Community Forums

supertramp · 01-01-2017, 04:07 PM

Hello I am picking up a 31' TT tomorrow I will be taking I78eb to I81sb working my way to I85sb it's been a while but are there any bad grades I need to remember? It's been a while and I don't know the condition of its electric brakes I want to try to avoid as many steep downgrades as I can if I can pinpoint were they are thanks

Qwert66 · 01-01-2017, 06:13 PM

Www.earth.google.com
Load Google earth on a pc.
Set up a route you want.
Right click on the purple route line.
Select elevation view.

Shows a graph below your map including the grade profile, min max grades and elevations. If you select a point along the graph it will display the corresponding point on the map including the statistics.

JFXG · 01-02-2017, 01:14 AM

Tramp, you didn't say where you're starting, so I'm not quite sure about the I-78 thing. You can't go eb on I-78 and arrive at I-81. Can't be done. Maybe you meant wb or maybe you meant I-76.
South on I-81 from about the Harrisburg area you'll be fine all through PA, MD, and VA. If you plan to connect to I-85 you'll need to get onto I-77 south near Ft Chiswell VA, (Exit 81). It's about 120 miles down to I-85 in Charlotte, but it's in the first 30 miles in VA that you may have a problem. I-77 in VA climbs over a ridge near Fancy Gap VA. The southbound climb is mostly long and gentle with a short steeper section near the top. Probably won't be too bad. However, the southbound descent after passing Fancy Gap is about 6-7 miles of sustained 4% - 4.5% downslope. There are three runaway truck ramps built along this descent, for good reason.

You mentioned that you're not sure about the electric brakes on this TT, and you don't yet know what your tow vehicle will be. For these reasons I strongly recommend that you take an alternate route, taking I-64 from I-81 near Staunton VA to connect with I-95S at Richmond, then taking I-85S at Petersburg. This will add about 100 miles to your trip, but there will be no grades to speak of.

Let me repeat this, simply because the condition of your trailer is unknown. Do not try to cross Fancy Gap unless you are very sure that your tow vehicle brakes and trailer brakes are strong, in good condition, and you know how to properly operate them.

Enjoy your trip!

John & Diane, fulltiming since '12 02 DS40, FL, Cat, '04 Element NHSO RVM103

supertramp · 01-02-2017, 04:06 AM

JFXG I Had to think about what you said that I78 doesn't connect with I81? I drove that route a thousand times a decade ago, but I had to check the map to make sure it didn't change I 78 dead ends into I81 between state gamelands # 211 and #81 near fort Indian town gap. As far as my trip I'm planning on leaving in few hours to get the tow vehicle, it's advertised as being a late model GMC Sierra 3/4 ton possible f350 or ram diesel, I will take your advice to avoid the steep grades the tow vehicle should be adequate (if the enterprise employee knows what he's talking about); I will find out by 8am today my fear right now is all this raid we are getting if the forecast is correct I will see heavy rain all the way up and I have a window wendsday to get back I don't want to be up north on Thursday because it's supposed to get real cold and possibly snow :( thanks for the advice in the alternative route I may have messed up the EB SB in the post because of the spell checker on my phone?? But my trip starts in central NJ and ends in western SC

supertramp · 01-02-2017, 04:28 AM

Im just trying to avoid DC I remember steep grades somewhere on I77 but couldn't remember where metro DC on I95 is out unless I can find secondary highways around it even if it 200 miles out of the way

birddog2you · 01-02-2017, 04:44 AM

I really don't understand peoples desires to avoid DC. It is not all that bad. I would in your case consider taking RT 301 south to I95 just north of Richmond. Lots of traffic lights but a nice ride. Enjoy your trip.

mikebreeze · 01-02-2017, 05:52 AM

I live near DC and I can verify that it is the worst traffic on the east coast, if not the country. The OP is correct to avoid it. Just spend a Friday afternoon on I95 between DC and Fredericksburg, VA and I'm sure that you will agree.

JFXG · 01-02-2017, 07:56 AM

>>....I may have messed up the EB SB in the post because of the spell checker ..... my trip starts in central NJ and ends in western SC... <<<

Supertramp.... yeah, it was the eastbound thing, so I couldn't be sure what you were getting at.

Anyway--- if you're coming out of central Jersey your best bet is definitely to connect with US 301 down to Richmond as birddog suggested, then take I-85 at Petersburg.

supertramp · 01-02-2017, 10:28 AM

I'm in the rental enterprise truck now I think it will be more than adequate it's a 2017 Ford F250 XLT power stroke it's like a tank compared to my Yukon and has the intergated brake controller

and backup cam with hitch guide it has more power than I need diesels have come a long way!!!!

birddog2you · 01-02-2017, 11:54 AM

Follow up and let's us know how your trip went.

