Finally Getting Out Of Here!

[Razorback]

You can count on our prayers for protection and smooth sailing as you make this transition to Georgia!

(It just dawned on me that the original owners of our Avion were in the Detroit area....Shelby Township...By the time we got it, it was owned by a family in Hancock, MI))

[silverloaf]

We made it safely to our destination. We endured 2 days of cold rain and gusty winds. I must say our trailer and tow vehicle performed admirably. Most sway from passing trucks or wind shear was minimal and manageable.
Our average fuel economy was 11.5-12 mpg at roughly 65 mph on I-75. Considering the mountains and valleys through Kentucky and Tennessee, I’m pretty happy with the outcome.
I’m thankful our hard restoration work paid off . The devil is always into the details. I talked with Curt Tech Support who assured me the WHD and sway control were set up properly.
Thank you as well to all those in this forum who helped us begin this new adventure!

[Razorback]

Glad you made it safely, Bob!

I have always been pleased with Curt’s tech support. They have always been most helpful when I call.

[silverloaf]

There were several things the Curt rep mentioned. First, the sway control hardware is not designed to eliminate sway. It’s purpose is to assist the driver into reacting to sway in a safe and controlled manner.
Second, he recommended using dry slide lubricant on all rotating connections rather than grease. Grease tend to attract and accumulate abrasive road debris. Surface wear of parts is accelerated in the presence of foreign materials.

[KYAvion]

I am really impressed with your mpg driving down that stretch of 75. Can you say more about your F150? I only get around 9 with our V8 5.3 Tahoe.

[silverloaf]

KY,
I think it’s a combination of how the truck is built and how I drive it when towing.

The vehicle is supercab model. There is a 400 lb weight savings versus the crew cab variant. The truck has an all-aluminum body which saves about 700 lbs versus a steel body.

The powertrain consists of a re-designed (2017) 3.5L V6 eco-boost engine, 10-speed auto trans and slightly higher numerical axle ratio. The max tow package package gives me some additional cooling, suspension and electronic features.

Overhead cam, turbocharged engines like the eco boost prefer operating at a higher rpms than traditional engines. In our case, I use the tow-haul mode which lengthens the time between shifts. I lock the transmission from shifting higher than 8th gear; higher gears are overdrive anyway.

I do the shifting manually so as to keep the engine above 2200 rpms. The engine seems to like this because it preempts any drop in torque at the automatic shift point. It’s not uncommon for me to upshift and downshift between 5th through 8th gears depending upon elevation.

It’s quite amazing when the powertrain operates in its its sweet spots as it chugs along. After awhile, it just seems effortless for the vehicle and me.

I’m eager to see what happens without the driving rain an gusty winds. There were some flat spots where the mpg hit 12.2. We’ve decide to head west after Thanksgiving for our 1st true camping experience with the Avion. More data to follow.

[KYAvion]

Thanks for the info about your truck and about your driving style. I’m glad things have gone well for you all thus far, and I bet you’re excited about your next venture out west. So in the meantime, are you all at a campground in GA? Please let us know how your full-time experience goes as time progresses.

[silverloaf]

We are staying at our older daughter’s home. We had hoped our house would sell quickly so we could get another one here.

We now think its more timely (maybe even providential) to do some traveling now before getting tied down to house projects. We just spent 9 months getting our Michigan place ready for market.

Who knows? This trip might be a paradigm shift on what we really want to do moving forward.

[Razorback]

Enjoy your time. This reminds me of when my folks were "homeless" some years back. They spent the best part of a year wandering around the country in their travel trailer.

[silverloaf]

Enjoy your time. This reminds me of when my folks were "homeless" some years back. They spent the best part of a year wandering around the country in their travel trailer.

That sounds like a wilderness experience straight out of Exodus.