I want to start a new thread about nothing, and let it run...

[vkb]

Originally Posted by AAL787

I'm sure it's been talked about a bunch but I wonder what the best overall speed / mpg is for this chariot? Cruise at 61mph seems to yield me as high as 12-13 but typically 11.
I'm doing the trans-con from SoCal back to Florida next month but this time towing a Jeep Wrangler XL. Is there a better speed for towing?
The beauty is I love the view out of that gorgeous front window so I'm in no hurry!

We love our 2016 Axis 24.1...
We, too, tow a Jeep Wrangler, albeit ours is a 2000 Sport which weighs in at 3250 lbs...a true lightweight .. we don't even know it is back there if not for the rear view camera !
Ron used to be the guy who ran 5 over regardless of what he was driving or towing. Now that we are retired...he runs 55 to 60...sometimes 65 on interstate...same gas mileage..between 9-10..sometimes 11, but not often.
It seems side and head wind affects gas mileage more than speed.
If you are getting 12-13 … we want to know your secret !!
We enjoy the ride and know that the E450 with the smart 6 spd transmission will take care of us.

[The_Breeze]

Originally Posted by vkb

cut...
Ron used to be the guy who ran 5 over regardless of what he was driving or towing. Now that we are retired...he runs 55 to 60...sometimes 65 on interstate...same gas mileage..between 9-10..sometimes 11, but not often.
cut...

I'd like to know YOUR secret. I'd be giddy as a school girl at 9-10mpg. The best I seem to be able to do is around 8 at best, 6 at worst. I tow a 04 Ranger weighing 3500lbs - with a 1/2 tank of gas - and travel at about the same speeds. I own a C and that should be just a tad more aerodynamic so I'd like to know your secret. I have the E450, V10 and 6spd tranny.

[vkb]

Originally Posted by The_Breeze

I'd like to know YOUR secret. I'd be giddy as a school girl at 9-10mpg.

Well...being the navigator for us...I have always had an interest in mpg, along with all the other stats we can find.

There is no secret....I see you are in Florida...we just returned mid January from another trek to visit our family in Lakeland.
Your motorhome is 31/32' long...we are 27'...we don't travel loaded with a full fresh water tank or other heavy items on board....
our cat doesn't add much...
I would want to allude to all the starting and stopping in Florida when not on the Interstate....which we avoid as much as possible.
However...when in KS and our area in general, we fight head and side winds..which you would think will decrease mpg. But, we do not have traffic issues.
Weird thing is..when we go to Colorado...into the mountains..we have had some of our best mpg !! go figure that one out !!

So there ya go ! THERE ARE MANY FORUM MEMBERS WHO ARE MORE INFORMED ABOUT ALL THESE STATS THAN I...I hope they join in and give us more insight !
HAPPY CAMPING !!

[AAL787]

I have to admit I scratched my head when I saw the number go past 12mpg. Tailwind, flat road, a miss-calibrated gas pump when I filled up? 61 mph seems to be my best speed but I'll continue to experiment and as I tow to the east.
So far my best trick on gas is to use the Gas Buddy app and plan fuel stops accordingly.

[ducksface]

I think somewhere in this thread is a screen shot of Torque showing me at 12.1mpg over a 200 mile ish trip.

I think goi g down that 6000 foot drop I was at 9.1mpg.

[idajoe]

I put a spare tire on back bumper for just under $300.00. A new wheel and Tire all from E-Bay. lots of room for a trailer hitch still.

[ducksface]

Six vehicles, six winches.

The f150 has my favorite hidden winch. Have used it on other stuck people not used on me.

The green one that looks like a train wreck of bedframes is the gator. Used on other people.

The one with the piaa lights is the zr2 blazer. It's winch is hidden deep under the license plate holder.
It has a small winch in the rear also. I've never needed either of them but other folks have.

I've never even unwound the avalanche winch.

The Thor axis winch stores in the rear basement until needed(but you can see the mount.)

[ducksface]

In the post above you can easily see the HEPA filter I installed over the axis cabin air intake ducts. It's the white square, your upper left.

I've yet to build the housing for this filter. The gorilla tape I used has been there for months and 1,000 miles without failing.

The filters are for a vacuum cleaner. You can order round that fit inside each duct or you can order whatever rectangular size which will fit over both of your filters.

I hesitate to give you size or ordering info due to the ducts being set into holes drilled freehand and roughly by the installers. Yours could be considerably different than mine.