supertramp · 01-03-2017, 04:38 PM

Well ran into a roadblock today the nj dmv swears up and down I need to get a insurance policy specific to the travel trailer? I don't believe this but can't argue with a state employee that knows everything! Also ran into a issue with the sellers title he didn't notice his wife was listed as a co owner and she was not available till tomorrow! Then buying the money orders that's a total disaster 7-11 can't sell more than 3 $500 money orders a day to a single person they say! But they only take cash no debit or credit cards! If I had the cash to give the seller I wouldn't need to buy money orders! I don't like having all that cash on hand in situations like this! Then I was told the post office could sell me the amount I needed but that failed because my USAA debit card has. Chip and the post office can't read chip cards yet (at least this location ) so it was declined because of some policy, I had to hop from ATM to ATM till I got the full amount needed, then because I couldn't get the title legal today I got my cash back and have to wait till tomorrow! The owner of the TT didn't know it needs a battery for the brakes to work if it disconnected and pulled the pin? He thought it still stopped! And now the leak it's pretty bad over the bed the wall were the tv shelf is was so weak when feeling the wall for rotted studs my hand went through the panel! The studs AR ok now it's just everthing else! Now the slide I don't. Know if it works he said it did a few months ago and once it only opened on one side? A screw fell out that he fixed? What else? He said the brakes are fine I couldn't test them today! I don't. Know if the lights work yet, after thinking about all the headache so far with this thing I decided to tell him I had a bad feeling about it and why he was being so secretive about getting about copy of his DL he won't even give me his cell number! I said forget it unless he will let it go for $1200.00 and suprised he said yes, this then made me wonder is he not telling me something and said if the brakes don't work or i cant get a temp tag from NJ i will have to pay uship to haul it to sc, I don't think I can do better than $1000.00 and he agreed? Now it's a 2005 gulfstream 32ft TT that everthing is supposed to work and in good condition they sell for $6000 to $8000. And he let the $2000.00 price drop to $1000.00 what do you guys think? Is this to good to be true?? Is it going to fall apart the second I get it on the road? And I will have no way to contact this guy becides Facebook? With no other contact info becides his name and he lives in new jersey? Should I take chance with it fo $1000.00 that once I fix the leak everthing else will be minor? Let me know what you think? I will go out there one more time tomorrow morning I rented. Room for the night and will try to test the lights and brakes

supertramp · 01-03-2017, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by supertramp

Well ran into a roadblock today the nj dmv swears up and down I need to get a insurance policy specific to the travel trailer? I don't believe this but can't argue with a state employee that knows everything! Also ran into a issue with the sellers title he didn't notice his wife was listed as a co owner and she was not available till tomorrow! Then buying the money orders that's a total disaster 7-11 can't sell more than 3 $500 money orders a day to a single person they say! But they only take cash no debit or credit cards! If I had the cash to give the seller I wouldn't need to buy money orders! I don't like having all that cash on hand in situations like this! Then I was told the post office could sell me the amount I needed but that failed because my USAA debit card has. Chip and the post office can't read chip cards yet (at least this location ) so it was declined because of some policy, I had to hop from ATM to ATM till I got the full amount needed, then because I couldn't get the title legal today I got my cash back and have to wait till tomorrow! The owner of the TT didn't know it needs a battery for the brakes to work if it disconnected and pulled the pin? He thought it still stopped! And now the leak it's pretty bad over the bed the wall were the tv shelf is was so weak when feeling the wall for rotted studs my hand went through the panel! The studs AR ok now it's just everthing else! Now the slide I don't. Know if it works he said it did a few months ago and once it only opened on one side? A screw fell out that he fixed? What else? He said the brakes are fine I couldn't test them today! I don't. Know if the lights work yet, after thinking about all the headache so far with this thing I decided to tell him I had a bad feeling about it and why he was being so secretive about getting about copy of his DL he won't even give me his cell number! I said forget it unless he will let it go for $1200.00 and suprised he said yes, this then made me wonder is he not telling me something and said if the brakes don't work or i cant get a temp tag from NJ i will have to pay uship to haul it to sc, I don't think I can do better than $1000.00 and he agreed? Now it's a 2005 gulfstream 32ft TT that everthing is supposed to work and in good condition they sell for $6000 to $8000. And he let the $2000.00 price drop to $1000.00 what do you guys think? Is this to good to be true?? Is it going to fall apart the second I get it on the road? And I will have no way to contact this guy becides Facebook? With no other contact info becides his name and he lives in new jersey? Should I take chance with it fo $1000.00 that once I fix the leak everthing else will be minor? Let me know what you think? I will go out there one more time tomorrow morning I rented. Room for the night and will try to test the lights and brakes

Now that I think about it I think either a tree limb either fell on the roof or it hit a low branch that punctured the roof or someone punctured it from inside there is a star shaped cut in the ceiling that looks like someone shot a arrow with a razor Broadhead tip into the ceiling because of how the water was coming in I don't think it's just a normal failure of the rubber roof if I go back to look at it again I will have to climb on my truck to see the roof were the leak is I might be able to temporarily patch it with duct tape. And I will check the floor real close for soft spots in the room with the leak

RVThere · 01-03-2017, 09:09 PM

If the roof is leaking that bad and the wall is rotted, turn around and RUN home! Just because the studs are solid is nothing positive. The wall and insulation are probably full of mold.

Yes, you'll have to eat the truck rental fee but, from the problems you listed, this is one to pass on by.

Good luck!

supertramp · 01-04-2017, 04:36 AM

Thanks that's what I was thinking I'm going to go against my better judgement and look at it one more time if it needs the whole bedroom tripped out I could still do that it's a separate room with a door, I will try to get him down more on the price he can't get much from anyone for it, I might offer him $700 for it if the floors is still solid then I just have to rip the ceiling and wall out. Carpet and such I think I can fix it myself for a couple grand but if he pays someone it will cost a lot more than perfect value of it