# My "new" Rig!



## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

After 5+ years of plotting, planning and saving I finally obtained my goal of getting myself a really decent truck/trailer rig so that I can hit the road, the trails and have the freedom I've craved for so long.

It was a long time in the making, bumps along the road, a couple of jobs that "went south" and sometimes just struggling to make ends meet. The whole time though, I had that goal percolating in the back of my mind. Money put away a little tiny bit at a time, window shopping and researching on the internet and suddenly everything came together at once and I found extremely great deals on both the truck and the trailer.


Guess it just goes to show that if you want something badly enough, you'll can find a way to make it happen!


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

You did it the smart way by being vigilant and willing to wait until the right deal came along.


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

What is your truck?


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Avna said:


> What is your truck?


Looks like a mid-2000s Dodge Ram single cab with an 8ft box (maybe...could be 6ft and the fact that it's a single cab is throwing off my perspective). I can't make out if it's a 1500 or a 2500, but I'd be willing to bet it's the former.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

A very nice rig to take you down the road in safety and comfort for both human and horse.

The best of luck with your toy...:wink:
*
Safe travels to you!!*
:runninghorse2:....


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

The truck I found a couple of months ago and is a 2003 Ram 2500 Laramie with all the "bells & whistles. It's pristine and barely feels the loaded trailer as it's rated for 13,000 lbs. The trailer is also a 2003. It's an Merhow Equistar that a retired lady sold to me with all of the accessories including a water tank. It doesn't have a speck of rust or even a scratch anywhere and she sold it to me for $5000. Around here, that's a fantastic deal!


Now if I could just get the people at Merhow to respond to my emails or phone calls I'd be happy. It shouldn't be this difficult to get a couple of extra keys!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Is the Ram a turbo diesel or does it have the Hemi in it?


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

No turbo, just the V-8 Hemi. The big old thing really scoots and scares people out of my way! :wink: Also has a really nice tow package installed by Dodge.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

We have a 2005 Ram with the Cummins turbo diesel in it. Thing is an absolute BEAST. Love me the mid-2000s Dodge trucks.


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

Nice set up! That is pretty much the exact truck I have been keeping an eye out for.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Lovely looking outfit, you did great!


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## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

LOVE it!! Congrats and enjoy!!


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

I also have 2003 2500 6-man cab with 8' bed 4x4 for towing.
Hemi engine and a stick-shift manual with O/D transmission.
*Beast is a accurate description.*
Comfortable driving in for 6 adults, well 5 really or someone has a stick-shift between their knees.
Not sure if you have all the books on that truck and engine but it is recommended to run mid-grade fuel when towing.
_I happen to only run mid-grade fuel_. 
For a few extra pennies per gallon it is better for the engine _according to Dodge..._.
They can run regular gas around town, but for me never knowing when the urge to hookup and go for a trail ride might strike I just keep the mid-grade in the tank all the time.
My truck can tow and pull with the best of them...diesel or not.
They may "fly" with a diesel but I can cruise easily and at speed right along with them if I choose to....:wink:

As for your keys to the trailer....
_Why can't you just get a key cut from someone?_
I had 2 keys from the dealer new, then went to the hardware store and had 3 more cut immediately. 
They are now on different key-rings and with the "master" set of keys for all the vehicles and house...
I always keep one original never ever used except to make more keys. 
I need to have extras around for those moments of, "where did I leave them?":icon_rolleyes:

_Enjoy that truck and trailer, the freedom of going when you want, where you want, if you want....:wink:_

:runninghorse2:....


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

I've been to 3 different hardware stores and no one carries the blank for the horse trailer, not even in the "camper" key section. So, I have called Merhow 4 times and only reached a human once. She told me that they don't sell key blanks but have to cut them by the key number. I called back over and over with the key number, have left voicemails but no one will call me back. Have had zero response to my emails, both to the general Merhow inquiry em and directly to the parts manager.


I love the trailer but I'm definitely not impressed with the customer service!


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

_Locksmith???

My farm supply store has blanks so they can cut all makes and models of tractor keys and the keys used in those locking storage boxes on trucks.....
That was where I lucked out I guess and had cut my trailer keys.. and then my tractor keys as getting a extra from the dealer was ridiculous expensive...
:runninghorse2:...
_


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## Joel Reiter (Feb 9, 2015)

Chasin Ponies said:


>


Hard to be sure because of the slope the trailer is parked on but it looks to me like you would benefit from a hitch with an additional inch or two of drop. The more level your trailer rides, the less likely it is to sway when hit wind turbulence or meet a big semi on the highway.


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

_ There is a slight lump in the driveway there but I noticed that too. Once I got the horses and gear in it, the whole unit leveled out for the most part. I don't know what will happen when I use the water tank in the dressing room but will keep an eye on it. I don't want my horses riding at an angle as I see so many do on the local roads. The trailer came with 2 extra ball hitches so I have some options._

_ In all honesty, with this Ram "beasty" I barely feel like I'm hauling anything at all._

_ One thing I did have to get advice about was the electric brake controller. It has 2 extra controls on it that I've never seen and my new barn owner had to give me a lesson on what they do and how to use them! I do wish these things came with an owner's manual-there's nothing in the Dodge manual!_


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

_I'll go through my books we got when our truck was new and see if there is something included as an "extra" I could share with you......
:runninghorse2:....
_


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

*My apologies chasin for not getting back to you sooner....*
Remember what I said about extra keys:icon_rolleyes:...
Well, add my truck manuals. They where not where I thought and the search was on.
NOW, they *are* back in my truck where they do belong!!

So, if you have the manual book then you also saw pages 229, 230 and 231.
That was what I found in our envelope on our truck with reference to brake controllers and wiring.

Now we do have a electric brake controller but it was aftermarket added by us.
I know there are so many brands and models....is there anything you can see with a name on the thing?
Maybe google some pictures of electric brake controllers and see if you can find a match?

Sorry, I wish I could of offered you "the bomb" of information you need. :sad:
I don't want to mislead you in what I have as the same thing you may have.
I know we purchased and installed ours as I have the receipt for the purchase so* not* Dodge done.
:runninghorse2:...


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

My brother in law mentioned something that made a lot of sense. My old Dakota had a controller that only had the slide control but it was only rated to tow 6000lbs. He said that probably the higher weights that big trucks tow is probably why my controller has 2 extra options on it; a squeeze handle underneath that completely stops the trailer without using the truck at all and a knob that says "level" on it.


I'll look again in my Ram owner's manual but it's very, very generic and the towing section is pathetic!


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Our controller has sort of what you describe....
A bar you can push that activates only the trailer brakes.
Yes, easily I can stop truck and trailer with just the trailer brakes if we need to.
I'm not sure about that "level" thing....
I run level whether loaded, semi-loaded or empty.
Our controller has a manual adjuster so that I can adjust the strength of brake drag so when empty or fully loaded my brakes work accordingly taking stress off my truck..._*not* getting pushed down the road {to little} nor dragging the trailer down the road {to much} :x
:icon_rolleyes: dragging....a little hard on the tires! _
:runninghorse2:.....


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

I found a You Tube video about exactly the Brake controller my Ram has. It all makes sense now!


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