Truck
While there are arguments for any brand of truck, when truck shopping we were between the RAM and Ford. We've owned both brands before so we were comfortable with both. In the end, we just liked the Ford better. We liked the camera system, power mirrors (extension and folding), door keypad, etc. that RAM doesn't offer. But we're not brand loyalists with a “my brand is best your brand sucks” mentality. Lot's of good options out there across all the brands. You just have to do your own homework when it comes to towing a large fiver and NEVER trust the sales guy when it comes to the numbers. Study the specs yourself and check out our towing video.
We initially wanted to get the Ford Trailer TPMS to have everything in the dash. But the more we dug into it, the more complicated it got.
First, the sensors have to be installed into the rims (replacing the valve stems) and there was a lot of confusion about the size of the valve stems and compatibility with our wheels. Second, the system is not completely wireless with a simple repeater like the TST unit. For some reason, it requires wiring to the trailer. You can see the kit and all the wires here: accessories.ford.com…
On top of the complicated install, it’s much more expensive than the TST and doesn’t monitor temperature (only pressure). The bottom line is, it was more complicated and more expensive for a less capable system that can’t be easily moved to a new trailer.
Our mud flaps are from a great US Small business, DuraFlap!
They sell several stop options as well as customized mud flaps and are VERY solid and durable. They hang about an inch off the ground when towing and are a much nicer (in our opinion) option to something like rock tamers. Tara invoked her Veto option on rock tamers. 😳
Our first truck was a 2017 Ford F350 DRW (Dually) with the 6.7 liter PowerStroke Turbo Diesel V8 (with 3.55 axle). Crew Cab and full-size (8′) bed with Reese 27K hitch. We also added sulastic shackles and Loadlifter 7500 XL airbags (with the wireless air controller) to help make the ride smoother. We go over the truck and towing in this video.
Our current truck (purchased in the summer of 2022) is a 2022 F450 Platinum (6.7-liter PowerStroke Turbo Diesel V8 with 10 Speed Transmission and a 4.30:1 axle). While we primarily upgraded for the MUCH improved turn radius of the 450 vs 350, it also handles mountains a lot better with the 4.20 axle and 10 speed.
The toolbox is a Better Built 77213014 Deep Shotgun Tool Box. It has shotgun latches that don't interfere with the tonneau cover! Unfortunately, the SLE line from Better Built is being discontinued, but we hope they will change their mind. It's the only crossover/saddle style box we've found that plays nice with a tonneau cover! We found ours on eBay here: Item no longer available. If that listing is no longer available, search by part number on google.
Out tonneau cover used to be the Access Toolbox Edition Soft, Roll-Up. However, after a few trips with sharp turns, we realized that our pin box was hitting the rails. After about a year of this, the rails were trashed and we researched a different option with no rails.
We now have the Extang Solid Fold 2.0 Toolbox Tonneau Cover (84488). It fits perfectly with the toolbox and is much more secure than the soft cover was, with no rails. The drawback, however, is that it needs to be removed to tow the fifth wheel. So, we move it into our garage when we travel. That part is a bit of a pain, but it's not very heavy, and worth it when moving every 10 days to 2 weeks. If we moved more frequently, it might not be a good solution.
We got new tires for the truck in October of 2019. We chose Michelin Defender LTX M (LT245/75R17121/118RDFNDRLTXM). They aren’t as off-road aggressive as the stock tires were, but they ride nice and should be just as capable of light off-road use. They've been very good tires so far.
We used the Vantrue N2 Pro Uber Dual Dash Cam Dual with the GPS Suction Cup Mount for our first 4.5 years full time. When we got the new F450, we liked the Vantrue enough to buy its successor, the Vantrue N2S 4K Dash Cam, which has built-in GPS for location and speed stamped on the recording.
This camera records 2.5K both inside and in front of the vehicle. It records to a microSD card and creates a new file (one for inside and one for outside) every 5 minutes (configurable), deleting the oldest file as the card fills up. With a 256GB microSD card, this equates to about 20 hours of recordings.
