# My new rig....



## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

Picked her up last weekend. Had to trade my truck in because the ol' 1500 wouldn't pull it.

Now I just have to find some creative places to take it. Hopefully places that are more remote and maybe even offer some HUNTING instead of just your typical campground.

Any ideas? Open to any and all places in the US. Will likely stay south / west for now though.


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## ebbs (Feb 7, 2010)

How's the practicing going?

Also, what kind of a station wagon is that you're pulling it with? Looks like someone attached a bed to the back of it?


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Nice looking rig, You'll be glad you got that diesel. How long is that baby.


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

Don - It's 34' advertised length... actually closer to 37 though. I am loving the diesel already!

Any other questions from anyone else? Nope... don't see any.


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT (Apr 5, 2010)

*Darn!!!! You guys in Texas are rich----Congrads Chris nice rig:cool:*


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Yeah Chris nice rig ! Looks like you have enough room in that rig to host a party for say like......all of us here ?? Hey lets head out to your ranch and have ourselves a good ol time.....AW and Don can cook ! And I think the rest of us can git into enough trouble.

Does that thing have a loading dock for all your toys in the back of it ?

Like your choice in trucks too....just like mine ! except not red







thought I taught you better ?


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

Hey now... first off, I ain't no Texan (they call us *[Excuse my language.... I have a limited vocabulary]* Yankees here) and I darn sure ain't rich.







Don't have a ranch either!

In fact, we're hoping to sell the house in MO in the next couple months and then we'll be homeless - except for this rig. Wish me luck.


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

On a call said:


> Yeah Chris nice rig ! Looks like you have enough room in that rig to host a party for say like......all of us here ?? Hey lets head out to your ranch and have ourselves a good ol time.....AW and Don can cook ! And I think the rest of us can git into enough trouble.
> 
> Does that thing have a loading dock for all your toys in the back of it ?
> 
> ...


It's not a toy hauler, but we did look at those. I love the RAM's. My buddy Ebbs says he hates them and keeps calling it a station wagon.









As for a red one... I get enough tickets already and I blend in with the road!


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

So you are going to become a gypsy on us ! Wondering the roads going where your heart takes you....make sure you make it back north of the mason dixson line.

No matter what...I still say, nice set up. And it is no station wagon I guess us Millers just have good taste !


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## ebbs (Feb 7, 2010)

Lol, you guys don't see it? I loved his 1500, don't get why he went with another Ram instead of getting smart and going with an International or a Duramax diesel!


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

ebbs said:


> Lol, you guys don't see it? I loved his 1500, don't get why he went with another Ram instead of getting smart and going with an International or a Duramax diesel!


I actually do like the look of the fords. I love my Dodge though.


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

Few more pics for anyone interested....


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

A little bigger than my Winnebago, rolls up into a stuff sack and has collapsible tent pole, three could get crowded, its seen alot of territory, states and countries.


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## knapper (Feb 5, 2010)

Where is the loading bench and the rifle rack? That is longer than my boat and it has no pull outs, the boat that is.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Chris, that shore is a purdy house on wheels. Can me the misses and the 8 kids come stay for a spell. Oh...but he way there is mouse in that one pic.


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT (Apr 5, 2010)

*WOW !!! All I can Say is Nice Rig---Many years of enjoyment to come.







*


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## TexAgBQ81 (Mar 4, 2010)

Nice set-up. -------- Is the auxillary fuel tank already mounted in the bed or still on order?


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## Helmet_S (Mar 18, 2010)

I have to agree with Ebbs on the station wagon or is that a minivan. It reminds me of this guy that I would see on the highway sometimes that pulled a gooseneck car hauler with an older lincoln town car. he had a hole in the trunk and something that came up out of it to hook onto the trailer. it was really halarious to see going down the highway and I always wondered how he would stop in an emergency. you always knew when you were about to pass him by the large amount of smoke billowing out of the thing.

Very nice house on wheels. I am not sure that you can call your weekend trips camping anymore though. It would be crazy cool to see a hunting setup that folds up off the top of that badboy though.


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## bar-d (Feb 3, 2010)

Chris Miller said:


> Hey now... first off, I ain't no Texan (they call us *[Excuse my language.... I have a limited vocabulary]* Yankees here) and I darn sure ain't rich.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You sound like being called a Texan offends you! Surely not!

