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Date Posted |
Forum
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RE: Fuel Mileage with TC
drove same trip two weekends in a row. about 250 miles round trip, 4000 foot climb in 60 miles down hill to 1500 feet at other end. Hand calculated 10.6 mpg trip one (lielage meter showed 11.4), 11.2 hand calc second trip (11.7 CAR computer)
2010 CTD AT, Lance 950S, say 4000 pounds, no trailer.
In july going to the Wallowas pulling a drift boat and camper but more stuff. will report after.
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gdavidg
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06/07/13 08:21pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Truck camper pricing
If you want an AF, Apache can be very competitive. especially if they know you are really a buyer. Kevin is the owner and is the guy that really knows how low they can go. I was about $6500 below mrsp on a 990 with him. Did decide to go with a Lance 950S since I already had a SRW truck, the AF 990 is pretty heavy. There is a Fox Value Package that you must buy with the camper that adds about 500 pounds to the catalog weight.
If a Lance would be a possibility if the price is same, you could check on Lance's at PTC in Tacoma. They are one the lowest prices you can find, plus only half hour drive for you. The Lance dealer in Yakima also has great prices and great customer reviews, but a 3 to 3.5 hour drive.
I did/do like the AF 990 plan a bit better than the Lance 950S since it has a wider floor and some basement storage but the weight was a concern for me.
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gdavidg
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04/15/13 08:20pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Popup Campers and Bears
rfryer,
You might have seen my son's car in Yosemite say 10 years ago. Bear broke out passenger window, tore up the interior, bent the rear seat back in half to get to a cooler in the trunk of the honda.
auto body shop had a laugh, "first car we had to repair from bear damage". Had to redo the upholstery, window, rear window panel. car was full of torn up rubber foam, wish I had taken pictures.
car got him through college, grad school. now a long past memory. bears could take a camper apart if they wanted.
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gdavidg
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03/22/13 08:30pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Lance vs Arctic Fox
You WILL be over on rear axle with AF 990 or 950S. Likely also with the 950. The AF is say 400# or so heavier than the 950S. Got a 3500 - 2010 CTD and am over with a 950S.
Get higher load rated tires, Torklift stable loads are great I hear.
Got the 950S myself but would have really considered the fox 990 if I had a dually. But had the truck already.
The slide is really nice for the extra room. There is a dealer in Tacoma where I bought my Lance that has a 950 non slide that he has been unable to move in 2 years, said the non slide is a deal breaker for most people looking to buy. It is really nicely equipped.
Get the Polar Cub 9200 AC, you can run this on the Honda or Yami 2000W generators.
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gdavidg
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02/11/13 07:41pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: truck camper construction question
Welded aluminum tube, rigid foam insulation glued to the exterior and interior skin.
would carefully look at the new plywood like sheathing being used by Lance (and likely others) in the 2013 models. exterior siding either fiberglass or aluminum.
If it was mine and had a good welding source that was not too expensive would use a thicker wall tube, this would greatly reduce the likelyhood of weld fatigue at the joints. The thickness used by the manufacturers is only about 1/16" thick. This would create more weight but likely not much. Other ways to achieve increased joint thickness by welding in short (say 6 inch lengths) of thicker tubes at the locations where they intersect (Labor intensive).
But making your own is likely to cost more than you can buy one unless you can do almost all the work. Buddy has a MG that he rebuilt over a span of 4 years, for the same price he could have basically the same clean reworked car if he bought it from someone else. But it was fun seeing him progress.
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gdavidg
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02/03/13 10:44am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Upgrading the Projection Screen - Best Deals on line?
Do you have Video Only stores near you. They have the lowest prices around here. They are usually at or just below what price you can find on the internet. Plus no shipping and have someone to talk to.
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gdavidg
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01/14/13 07:47pm |
Technology Corner
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12V vs 24V Solar Panel?
What would be the downside of using a 24V solar panel on my camper over a 12V panel? Are they bigger?
Doing research. was looking at 140W or 150W panel in 12V size.
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gdavidg
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01/09/13 07:52pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Where to go TC camping in Washington?
Klaloch State (National??) Park. If you get one of the ocean front sites the view is fabulous.