[Mablunk]

Hi Duckface. I saw your post about the storage units you made. The link to Amazon is dead. Can you post a pic of yours or a link if you have it. My husband is a rug weaver and has lots of rugs and materials and I’m tired of not being able to ride in our Prius he takes to farmers markets cause it’s full of work stuff all the time.
We tow our Prius behind our Thor 30.4 2018. There’d be room between the RV and car if we could figure it out.
Thanks for any suggestions. Janie

[ducksface]

Sam's club has them.
If you look on their site there are three or four sizes available.
The ones I have are huge.
Maybe 60x40x36.

They go together easily without tools(mostly) but they aren't anything that would take much of a hit without cracking. They are nowhere near water proof and would require lots of silicone and a sturdier floor installed.

I would suggest one or two of the plastic or metal bed boxes which go behind the cab in a truck.
They're more outside type things and mount really well to a trailer tongue.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Truck+bed+box&ref=is_s
Truck bed boxes.

Tell us what kind of rugs. Some of us would pay handsomely for a custom rug or floor mats.

[ducksface]

I really love this stuff for windows and the whole rv outside.
I used to use Invisible Glass but this stuff is better.

Clean the window well (I clay bar'd it because I could) spray this on and drive.
The next time you clean the windshield spray with this. The bugs comes off with a kind of click feel and even a slight sound for the big ones. One piece, comes off the window, no smear. The little things do the same but too small for tactile feel. The bugs seem to be held to the windshield more by tension than by bug goo/glue.

So easy. So clean.
Wipe your wiper blades with it also.

My next step in this experiment is to apply a ceramic wax on one of the truck windshields. I don't know how it could work better than this stuff.

[ducksface]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07DW...b_b_asin_image

I bought this for my greenhouse and linked it to my phone.
Rv wise it'll tell you temp and humidity where ever you want to put it.
Freezer, basement, back of fridge components, battery compartment(someone's recent battery calamity made me do this post.)

11 bucks. Sender has a nice display and connects to your device by Bluetooth.

Greenhouse: the plan this year is black beauty tomatoes, basil, we're making some balsamic vinegar, Pinons from our trees and we found an outlet for unpasteurized milk. It'll be the world's most expensive caprese salad.

[ducksface]

I
Don't
Want
To
Set
The
world
On
Ffiiirrre

My timers for the black hose rinse and black tank tornados came in today.
Instead of working on those I'm sitting on my considerable ass.
A recliner in the shop and me remembering I have the outside TV on the 24.1....Bad

[MLP]

Life could be a lot worse than sitting on a recliner in front of a nice TV. An adult drink might make you relax more!

[ducksface]

I seldom drink, but I'm a helluva host.
I'm probably the only guy in the world wishing he drank more.
I have an alarm in my phone. Every night at 6:30pm it says
'have a drink'
And I almost never do.
I'm a scotch drinker when I do drink.
Rusty nails and tarantulas.

That's the liquor cabinet in the shop.

[vkb]

Originally Posted by ducksface

I seldom drink, but I'm a helluva host.
I'm probably the only guy in the world wishing he drank more.
I have an alarm in my phone. Every night at 6:30pm it says
'have a drink'
And I almost never do.
I'm a scotch drinker when I do drink.
Rusty nails and tarantulas.

That's the liquor cabinet in the shop.

Ron and I think you are having waaaaay too much fun !! While our 24.1 sits on our rather frigid driveway, anxiously awaiting our first outing when and if it ever gets WARM !! Enjoy and have one for us !!

K

[ducksface]

First drink since before Thanksgiving.
Rusty Nail
Early sixties glass.
(that's little liquor, big ice cube)


The secret to the easiest round ice cubes.:
Those little round latex balloons at Walmart.
Fill and tie.
Latex balloon keeps them fresh forever in the freezer.
Lemonade or tea or whatever you drink with ice is perfect to fill the balloon. Your drink doesn't get watery.

Run under water, tear off balloon.

I prefer Rusty nails at room temp. The ice was just to show you a non24.1 mod.

[ducksface]

Originally Posted by vkb

Ron and I think you are having waaaaay too much fun !! While our 24.1 sits on our rather frigid driveway, anxiously awaiting our first outing when and if it ever gets WARM !! Enjoy and have one for us !!

K

I am having fun with the rv.
It takes mods pretty easily.
If it lived outside I wouldn't have completed hardly a thing on it.
It has set back my yard work quite a bit due to rv mods and trips taking up my time.

[ducksface]

The nephew who did most of the front hitch mount modification is on strike.
He's going to come up here 4 days a week to work for me.
He's a boiler maker so he can use all of tools to finally do the chassis battery move and add the six volt batteries by building those mounts.
Depending on the price of a pre-painted matching hatch from Thor, we'll add the battery access hatch and two more body hatches.

Mods are about to start again beginning on the 12th of this month.
I don't work well alone....

[ducksface]

Does this look right to you?