Nice rig, but where is the gun vault?


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

bar-d said:


> You sound like being called a Texan offends you! Surely not!
> 
> Nice rig, but where is the gun vault?


Didn't mean it that way... I really wanted to be called a Texan, but that "*[Excuse my language.... I have a limited vocabulary]* Yankee" name just kept coming up.







I was told by a member's wife while at their home that she was born here, and "native" Texans still consider her a yankee. I guess we can't win!

I've heard that "Nothing strikes fear in a Texan more than a yankee with a u-haul". Is this true? haha


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

This is one of the funniest news stories ever, from one of my most "trusted" news sources.









Texas Constructs U.S. Border Wall To Keep Out Unwanted Americans.


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## bar-d (Feb 3, 2010)

Chris Miller said:


> Didn't mean it that way... I really wanted to be called a Texan, but that "*[Excuse my language.... I have a limited vocabulary]* Yankee" name just kept coming up.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Well, in some cases I suppose. But, by the same token, there is also an old Texas saying: " There are two kinds of Texans; Native born Texans and those it just took a while to get here." You gotta remember Chris, we consider anything on the other side of the Red River northerners.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

I thought that surely OAC was yanking you about the mouse till I took the time to zoom in. You'll prolly want to check the matress for young uns.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

You stick with the Dodge I get close to 20 mpg when not towing and no problems so far. My friend gets 11.5 mpg with his '08 Ford It's a nice looking truck for sure and this years are even better looking but the MPG sucks.


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## wvcoyote (Mar 14, 2010)

Very nice rig Chris . That a mega-cab? what size cummins, is it the 6.7 I think or the 5.9. both are real good , plenty of torque to pull what ever you want ,and as Don stated get decent fuel mileage. 6 litre ford no pulling power sucks for miles per gal. ,the new ones are even worse with all the pollution junk on them . Does your truck have a engine break if it does you will like that slow you down without using a whole lot of break.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

What does that baby weigh loaded/unloaded Chris?


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

Well I just got back from pulling her around again this weekend. Trailer weighs in at about 9500lbs unloaded. I haven't put it on the scale after loading it up, but we don't carry water and I can't imagine the wife's 10 suitcases full of clothes weigh THAT much.









The truck is a mega cab so I have a lot of weight lost in that. Engine is the 5.9 cummins.

The computer tells me im getting 11 mpg when towing but I think that's a little higher than reality. Waiting to fuel up a couple more times to get a better average based on real numbers.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

How large is your water tank ? x8.35 lbs per gallon. Are you planning on just staying at camp grounds ? Does it have a 5500 onan generator? gas or propane? Sorry for all the ?? Just curious.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Chris Miller said:


> Well I just got back from pulling her around again this weekend. Trailer weighs in at about 9500lbs unloaded. I haven't put it on the scale after loading it up, but we don't carry water and I can't imagine the wife's 10 suitcases full of clothes weigh THAT much.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


My truck if fairly accurate with the computer listing the mpg. for some reason the temp can be way off at time though.

Did you have her equiped with four wheel drive Chris ?

Again, very nice set up. It should serve you very well.


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## knapper (Feb 5, 2010)

I have a Chevy 2500 HD with the 6.6 Duramax, I pull my boat with it and always thought that it was lighter, it is oversize and I have to get a permit for it and must stop at all of the weigh stations. I finally got it weighted and found out that it is 13500 lb. on the trailer axles, that is not counting the tong weight. I got the boat in 2002 and have never had to stop before. I was shocked to find out that I weighed this much, I was empt on water and down 60-70 gallons of fuel. The thing was so light on the hitch that I had to keep the speed down to 45-50 mph. I could tell that I was pulling a load.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

knapper said:


> I have a Chevy 2500 HD with the 6.6 Duramax, I pull my boat with it and always thought that it was lighter, it is oversize and I have to get a permit for it and must stop at all of the weigh stations. I finally got it weighted and found out that it is 13500 lb. on the trailer axles, that is not counting the tong weight. I got the boat in 2002 and have never had to stop before. I was shocked to find out that I weighed this much, I was empt on water and down 60-70 gallons of fuel. The thing was so light on the hitch that I had to keep the speed down to 45-50 mph. I could tell that I was pulling a load.


