sundowners
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Re: Suburban water heater leak
Hi all I didn't realise I hadn't replied to you all-- sorry about that--?? In the end I patched it with two part hi temp metal putty-- that fixed it until we decided to dismantle the lance demountable and sell our 5.9 cummins Dodge We now have an off- grid cabin in the hills of central Portugal--- we converted a brick shed!! It had several camper windows, camper door with original fly door, black tank/ grey tank toilet and basin, big camper fridge/ freezer and kitchen sink----- we left the water heater and furnace and sold A/c unit------- we do miss the Ram and truck camper but had to move on!!!---- it did leave us with fantastic memories from Texas to Alaska and south Portugal to the northern tip of Norway----an important part of our travelling history!! We now have a little 1991 fiat motorhome so not finished on the road yet--- if this covid virus spares us!! Nice to get back on RV.net and see what's happening. Stay safe everyone Nigel and Pamala (ex uk now portugal)654Views0likes0CommentsRe: Cab clearance
Hi we travelled from Houston Tx to North OK to pick up a big Lance----it was used on a 99? dodge 3500 dually---our truck was an 06 Ram 3500 dually, so we thought it would be a simple change over, but as you found, the over-cab sits on the cab roof AND the camper sides sat on the truck's bed sides. We just had time to buy a couple of sheets of 3/4 ply--which just fit the bed as 8x4, we travelled many thousands of miles in US/Canada like that---but on a couple of frost-heaves (spaced just right for max. effect) in Alaska (taken tooo fast) we pulled out a tie-down and hit the cab roof---we travelled the rest of our trip to England --via Galveston with a ratchet strap on one corner. Since returning to UK we replaced one sheet of ply with a sheet of 2" polystyrene-------I put a 2x3 across the front of the bed (and cut 3" off the poly.)---------this has worked very well and has given us an extra 1 1/4" clearance.----And is easy to remove. Nigel & Pamala1.8KViews0likes0CommentsRe: Cassette Toilet vs Conventional RV Toilet
Or, as in our present European A class---we have two cassettes,17 liter each-- with a double size outside door to hold the spare one beside the used one.It is as good as a small black tank---but give me a decent size black tank (and macerator) any day. They do make bigger cassettes but they start to get too heavy to carry to a dump point. Thetford do make a cassette toilet with an outlet into a lower tank----that is getting the best of both worlds BUT the holding tank is small----if I could get this system with a large holding tank I would keep our cassette. Nigel & Pamala---UK1.6KViews0likes0CommentsRe: Cassette Toilet
We have travelled quite a lot with a black tank----and providing we carried a macerator for those higher than ground level dumps which are too common in Europe, dumping is no problem. Most---not all---- people use chemical in their cassettes/porta-potties and this should never be put in a septic tank----------------we never used chemical in our black tanks, and the cassette system that we now have uses a 'sog' ventilation device and also does not require any chemical.---------even though we have two cassettes, we prefer the extended visits to dump, and are thinking of changing our van's cassette to a 'proper' toilet. Nigel & Pamala----- UK601Views0likes0CommentsRe: Cassette Toilet vs Conventional RV Toilet
I know this is an old thread--but--I have only just found it (or been interested to find it)-----We travel in Europe and have had several RVs (5ers & truck campers) and until our latest A class---a German made Niesmann+Bischoff have always had black tanks--we carried a wheeled dump tank, a 3" hose and a Flojet with about 90ft of 3/4"? hose in 3 sections---( we had a load of 1 1/2" lay-flat,but found that a PITA to stop kinks)------on most trips--not using camp grounds--that we found ground level dumps about 50% of the time--the rest we found WCs (or raised dumps---common in Europe) close enough to macerate into, have not used the wheely thing since we lived on c-grounds. Our present van has a cassette and it was one of the things that I had to compromise on----We have a proper made storage locker for the second cassette----so it is easy to slip one out and the empty one in-------but we can still go less than a week before finding a dump place-----a lot of public toilets in Europe now forbid cassette dumping--probably because there is no hose to clean- up any 'spills/splashes'----------I am looking at changing our cassette for a 'proper' toilet as I VERY MUCH prefer it. On our extended trip in US---inc. Texas and Alaska with our TC we never had problems dumping our tank-----and rarely stayed on c-grounds. Nigel & Pamala---UK620Views0likes0CommentsRe: Adding another 12 volt Battery
Hi I added another battery in front of wheel arch -----but to improve charging when travelling I fitted much heavier cables from the truck batteries, this has made a huge difference to charging-----I fitted a manually controlled relay so that I can pinch a bit of power if the camper is running low. I can now run with the 'fridge on 12volt while travelling---first time since owning the truck/camper. I connected the new charge cables with Anderson plug to enable camper to be removed (but in general it stays on the truck). I also fitted Anderson plug on outside near dump point to run a macerator----dumping tanks is not as simple for us in Europe as it is in US---we sometimes have to pump a distance into a public toilet etc.--(we wild camp (boon-dock) most of the time so don't use campsite dumps. Nigel & Pamala---UK357Views0likes0CommentsRe: UK : Adventure Overland 2014
Hi Steve Yes we are booked in again this year----we are setting up a little area for 'Motorhomefun' as we have a few members going----the kettle will always be on, you are welcome to drop in anytime :) (we still have the white Dodge and (battered) Lance) Nigel & Pamala87Views0likes0CommentsRe: Love to see these monster truck campers in town
Hi Steve we have come across several 'expedtion trucks' that have not gone beyond a simple road-trip of Europe !! Like you say, it's really good to see 'ordinary' motorhomes getting off the beaten track. We were amazed when travelling in OZ with a landy, to see VWs in really out of the way places. We tend to be over cautious when on our own, and careful even with another van-------we have never, yet, had the chance to push our luck off road with another 4x4 that is capable of pulling us out of trouble (we are 5.5tonne)----------it was different with L Rovers ---plenty to travel with us !!. Nigel & Pamala492Views0likes0CommentsRe: Love to see these monster truck campers in town
tony lee wrote: See these vehicles all over the world and they are by far the most impractical vehicles you could invent. Apart from the major deserts and of course any Walmart parking lot, they are just too big for most unpaved roads, too heavy for a lot of bridges and too wide for many forest tracks. Mind you, a F350 with Bigfoot camper on the back ends up about the same size and has just as bad a turning circle. Hi The thing is-------most of the people that have these trucks have not done a 'trip' before they build/buy one------and on paper they look like the best compromise vehicle for a two or three year trip into 'remote areas'--------the problems are many, but the biggest one that I see is their bulk----they are very expensive to ship, and, as with our de-mountable they limit by being tall and wide on tracks----------but if, like us you want to be independant and self contained they offer a good compromise IMHO A VW camper is easier to travel with but not nearly as comfortable. Nigel218Views0likes0CommentsRe: Love to see these monster truck campers in town
jmcgsd wrote: I've often thought those things must be mighty toasty in the desert on a 110F day! The body will be built from 3" rigid foam---fantastic insulation, so would be cooler than American built RVs---it may well have AC unit under the floor------the windows on all European built RVs/campers/travel trailers are double glazed and made from a type of plastic We have a friend who has just finished building one of these on an old German 4X4 army truck chassis/cab----it has NO ECUs or other electricary to give headaches when away from garages with fancy computer equipment Nigel You call it a 'monster truck'-----our friends one which looks just the same as pic. (but on a Merc) has the same foot-print as our Dodge dually and Lance de-mountable217Views0likes0Comments
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Prefer to camp in a travel trailer? You're not alone.Feb 06, 202544,025 Posts
