Nowhere Man!
Dodge Promaster van acquired. It won't tow anything but it is a new vehicle that allows me the freedom of not having to haul her ass around. She packed all her shit in it and took off this morning.
 

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,638
8,683
Dodge Promaster van acquired. It won't tow anything but it is a new vehicle that allows me the freedom of not having to haul her ass around. She packed all her shit in it and took off this morning.
Promaster City or giant Sprinter-size stand-up-inside Promaster?
 

jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
20,041
8,757
Nowhere Man!
Promaster is working out nicely. Camped in it with a air mattress and sleeping bag. Plenty of room no skeeters. We got the screen for the back door. Works like a champ. We are out of cash so we will have to wait for the side door awning tent.
 

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
10,822
9,853
Crawlorado
My tow vehicle is a 2nd gen Tacoma with the 4.0L engine. It is rated to tow 6,500 lbs but I would be terrified to test those limits. My travel trailer is 3,200 lbs dry and I imagine I'll be slowly chugging up the mountain passes getting miserable fuel economy. What can you do.