First trip with Ollie #762

[jordanv]

We picked up our camper on Friday of last week (March 19th 2021), and after a fairly long day of questions, tutorials, etc we set out on the Natchez Trace for our first night at Davey Crockett, followed by heading back north to where we are now, and will stay until Easter.

Thanks to everyone who has answered my questions over the past year or so. Every one of your answers has helped my wife and I (and our dog valentine) get to this point and we love our camper so far.

[TexasGuy]

Congrats on your new trailer.   I am two months behind you!   Looks like you have F150 as TV.   What are your impressions so far with towing?

[topgun2]

Good to hear that all is going well for the three of you.

I got one of those rocking chairs last year and love it - good choice!

Bill

[Mike and Carol]

Congrats and good luck!  Hope to meet you both out on the road sometime.  Mike

[jordanv]

2 hours ago, TexasGuy said:

Looks like you have F150 as TV.   What are your impressions so far with towing?

The landscape here is slightly hilly but nothing compared to the west US. That being said, you can definitely tell you are towing a 5-6K pound trailer behind you. It will take some getting used to, but I wouldn't say it is difficult. Im much more alert and aware while pulling the camper, which I think is a good thing.

I have a 2018 3.5L with the max tow package which tops my specific capabilities out at 13K lbs of towing. The F150's towing capacities are slightly confusing to find out due to the specifics of what the packages add onto the ability. If you have any questions, let me know 😃

[BackofBeyond]

Good too hear - a sound blast off!!

Enjoy

Happy Trails

[C&MCurrie]

Very exciting and beautiful photo!  We pick up our Elite I  Wednesday March 25th (hull 765) and are staying at the Natchez Trace rv campground for 3 nights. Apparently Davey Crockett is full,  some sort of convention is going on.  

[Time2Go!]

Congratulations! Beautiful sunset. Enjoy your travels!

[Patriot]

Jordanv  

Enjoy your travels!

[Scott and Frieda]

Congrats jordanv. I'm looking forward to posting a similar picture in February of next year. We have an F-150 with a 3.5L Ecoboost V6 w/ Max Tow package as well. Certainly looking forward to more of your driving impressions. Did you get the Andersen? Our F-150 is a 2013, and we intend to replace it with a diesel F-250 a few years from now. 

[jordanv]

19 hours ago, Gooey said:

Did you get the Andersen?

Yes, I got a used Anderson from a user on this forum and Oliver installed it (for a fee) when we picked up the trailer. 

The hitch on the F150 states that a WD hitch is needed for anything over 5,000 lbs.

We’ve already traveled about 2,500 miles with the Oliver and towing has not been an issue for us yet. We haven’t driven anywhere too hilly or mountainous other than our first two weeks in TN and the truck did well there. I’m eager to test it out in the desert and more mountainous areas of the US. 

[Coach and JoJo]

Congrats Jordan V.....Cannot wait to get our Ollie in December 2021!  Happy Trails!

 

[topgun2]

5 hours ago, jordanv said:

The hitch on the F150 states that a WD hitch is needed for anything over 5,000 lbs.

Shouldn't that be 500 pounds (hitch weight)?

Bill

Edited May 18, 2021 by topgun2
punctuation

[topgun2]

Gooey -

I've towed my Elite II with both a 2011 and 2017 3.5 ecoboost.  Never a problem in the East, in the West, in the mountains (of either), in the heat )105 degrees air temps with pavement at about 120) and on the flats.  The only thing you might have to be concerned with is your payload that you carry in the truck.

Given that I get around 22 mpg when not towing on the interstate and between 12 and 13 mpg when towing on the interstate, I have always thought that towing would have better gas mileage.  However, that 3.5 is really an amazing engine and sooooooo much fun on the rare occasion that I feel the NEED to press my foot to the floor (not towing of course 🙄).

Bill  

[John E Davies]

48 minutes ago, topgun2 said:

Given that I get around 22 mpg when not towing on the interstate and between 12 and 13 mpg when towing on the interstate, I have always thought that towing would have better gas mileage.  However, that 3.5 is really an amazing engine

Bill, forced induction on a small 4 or 6 cylinder gas engine gives you the power of a big V8 gas engine, but you can’t fight physics. Work out (dragging that big load) requires the same work in (burning the same amount of fuel). Only a turbo diesel engine gets better mileage than an equivalent gas one, because the fuel has more energy and also because a diesel will happily run under a heavy load all day long at under 2000 rpm. High rpms kill fuel mileage. What rpms do you see with your truck when towing, and when cruising empty?

FYI I read a road test of the Ram TRX which has a supercharged 6.4 liter Hellcat engine, detuned to “only” 650 ft lbs of torque... They got single digit mileage, and their very best was around 11 mph on the freeway, both with the bed empty😜

Here is an interesting article on the Godzilla 7.3 gas engine, and how it was built for best fuel economy in a big truck doing heavy work. It makes great power at low rpm, right off idle, very like a diesel, with a flat torque curve, but without turbos. Or overhead camshafts …. 
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-technology/amp26306469/ford-super-duty-73-v8-engine-details-specs/

John Davies

Spokane WA

[topgun2]

7 minutes ago, John E Davies said:

but you can’t fight physics

REALLY?

Damn!  I've been trying to fight physics all my life.  Both high school and college physics courses tried to tell me differently but exactly why should I believe that requiring an increased amount of work out of an engine could/would/should increase the amount of fuel it uses?🤪

Bill

[Overland]

Don't let John discourage you, Bill.  Keep fighting the good fight.