Want info on this Kodiak with a Lance 1181

So I guess the Atlas springs will have to have a hole or holes in the new springs to match the bar. Interesting, thanks for the feedback.

As to the charge issue, there's a number of possibilities; it is really nice to have a multi-meter with the loop / clamp / magnet deal, because you can measure current moving through the hot or ground at your battery. You need to figure out a) if your battery is taking a charge and B) what sort of load/drain is going on. Converters can easily go bad and the older campers often have junk for them anyway. I'd take the battery out and charge it up via a charger on your bench. Make sure it is fully charged then let sit a day or whatever and monitor the voltage of it. It has to rest after charging to get a good number but by all means, measure it after the charge and make sure of what it does for 24 hours or so (or perhaps get it tested or use a known good battery fully charged. Then put it in the camper hook it up, check the voltage and then use the clamp multimeter to see if any current flow is going out. If lots of drain figure out what from. Remove all fuses, add them in one by one and see what sort of draw you have as you add each one. CO and propane monitors use a bit, keep turning them on slowly and see what the draw is like for each circuit. If there is a lot maybe a short....but it could be the converter isn't charging the battery right (over charging or under charging) it the battery could be bad or you have a major drain somewhere. While not plugged in to shore power the converter is less likely to be screwing things up, but if you have a current drain with no fuses in it might be the issue. It is important to separately test the DC part separately and without AC running to your camper. A buddy had his converter go bad and things worked fine on 12v but when plugged into AC his lights dimmed and DC voltage freaked out and dropped low. Those clamp multimeters are awesome. A nice and more permanent solution there is to get a trimeric (or other) ammeter + shunt to be able to always monitor current from the battery without using a multimeter.

This should give you a start. Not an electric wiz but can play one for basic troubleshooting. Others may chime in too.....

BTG,

Visited the other forums and researched the front "sway bar" postings. Everything I understood suggested that it should not be removed. That in fact it acts like a sway bar. There seems to be someone out there that sells aftermarket sway bar, but I was not able to find the actual application.

Truck is with Atlas right now, can't wait to get it back

Got a front bumper with a winch mount, not a direct fitment so I'm going to have to fab up some brackets. But the bumper itself was free, so I'm ahead.

Got a recent problem with my lance 821… Battery continues to drain completely. had it hook up to shore power so I assume it was charging. Main switch was on. going to have to check the fuses… Any ideas?

I on the phone so hard to look back through the thread but, I started to ask you the same question but think I stopped because since you have the 2WD I wasn't sure you had it.

I had wondered the same thing; it seems like it acts like an anti sway bar to some degree, and it seems odd to use the springs in a torsional way. Seems odd to me and if replacing springs it would beg the question. I spoke with a guy at the expo who had a custom box on his Kodiak made into a camper (and had a large live palm tree in a pot on his trailer (!!!).....he had removed the bar and felt strongly it should be. That's the only person I have had the conversation with. Can't remember if he had changed his springs but I THINK so. He said take it off.

I tend to agree but would probably want to confirm with others who know more, such as on the diesel place or a Kodiak knowledgable mechanic, or the folks at a spring shop.

Good luck, let me know what you find out if you would!

Small update...

Got the kodiak over to Atlas Springs on Saturday getting a new set of springs, also installed the EFI live program. Truck sounds completely different it's not as loud as before, not sure if it's just me though but it sounds different.

Got a question... That bar that runs across the front spring pack, keep it or get rid of it and why on keep it or get rid of it?

Thanks

It's really looking good señor! Boy could my rims use a polish! Can't even tell they are aluminum!

How hard was it to remove the dash? Pretty easy I assume but I've yet to do it and the stock CSd player no longer plays CDs!

