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Date Posted |
Forum
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RE: Use of generator while going down the road?
I plan and try to go nowhere in a B unless I can spend most of my time outside in a campground. :)
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Davydd
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05/07/13 08:56am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: What Did You Do To Your Class B Today ?
Finish installing a 3 stage converter to replace the single stage battery boiler that came stock.
This one:PowerMax Boondocker
I went through that with my previous Pleasure-way Plateau but in a live and learn situation. The difference is all I had to do was add a $33 Charge Wizard to the existing converter after boiling a battery.
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Davydd
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05/06/13 09:03pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: What Did You Do To Your Class B Today ?
More work in my preparation for heading out to the RV.net B10 Rally next week.
My latest project today was to modify our table. we started out with two tables as standard that came with the B but decided to only carry one since we seldom if ever had two tables out at the same time. The table is a rectangular table that centers over a removable post.
Here is the original setup at our front cab seats turned around. It worked fairly well for two people but had its drawbacks that I will explain.
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/Davydd_2006/Class%20B%20RV%20Camper%20Van/TableBalancedFront.jpg
This is the original setup with one table in place at the back sofa. The idea is we would each have a table in the back if desired and there would be room to squeeze in and sit down between the two.
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/Davydd_2006/Class%20B%20RV%20Camper%20Van/TableBalancedBack.jpg
With the unused table I offset the post receptor 4 inches. It is still stable in this unbalanced position and gives us some flexibility. In the front I can now slip into the driver's seat without first having to slide in from the passenger seat side. I can also open the armoire door now with the table in place. Finally, it actually is in a better position for using it as a computer desk for both seats as you can turn it centered to the seat with the edge closer to you..
Here is the unbalanced setup at the front.
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/Davydd_2006/Class%20B%20RV%20Camper%20Van/TableUnbalancedFront.jpg
In the back we can share the one table easier. It too brings the edge of the table closer for computer work when you twist it around.
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/Davydd_2006/Class%20B%20RV%20Camper%20Van/TableUnbalancedBack.jpg
I had tried putting a post receptor right in the center but found it interfered with putting and pulling stored stuff under the sofa, so I removed it. After that experiment I decided to try this unbalanced approach. If we decide to go back, the holes are still there in the original position or I can use the unused table.
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Davydd
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05/06/13 04:07pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: First Ram Promaster van class B
Sometimes the other parts of the world come over to us. Here is a CS-Reisemobile DUO short 144" wheelbase 4WD Sprinter from Germany parked next to us at Laird Hot Springs in Canada.
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/Davydd_2006/Class%20B%20RV%20Camper%20Van/LairdHotSpringswithDUO.jpg
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Davydd
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05/05/13 06:38pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: First Ram Promaster van class B
The Sprinter will remain in a class by itself because the Ram Ducato can't equal the Sprinter in size and design freedom. Their competition will be with the Ford Transit and in looking at the specs on both now I think the Ford Transit has greater design opportunities.
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Davydd
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05/05/13 02:29pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Can you heat a Class B motorHome the sam way as a car.
If you camp with a shore power hookup a small 1500W electric cube heater will usually do the trick. I was working in my B last week with the temperatures in the mid 30's and got it above 68F so I could use some solvent glue requiring 60+ temps. One small electric $20 cube bought at Target did the trick and quite frankly never plan to camp in a B with daytime temps any colder. So, with shore power the cost is generally free to you.
We have the propane heater built-in. That too is really very inexpensive to run.
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Davydd
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05/05/13 02:22pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: A Class B I can drive in town and that has a REAL bed?
If you are addicted to caffeine, Starbucks and small coffee shops while traveling down the highway you need a B to conveniently park at their generally small and tight parking lots. :) If you can do that, that means you have freedom to go almost anywhere on the spur of the moment. A 5th wheeler requires strategy and planning ahead and usually a drive from point A to point B and no real touring.
Almost all the B converters have fixed bed options in their models. They just don't emphasize them much and the dealers never order them on spec. The mattresses are usually hard foam but as retired4fun2002 said, you can always substitute a real custom mattress or just ad a cushioned topper.
