Back to the threshold (with some new pix).

[jefe_4x4]

On a recent hard-core TC romp with my bro John, Krys, and Tiger 4x4, in the Eastern Sierra Nevada, i had an off-of-body experience: namely the loss of my glow steps right off the back of the TC. Sadly, i'm thinking it was a rock on one of the many steep pitch stream crossings that did the deed. It tore the bottom of the aluminum door frame, 5, 4 inch lag bolts and the bottom extruded aluminum piece right out of there. It also zapped 3 rubber cords (not bungies) with only the end of one left standing. It was just too many hours back to go look for the steps and hardware and I knew I was going to have a time trying to find someone who could fix it, and I would have to procure new steps to boot.
Now we live in a rather rural area on the West Slope, Northern Sierra Nevada and finding anyone who knows anything about RV's or TC's seemed a daunting task. I got a tip from the guy who re-carpeted our bedroom that his friend, Ed Sparhawk was doing a wide range of RV repairs, from engine, frame repair, suspension, plumbing, electrical, fiberglass, tin siding, alum roofs, rubber roofs, wood frames, alum frames, and fabbing.
Fabbing? This is the guy i needed as he had a bone pile of alum. door frames and parts from which to canabalize things that I needed. So it came to pass. He cut and heliarc'd another threshold in. Here are pix of the new threshold, lower extruded frame piece, and my new glow steps:





Note the new lower alum. piece that goes all the way to the R. side:


side angle of the steps at repose, just like they were when they got ripped off:


The large view of the rear end:

front view of the mystery truck (no badge visible behind the radiator saver)

It's good to have the old girl back. It looks like we will be going to Yosemite in the TC on December 7, 8, 9th, a time when there is no need for reservations.
I talked to Sparhawk about widening the front fender openings on the Dodge and clearancing the rear of the openings to accomodate some larger G.I. surplus super single Hummer tires on beadlock rims. He said he could do it. Maybe this spring.
regards, as always, jefe

[Bigimac]

jefe, in an other post I mention my utter distaste for scissor steps, and use of Little Giant step ladder.

I'm now on a quest to secure all the stuff inside the camper that keeps falling on the dog when we go through lots of degrees in pitch-roll-yaw when off road - the roll motion seems wreak the most havoc ...

[jefe_4x4]

Putney,
For me, not much. I now have a drill driver that has enough power to use the drill adapter for raising and lowering, very carefully. Remember for me I only lift it about 4 inches and then lower it 4 inches. The time consuming part is slowly backing into the very narrow shed (more like a sausage casing or, if you will a prophylactic) with the help of my Queen who is a great spotter. We have our signals down now. She points in the direction i must move since I have the mirrors folded in.
Have terrific luck on your quest!
jefe

[Putney]

Thanks for the replies, guys!
I haven't yet purchased a TC, but I'm planning on buying in a few months. So I'm in the planning phase now.

My expectations are to sometimes drive on 4x4 forest roads, and I'm afraid of catching trail brush along the edge of the road when driving, or hitting a jack when going through big mudholes and over big rocks or whatever. So I'm pretty sure I don't want jacks on my TC when doing these activities.

You mentioned in your replies to expect at least 30 minutes to mount or remove the jacks.
Then how much additional time to hand-crank the jacks to lift the TC for clearance to drive your truck out?

[SpknTC]

Putney wrote:
jefe and jamminalong,
So you never remove the camper from your truck or store it during off-season?

Or if you do, how long does it take to re-install the jacks on the camper?

And I assume that the jacks are manual, not electric powered?

Correct! They're manual jacks and as Jefe says only 30 min to attach. Ours are back on the TC since it's off the truck stored for the winter. Really not a big deal...quite simple.

[jefe_4x4]

Putney wrote:
"jefe and jamminalong,
So you never remove the camper from your truck or store it during off-season?

jefe: i estimate the box stays on about 8 months a year. The only time it really comes off is in mid- Winter and during the summer; times we don't TC, and if i'm needing the truck itself for wood gathering etc.. It's on right now ready to do two more trips before the snow gets too deep.

Putney: Or if you do, how long does it take to re-install the jacks on the camper?

jefe: about 30 minutes if you have all your hardware, 8x8 blocks, and tools ready to go. If i were not used to doing it, it would take a lot longer. I now take it off in a shed that is only 10 feet wide, so it's a bit more like crawling around the monkey bars than it used to be. It takes longer to re-install the camper than it does to take it off. The good news about the shed is that I do not lower the camper down once it's off the truck. It can't fall over. There is no snow load on it, no wind, and I can park my tractor bucket under the thing. I do use four drywall jax to stablize the thing once it's off, but to re-TC the truck i just remove the drywall jax and back under.

Putney: And I assume that the jacks are manual, not electric powered?
jefe: yes, manual jax. They weigh about 35 pounds each with no motor at all. With electric jax you would have to cut and splice in some high-bucks connectors/plugs.
jefe

[Putney]

jefe and jamminalong,
So you never remove the camper from your truck or store it during off-season?

Or if you do, how long does it take to re-install the jacks on the camper?

And I assume that the jacks are manual, not electric powered?

[Buzzcut1]

Jefe we will be heading up to Yosemite should arrive late afternoon Friday the 6th

[SpknTC]

jefe 4x4 wrote:
Putney,
Yes, the jax stay home. After the first time out with them on and whacking one of them on a passing rock, I faded back and punted. The jax never get off the property. The old-timers on here know me as the, "king-of-the-jax-off". Luckily, i only pulled one of the angle iron brackets askew, which I fixed with toothpix and filler, not bending the jack itself. I was, of course a rear jack, the one that has the most exposure when in rocky territory.
regards, as always, jefe

Every time I see your TC I keep thinking how did he get pics of mine, LOL!! We too have removed our jacks and it was because of seeing a pic of your TC and liking the look. If we need to take the TC off while on the road we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

Looking forward to your trip report in a couple weeks! Have fun!!

[jefe_4x4]

Putney,
Yes, the jax stay home. After the first time out with them on and whacking one of them on a passing rock, I faded back and punted. The jax never get off the property. The old-timers on here know me as the, "king-of-the-jax-off". Luckily, i only pulled one of the angle iron brackets askew, which I fixed with toothpix and filler, not bending the jack itself. I was, of course a rear jack, the one that has the most exposure when in rocky territory.
regards, as always, jefe

[Putney]

jefe 4x4:

It looks like you removed your jacks. Do you bring them along with you on your trips, or leave them home?

[jefe_4x4]

I put some new pix of the actual threshold repair on today. This is the money part.
Nice to have an actual artist do the work.
regards, as always, jefe

[Tiger4x4RV]

That photo of the back of Cabeza de Vaca looks awfully familiar. 🙂 And the new threshold looks mighty sturdy.

Have a great time in Yosemite!

[rickeoni]

When I went off roading with my TC. I always ratchet strapped the steps to the ladder. Never an incident with dragging the steps. Scraped the bumper a few times and whacked a happijack. Once, but never the steps.

[bka0721]

Looks good, Jefe. Glad to see you are rolling again.

Hope to catch up with you in the spring or see you in the Sierras.

Have fun, now.

b