Want info on this Kodiak with a Lance 1181
Anyone know details on this Kodiak with a lance 1181. I want to do the same things but would like to ask the owner a few details... http://i42.tinypic.com/23uoppg.jpg
Forum Discussion
Some quick answers....I expect to have wifi the next few nights so will try to get back on and add more.....but with that said:
Length of bed.....the space in front was basically the width of a Honda 3000 plus a little; you might look up the dimensions but Id guess 2.5 or 3 feet. So the bed was probably an 11 footer. I have pictures from when I visited, somewhere.....but not sure where at the moment.
I remember not liking his tie downs a whole lot for some reason but apparently they worked for him. You can see the fronts in the photo above and they go straight down to the bed (no angle at all).
Transfer flow is a great option but only with a 2WD. The comments above about limited range on a 40 gallon stock tank is a good one. I get anywhere from 6 to 10MPG primarily varying based on speed. At 62 I can get 10; at 72 I get more like 7+.
He had a Kelderman Rear Suspension that he really liked, and I ended up going the exact same route and have been really happy. The bag basically replaces the rear shackle but leaves the spring, creating something of a two-stage suspension that really does work. It softened up the big hits a lot on our rig. His front just had an airbag stuck between the spring and the frame and he questioned its value at all and I didn't even consider doing that.
Btw, we did not drive his so I do not know how it rode, but probably very similar to mine. Maybe even smoother on the highway without the front drive axle.
If I had my druthers (and lots of dough) I would replace my rear springs with fresh new ones with more arch from Deaver Springs in SoCal (mine have been seriously worked and should have been the stiffer ones like the 5500 haas. Plus I'd like to change to an eye type spring instead of a slipper, which would require another part from Kelderman to be changed. I'd also replace the fronts with Deaver Springs and new shocks all the way around. But having said that, I am still very happy with how ours rides. Very very little sway when semis go by or in heavy winds so I am very happy with it. I just know the springs are beat and the shocks are probably doing nothing by now. :)
Air bags not needed at all but I was concerned about beating the living crep out of the Lance and wanted to soften up the ride.
All 4x4 4500's are rated for 17500 and the 4x4 5500 is 19500 with the only difference the rear springs. I generally weigh around 18500 without my dirt bike on the hitch. And I am loaded nearly 100% of the time (again why I feel the springs are probably beat)
My rig...
The bumper and 16.5K Warn winch came together off a shelf. I have the receipts andc. Old look up the brand if you want. It's been good but the original owner wound the cable backwards (doh!) so the cable got a bit worn and the bumper which is mostly made of very stout steel has rusted through in front of the wheels where there is thin diamond plate and it gets road grime all the time. But it is a good setup, though heavy. 05 Kodiaks had a 7K front axle and the 06 had an 8K front (though couldn't figure out any difference in parts....). I roll with about 6500 on the front and 12K on the rear.
I have a hide a hitch gooseneck that is under the deck so no interference; you'll have to look at your fiver rails to decide. But note that for my Lance 1191it has to sit on about 3" of plywood (now changed to foam board) to clear the can. There are a number of ways you could claim that space for something like a water tank. You can also put water tank in front of the TC if you leave it auld back and you have a 13' deck.
Good move on cooling system. It is a known issue with all the Durmax's of that range. I have not had any problems but I am very very careful with that and since I went to a new aftermarket tranny (long painful story) it runs hitter than before so I have been thinking about other cooling options especially for the tranny. A couple of aux coolers in the bumper would be nice!
EFI tune probably a good idea. Check out the MDT forum on the dieselplace.com which has some really knowledgable Kodiak/TopKick guys and there are (or were) a couple of other dudes with TC's on them.
I don't really see any issues with your plans....I guess the main one will be the super long deck you have. If your camper sat at normal position you'd have about 5' in front of the camper. There are options, for example rear swing away jacks that would allow you to mount it much further forward but, the bottom of the TC would have to be totally FLAT and many/most are not. My Lance is not and would be major work to make it so. I highly highly recommend considering a side door model to make the entry point low but there's be no way to mount it all the way forward. But having said that, with that long bed of yours you'd just about be able to tuck the TC in behind the cab. Best bet for you might be a short and totally flat rear door TC mounted all the way forward and have a short deck behind on the flatbed. Maybe look at Capt. Eddys F450 threads from a ways back....seems like he sold it but had a nice flat bed setup.
Plenty of options out there. I think I still have the owner of this rigs phone number and if you want to chat sometime let me know. You might also do a serious dive through the old TC on a flatbed thread in the stickies. I was sorry it died but still a great source of ideas.