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Davydd
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05/05/13 02:14pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: First Ram Promaster van class B
Here is a diesel Ducato Class B, in the US sense with an automatic adjustable height bed(Not fold down)
Video below.
Trakka Torino Ducato based Class B
That's a design that makes a lot more sense. The most interesting thing is that slide out of the way toilet. Here is a PDF brochure of the Trakka Torino Xtra.
Trakka Torino Xtra
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Davydd
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05/04/13 06:03pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: First Ram Promaster van class B
Here is another video, which does a somewhat decent walkaround of the Travato.
That video is mostly about the ERA not the Travato. There was just a little bit on the Travato at the end and not a complete walkaround.
I thought it was pretty complete. Only the first minute was the exterior of an ERA. The last two minutes of the three minute video was of the exterior - didn't show us the storage though - and most of the interior of the Travato. It didn't show the bed down, but showed the bath, galley, fridge... and two men using the dinette area.
The way the bed folds up is interesting.
The first time I watched that video and posted my comment it got cut off on me. I watched it a second time to see the whole video.
I'm not impressed with this effort.
How do you stand at or sit on the toilet with the wheel well in the way?
The kitchen counter has no counter space as it is taken up by the sink and stove with covers. That's nice to use for temporary storing of stuff in camp but not for cooking.
My guess is the bed is at best 54" wide. That's a standard double width but in this day and age not very desirable for two people. Nipping out the corner for the bathroom door doesn't help.
They put an ottoman blocking the sliding door opening I assume to be part of a bed extension (is it?) as well as to be able to sit at the table. The table is an odd shape. The rear seat faces forward. The ottoman faces sideways. The cab seats are shoved forward to enable the table to fit. If the cab seats don't turn to face the table then this is the most ill designed setup I have ever seen in a B. If the cab seats turned you would think there would be no need for the ottoman and could extend the kitchen counter over.
There appears to be a real lack of storage other than a huge catch all potential under the bed. You have to balance storage with people and to imply this B could sleep 3-4 people is ridiculous.
The maximum 20'-10" long van which is 18" longer than a short Sprinter (RT Agile), 11" shorter than the pre-2007 Sprinters (my former 2005 P-W Plateau), 23" shorter than current regular length Sprinters (my 2011 GWV Legend) and 39" shorter than extended Sprinters (ERA) is going to be a challenge for designers. So base cost will be $10,000-$12,000 less than the Sprinter it appears and maybe cheaper still simply because it will be impossible to provide as much inside as the Sprinters. As it appears it will have a niche because of cost but will not be a direct competitor with the Sprinter on comfort and features. It will have design limitations similar to the short wheel base Sprinters.
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Davydd
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05/04/13 08:08am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: First Ram Promaster van class B
We're talking about Bs in this forum not Cs.
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Davydd
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05/03/13 03:12pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: First Ram Promaster van class B
Here are your choices...
http://www.allpar.com/photos/ram/commercial/ProMaster/promaster-equipment.jpg
20'-10" is their maximum length.
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Davydd
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05/03/13 11:11am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: What does your RV forum name mean?
I live in the middle of sprawling Lake Minnetonka, MN and grabbed off some Tonka names early on in the AOL startup days.
I've walked by this truck cab and another from same location twice this week on one of my walking routes in Raleigh. I don't know if they are waiting for loads to go back to MN or spring to come to MN. :)
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee209/asheguy/Truck.jpg
Well, it's snowing right now this nice May 3rd spring day, but the ice went out on Lake Minnetonka yesterday. :)
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Davydd
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05/03/13 11:01am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: First Ram Promaster van class B
Here is another video, which does a somewhat decent walkaround of the Travato.
That video is mostly about the ERA not the Travato. There was just a little bit on the Travato at the end and not a complete walkaround.
However, there were two interesting aspects about the ERA. First, the graphics are greatly improved and simplified yet those that have been ERA name stripping will have a harder time taking the side ERAs off this design. :)
Secondly, it looks as if they have lowered the bed in the back on this one. Has the bed height which gave a lot of storage underneath been a complaint?
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Davydd
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05/03/13 08:23am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: What Did You Do To Your Class B Today ?