You may need to adjust your tongue weight. Slide the boat forward a bit adding a 100 pounds or more. This will help your truck be move easy to dirve too ! Light tongue weight is a dangerous situation !!!!!!! I have seen and been with guys who have been on the light side...the trailer can get out of control. Whipping side to side. I bet trucks have been flipped over due to light tongue weights.

Try it....you can thank me later









Chris...did you catch that mouse yet /


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## knapper (Feb 5, 2010)

I have looked into it, the axles are as far back as they can be and the boat is as far forward on the trailer as it can be. My solution is to move as much of the weight forward as I can like outboards and other gear that would normally be toward the stern.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Well if you already have adjusted everything possible. Then yes you are stuck with doing like you mentioned. I am not sure if you were to add a longer tongue that would give you more space to bring the boat forward allowing you to gain more tongue weight. That or just becareful !!!!! Again I have been there too many times. And your trip I believe you said was about a 100 miles and that is a long way.

Or...you could buy a new trailer. Too bad you are now down this way...I have been seeing nice trailers going for a 1000.00 and less. One of my friends baught a 24' Mako he did not get a trailer with the boat. He found a nice allumium one for 1200.00.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

You could just hire some fat person to ride on the tongue.LOL


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Chris, A few things that you may not have thought about. How high is your rig. I I never thought about it on mine untill I was going through an area with lower than normal clearances, Also when I bought mine there was no jack, so i went and bought a 8 ton bottle jack, also a piece of 4x6 and a few small pieces of 2x4 work great for changing a tire, if the front axle is flatput it behind the rear tire and back onto the 4x6. If the back axle is flat pull forward onto the 4x6. It will raise the flat high enough that you can get the tire off and the new inflated one on without jacking.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Good point Don. Having so many work trailers I have gotten to know how to change tires. Having a good bottle jack and several differant size boards are sooo helpfull.


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## knapper (Feb 5, 2010)

I carry two bottle jacks one short, and one tall. I also carry lots of blocks, in boating terms dunnage. I have been moving a boat and had a flat, the only rock we could get would be crushed by the weight of the boat on the trailer. That is when I started hauling lots of blocks as OAC can verifiy, when he was up here hunting and we had to fill the back of a short bed truck with lots of gear.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Yeppers I can tell you he is right...we did have it filled to the gills and that was b4 we shot a 1500 pound moose...who knows what we would have done if we had shot two...I guess kick Todd out ? ..of course alot of the stuff was mine. I had hassells Amy Sue floating around some where and her extra sisters too...wonder if she made it to Saskatchewan yet ???

And oh yeah we did have two bottles of jack a tall one and a shorter one .....ooops I mean two bottle jacks.


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## ReidRH (Feb 1, 2010)

Good Looking Rig Man!! I have a 34' Keystone Challenger I pull with My F-350, We Love to Camp and do it as often as possible!!


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## RoughNeck (Mar 16, 2010)

Very nice rig, and your truck kinda looks like kellys ram , how does it handel the new rig ?


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

Keith: I was thinking it was a silver ram that Kelly had. At least that's the way I remember it! It handles it really well. It actually acts stupid when its not towing. Almost like it was born to tow and doesn't like being dry. lol

Richard - This is actually a 34' keystone too! We're loving it so far. I'm betting that 3500 does a better job that my 2500 Dodge. I should have sprung for the 3500 dually.

Don: Good point on the jacks. I picked up a trailer aid for changing tires, and I keep a Hi-Lift with us at all times after that experience in the desert down south.







No generator yet - looking at Onan though.

Brian: That mouse thing had me going for a while. I was zooming in with photoshop and doing all sorts of stuff to try to see what you were seeing. NOT right man, not right! The truck is 4WD


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## RoughNeck (Mar 16, 2010)

Well Chris forgot to tell you that grey, silver look the same to me cause I some times am lookin threw color blind eyes


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

RoughNeck said:


> Well Chris forgot to tell you that grey, silver look the same to me cause I some times am lookin threw color blind eyes


Yep... thats what I meant. Grey, silver.... what's the difference, right? lol. I think Kelly's is the same as mine. Does he have a 2500 or 3500? I know it's a diesel....


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## RoughNeck (Mar 16, 2010)

His is a 2500 hope Ill have my new rig for yote killin finished in a cpl of days and we can use it ill put pics up for ya


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