No hookups, but they do have water and dumpsite plus restrooms.
Is near the town of Forks, Wa on the Olympic pennisula
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gdavidg
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12/23/12 01:25pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Rear View Cameras
Any dodge owners know where a similar wiring package can be found to make the monitor built into my truck work. I like a clean look and an extra monitor would like to be avoided.
Thanks
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gdavidg
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12/21/12 06:47pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: SRW 16" tire choices
The BFG TA KO's have a true 3 ply side wall. I now have the Toyo Open Country AT's to get load rating on my 17 inch stock rims for my 10 CTD carrying a 3800 pound camper. The Toyo's do not have 3 ply side walls.
I had the BFG's before and loved them, from other accounts wear well.
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gdavidg
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12/21/12 06:30pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Need Guidance Re. F450
I took my truck to a rock sales yard. They let me run over their scales for free if I didn't need an official document.
You may want to inquire at your local rock sales yards about weighing for free. Got the idea off this site about a year ago. Was not in the same local as I, maybe common.
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gdavidg
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11/15/12 07:29pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Need Guidance Re. F450
1. Front wheels with trailer hooked up on scale, write down weight.
2. Entire truck both axles on scale (with trailer hooked up but off scale)
3. Just trailer on scale, hooked to truck
4. Weigh just truck front axle
5. Weigh just truck entire
2-1= rear axle weight
2+3=GCVW
5-4= truck rear axle weight just truck
Now you have numbers to compare to truck manufacturer's ratings, and see how your components (tires)are loaded. Will be helpful down the line.
Look at the ratings on tag in drivers door jamb.
Recommend truck full of fuel and you in it.
Writing it down is necessary for me at least. I had to do this twice since I thought my Fabulous memory would work, "was that 11,800 or 11,500??"
Do check into the Torklift Stable Loads, have only heard great things about them. Would have them on my truck if 4th gen dodges had upper leaf overloads. Fords do have them. $200. Torklift customer help support is very responsive either by phone or email.
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gdavidg
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11/14/12 10:36pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: dry vs wet
If you have a SRW truck most hard sided campers will put you over door sticker weight of the truck, especially the rear axles.
Upgrading tires and wheels is the single item that in most units will be under capacity.
Several posts on this topic, but still interesting to me as a SRW CTD owner. Most do what they can in terms of tire, spring, sway bar, shocks, wheels etc. to get the component capacity as high as possible and the handling upgraded to make the driving as safe as possible. They then live with the 500 pound over limit on rear axle rating on 1 ton trucks.
Done most of the above to mine and it feels safe if I don't drive too fast.
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gdavidg
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11/08/12 10:01pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: dry vs wet
Weigh your truck with camper on total and rear axle only.
Best upgrade = tires rated at more than the rear axle weight. Did this myself went to 285-70-17E Toyos 3750 pound rating.
I have airbags since they came on the truck when I bought it. Not sure they did anything beneficial, sway issues increase when they lift the overload springs out of engagement if too much air is added.
If the truck I had had no suspension mods at all likely would go with Stable Loads by Torklift. Everyone I know that has added them says they really helped the truck. Not sure if they work with a 1500 series truck.
Other people have added an extra spring leaf, Supersprings come to mind.
I did add the Hellwig Bigwig to my truck and makes driving less of a white knuckle event. But does add additional 60 pounds to the rear axle.
Add 800 pounds for water and stuff, or 1000 pounds if you bring lots of stuff. This will increase in weight over the years (kinda like people) as you find little odds and ends that all add up.
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gdavidg
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11/08/12 07:05pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Ram programmer
Go to Diesel Truck Resource website. Blake Clark knows more about deleting DPF and Egr and Programmers on Dodge trucks than anyone I have seen. His post on modifications will be easy to find, it is a "sticky".
My reading of posts on DTR says they can tell and the Chrysler reps will send someone if there is a major issue and they Have Denied Warranty Claims.
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gdavidg
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11/07/12 09:05pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: End of the year trip, looking for suggestions in Florida
I go to the keys every year in May to fish. Done for last 6 years. Went to HS in FL also. Now live is the great state of Washington.