We like the added peace of mind that if there is ever an accident, we have a record showing where we were, how fast we were going, and what was going on inside the cab (paying attention, etc). Note: this camera is strictly for security purposes. We have a different camera for recording for our videos. See: changinglanesrv.com…
The device mounts we use in the truck are from ProClip. See the full article and DISCOUNT!
To mount the GPS and some cameras, we use:
- Builtright Dash Mount: changinglanesrv.com…
- RAM Mounts: changinglanesrv.com…
- AMPS Plate: changinglanesrv.com…
On the bike, we use the Rokform handlebar mount and case. Very solid!
That's the “Snoozer Luxury High Back Console Pet Car Seat” – amzn.to/2MnglBj…
Daisy loves the high side walls much better than the mostly flat bed we had in the truck originally. It straps to the console as well as the floor of the truck, and has a tether you can clip to a harness.
Note: The dog bed has been in and out of stock a lot recently. If its out of stock, just keep checking back.
For our first year (2018), we used the CoPilot GPS app on our iPhones. It stores maps locally and allows you to input RV dimensions and weight in and will route accordingly. However, after an update to the app, it started doing some really crazy routing (get off this exit, do a U-turn and get back on, etc).
In February of 2019, we switched to the Rand McNally OverDryve 7 RV GPS and it was much better than CoPilot. However, after about 6 months, it started giving us some strange routing also. By this time, Eric and Tami (TechnoRV) had changed their recommendation to the Garmin units.
In October of 2019, we switched to the Garmin RV 890 and it is AWESOME! Great big display, voice prompts (that aren't overbearing), and it finds rest areas, service stations, etc along our route with ease! We will have a full review and comparison HERE.
Note: We also did some testing of the GPS feature of RVLIfe (RV Trip wizard) and, while we LOVE RV Trip Wizard, the GPS navigation is lacking. Its routes (compared to the Garmin) can sometimes be MUCH longer. This just solidifies the Garmin RV 890 as our #1 pick.
When we got the F450 with the 4.30:1 rear axle, we fully expected worse fuel mileage than our F350 with the 3.55:1 rear axle. But that wasn't the case at all and that's likely due to the 10-speed transmission in the F450 (the F350 had a 6-speed).
Towing at around 65MPH, BOTH trucks are getting around 8.5MPG towing which was a pleasant surprise! Around town driving (not towing), we're actually seeing BETTER MPG on the F450 at around 17-18MPG! The F350 would get 16-17MPG.
We've only had the F450 for a month, and I need to manually verify what the computer is telling me, but it was pretty accurate on the F350.
We have AAA Premier RV Plus Motorcycle which covers everything we have. It runs about $246/yr.
We've only used it once for the motorcycle, so we're not exactly experts on how well it works for the RV. But, we've had AAA for many years (pre RV) and the few times we've needed it AAA was on the ball.
Our F350 DRW is 4WD. We have needed it on a few occasions, like Lone Rock Beach (youtu.be/IVJx2T1WJC0…), and even one state park. Four-wheel drive isn't necessary most of the time, but it's one of those things that you don't need it till you NEED it. If we ever find ourselves in snow or ice, we might also want it. We like having it and do recommend it as a just-in-case. But, if you're only going to be in RV parks, it might not ever be needed.
Yes and no.. Yes, it can be more challenging to park. But, once you get used to it, it's not bat at all. Maneuverability is best in reverse, so we normally back into spots. This also allows the rear to hang over sometimes and back in farther. Even drive thrus areno problem.
Note: The 360 camera system is a HUGE help when parking!
We use the Ford Upfitter Switches (factory option) to power everything on our dash. The switches (in the cab) control relays under the hood that power wires under that relay box. These wires (from the relay box) need to be connected to another set of wires that pass through the firewall and terminate at the passenger kick plate on the right side of the truck.
From there (passenger kick plate wires), I wired up behind the dash and across to the center of the dash where the removable dash tray is located. For the dashcam, I used a hardwire kit and wired it directly to the wire bundle at the firewall/kick plate. For the other items I wired in DC power plugs (a.k.a. cigarette lighter) adapters, and just plugged in the GPS and Furrion power. Later, I put a splitter on one of those to also power the TPMS (via USB Charger Adapter).
