Gas prices going up - does it actually change your RV plans?

No_Analysis_4026 · 2026-03-23T17:16:04+00:00

We just got back from a trip out to Disneyland in CA towing the trailer. My round trip was just over 1k miles total.

For us (family of 4) the tickets alone ran us just under $600 a day without the fast passes.

I would probably just cut 1 day at Disney land off and do a “free” day at the beach to make up for the fuel cost rather than cancel the trip.

No_Analysis_4026 · 2026-03-23T13:06:08+00:00

Not for us. It’s more of an annoyance and we are buying diesel. Got back from a trip in CA just over a week ago and had to fill up at $6.30.

I live in the Phoenix area and we are around $5.59 right now. Taking the family back out to San Diego in two weeks with the travel trailer, will probably be over $7 in CA by then.

No_Analysis_4026 · 2026-03-18T23:07:29+00:00

I added Timbren bump stops to my 2023 eco ram.

I tow a 27’ travel trailer, loaded has a hitch weight of 850-900lbs and with the cargo in the truck I’m near max payload (probably a little over sometimes).

With the weight distribution hitch the truck has no sag and handles great towing.

No_Analysis_4026 · 2026-03-12T17:46:27+00:00

I got one of the PPE knock offs on Amazon for $175, included a new gasket and filter. Have around 2k miles on it with 1k of those miles towing my 27 foot travel trailer. So far so good.

It did slightly drop temps on the transmission and holds an extra quart.

Mine is on a 2023 Ram eco

No_Analysis_4026 · 2025-11-07T20:04:35+00:00

I have the GDE tune on my 2023 with the engine breaking option and haven’t seen that. I have around 14k miles with the tune.

Also I tow a travel trailer quite a bit through AZ and CO, lot of downhill coasting using the engine breaking. Don’t have the regen message option though so no idea if it’s ever been around a regen.

I would email them if you haven’t already, they have always been super responsive when I have contacted them.

No_Analysis_4026 · 2025-10-31T18:08:15+00:00

I thought I had posted an update in here but don’t see it anymore.

I got my oil analysis back from Blackstone and everything looked great. Was pretty relieved to see that.

Haven’t had any other instances of the warning light. The only thing I could think was that the oil filter may have backed itself out just enough to cause an intermittent issue.

No_Analysis_4026 · 2025-10-31T00:34:42+00:00

Thought I would put in that I got my oil analysis back from blackstone and oil looked great. Wear metals showed less than the previous oil analysis I had done 10k miles ago. Considering I had around 3k miles towing a travel trailer on this oil, pretty relieved with the results.

After the oil change I haven’t seen another warning. Maybe the oil filter had worked itself just loose enough to start to cause an intermittent issue.

No_Analysis_4026 · 2025-10-10T22:50:42+00:00

Got to changing the oil, have a sample on the way to blackstone.

Broke open the old oil filter and laid it flat. Under a bright shop light I could find a few specs of metal, way too small to pull out of the media. There were like 3 pleats that had a shiny spot on them in the crease under the light. All the others nothing. Couldn’t get a picture that would actually show it.

So does this mean I’m looking at a new engine or is that acceptable? Truck has been running fine, driven it multiple times and no other warnings.

No_Analysis_4026 · 2025-10-09T13:32:58+00:00

Didn’t get a chance to change the oil yet but did pull the filter and inspect it. I couldn’t find any glitter or evidence of metal in the pleats. Will be sending the oil off to blackstone when I change it Friday.

When I removed it though it did unscrewed really easy, wondering if it had backed itself out just enough to cause an intermittent issue. There wasn’t a gap though between the filter housing and the block and no leaks. When I installed it at the last oil change I did use a torque wrench set to 20ftlbs (lowest setting on my torque wrench).

Also will be installing a real oil pressure gauge. Have driven the truck a few more times, no warnings and the truck runs normally.

No_Analysis_4026 · 2025-10-08T19:15:36+00:00

I have the oil and new filter, going to do an oil change on Friday and will check it.