Agree with btggraphix Bahia Honda State Park (MM 37) is a must see, saw spiney lobsters while snorkeling plus many fish. Wife and I did take the ferry out to the Dry Tortugas two years ago great fun, snorkeling watching sea turtles, etc, spendy.
Fishing buddy and his wife drove their camper from Portland, Oregon to Key West in 2010. They really liked John Penekamp State Park in the Keys (MM 102.5).
One side trip I do every year is look for the Keys Deer on Big Pine Key. Free. Look up The Blue Hole (Turn of the main highway at MM 30.5)stop at the Park and look for the alligators in the pond. Afterwards get in the RV and keep going towards the Gulf side of the keys on Key Deer Blvd, stay right at the fork in the road and in about a mile or two a neighborhood will appear on your left, go in and drive around you will see several Keys Deer wandering around in the streets and eating the plants of homeowners. great fun, not many people have seen them.
Planning to retire in the next couple of years, do want to do the trip corner to corner US. Saw Long Key State Park in the Hidden travel guide "Florida Keys and Everglades" (MM 67.5 main highway) says it has 60 sites 50 with RV hookups. $31.50/nite 2008. Keeping this in my notes to stay there.
Key West is a must. Driving in downtown with a camper will be exciting as people zoom around on mopeds and the locals ride their bikes with no regard for traffic. Find a place to park and walk.
"MM" is mile markers. MM=0.00 in downtown Key West, Miami is about MM 155. Common in all Keys travel guides.
If not the Keys do visit Kennedy Space Center, also Disney World in Orlando is fun according to friends. Camper friends from Portland stayed in Fort Meyers Beach for several nights and loved it.
If you want and have time to fish send me a pm or reply to this post and will get you my contact info.
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gdavidg
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11/07/12 08:44pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: suv for towing?
Have a co-worker about to retire. he is thinking of a popup travel trailer. Trail Manor about 26 feet unfolded.
He really only wants to have one vehicle at retirement (this year), wants goodish mileage and does not want a truck.
He has a short list of Toyota 4 Runner, Honda Pilot, first choices.
I told him to get a short bed F150 Eco Boost. He DOES not want a truck. Any opinions.
I have a camper on CTD LB 6.7L, love it.. But input from others would be great, other options than the 2 above, but general size range.
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gdavidg
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10/30/12 08:06pm |
Tow Vehicles
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Heater for winter storage
A guy on the Lance website says he uses an oil/electric heater for moisture control during winter storage. Doing limited research (one google search) indicates these types of heaters are not very efficient.
What do others here do?
I live in western Washington, lots or rain during the winter. I have covered, not enclosed storage.
Thanks
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gdavidg
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10/14/12 07:12pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: How accurate is your DIC (driver information center) ?
2010 CTD 6.7L AT -
I mainly use my truck to haul the camper.
Mine is erratic, at the start of the tank it is optomistic, posting between 14 and 16 mpg at 55 to 65 mph, after say 40 miles or so slowly ticks down to between 10 and 11.5 mpg. This is usually pretty close to hand calcs.
Last trip 120 miles each way, Strong head winds going, 4000 foot climb and decend, 50 to 65 mph. DIC said 11.4 mpg, hand calc 9.75 mpg. Biggest difference to date.
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gdavidg
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10/11/12 01:45pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: More Center of Gravity Questions
Yes the weight lifted off the front wheels with a 4k camper 6" behind the rear axle is about the same as 500 pound hitch weight 48 inches behind the rear axle. At least the numbers work out that way on my 2010 CTD long bed with 168 inch wheel base.
But all the 4k is carried by the truck and only 500 pounds with the trailer scenario.
most of the weight is carried by the rear axle and if you can get the cg towards the cab side of the rear axle some of the camper weight is also carried on the front.
TC owners are always aware of their load limits or they should be and most are over the limit or very near the limit especially on the rear axle.
Thus the further the CG is towards the cab side of the rear axle the better. all the diagrams i have seen in campers show the desired loading zone as being on the cab side of the rear axle.
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gdavidg
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09/27/12 08:37pm |
Truck Campers
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