Do these stabilizers have any value?

[stevek]

I have seen these before on a Sprinter.
Parked next to me is a Class C Jamboree Ford, so I took this pic.
So what do you think on a Born Free?
Would it buy you much?

[Roger H]

Those are solely for bracing the chassis so it doesn't rock. They're not for leveling the coach. It's been my experience that the chassis under Born Frees don't really have a problem with rocking anyway. Most of the foot traffic is along the centerline of the frame, and it just doesn't cause the coach to rock much.

I don't think they'd have much value under a Born Free. YMMV.

[stevek]

Thanks Roger. I tend to agree with you. I think my BF has super springs. Not much rocking side to side.

Anyway Roger..the guy next to me that owns the RV shown in pic....Is caring a GUN all the time!
Oregon must have open carry. He has a large auto pistol on his belt. Not discrete about it all.
Slim jeans, tucked in tank top. And a big honking GUN on his waist!
Guess I better mind my Ps and Qs.
Makes me feel very uncomfortable.
Not very friendly. I spoke to him once. I am here for 3 nights.

Anybody experience the same situation???
How did you feel?

[Roger H]

Thanks Roger. I tend to agree with you. I think my BF has super springs. Not much rocking side to side.

Anyway Roger..the guy next to me that owns the RV shown in pic....Is caring a GUN all the time!
Oregon must have open carry. He has a large auto pistol on his belt. Not discrete about it all.
Slim jeans, tucked in tank top. And a big honking GUN on his waist!
Guess I better mind my Ps and Qs.
Makes me feel very uncomfortable.
Not very friendly. I spoke to him once. I am here for 3 nights.

Anybody experience the same situation???
How did you feel?

I really appreciate those people, Steve. They're seldom a threat to anyone, and they work as a decoy for people like me when something bad DOES happen.

As retired law enforcement, I have carried a concealed handgun (HR 218 permit) as part of my daily routine for over forty years. People who carry "big honking GUN on his waist" are always the first target for someone who wants to do harm, and while they're engaging the guy with the "big honking GUN on his waist," it gives people like ME an opportunity to tactically and stealthily end the incident with very little tactical exposure on my part.

Perhaps that's not the response you wanted to hear... but that's how I see them.

[stevek]

Thanks Roger, I appreciate your reply and years of law enforcement.
My wife is retired law enforcement.
I am just not use to "open carry permit". Oregon must have it.
My first encounter to open carry, so just something I will just have to get use to and not over react and not to be paranoid about it.

The times... they are a changing.

Roger, Since were shooting the breeze, lets talk about Toads.
Wouldn't it be great, if you could buy an all electric Toad, that would recharge itself
when you were towing it with all 4 wheels down?

[Roger H]

The times... they are a changing.

Roger, Since were shooting the breeze, lets talk about Toads.
Wouldn't it be great, if you could buy an all electric Toad, that would recharge itself
when you were towing it with all 4 wheels down?

The times are a-changin' indeed, Steve.

We have a Prius. Despite the advances in storage technology, I'm not sold on an all-electric vehicle; at least not yet. AND you must remember that there's no such thing as a free lunch. The energy to charge the towed has to come from somewhere... and in this case it'd be in fuel expense from the motorhome to overcome the extra resistance of the electric motors/generators over just wheels turning on bearings.

I wish the new Mahindra jeep-thing could be made street legal. It'd be a perfect toad. I thought briefly about finding a CJ-6 to tow, but remembered how rude the accommodations were in my CJ-7 and CJ-8 back in the '70s and early '80s. I opted for a new Wrangler instead.

[stevek]

I see the Smart Car is available now only in electric starting in 2018. Driving range is 70-80 miles.
My neighbor has a 2018 Chevy Bolt. 240 miles range.
And finally I got to see the new Tesla Model 3 live and personal. 320 miles with optional battery pack.

Plus I think electric cars generate there own power when using the brake. Thus when going down hill and braking. Not sure how that works? Would be neat if you could tow and generate power to charge the battery. Maybe someone would invent a gismo to allow this???

A lot of RVers tow Smart Cars. "Big Rig" RVers carry Smart Cars sideways behind the cab.

[Roger H]

They do have "regenerative braking." Our Prius has that... but physics allows that you can't store more energy than you expend. You can't keep the battery charged solely by braking. It'll extend the life of the charge and subsequently the range, but it won't charge it enough to make it self-sufficient.

The technology is coming along, there's no doubt. And a 320 mile cruise range on the Tesla is impressive. It's the 12 hour charge time that's still the killer. Of course that's not an issue in commute driving... but stopping every 320 miles for 12 hours on a trip isn't a great plan. That's what makes the hybrids so much more attractive.

[stevek]

I talked to the man parked next to me. Was really a nice guy. I was too judgmental.

The base price of the Tesla Model 3 is $35K. The optional battery pack is $9K. So brings it up to $44K.
The lady next door paid $38k for her Bolt. So they are all pricey.

This was my favorite SUV. Would love to find one to tow behind my Born Free.

[Roger H]

What is that 4WD?

My last one before the Jeep was a Toyota FJ Cruiser. I loved the beat, but it had a center differential, and I had to have it on a tow dolly and STILL drop the rear driveshaft. That got pretty old.

Apparently there aren't many 4WDs on the market any more that can be towed four-down just by putting the transfer case in neutral. Jeep was the only one I could find.