I've posted bits and pieces of our new trailer acquisition saga over the past few months, which included buying too much trailer for our Nissan Armada (turns out "tow capacity" is a meaningless marketing term :-)), then subsequently trading said Armada in for an F350 diesel.

Well, the time finally arrived for our first real trip of the season...a 5 day excursion at Lake Tahoe! My parents live about an hour from there, so they met us at the campground with their tent trailer. What a great trip we had! Between the towing power and payload of the truck, and the outstanding performance of the ProPride hitch system, the towing experience was an absolute pleasure. We got some major cross winds in a couple locations, not to mention all of the big-rig passes, and not even the slightest hint of sway. Night and day difference from towing our old 27' TT with the Armada and Pro Series WD hitch.

Aside from a mystery smell of hot exhaust system entering the cab and the floorboards getting hot to touch on the passenger side under heavy load, and the "check coolant additive" alert showing up at the end of the trip, the truck was fantastic.

Picking the trailer up from the shop...the fridge wasn't working on AC power, so it was in for the formality of diagnosing a failed controller card. Warranty replacement on its way.



Leaving the fog belt for sunnier skies!



First potty break...San Luis Reservoir





All set up after a short 8 hour drive up the hill...good thing we left at 5am!



Beer-thirty!



Not hating this view



Everyone slept great in the new trailer



Looking up to the Flume Trail high above Lake Tahoe



Grandma and DS2 at Sand Harbor



What an incredible day at Sand Harbor









Papa and DD are best buds



Checking out the campground pool, and flight testing the new water wings :-)



Really impressed with the new setup...it suits us perfectly!



A little street hockey to get the day started



The smoke from the nearby Markleeville fire started entering the Tahoe Valley



Wait! I just want to ride you!!



A Tahoe Lobster!



Our last night in camp...it sure was a great time!



All packed up and ready to hit the high gears!



This view of Lover's Leap means our Tahoe fun is over :-(



At 62' long, finding a parking spot can be a challenge



It was a scorcher coming through Sacramento...we left Tahoe in the mid-70's, and it was 59 degrees by the time we got back to Monterey, 300 miles later. You have to love the California Micro-climates!



The dry and scenic Central Valley



My lovely co-pilot



The last big climb of the drive home: Pacheco Pass. I was able to maintain 70 up the hill, no problem.



Back in town after a 9.5 hour drive home, and everyone was still in good spirits! Mission: accomplished.

 

Glad everything is working out for you. Nice pics and a good looking setup.

 

Looks like fun. Is there a campground where you can find beer setting on the ground?

Steve

 

Great stuff ! That is what it's all about....

 

Looks like a great trip! I wanna find beer just laying on the ground! Unopened and cold of course. Glad the truck is working out for you. I'm guessing it still has some type of warranty, I would take it in to the dealer to find out why it was getting so hot-maybe a regen.

 

Haha...we stopped at the Total Wine on the way up the hill and I filled every remaining space in the fridge with beerz, and the tulip snifter in the freezer. It was sure nice to have the cold one ready once the setup was done

I've called the dealer, and will be taking it in on Monday...hopefully they can get to the bottom of the issue without having to reproduce it since it only happens under heavy load.

 

Big load and heat reminds me of the issues my father in-law is having. Do you have a code reading app on your phone? If not, I recommend you look into getting one.

For android phones Torqe pro is a good app. App and OBD dongle will run about $50.
For Iphone Dash Command works well and needs a wifi OBD dongle, also around $50.
Both apps monitor engine parameters, record runs, display and clear codes, and have most common causes of codes.

 

I do have a code reader, but there wasn't any check engine indicator on the panel aside from the coolant additive one...are there codes generated that don't result in an alert on the dash?

 

Looks like it was a great time. Great pics.


Kids will remember these things as they grow older.

 

Nice looking set up. I really like the lights strung up between the two trailers, nice site to coral the kids.

 

Awesome, I feel like I was just on a short vacation. Loved the pics. Thanks.

 

My mistake, I thought it was the check engine light. Here is some info about the check coolant alarm.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-additive.html

 

Time flys win your making memories. Enjoyed your trip.
Google DIY bike rack for using in truck bed. I made one for three bikes in my F250.

 

C'mon now! I love the natural air conditioning we have here! You see how traffic gets backed up on HWY 1 on Fridays and Saturdays with all the south bay peeps and central valley peeps coming down and over to enjoy our 70 degree weather when everyone else is baking!

We're getting ready to pack up and head out to Yosemite ourselves.

You got a nice trailer there, Rangerbait. Did you get it recently?

Stewart

 

Yesm there ARE codes generated that do not turn on the CEL. It would be wise to stick a code reader on your ODBII port and check for them. A lot of auto stores will check for free. ie Auto Zone for one.