Help with Broderbund 3-D Home Architect Deluxe 3.0

[Clint]

Pat,

I have always been a big proponent of the "airlock" idea. My highschool architecture teacher always lowered my grade because I always included them in my plans. He disagreed w/ my argument about energy savings. Oh well. We plan to add one onto our current place when we can. It's the little things that make a home more efficient.

Clint.

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Yeah, Dave... if not 'degraded' at least 'detoured'.

I'm happy though. I started this and you gave me tha answer I needed. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] If I didn't say so before, thanks. If I did, thanks again. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Pat]

dummy, My 3500, when new, would, at random, pull to the left when braking. Sometimes barely perceptably, sometimes sufficient to make an unscheduled lane change. The dealer and the Chrysler "zone rep" pooh poohed me as I continued to complain. Seems they weren't sure what caused it and if they changed parts and it didn't fix it they would be giving me leverage for a lemon law action. I had no intent to give up the truck, just wanted it fixed.

Another dealer said he would give it a try if I would cover any labor that didn't fix it (after making their best guess that it would be a caliper.) I said OK so they changed the caliper and fixed it.

I was dissapointed to find the dealers more interested in manipulating the outcome to avoid possible liability than to fix the customer's vehicle.

Pat

[Pat]

Bird, I wonder what the combined gross weight maximum is for that vehicle. Many RVers routinely exceed max towing limits and max weights for 5th wheel RVs too. There is better than a 50/50 chance that if you read the max allowed weight bearing capacity off the sidewall of a 5th wheel tire and multiply by the number of tires you will find the tires to be way overloaded. Many rigs are right at max gross weight without any customer added contents like clothes, food, T O O L S, and on and on.

MFG will worm out saying that you should not carry a tank of water with you (no dry camping?), always drain grey and black water before getting underway, and so forth. This implies only staying where there are full hookups and not using your rig between full hookup stops.

If I were roading that much weight I would be real interested in braking power (exhaust brake).

Pat

[Bird]

Pat, I don't know for sure what the GCVWR is on that truck, but I think it's 20,000, so he's just about 25% over. [img]/forums/images/icons/frown.gif[/img] At the time he weighed it, fuel tanks were full, water tank half full, holding tanks empty, two "extra" 40# LPG bottles, but no people in it. So as far as the truck manufacturer's GCVWR, he's over, but as far as the tire ratings are concerned, he is not. The trailer has triple axles and the truck is a dually, and having been a tire dealer, he does check air pressure. However, he had told me that when he bought the trailer, it had one very low tire. He aired it up and a week later it was still holding OK, but he called last night from the middle of Wyoming, and that particular tire blew out before he got out of Texas. [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] Everything else has just been great so far. He doesn't have any kind of engine/exhaust brake, but he did put a new brake controller on the truck rated for the triple axles and got the wheel bearings packed before he left here.

[Pat]

Bird, Before I adapted 19.5 inch Alcoas to my Ram 3500, I was searching for something over load range E tires. I found some load range G in 16 inch and was happy until I personally read the fine print. They were only for use on one specific model of wheel from one specific manufacturer. The wheel was a trailer wheel. Seems the rating of the tire exceeded by a good margin the strength ratings of my stock 16 inch wheels (most others as well). These tires are made for heavy trailer service, like 5th wheel RVs.

My sis and bro-in-law have a 5th wheel RV and have had MANY tires replaced under waranty, just lots of tire problems (load range E came on it so Load range E is what he uses!)

Now, back to your story... Sounds like he did a fair job of preparation, but... I don't personally know of anyone with a good sized 5th wheel who pulls it in hills and mountains with a diesel and hasn't ended up with an exhaust brake or wished they did. I have had brake fade pretty bad on a long descent from 10,000 ft on a steep national park road with my 3500 with a large cab-over camper on it. NOT FUN! I do know how to drive, never let speed get too high on descents where braking is needed, stayed in lower gears (nearly futile on diesel) and nearly rear ended a ranger. This was the STRONG motivation to get an exhaust brake. With a good exhaust brake you use your service brakes a lot less frequently and with less vigor. I have "coasted" down steep grades out west in third gear at 55 mph using my exhaust brake that previously I took at 80-85 in same vehicle. I have DONE the Cajon pass and Grape Vine both several times with and without exhaust brake and can assure you the exhaust brake reduces the "pucker factor" by an order of magnitude. It reduces brake wear as well as fade. It keeps your service brakes cool in case you need "extra" stoppiing power.

The above comments regarding an exhaust brake are for a DIESEL powered rig. With a diesel the air intake is wide open at all times and provides little or no braking effect when you remove your foot from the throtle. (Bird, this wasn't for you but for those not experienced with diesels.)

Pat