RE: Utah trip - part 3
Al,
Really great pics, report, and travelog. That dirt road looked like a lot of washboard. Typical. I'm just getting ready to canvas my TC for the winter. You give me pause not to.
regards, as always, jefe
RE: Tiger Motor Homes?
Just a thought about this discussion. MOHO's, Class B, Class C , TC's, etc. need further refining. I don't even like the label, "TC".
I think I'll just call mine a class "SCORD". What's that you ask?
"SELF-CONTAINED-OFF-ROAD-DOMICILE"
What's in a name? Tiger, this one would fit you too without the slavish adherence to 'is it truck frame or van chassis..... ?'
I think we're a little too tight Axx about what we call ourselves.
How about, "VMD"? Very-Mobile-Domicile"?, or "ROC"? Redneck-offroad-crashpad". Then there is always, "Big-Offroad-Optional-Bedroom-System".
Tiger, I hope this didn't pirate your thread. You add a whole dimension to our tight Axx little gathering. I hope to boondock with you some day. No, I won't tell where we're going.
Wait! This thread was started by Magnusfide! My apologies. I hope you got the info you need.
regards, as always, jefe
RE: Sept. trip: SW Montana, Flathead Lake & Glacier NP
Brian,
You got me with the "that's where we spread my Dad's ashes". We did that too with my Dad's ashes. Some obscure place in N.M. that he wrote about (he was a Western Lore writer), the four brothers (his sons) took turns......................................................................choke........
Thanks for posting. This was a very different kind of trip for us, and a nostalgic one for you.
I for one am certainly enjoying the variety of trip/expeditions posted on here.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't see these kinds of spectacular trips posted on the other RV forums.
regards, as always, jefe
RE: Truck Set Up for a New Guy
Chris wrote:
I am looking at getting a SB truck camper (Lance 845 or 825) for my '02 Dodge 3/4 ton 4x4 with a diesel and towing/camper package.
***(jefe writes: We have the same truck. And it looks like you're going with the same or slightly heavier camper than mine. I would say go for the lightest camper you can find. My Lance Lite 165-S weighs around 1800 lbs. with water. It worked well with the stock camper pkg and towing pkg. you have. )
Chris wrote:
As far as I can tell, here is what I need to get to mount the Camper:
1. Tiedowns, will probably go with Torklifts.
2. Air Bags.
***(jefe: Chris, forget airbags. You don't need or want them. Go with Stable Loads. Mine work great, especially with the addition of one ton secondaries)
3. Considering Rancho Shocks.
***(jefe: You already have a good anti-sway bar, so these are the icing on the cake.)
4. Bed Mat.
***(jefe: Get the thinnest, flattest one you can find. Less squirly sway of the box that way. There will be no vertical cab clearance problem with a Lance and an '02 Dodge)
Here are my questions,
1. I will be towing a boat weighing @ 5,000#. Do I need a another hitch such as a Torklift or Reese to handle the hitch extension?
***(jefe: I'm afraid the answer is yes. Your stock hitch is marginal at that weight. Add an extension and you half the towing capy of the hitch. Mine's a Reese Titan V with a 20" ext. to tow my jeep on trailer - 7000 lb.)
2. Is the Camper wiring plug the same as the rear towing plug and can I just splice into the the existing harness?
***(jefe: The main camper wiring female plug and harness is at the L-Front of the camper. You need to buy a complete male camper harness that mounts in a hole inside the left front wall of the P.U. box. You snake the wires down through to the frame and forward to battery power, lights, etc. Actually, I think i did just go straight down to running light, back up light, stop and turn wires coming from the front of the truck. Spliced, soldered, tool dipped. Consider a power shutoff switch (aka: kill switch. Use a large gage red power feed wire. Like No. 8 or even 6. Less voltage drop. All this needs to be installed before your camper is loaded on. You plug it in at the last foot or two of the TC loading sequence, while you can still get to it.)
Since I've already trod the path you are about to take with the same equipment, give me a PM if you need answers pronto.
regards, as always, jefe
RE: Pictures worth a 1000 words.
I though, "What's that TC doing in Deutchland?" You got me for a minute.
Good flavor with the pics.