The location of the under-the-hood devices (relay box and pass-thru bundle) varies by make, model, and year.
This is how our 2017 F350 was wired:
This is how our 2022 F450 was wired, which was much easier than the F350. (the video below will start at the dash wiring when played)
For both the F350 and F450, the adapters were wired under the dash by running a wire from the pass-thru (DC +) and grounding (DC -) to the piece of the frame under the dash tray.
Additionally, you can find a TON of videos on youtube that go into more detail.
No. Our 2017 F350 came with a 48 gallon tank, which is plenty for our style of travel. We try to never travel more than 300 miles in a day and prefer around 200 miles.
Yes and no. Yes, it does provide DC power at a low current (maybe around 3-5A DC). This would trickle charge the batteries if there were no load on them. However, we run our fridge via the inverter when traveling which draws about 45 Amps DC. Thus, the batteries still draw down while we travel.
Our F350 does have the extra alternator and could provide a lot more power, but we'd need to run dedicated cabling for that. That is on the wish list. We just haven't gotten to it yet.
Our 1 Ton F350 Dually is not exactly a luxury ride! To help improve things (even just a little), we made 3 mods to the truck:
- Airbags – We had the Air LIft 7500XL with the AIR LIFT 72000 Wireless Air Leveling Compressor installed. This takes some of the force off the springs and shocks.
- Helper Spring Stop Removal – Once we had the airbags, we really no longer need the helper springs. But removing them or replacing the leaf springs is a pain. So, I just removed the stops for the helper springs.
- Sulastic Shackles – These put a rubber shock in between your leaf spring and frame to help dampen the forces between the springs and truck.
These three things definitely help some. But, it's still a rough ride compared to any normal vehicle.
If we were made of money, we would get a full air suspension replacement installed. Something like Keldemann.
If you have steel valve stems and enough room for them, the flow through sensors are great! They make it much simpler to add or remove air.
We have flow-through on the RV and caps on the truck. The rims on the truck just don't leave enough space to be able to get an air chuck on them.
Another item of note on the cap sensors. Many of them come with an outer shell that just spins and you need to use a special wrench to get them on and off. This is an anti-theft feature, but it's also very annoying to use that little wrench. I removed and discarded our spinner shell – they just screw apart and come right off.
Short answer: It depends on the state.
There's a lot of confusion on this topic. Yes, some states have Class A CDL or some type of non-commercial endorsement requirements for RV's over certain weights. However, Florida (our home state), as well as about half of the other states, do not. In Florida, drivers of recreational vehicles are exempt from the requirement to obtain a commercial driver's license. section 322.53(2) (d), Florida Statutes. (www.flhsmv.gov…)
Since every state honors the driving and license requirements of every other state, we are perfectly legal to drive in all 50 states under our standard Florida license.
In regards to Federal CDL Requirements, see: www.fmcsa.dot.gov…
Question 3: Does part 383 apply to drivers of recreational vehicles?
Guidance: No, if the vehicle is used strictly for non-business purposes.
Here are a few articles that discuss the topic for each state:
www.campanda.com…
www.outdoorsy.com…
All of that said, our personal opinion is that rigs as large and heavy as ours should require some type of extra certification or endorsement as well as training.
We cover some of the CDL issues here if interested: youtu.be/EY0GfrZIxxs?t=496…
Yes. Our 2017 F350 came with a built-in 400 Watt inverter and 110 outlets in the front and rear of the truck.
Yes. We looked at that as well as the TPMS system that integrates. The trailer camera system is hard wired, requiring a wiring bundle be run all the way to the back of the RV from the bumper of the truck. That, combined with the price, makes it a non-starter for us. It's also not clear if the camera will operate in motion. We use our camera primarily while driving to get a view behind us and almost never for backing. Every other camera integrated shuts off when in motion, so we have no reason to believe this is different.
All in all, it's just way too expensive, too difficult to install, and has limited functionality.