Thanks for the comments too guys, we all learn from each other. Jimandsue60 were certainly a big inspiration to me.
Length of bed.....the space in front was basically the width of a Honda 3000 plus a little; you might look up the dimensions but Id guess 2.5 or 3 feet. So the bed was probably an 11 footer. I have pictures from when I visited, somewhere.....but not sure where at the moment.
I remember not liking his tie downs a whole lot for some reason but apparently they worked for him. You can see the fronts in the photo above and they go straight down to the bed (no angle at all).
Transfer flow is a great option but only with a 2WD. The comments above about limited range on a 40 gallon stock tank is a good one. I get anywhere from 6 to 10MPG primarily varying based on speed. At 62 I can get 10; at 72 I get more like 7+.
He had a Kelderman Rear Suspension that he really liked, and I ended up going the exact same route and have been really happy. The bag basically replaces the rear shackle but leaves the spring, creating something of a two-stage suspension that really does work. It softened up the big hits a lot on our rig. His front just had an airbag stuck between the spring and the frame and he questioned its value at all and I didn't even consider doing that.
Btw, we did not drive his so I do not know how it rode, but probably very similar to mine. Maybe even smoother on the highway without the front drive axle.
If I had my druthers (and lots of dough) I would replace my rear springs with fresh new ones with more arch from Deaver Springs in SoCal (mine have been seriously worked and should have been the stiffer ones like the 5500 haas. Plus I'd like to change to an eye type spring instead of a slipper, which would require another part from Kelderman to be changed. I'd also replace the fronts with Deaver Springs and new shocks all the way around. But having said that, I am still very happy with how ours rides. Very very little sway when semis go by or in heavy winds so I am very happy with it. I just know the springs are beat and the shocks are probably doing nothing by now. :)
Air bags not needed at all but I was concerned about beating the living crep out of the Lance and wanted to soften up the ride.
All 4x4 4500's are rated for 17500 and the 4x4 5500 is 19500 with the only difference the rear springs. I generally weigh around 18500 without my dirt bike on the hitch. And I am loaded nearly 100% of the time (again why I feel the springs are probably beat)
My rig...
The bumper and 16.5K Warn winch came together off a shelf. I have the receipts andc. Old look up the brand if you want. It's been good but the original owner wound the cable backwards (doh!) so the cable got a bit worn and the bumper which is mostly made of very stout steel has rusted through in front of the wheels where there is thin diamond plate and it gets road grime all the time. But it is a good setup, though heavy. 05 Kodiaks had a 7K front axle and the 06 had an 8K front (though couldn't figure out any difference in parts....). I roll with about 6500 on the front and 12K on the rear.
I have a hide a hitch gooseneck that is under the deck so no interference; you'll have to look at your fiver rails to decide. But note that for my Lance 1191it has to sit on about 3" of plywood (now changed to foam board) to clear the can. There are a number of ways you could claim that space for something like a water tank. You can also put water tank in front of the TC if you leave it auld back and you have a 13' deck.
Good move on cooling system. It is a known issue with all the Durmax's of that range. I have not had any problems but I am very very careful with that and since I went to a new aftermarket tranny (long painful story) it runs hitter than before so I have been thinking about other cooling options especially for the tranny. A couple of aux coolers in the bumper would be nice!
EFI tune probably a good idea. Check out the MDT forum on the dieselplace.com which has some really knowledgable Kodiak/TopKick guys and there are (or were) a couple of other dudes with TC's on them.
I don't really see any issues with your plans....I guess the main one will be the super long deck you have. If your camper sat at normal position you'd have about 5' in front of the camper. There are options, for example rear swing away jacks that would allow you to mount it much further forward but, the bottom of the TC would have to be totally FLAT and many/most are not. My Lance is not and would be major work to make it so. I highly highly recommend considering a side door model to make the entry point low but there's be no way to mount it all the way forward. But having said that, with that long bed of yours you'd just about be able to tuck the TC in behind the cab. Best bet for you might be a short and totally flat rear door TC mounted all the way forward and have a short deck behind on the flatbed. Maybe look at Capt. Eddys F450 threads from a ways back....seems like he sold it but had a nice flat bed setup.
Plenty of options out there. I think I still have the owner of this rigs phone number and if you want to chat sometime let me know. You might also do a serious dive through the old TC on a flatbed thread in the stickies. I was sorry it died but still a great source of ideas.
Thanks for the comments too guys, we all learn from each other. Jimandsue60 were certainly a big inspiration to me.