Did others hang in town over night on the street with their TC's for Oktoberfest?
I thought I saw Sleepy/Mrs. Sleepy in one of the pics.
Maybe we'll saunter up there for the next Okt. Fest. Hmmm?
regards, as always, jefe
RE: 3 days in Death Valley, what to see?
From the Bay area, the best route to D.V.N.P is south on 5, scoot over to Bakersfield, 58 E. to 14 N. to 178 E. We've tried it every which way, and this is the one.
Tioga will definitely be closed by January.
Do not try The Racetrack without an air supply, and some time to deflate the tires down to 25-28 lbs. The washboard will rattle your rig to pieces, aned it's like 25 miles of washboard. It just seemed like 100 miles. There is no camping at or near the Racetrack. We went another couple miles past it to the Lippencot Lead Mine road and camped on the shoulder of the road. Funny, no one drove by while we were there.
For inspiration, there are several 'Death Valley' trip reports you could peruse at the beginning of the TC forum index. A truck camper, even with 2 wheel drive, is a natural for the area.
The important thing is; 3 days is WAY too short a time to see much, so choose well.
regards, as always, jefe
RE: highest boondocking spot?
Sleepy wrote: "Actually Calif doesn't do bad for mountains... Mt Whitney... "
jefe writes:
Good point. Since I live in the Sierra Nevadas, i've found at least four TC destinations to camp above 10,000 feet. Mostly on the eastern side of the Sierra. Not bad access either.
But, the greenies are pressing to close everything to motor vehicles. Only "a very strong, 19 year old male, with a heavy back pack need apply" is what it's coming to. They feel good, smug, and condescending about it though. All you overweight, over 20, sickly, possibly handicapped, and motorized folks out there need not apply.
10,600 ft. in the San Juans. Oct. 2nd.
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z240/jefe4x4/DSCN0997.jpg
regards, as always, jefe
RE: Best 285/75R16?
I have Toyo Open Country's on the front. Wearing well, great snow traction. No cracks. One huge hole in the sidewall where a stick ran through it. I used (6) Safety Seal tire plugs, in the sidewall, in that hole. It looks like medusa's head whirling round and round, but after 18 months, no problem. Those plugs are as good as it gets.
Just a caution about BFG AT, KO's. I've had (10) of them 285-75R16's on my Dodge in 10 years, among other tires. (look at 4 of them in my pics below) I liked the traction, mileage, and ride, but, the one down side is the tendency for the sidewalls to crack after a couple years. Every one that lasted more than 2 years, had cracked sidewalls. Lots of cracks. I think it must be the rubber compound.I just finally took (4) tires that had plenty of tread to the dump, but also had the dredded cracks. I couldn't trust them. One of the 10 had a complete tread separation on an '04 trip to AK. That was the trip that I wished I had an unmounted spare along.
Just FYI.
regards, as always, jefe
RE: And So It Begins - Navajo National Monument
Eric,
Great stuff! There is something very magnetic about the 'Indian Country' lands in the S.W.
We have to go back to see N.N.M. October/November and April/May are our favorite times in the area.
You just placed that irritating grain of sand in our TC oyster. Maybe a pearl will emerge.
regards, as always, jefe
RE: highest boondocking spot?
Cal,
I think the same way you do. As it gets hotter, I turn to higher elevations to cool the soul.
It's a long time pattern. The temp goes up: we go up. There comes a time though, about the end of June, when all attempts to escape the heat wind up in a no-go position. The box comes off, I cut and collect firewood until September when it's starts to cool. Then the box goes on and we resume our schedule.
Dave,
Maybe we can do a trip together this time instead of different trips together. I've only rolled my CJ-8, a dozen times, some barrel rolls, some endo's. All of them left their mark. One roll caused so much damage, only the tub remained of the body parts.
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z240/jefe4x4/01020013.jpg
Some were simply layovers. Here, I dislocated my shoulder on the Rubicon(driving out of the Little Sluice)
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z240/jefe4x4/104-0417_IMG.jpg
The entire rig is covered with 'touchup' paint. Pep Boys, Sand, #1114, rattle can.
