jim sroka

Two trips AZ to mid-Michigan, speed limit +5mph even in west TX. Trip one along the bottom to I-75 North 200 miles in Michigan. Second trip to the top of AZ then worked my way to Chicago then home. 14.8 pulling Elite 2 with a Chevy 3.0 with Max Tow PKG. Doing some two-lane towing around Michigan at 55 to 60 get 15 to 16, non-towing 29 to 31 mpg

To those who have had a Freshjet installed did you use the drain system and the thermostat that came with the STD ac on the Elite2? Also what ceiling face plate did you have installed the old one or a new one offered for the Freshjet? any pictures you could post would appreciated. Thanks Much Jim

5.3 half ton will work fine if you are not out west. I had a 5.3 half ton Chevy that I pulled a 25ft Airstream Se which was 5600 lbs dry and 980 tongue weight.. I pulled all over the east US plus the Southwest with the 5.3 6 speed ( 2014). I would of like to have a 8 or 10 speed , the down shifts would have been smoother. I sold it with 85k on it 90% towing no oil burn or trans problems. Same pkg you have 4x4 tow pkg 12mpg towing running with traffic . I got a little better towing the Oliver L2 which I now have. So happy with the 1500 I replaced with a 2022 Silverado 1500 extend cab short bed 4x4 3.0 Duramax that pulled back from Ca to Mi and got 16mpg running with the flow 75+ in Az thru TX. You will need a Anderson hitch with a 1/2 ton.

Gald to hear you got a Truma installed . I made a appointment at the Elkhart Service Center back in when the install coupon can out for a March 13th install. Drove 5 hrs down on Sunday to make the 9am on Monday and backed my trailer into the garage and went to the waiting room. Now I filled out the forms Ii first sighted up confirmed my date (twice) . Twenty minutes later i was told they won't do the installs only Oliver will do when and is should call Oliver service. At 3:20pm that day i get a email me telling me they won't do the installs on Olivers The next day I get a email saying they are doing aftermarket installs on some Rvs. I understand they don't want to undercut the clients (Oliver) but what bad deal for me, 10 hrs of drive time and fuel burn for a sorry. They made no effort to correct the problem other then saying sorry. Glad you got your installed , I was told they only have done one in Fl. that must be you.

Well not on a trailer but on my trucks. Pulling a 5000 to 6000lbs boat without a Andserson or Easylift hitch with a 1/2 ton is not fun. With boats Sumo springs it is a whole lot better. I have installed them on two of my own trucks and two company trucks that tow boats.

Well a update on my 3.0 Duramax max tow PKG. 4100 miles with 2900 miles towing the Oliver or my 6000lbs boat. Average milage towing all at 70 plus 16.4 mpg and in all 7.5 gals of DEF used in all 4100 miles. Two and a half gals of def per in 1300 miles of running 70+ plus towing the Oliver. Love this motor compared to my past 5.3 max tow PKG truck. On one short 30 flat puling the trailer it was 19 mpg running 55-60. Due have to keep a eye on it likes to climb past 80.

Well my 2022 Silverado 1500 is on of the new ones with a tow pkg which includes a 377 axle and a high tow rating. I left our house in Michigan to go pick up our new Oliver after selling our 25ft Airstream on June 20th. We where load to the max in the back seat of the crew cab and some stuff in the bed . Traveled at 5 over most of the trip we averaged 66.5 miles per hour over the 694 miles when we checked into our hotel . We averaged 31.2 mph on the dash and we i topped of the tank it confirmed just a little bit better at 31.6. Picked up the trailer on Tuesday stayed overnight, load all our stuff into the trailer installed the hitch . Next morning headed home 734 miles away. This truck is a LT Crew Cab ,shortbox, four wheel drive. Got up to Nashville outside temp was 100 , on to Louisville temp 101 in stop and go traffic. Head to Cincinatti, hit a strong 30mph head windy all the way home to Port Huron MI. Averaged 16.2 on that 724 mile return trip . Compared to my 2014 Chevy 1500 with a 5.3 I got 48% better milage on the trip down and 55% better towing with the 3.0 Duramax., and that was towing the same weight with the Airstream. If i was only towing the Oliver or the Airstream both around 6500Lbs load I would have passed on the Max Tow Pkg and probably got better milage, but I do tow a boat that goes 9400 lbs so Max Tow was the only choice. Love this motor I found myself creeping up to around 78/80 mph and the Oliver towed super.

Having answered that question hundreds of times to people I delivered boats to over 20 years, I always said buy the one offered by Shur Hold marine products, They are light, do a great job for the weekend buffer. If you want to step up and work your arm use what the pros use Dewalt or Makota . If your hull looks good try Buff Magic by the company or 3M finesse.

HI Marv Not to say I have all the answers so I will tell you my last twenty years of towing. First i just sold my 2008 Airstream 25 (5600 lbs dry and 960 in hitch weight), my wife and I put 65,000 miles on it towing with a 2014 Silverado 1500 with a 5.3 and 6 speed trans. The truck had a max tow PKG and a 373 axle . The mpg around home 19/20, towing if i stayed in the 65/70 range was 11to 12 mpg . The last trip in TX and AZ running 75 to 80+ milage was 10 to 11. I never use cruise unless it flat with no wind. With all that said I am waiting for my Elite 2 in June and my new 2022 chevy 1500 with the 3.0 and 10 speed. For the last 20 years at work I have towed boat all over Michigan and other parts of the country. I have used GMC 1500 ,2500,and 3500 both gas diesel, tow from 5000 lbs to 19,000 lbs. When I grab a truck to tow I always when i could a truck that was rated for twice trailer as the load i was moving. By doing that it was a lot nice drive, and it also gave me the best tow milage. On the 5.3 i had it ran down the highway towing @ 2200 to 2450 rpm in 5 gear and would up shift in to 6 on fall roads or with a tail wind. The Oliver weights less then my own boat by 1000 lbs a nd the hitch will be about the same. i tow the boat all over MI with out a weight equalizing hitch ,but with Sumo Springs installed. Boats do not tow near as good as Airstreams or Olivers. So with all that said I have a 2022 chevy 1500 with a 3.0 max 4 wheel drive with a 10 speed . 12900 lbs tow rating and a 2100 lbs payload I my add Sumo Spring ( 1000 lbs units) mostly to stop the bounce when towing the boat , they create a lot more bounce than travel trailers. The GM 6.6 gasser are testing a 10 speed for 2023 to help them get some milage ( family works for GM trans) lots of power for heavy loads around town but I wouldn't buy one for la daily drive or long hauling. Jim

No, replace the whole rim and tire with much smaller DIA. set ups, Your not going down the road with them. Had to do that to a 8,000 boat and trailer combo and with my past Airstream . It did make working on roofs and wheeling the boat much simpler. Zoning limited my roof high limiting door header high. another way is shop dollies pull the tires and set the dollies under the spring mounts on the axles like auto body shops. all depends on how often you move it in and out of storage, for me boat went in when the water got hard and trailer came out until spring.

Had the same problem with a boat on a trailer. Take a look at pulling the rims and using smaller rims and wheel and a drop ball mount. Switching rims is cheap and only take 20 to 1/2 hour