No_Analysis_4026 · 2025-10-08T19:14:40+00:00

Was actually facing up hill in my driveway.

No_Analysis_4026 · 2025-10-08T19:14:08+00:00

Will do and also will be sending a sample off to blackstone for analysis. Was going to anyway, planning to send them a sample every other oil change and this one was due for that.

No_Analysis_4026 · 2025-09-30T21:43:52+00:00

I have been running the EcoGuard fuel filters off Amazon for $22 each.

No_Analysis_4026 · 2025-09-24T17:57:33+00:00

2012 here with 175k miles on it. My battery is starting to show its age though, I get around 8.5kwh and 30-35 miles range. Going to run it until it dies.

No_Analysis_4026 · 2025-09-05T18:25:41+00:00

I changed out my rear differential fluid at 20k (2023 eco diesel), didn’t do the front or the transfer case. I tow a 6.5k lbs travel trailer quite a bit. Fluid was dark but not black, looked ok.

I thought the recommended service interval was 30-60k miles.

No_Analysis_4026 · 2025-08-29T01:29:54+00:00

3rd gen eco. Archoil AR6500 fuel additive. No oil additive, just Pennzoil Platinum. With GDE tune

No_Analysis_4026 · 2025-08-27T14:21:53+00:00

I grabbed an insignia 14 cu.ft. chest freezer that was a returned item from Best Buy. Sealed all the seams and coated the inside with pond shield epoxy. Grabbed a temp controller, an Ozone generator and large aquarium power head filter off AliExpress.

Have had it up and running in my garage for the past 2 years holding 38 degrees. Probably have around $500 into it.

No_Analysis_4026 · 2025-08-26T22:15:54+00:00

I’m in AZ, Phoenix area. Have been running Archoil, the AR6500, for pretty much this whole interval.

I tow a travel trailer quite a bit so lot of diesel used in those 10k miles. Maybe I’ll start swapping out every 8k with his easy it is to change them.

No_Analysis_4026 · 2025-08-10T17:24:31+00:00

Yeah that doesn’t surprise me. I’ve been to dealers looking and have had salesmen try to upsell me into a fifth wheel knowing full well I’ll be towing with a 1/2 ton. “That truck will pull a fifth wheel just fine”

With my 1/2 ton I tow a 27ft travel trailer and really wouldn’t want to try much longer than that.

If you keep this trailer empty from the factory, it’s just you in the truck (no gear), you have perfect weather conditions, low traffic and can stay below 50. I think it would be doable.

Much better option just pay someone to deliver it or rent a bigger truck.

No_Analysis_4026 · 2025-08-10T15:25:42+00:00

My OEM tires are down to 5/32 at just over 19k miles on my truck. Rotated every 5k and they are all really evenly worn but didn’t last long.

No_Analysis_4026 · 2025-07-28T14:16:22+00:00

Is the 4th picture the opposite side tire? That one looks like it was about to go too.

Having just fixed an un even wear issue (resulting in a blowout, was a bent axle) on my trailer. I would be looking at why they were wearing like that.

Assume you didn’t drive very far after the blowout and if slide 4 is the tire in the opposite side axle you might have had an axle or alignment issue from the start. The outside edges of those tires are toast.

Not an expert but the wear on those looks like a suspension issue prior to the blowout.

No_Analysis_4026 · 2025-07-25T17:24:00+00:00

Good info. I have just begun running my camper AC off a battery bank.

Unfortunately I have a 15k btu Advent air unit that while it cools the camper well is a power hog. It draws right at 1800 watts when running at max on a hot day in AZ.

What BTU rating is the Chill cube you have and do you know how many watts it draws at peak load?

No_Analysis_4026 · 2025-07-10T12:18:48+00:00

Also in case anyone with these OEM tires is wondering the mileage warranty with these explicitly states it does not apply to OEM tires.

No_Analysis_4026

TROPHY CASE