Sure you want to go on a trip together?
regards, as always, jefe
RE: MPG w/wo camper on board
14-15.5 mpg. with camper on. It has been as low as 12 mpg. and up to 17 mpg with camper. With the bed empty, 18-19.8 mpg. I've never gotten into the 20 mpg. club, even with manual trans. I seem to get slightly lower mpg's, compared to others with the same vintage truck. I have not fiddled with the injection/fuel delivery system at all. Bone stock. Well, an upgrade intake/air filter system.
regards, as always, jefe
RE: highest boondocking spot?
This subject has intrigued me for some time. Being a long time, old jeeper, well.... old jeeper, hard coring for 45 years, we've been on most of the high jeep trails in the San Juans in So.W. Colorado... in jeeps (small j. Besides some of those were Land Cruisers, Scouts, and XJ's, CJ's). A couple years ago, we tried high altitude boon docking in the TC. This is off Last Dollar Road, near Telluride, still below the tree line at 10,800 ft.:
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z240/jefe4x4/54366d7c.jpg
On none of the known jeep routes did I see "No Camping" signs, even at or near the summits. I guess they figure no one is dumb enough to camp near the summit if T-storms are possible, so who needs a sign?.
A couple stalwart TC-ers on here have attempted several of the passes in their 'off-road worthy' TC's. There was one cable clearance issue, but few other overhead clearance problems. "Got pucker factor?" Some of those got a bit narrow, with my super singles hanging slightly over the precipice. Hmmm.
I still have in mind to do a TC trek in the San Juans with a few of you guys in a TC caravan. The only month that would work would be September, before the snows. It's dry enough. Another inhibiting factor would be the chance of lightening strikes if you were at or near the top of a barren mountainside. Above about 11,600 ft. it's all barren. Sept. has fewer summer T-storms. The aclimatizing at altitude takes fully 72 hrs. I would hope we could endure long enough to make at least the end of the trip painless.
Any body interested in that trip next Fall? Lemme know.
Molas Pass, so. of Silverton on CO 550 has a public C.G. at over 11,200 ft.
Engineer Pass, a jeep road, is over 12,000 ft.
re3gards, as always, jefe
RE: Largest Bathroom in smallest tc
Oldgreybill,
I always take the jacks off before using the TC. Where I go, they would be torn off anyway. Mine are manual jacks, so easy-on, easy-off. I loose about 200 lbs. leaving them at home.
Remember, I am the self-proclaimed 'KING OF THE JACKS-OFF". Another plus is the narrow profile with the jacks off:
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z240/jefe4x4/DSCN1082.jpg
Our little Lance is around 1710 lbs with water. It has a wet bath, which is made for very short and thin people. It's on our short bed Dodge.
regards, as always, jefe
RE: Outfitter trip report: Northwest Passage Final curtain
Dave,
You are an instant legend! We all need heroes.
Glad to read/see the last installment of your report.
Since we took separate trips together,
I don't know how you had time to take so many good photos.
I guess their is no accounting for talent.
regards, as always, jefe
RE: Stable Loads?
I'm assuming you have, and must have secondary springs (also called over loads).
They look something like this:
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z240/jefe4x4/DSCN1337-1.jpg
The thick black leaf at the bottom is also called an 'overload' spring.
I would say get the Stable Loads installed first. They do fine on my 3/4 T. Dodge with the one-ton secondaries seen in the above pic.
With wheel well liners and a class V hitch, they were a b---h to install.
Eliminated most of the squat.
Ford uses a similar S.L. setup as my Dodge.
IMHO, air bags have a lot of recoil, like coil springs do. Good old ancient technology leaf springs have enough friction and drag to not have much recoil. So, taking advantage of already on there leaf springs is a good thing.
You will see a BIG improvement with a thick anti-sway bar on the rear axle.
As an aside, my truck has less than 1", maybe 1/2" clearance between the Stable Load blocks and the secondary pack and rides O.K. empty if I only hit tiny little road surface imperfections. But any rougher roads empty and the thing rides like a 6x12. Same if I have ANY load in the bed. Fine. I can live with it considering the benefits when hauling a load.