In contrast, the furrion camera system we have was super easy to install (wireless), and runs in-motion, giving us a full time view behind the RV when driving.
RV
We initially wanted to get the Ford Trailer TPMS to have everything in the dash. But the more we dug into it, the more complicated it got.
First, the sensors have to be installed into the rims (replacing the valve stems) and there was a lot of confusion about the size of the valve stems and compatibility with our wheels. Second, the system is not completely wireless with a simple repeater like the TST unit. For some reason, it requires wiring to the trailer. You can see the kit and all the wires here: accessories.ford.com…
On top of the complicated install, it’s much more expensive than the TST and doesn’t monitor temperature (only pressure). The bottom line is, it was more complicated and more expensive for a less capable system that can’t be easily moved to a new trailer.
For our first year (2018), we used the CoPilot GPS app on our iPhones. It stores maps locally and allows you to input RV dimensions and weight in and will route accordingly. However, after an update to the app, it started doing some really crazy routing (get off this exit, do a U-turn and get back on, etc).
In February of 2019, we switched to the Rand McNally OverDryve 7 RV GPS and it was much better than CoPilot. However, after about 6 months, it started giving us some strange routing also. By this time, Eric and Tami (TechnoRV) had changed their recommendation to the Garmin units.
In October of 2019, we switched to the Garmin RV 890 and it is AWESOME! Great big display, voice prompts (that aren't overbearing), and it finds rest areas, service stations, etc along our route with ease! We will have a full review and comparison HERE.
Note: We also did some testing of the GPS feature of RVLIfe (RV Trip wizard) and, while we LOVE RV Trip Wizard, the GPS navigation is lacking. Its routes (compared to the Garmin) can sometimes be MUCH longer. This just solidifies the Garmin RV 890 as our #1 pick.
We have AAA Premier RV Plus Motorcycle which covers everything we have. It runs about $246/yr.
We've only used it once for the motorcycle, so we're not exactly experts on how well it works for the RV. But, we've had AAA for many years (pre RV) and the few times we've needed it AAA was on the ball.
Yes and no. Yes, it does provide DC power at a low current (maybe around 3-5A DC). This would trickle charge the batteries if there were no load on them. However, we run our fridge via the inverter when traveling which draws about 45 Amps DC. Thus, the batteries still draw down while we travel.
Our F350 does have the extra alternator and could provide a lot more power, but we'd need to run dedicated cabling for that. That is on the wish list. We just haven't gotten to it yet.
If you have steel valve stems and enough room for them, the flow through sensors are great! They make it much simpler to add or remove air.
We have flow-through on the RV and caps on the truck. The rims on the truck just don't leave enough space to be able to get an air chuck on them.
Another item of note on the cap sensors. Many of them come with an outer shell that just spins and you need to use a special wrench to get them on and off. This is an anti-theft feature, but it's also very annoying to use that little wrench. I removed and discarded our spinner shell – they just screw apart and come right off.
Short answer: It depends on the state.
There's a lot of confusion on this topic. Yes, some states have Class A CDL or some type of non-commercial endorsement requirements for RV's over certain weights. However, Florida (our home state), as well as about half of the other states, do not. In Florida, drivers of recreational vehicles are exempt from the requirement to obtain a commercial driver's license. section 322.53(2) (d), Florida Statutes. (www.flhsmv.gov…)
Since every state honors the driving and license requirements of every other state, we are perfectly legal to drive in all 50 states under our standard Florida license.
In regards to Federal CDL Requirements, see: www.fmcsa.dot.gov…
Question 3: Does part 383 apply to drivers of recreational vehicles?
Guidance: No, if the vehicle is used strictly for non-business purposes.
Here are a few articles that discuss the topic for each state:
www.campanda.com…
www.outdoorsy.com…
All of that said, our personal opinion is that rigs as large and heavy as ours should require some type of extra certification or endorsement as well as training.