Could, I've had my hands full on this trip. Lost the power steering pump and pulley (it was screaming but I had to keep ahead of the nasty ice storm in the south to pick up our Jeep in South Carolina. Had a bad vibration going that I thought was the carrier bearing so I replaced it at a campsite in the Everglades. But on the way out of the park I lost the middle driveshaft (between the tranny and Tcase). Good lesson....even though you find and fix a problem that seems the likely culprit, don't stop there and inspect everything. The bolts had worked loose on that shaft and let her rip right in the parking lot of the visitor center...... So back to town to find bolts, tap and die the remaining ones (and the threads on the shaft end) and whoopsie! I can drive again and no vibration. It was pretty nutty.....to get out of the way of the shuttles I had to steal one bolt from the rear shaft and force in a gommed up one and limp to a parking spot. Thankful to have the Jeep in tow.

Anyway, your work looks like a lot more fun......keep it up! Congrats on the plates too!

Update....

Installed passenger side storage box. Used 3" c channel, used front stock holes (exhaust hanger bolts)




Also got around to installing a new stereo system... Put in a new head unit, boston acoustic components up front and Alpine in the rear. Also installed a VHF radio. Pictures of the radio install

Wiring harness with all factory accessories included (door chime, etc)


Stock stereo removed


Stereo and VHF installed


This is how I mounted the VHF... Looks ok, could have done better but I couldn't find my dremel tool.




Also got my wheels polished...
Before

After

I can't believe it!!! Went to the. DMV on a Hail Mary to see if I could register the Kodiak and I got it registered and the best thing of all I got registered as a "automobile". No more commercial or weight fees. Waited in line for about 2 hours, almost got denied twice but got all the way to the final employee and she must have been having a good day. Asked a few questions about the old title, I answered them. Asked me if I brought the vehicle with, I said no. It has no plates and I did not want to risk getting pulled over, so she just ran it through with no further questions. Didn't even ask to bring it back for a visual inspection. Got my plates today and title in a few days. I'll tell you what.... I GOT LUCKY!!! Man I'm so excited. Tried it last week at a different office and got denied at the information desk.

Got some updates on a few things I've done to the kodiak, I'll post pictures shortly. Going to try and tackle a few more things over the weekend.

btggraphix wrote:
Those Host Super C's are really cool. Nice setup! How long have you had it?

Hi BTG,
It will be 2 years coming up in June. I have replaced all the tires, and replaced the inverter with a Xantex 3000W PSW, have done some engine work, AFE Cold Air and I installed a coolant filter kit. I heard the sand from the casting when the engines are built is very tough on the EGR coolers and is never 100% flushed during manufacturing, I installed a tire pressure monitoring system, stable loads (they worked great for awhile) I just ordered a set of rear Air Lifts and the setup for this truck is about 1 1/2 times the size of the bags for my 1 ton. Installed Cat's Eye rear tire equalizers. As with most RV's, they are heavier on one side than the other and mine especially so with the under chassis storage. After I installed the TPMS I noticed the right rears always got hotter and had higher air pressures than the left rear and the inside pressures would always be very different than the outside dual's. Cat's Eye explains this in technical detail, due to brakes, less cooling of the inner duals, etc and the outer tire and inner tire end up being slightly different diameters through this heating and expansion process of running down the interstate. I have had one blowout and do not want to go through that again so I study tire characteristics to do my part to head off and avoid another damaging blowout.

I have just began my solar panel research and want to install an array this year. Since I work for a heavy equipment dealer I can buy the best batteries at a discount so I am looking at the 8D size batteries (possibly, haven't made that decision yet) and I will most likely go with Lifeline Batteries due to the design and structure of the interior of the battery.

Those Host Super C's are really cool. Nice setup! How long have you had it?

Following your thread. Really enjoy the Big truck/Truck camper projects. I was going in the same direction until I found the rig I have now. Have been making modifications but we really have a lot of floor space for the 2 of us and our 40# guard dog Sadie. I have batteries, fuel, water, inverter, a plenty! on board. Plus diesel genset, tons of storage and can still tow 10,000#.

I am enhancing the suspension with air just as soon as the weather gets better. We have cold air and snow here in MO now. I don't have the $3500+ for the Keldermann setup for the Ford F550 system so I went with the Air Lift setup. We will see how it works.

I can relate to your buddy that works for the crane company. I work for a Link Belt/Liebehr dealer in Missouri. Love this stuff. Nice work.