Many folks on here report the same unloaded ride as before Stable Loads.
regards, as always, jefe
RE: Struggling to find a TC, discouraged by the inevitable.
Dave,
In view of your family size and ages, lack of good luck finding a reasonalble, water tight, non-clapped TC in your vicinity, and your general frustration at the prospects, I would council looking around for a clean, used tent trailer or a hard side, bumper pull trailer to fill your camping needs. Good old form follows function. You have a good TV, so leave the cap on and do the above.
There were only two consenting adults that wanted to be in the TC biz. We found our Lance Lite in the "L.A. Recycler" after casually looking for one day. Drove over to look at it. Paid cash. Picked it up the next week after we got the attachment hardware installed. It doesn't leak. We've camped in it about 150 nights. I have beat the snot out of it on bad roads. Doesn't leak. It is just the right size right for two.
In all honesty, I didn't know what to look for when we looked at it. I had seen a lot of Lances on the road, so I figured they must do something right. Ours was 3 years old and had been used maybe a handful of times. Looked brand new. $6500. Luck?
My father used to say, "The longer I live, the more I realize that luck has more to do with where I'm going than design."
regards, as always, jefe
RE: Heavy SRW 3/4 ton rigs do ok Baja roads?
RVbot,
I guess I am remiss in not telling the whole story behind the 'mystery tires'. Being the poster child for super singles on a TC, I have researched the idea for some years. Two years ago I found the MT 12" wide x 16 wheels and also found the Nitto Mud Grapplers to mount on them. The only downside with these after 2 years of use, is the road noise. It is becoming deafening. I found the MT Baja ATZ's on line a few months ago and immediately called National Tire and ordered THE LAST TWO on the planet! I talked on the phone to someone who actually knew something about these. Seems that 33" size was a bust, saleswise, so Nat. Tire bought the remaining 200 or 300 from MT to sell at a big discount. I think I paid $156 per tire plus shipping. The 33" size didn't fit any nitch in the tire market, although, I still think they overlooked us TC loaders altogether, and further think these MT's are the best ever manufactured. You see, I have 3.54 gearing on my Dodge, which precludes going to tall and wide tires. Besides, a shorter tire is much better if you have a tall rig. Oh well.
Here's what I wrote before all the above went down:
"Some time ago I posted a piece on moving to Super Singles on the rear axle of my TC.
My shameless moniker was, "Redneck Duallies". I mention in the piece that there was only one (1) tire that fit all my requirements. 32.8" tall, very wide, aggressive tread, high capacity....
At the time the Nitto Mud Grappler, size 33x14.50R16, 3415 capacity, 14.57" wide tread was alone.
What has it been? Two years?
There is a new player in mix.
It's the
Mickey Thompson
Baja ATZ Radial SLT
Part #5167
Size /Size Equivalent: LT375/55R16 33X15.50R16
Sidewall BLK
Serv Desc 126N
Appx.Wt. 84 lbs
Load Range E
Max Load 3,750 lbs
Max PSI 65
Appr. Rims 10.0-13.0"
Meas. Rim 12"
Section Width 15.5"
Tread Width 12.0"
Overall Dia. 32.8"
Tread Depth 20.5 32nds
By the looks of the tread, it's an All Terrain (AT), which should be a lot quieter than the Nitto's. (anything should be quieter) I'm going to try to see one in the flesh and report back.
There are other options with various 17", 18" wheel sizes which include diameters of 33.9", 35.7", 37.8", 39.8" (for you muy macho big tire guys). The problem is finding a wheel to fit the tires. Go ahead, just try to find an 18" wheel with a 12 or 14" width."
Bot are you still there?
I can say that the Nitto's are VERY tough and I've beat the whee out of them on rocks, sand and snow. But that noise precludes me from using them again. In the meantime, I have the tires shown above, and am hoarding them to be put on maybe next spring.
I'm still sold on the idea of these super singles, and have loved the Nittos (except as noted above).
regards, as always, jefe
RE: I no longer have a TC!!!!
DJ,
You had me worried for a moment. I thought you were really getting a MOHO.
My TC has been referred to as a "Coach" by the proprietor of a hoity-toity campground before. I didn't wind up staying there.
regards, as always, jefe
