Secret Pro Tips Revealed

vezePilot · Feb 3, 2022

Anyone have a Tip regarding operation, or maintenance, or anything else about owning a Trail Boss, and which isn't covered in the Owner's Manual?
Even if you've read the Manual from cover to cover?

I'll start with this one, discovered today.

I went to the pet store to get treats for the finicky dogs. Parked, shut off ... and my door would NOT open. Locked and unlocked several times, restarted the engine, Locked/Unlocked. Struck the door violently. Several times. Finally had to climb out the passenger's side door. Walked around and found a small piece of Ice stuck in the outside door handle, jamming the handle open.

Secret Pro Tip Revealed:
In winter weather, if your door won't open: Simply Roll down the window and dislodge the piece of Ice from the handle.

Next. (Note the Bold, Larger [18] font.)

vezePilot · Feb 9, 2022

Hmmm ... no other secrets not in the manual? Not learned from previous trucks owned? Where are the Farmers ... ?

Okay, my next one.

I am NOT getting any younger. And the Trucks seem to be getting BIGGER. Yeah, so it's just the 2 inch lift that my 2011 didn't have ... but it is MORE difficult to get at the engine components, more difficult to climb into the driver's seat, and certainly MORE DIFFICULT to climb into the Bed to retrieve items that have gone to the front. There are ALWAYS those little ... well, drivers who force one to brake hard, throwing items in the bed to the front.

Use old Dog Leashes, or light Cargo Straps, to tie onto items and secure them. Tubs are easy, if there are not holes for the cargo strap Hooks, or small Carabiners, then drill some holes. Attach the other end to the loops provided in the bed sides. When items that have straps tied to them go all the way to the front, just grab the straps and pull them back. I have not had to climb into this bed, except for Firewood, since I installed the Bed Rug.

Secret Pro Tip Revealed:
Attach Straps to items in the Bed so you can pull them to the rear, and not have to climb into the Bed as often.

Even my new OpenRoad Winch has its Tow Hook connected to one of the Tonneau brackets, so it cannot slide forward.

edit: next up - most convenient way to help your 12 year old four-legged friend simply walk up into the Lifted four by four.

PHXPHOTOG · Feb 11, 2022

Hill Descent: It works like a dream. It will set your down hill speed at the speed you are going when you engage the button. The cool thing is you can use the cruise control button on the steering wheel to increase or decrease speed when it is engaged. When the dashboard icon is steady hill descent is on, when it is flashing it is actively engaged.

I have many years of off-road experience. I know how to hold a vehicle back on the steep without locking up the tires. I was sceptical about letting technology hold a truck back. It flat out works! It is almost difficult to keep my feet off the controls and let it do its thing but it works.

The manual? I have looked stuff up....but does anyone really read the damn thing?

Steve

vezePilot · Mar 2, 2022

I have a small dog that is now 12 years old. When I found him next to Interstate I-40 at the AZ-NM state line in 2011, he had a broken leg and serious birth defects: he was both Male and Female, had to have two surgeries, and pees out the back like a cow. With my previous truck, he was starting to have trouble jumping up into the back seat area. He's small because he is part Lab Retriever and part Corgi

But with the lifted Trail Boss, it is just too much for him. He tries ... he really tries ... to jump in. But just ends up banging his knees and falling back out. It didn't take much of that to figure out a solution for him.

My wife got us a Collapsable Step to use ... before we got the Tyger Step Rails. Now I use that. I block the seat with a Tub so he doesn't try to jump all the way up. With the Step, he can just slowly walk right up onto the floor, and then get up into the seat. He really likes it.
(He does NOT like ramps of any sort, and will not use one.)

Secret Pro Tip Revealed:
Carry a Step Stool of some kind for your older dog to easily step up into a lifted truck.

.

vezePilot · Mar 2, 2022

The little Super-Giant-Corgi is Buddy. Behind him in this photo is Lexi ... his Physical Therrarist and Personal Body Guard (a Geschenk von Gott, "Gift From God" purebred German Shepherd Dog), aka the "Stealth Puppy" ... often completely invisible and absolutely silent.

GrayFox2020 · Mar 13, 2022

I got one for you. Related to stuff flying to the front of the bed, or in our case, packing the bed full of baseball gear (catcher's bag, chairs, tent, cooler, etc).

This guy is a life saver. I keep it under the back seat and grab it as I go to unload everything from the bed, from underneath the bed cover. In stead of flipping the cover up and climbing my old, tired ass into the bed, I extend this, hook what's up front and pull it to the tailgate.

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/crooked-creek-telescoping-boat-hook

GrayFox2020 · Mar 13, 2022

Here's a couple of little things. I picked up one of these cigarette lighter flashlights on a whim in a BatteriesPlus store like 10 years ago for like $20. It's super bright LED and always charged and you always know where it is!! https://duckduckgo.com/?q=cigarette+lighter+flashlight&iax=images&ia=images

Not sure what to do with that stupid USB C port because all your charger cables have USB A? Use one of these to convert your C to another A. There are also other adapters to convert it in to a mini USB... https://smile.amazon.com/Adapter-Anker-High-Speed-Transfer-Notebook/dp/B08HZ6PS61/