Mark Rinker's LLY Hauls...

[More Power]

I spent a couple of hours with moderator Mark Rinker this afternoon, who was hauling a boat from Seattle on his way to Ontario with his 2005 LLY. His schedule put him in Missoula, Montana early this afternoon, which worked out well, and provided a photo op.... :D

We talked at length about his use of propane and a possible article, which could find its way here.... You'll like it! Thanks for stopping by MarK!

http://www.thedieselpageforums.com/photopost/data/500/markrinker01.jpg

http://www.thedieselpageforums.com/photopost/data/500/markrinker02.jpg

[Mark Rinker]

That boat looks like Shamu!

Home at last! Its nice to take a break over the holiday weekend with family before finishing this delivery to Ontario. Yesterday was right at 1,000 miles - Bozeman, MT to Elk River, MN.

MP, it was a pleasure to finally meet you in person. Also, thanks for the hot lap in 'Lil Red. What a finely constructed project.

Would you guys believe me that this combination pictured made it through a couple Taco Bell drive thrus? There were some tires on curbs, but its worth it just for the kids expression at the window! I have a weakness for a #1 with the hardshell...

[ISEEDIT]

Hey Mark -
Couldn't help but notice no tail gate or box cover. Any perticular reason for this? Nice looking float = not too far away from you, bring it on up and lets try 'er out on Clearwater lake this weekend? Or maybe you'll be on Orono Lake watching the fire works with it?
Enjoy your trip info ! Keep us informed.

[Mark Rinker]

No particular reason. Haven't ever run a bed cover, although some look like a good idea, particularly when you carry expensive stuff around. Might even save a little on fuel over time?

The tailgate is in for repairs - had a peice of oiled steel slide out of the center of a bundle and 'pinstripe' it for me... :(

We'll be watching the fireworks over Orono from our deck - not from the water. We'll be back and forth to Wolf Marina in Stillwater for boating - on our own boat.

Don't think the new owner of this one would be happy to find extra hours on the meter, although with twin 5.7L's its sure been tempting!!!

[Kennedy]

Where's the pics?

[Mark Rinker]

The boat was splashed this morning in Kingston, Ontario. What a trip...glad to have a few days rest at home over the 4th.

[crafty]

Mark,

I've been away down east for three weeks so I'm just reading up but you should have stopped by when you were in Kingston ON. I'm just 30 miles north of Port Hope. That is a great looking boat. Glad your trip went well.:D :D :D

[Mark Rinker]

My son Stewart and I took on a ludicrous proposition this last week. Pull a Chapparrel 280 (LOA 30') with 10' beam on the customers triple axle trailer from Alameda, CA to Anchorage, AK - in 6 days. The boat and trailer weigh in at about 15K lbs.

3,200 miles later, we are putting the truck on the ferry for an easier trip back to Tacoma, Washington where it will make its way (again with a boat in tow) back to the Great Lakes region.

Aside from a few limp episodes caused by too much weigh, uphill grades, and speed expectations, the truck handled it all without incident - at the ripe old age of 135,000 miles.

What an adventure. At least 250 miles were in 4HI due to road conditions. There were numerous 7% grades, and even one 8% near Anchorage. On one uphill grade in loose gravel conditions, I was not sure that I could maintain forward momentum, and I was nearly 1/4 mile into the climb.

Why would anyone pull a load like this behind a K2500 SRW pickup up the Alcan? Because you can.

I LOVE MY DURAMAX TRUCKS!!!

[rob from bc canada]

Quite a little drive, surely makes you realize how big the world actually is!!

So, you must have passed through my old stomping ground in Northern BC then?

I used to live in Smithers and Terrace, now on Vancouver Island, if I'd have been watching, I could have seen your ferry go by!!

Did you take the 97 Prince George to FT ST John, or Hwy 16 pass through Smithers, Hazelton, and then up to Dease Lake?

Just to be sure, was that trip with your truck #3 05 LLY, whch now has 135,000 on it, whereas your sig still says 56 k??

If so, that bodes well for mine :D

[Mark Rinker]

Took the route through your old stomping grounds, stopped in Smithers, stayed at a charming resort 60m south of Dease Lake. Beautiful country, nice people.

The 2001 with MSD propane was used for this thrash. Good thing, as it just had new rear seals, brake calipers, rotors and severe duty pads installed. The reason I say this is that the boat trailer had electric over hydraulic disc brakes that had be salt water dipped and were not functioning well, then not functioning at all by that point.

Thank goodness for Allison's grade braking and brand spankin' new brakes on the truck. 4HI gravel 7% downgrades with 15K in tow that don't wanna stop on its own is ... um ... nerve wracking.

[Craig M]

7% downgrade on gravel with no trailer brakes will pucker your rear. Water and loose gravel are the two things that scare me the most when towing.

[Mark Rinker]

Yep. With the selector in 3rd gear, TOW/HAUL on, and careful braking, the 7.5K truck did amazing things in front of the 15K boat. Brand new skins were also in place, and made a huge difference.

Again, the Duramax/Allison combo came through withthe goods. My former 2003 6.0L dually gasser with 4L80E would NOT have made some of the downgrades in this condition. I would have been forced to stop and take whatever measures needed to fix the trailer.

I continued only because it was 'doable' at very slow speeds, in the daylight, and after considering the few gravel hills described. Most were paved. My son was blissfully unaware, playing his PSP or solitaire on the computer most of the time...

[ronniejoe]

Rob,

I was in Vancouver, BC on business a couple of weeks ago (7/26 and 7/27). Saw the first night of the fireworks competition on English Bay...Italy's display I think.

[rob from bc canada]

Mark

You're kidding, right??? 15K behind you, down 7% gravel, NO trailer brakes????? Hope you guys had your seatbelts unfastened. :eek: :eek:

Did you hook a big old log (with the knots pointing forward) behind the trailer for the downhill stretches??

Ron

We can vaguely see, and did, that day, the fireworks through binoculars from our front yard in Naoose Bay.


It's a big world, if you try to drive from one end to t'other, but its sorta small in other ways. :D

[Mark Rinker]

Not kidding, and not advocating this hauling practice.

As usual, its a long story, but couldn't locate anything other than parts suppliers. The brake controller wasn't compatible with this particular unit, and when applied manually, I had 12V at the unit, but no line pressure.

Of course, the shipper assured me that the brakes worked fine. He was willing to have them fixed, but I never found a repair shop along my route that could properly troubleshoot the problem.

One of the hazards of moving boats on customer trailers. I don't like doing it on large saltwater boats. The trailers don't get used enough, get dipped in the ocean, then sit in the sun all season rusting away...

[autocrosser]

Boats used in saltwater nere in NC use hydraulic surge brakes. The problem with them is that folks don't remember to pull forward befor discionnecting the trailer and that leaves the master cylender compressed and the bore open to the weather. I have stainless steel calipers and rotors also. My Carolina Classic 25' weighs around 9k wet and I'm glad I have them. The 6.5 pulls it ok but it really need the surge brakes.

[Mark Rinker]

Hello from the Flying J Salt Lake City, UT. Pulling a 26' Regal on my hydraulic trailer from Detroit to Portland. LOOONG days...left Tuesday morning from Detroit, should have it in the water tomorrow afternoon.