What did I do today? I can't get enough cupholders. I installed this one in the back to hold a drink while sitting on the sofa...
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/Davydd_2006/Class%20B%20RV%20Camper%20Van/null-1.jpg
When not in use it folds up like this...
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/Davydd_2006/Class%20B%20RV%20Camper%20Van/null-2.jpg
In case you are curious, the TV remote attaches to the wall with Velcro and the fly swatter is on a hook.
I also switched fasteners on my double bathroom doors today so the magnetic latch goes on the active door and the snap latch goes on the inactive door. Since the double doors was a previous remodel of a bifold door it is rather difficult to explain and probably isn't relevant to anyone else's GWVan Legend.
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Davydd
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05/02/13 08:25pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: First Ram Promaster van class B
I don't know a single Sprinter owner that has ever had to be towed and I know and have met many a Sprinter B owner. In over 100,000 miles driving some of the most remote roads in North America (Alaska and Yukon) with confidence I have never had a breakdown. I guess if that is your worry and driving criteria then you deserve a lesser solution that might breakdown and need to be towed. ;)
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Davydd
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05/02/13 04:45pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: First Ram Promaster van class B
It appears the bathroom door is a corner entry with a 45 deg. cutout of the corner thus the matching cutout of the bed.
Do the front seats turn? It looks as if they have to be shoved all the way forward to make the back seat and ottoman function with the table. That would not be a good solution.
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Davydd
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05/02/13 04:39pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: What Did You Do To Your Class B Today ?
I made a repair for my Great West Van Legend lavatory drain hose. I didn't have a good positive connection and the hose kept slipping off. It is a flexible moving hose connection because the lavatory slides in and out.
This is the drain receiver for the 3/4" flexible corrugated plastic drain hose. It is not a full 3/4" diameter and only protrudes 1/4" which did not provide enough bite to keep the hose attached.
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/Davydd_2006/Class%20B%20RV%20Camper%20Van/818DC9E8-2746-46BB-B3D8-5F4179732A87-18932-000018D0EA351E47.jpg
I found this 38 cent PVC 3/4" male adapter at Home Depot and made modifications as you can see in this before and after photo. I cut off the screw thread and had to sand down the male end so the hose could slip over easier. With the threads cut off the adapters inside diameter slides loosely over the protrusion but close enough for the cement to make contact.
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/Davydd_2006/Class%20B%20RV%20Camper%20Van/LavDrainMaleAdapter.jpg
The drain pipe is ABS plastic and the adapter is PVC so I bought some Oatey ABS to PVC Transition Solvent Cement and liberally applied to all the contact surfaces. I was rather messy but it isn't suppose to be seen anyway. Solvent cement dissolves the plastic and essentially welds the pieces together rather than just act as a contact cement.
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/Davydd_2006/Class%20B%20RV%20Camper%20Van/LavDrainRepair.jpg
So far it seems to be holding and the corrugated plastic drain hose will definitely not slip off like before. I've looked at several Great West Van solutions for this before my van was built and after. They had seemed to have solved the problem after mine with more positive connections. If anyone has an older Legend with this problem, this is a fix without a lot of major re-work.
The reattached flexible hose installed today with positive attachments, tested and no leaks.
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k309/Davydd_2006/Class%20B%20RV%20Camper%20Van/null.jpg
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Davydd
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05/02/13 09:09am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: What Did You Do To Your Class B Today ?
We bought a second zero gravity lounge chair and it fit exactly next to the other with zero tolerance.
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Davydd
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04/29/13 03:36pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: 2005 AS Interstate quirks/gotchas?
The only places I've seen with 10 year rules are the hoighty toighty Class A big rig and permanent stay campgrounds. Those are generally places I would never consider stopping. I haven't been to a KOA with such a requirement and that is about as expensive of a place I would stop. You'll never find such a rule in any public campground that I know of. I just don't think it is much of a concern.
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Davydd
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04/29/13 11:06am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: What Did You Do To Your Class B Today ?
Time for a big cleanup after a 3 week maiden voyage
Emptying ours out after 59 days travel. In two weeks we head out again and have a few things to fix and set up differently.
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Davydd
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04/29/13 11:01am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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