We cover some of the CDL issues here if interested: youtu.be/EY0GfrZIxxs?t=496…
Yes. We looked at that as well as the TPMS system that integrates. The trailer camera system is hard wired, requiring a wiring bundle be run all the way to the back of the RV from the bumper of the truck. That, combined with the price, makes it a non-starter for us. It's also not clear if the camera will operate in motion. We use our camera primarily while driving to get a view behind us and almost never for backing. Every other camera integrated shuts off when in motion, so we have no reason to believe this is different.
All in all, it's just way too expensive, too difficult to install, and has limited functionality.
In contrast, the furrion camera system we have was super easy to install (wireless), and runs in-motion, giving us a full time view behind the RV when driving.
Products
The toolbox is a Better Built 77213014 Deep Shotgun Tool Box. It has shotgun latches that don't interfere with the tonneau cover! Unfortunately, the SLE line from Better Built is being discontinued, but we hope they will change their mind. It's the only crossover/saddle style box we've found that plays nice with a tonneau cover! We found ours on eBay here: Item no longer available. If that listing is no longer available, search by part number on google.
Out tonneau cover used to be the Access Toolbox Edition Soft, Roll-Up. However, after a few trips with sharp turns, we realized that our pin box was hitting the rails. After about a year of this, the rails were trashed and we researched a different option with no rails.
We now have the Extang Solid Fold 2.0 Toolbox Tonneau Cover (84488). It fits perfectly with the toolbox and is much more secure than the soft cover was, with no rails. The drawback, however, is that it needs to be removed to tow the fifth wheel. So, we move it into our garage when we travel. That part is a bit of a pain, but it's not very heavy, and worth it when moving every 10 days to 2 weeks. If we moved more frequently, it might not be a good solution.
The device mounts we use in the truck are from ProClip. See the full article and DISCOUNT!
To mount the GPS and some cameras, we use:
- Builtright Dash Mount: changinglanesrv.com…
- RAM Mounts: changinglanesrv.com…
- AMPS Plate: changinglanesrv.com…
On the bike, we use the Rokform handlebar mount and case. Very solid!
That's the “Snoozer Luxury High Back Console Pet Car Seat” – amzn.to/2MnglBj…
Daisy loves the high side walls much better than the mostly flat bed we had in the truck originally. It straps to the console as well as the floor of the truck, and has a tether you can clip to a harness.
Note: The dog bed has been in and out of stock a lot recently. If its out of stock, just keep checking back.
For our first year (2018), we used the CoPilot GPS app on our iPhones. It stores maps locally and allows you to input RV dimensions and weight in and will route accordingly. However, after an update to the app, it started doing some really crazy routing (get off this exit, do a U-turn and get back on, etc).
In February of 2019, we switched to the Rand McNally OverDryve 7 RV GPS and it was much better than CoPilot. However, after about 6 months, it started giving us some strange routing also. By this time, Eric and Tami (TechnoRV) had changed their recommendation to the Garmin units.
In October of 2019, we switched to the Garmin RV 890 and it is AWESOME! Great big display, voice prompts (that aren't overbearing), and it finds rest areas, service stations, etc along our route with ease! We will have a full review and comparison HERE.
Note: We also did some testing of the GPS feature of RVLIfe (RV Trip wizard) and, while we LOVE RV Trip Wizard, the GPS navigation is lacking. Its routes (compared to the Garmin) can sometimes be MUCH longer. This just solidifies the Garmin RV 890 as our #1 pick.
If you have steel valve stems and enough room for them, the flow through sensors are great! They make it much simpler to add or remove air.
We have flow-through on the RV and caps on the truck. The rims on the truck just don't leave enough space to be able to get an air chuck on them.
Another item of note on the cap sensors. Many of them come with an outer shell that just spins and you need to use a special wrench to get them on and off. This is an anti-theft feature, but it's also very annoying to use that little wrench. I removed and discarded our spinner shell – they just screw apart and come right off.
Motorcycle
We have AAA Premier RV Plus Motorcycle which covers everything we have. It runs about $246/yr.
We've only used it once for the motorcycle, so we're not exactly experts on how well it works for the RV. But, we've had AAA for many years (pre RV) and the few times we've needed it AAA was on the ball.