memilanuk
Explorer II
Joined 12 years ago
User Profile
User Widgets
All Activity
Re: How much squat?
srschang wrote: One thing you want to check is as you lower the camper onto the truck and the bed is dropping, at what point do the overload springs make contact? On my truck, the overload springs just make contact as the bed stops dropping. Excellent point! I had to go out and check... the lower leaf spring is in full contact with the one above it, and it looks like the upper spring is just touching the rubber stops. On the 350 SRW, I started with Torklift lower StableLoads, which didn't do a lot given how much weight it was carrying. The lower leaf on this DRW looks a *lot* thicker than what I remember on the SRW, and that was miserable enough to drill through.407Views0likes0CommentsHow much squat?
So... traded in the '18 F350 SCLB SRW for a '22 F350 CCLB DRW. Got the Torklift mount swapped over, and the dually brackets fitted to the front jacks, and plonked the camper on the truck. Completely stock suspension - "heavy service" front suspension, rear anti-sway bar. Nothing else - yet. Camper is a 2017 Adventurer 910DB, which scaled @ 3980 'dry' with two FLA batteries, two 20 lb empty propane bottles, and no water (winterized). More recently, with two 206 ah LFP batteries, propane full, 3/4 tank fresh water, plus solar panels, chargers, etc. etc. it weighed a tick over 5000 lbs. I measured the heights at the fenders (top of the arch of the wheel well) all the way around, with the truck backed up under the camper, and then after I'd lowered it down. Then took it for a short test run, and at the turn around point I took the opportunity to measure the fender heights again, since the driveway at home has a bit of a slope to it and things tend to settle differently than on the flat. I didn't lift the camper off for a second 'unloaded' weight, though. Trying to measure the top of a curve with no real center mark is definitely a bit of an eye-ball measurement, so there's a bit of +/- to the readings for sure. Driver Front: 40.75 (unloaded) 40.50 (loaded, driveway) 41.00 (loaded, parking lot) Passenger Front: 41.50 (unloaded) 42.00 (loaded, driveway) 41.00 (loaded, parking lot) Passenger Rear: 42.00 (unloaded) 38.50 (loaded, driveway) 39.50 (loaded, parking lot) Driver Rear: 42.00 (unloaded) 38.00 (loaded, driveway) 38.50 (loaded, parking lot) With this particular camper, the slide is on the driver's side so there's a couple hundred extra pounds in that corner. Right now the tanks are all empty; the fresh tank is on the same side as the slide so going down the road there's *another* couple hundred extra pounds there as well. We'd like to avoid inadvertently hi-beaming people with our low beams, so riding somewhat level front to back would be nice. I'm not sure how critical side-to-side is. On the SRW truck, I had air bags in the rear. Partly to help with the (over) weight situation, and partly to level the camper side to side. Had to run like 30 lbs on the passenger side, and at least 50-60 on the drivers side. What do you think? Would something like Timbrens or Sumos get the job done as well or better, both side to side and front to back, or should I go ahead and get some air bags on the new rig?988Views0likes5CommentsRe: Modify top bunk
FIL recently got a little 18' TT to use during the summer months - his big 5'ver stays in storage down @ Lake Havasu. The one he found was a bunk bed model... and he's discovered that after years and years in first a big class A motorhome, and later the big 5th wheel, he's gotten spoiled by not having to watch his head ;) We've been discussing possible mods along similar lines - removing the top bunk entirely, making the top bunk height adjustable, etc. I'd be interested to hear what others might have come up with.541Views0likes0CommentsRe: Converting PC laptop to Android tablet
As someone who went sort of the opposite direction for a while (running Linux on a Chromebook for a daily driver, well before it was officially supported), I can certainly appreciate this sort of project for the geeky personal gratification factor... I still think you'd be way, way ahead in terms of time if you just go get them a new Android tablet or possibly a Chromebook. I'm guessing if you managed to make it as far as installing and booting a foreign OS on PC hardware, you've got a reasonable familiarity with making things work. Kudos for you. I just question whether it's worth the effort.646Views0likes0CommentsRe: Solar Panel Mounts
For me, it was a matter of having the rubber flange on the wrong side of the bracket (strut). I thought I could have it on the top side, and still be able to draw it down tight. When I did, it pulled the whole thing right through the hole. Discarded that well nut, grabbed a new one, put it so that the flange was directly on top of the roof, with the strut channel on top of that, added washers, inserted the bolt, and snugged it down. Adding to the level of 'fun' was that I'd already put a bunch of Dicor around the flange / under the strut, so it was pretty messy the second time around. Took some doin' to get everything cleaned up. That said, there's a point where the bolt head draws down flush, and then where it begins to snug up... which is usually the sign to *STOP TIGHTENING*. There really isn't a hard 'stop' feeling like with a metal-on-metal fastener... so I guess if you just kept turning and turning waiting for it to get tight and stop, yeah, you'd pull the threaded insert right out.684Views0likes0CommentsRe: Solar Panel Mounts
Geewizard wrote: I tried well nuts for my solar panel mount (using Z mounts). They pulled right out. Well, 17 years later it's obviously too late to argue about how exactly you did the install... but in my limited experience (putting several of them in last fall/winter), on the first attempt (or two) they *did* pull 'right out'. Turned out it was a mistake on *my* part, and when I went back and did it correctly, they held very solidly. The metal version aka 'riv-nuts' should work at least as well, with the slight difference of not being inherently water-tight. Since most people are going to cover everything in sight with some kind of sealant, it's debatable whether that's worth it or whether it's better to go with some thing that is mechanically stronger like you did. Either way works.679Views0likes0CommentsRe: Solar Panel Mounts
SoonDockin wrote: With the thin luan on the top of my RV it seems picking the best screw can be challenging. Look up 'well nuts'. There is a rubber sleeve with a flange on it, and a metal (brass) insert. You drill a hole big enough for the sleeve to slip into, so it stops on the flange. Then when you screw the bolt in, the threaded insert pulls it towards the head, mushrooming the rubber body and sandwiching the thin wall material (luan, in your case) between the flange and the mushroom. Think of it like a rubber rivet. Other uses include attaching glass windshields to motorcycles, or providing attachment points on the sides of water craft. They provide a fairly water-resistant connection to begin with, and when utilized underneath a mounting bracket or rail and then covered with additional sealant like Dicor or Sikaflex you shouldn't have any issues with UV degradation either. I'd double check with the manufacturer (Arctic Fox) about the actual construction of the roof. Adventurer has their 'TCC' i.e. 'true composite core/construction' equivalent, but even that has aluminum frame members, and weirdly enough, three additional random wood cross members. That's in addition to the cheap/light white pine stuff they put around the roof openings for screw holding. I'd be shocked if AF doesn't have *some* kind of structural cross members in the roof.678Views0likes0CommentsRe: Solar Panel Mounts
^ this Another option for roof rails that I used was low-profile aluminum strut 'rail' or channel - also known as 'UniStrut'. Typically used for mounting electrical conduit or boxes, it's available slotted, unslotted, in galvanized or zinc-coated steel, etc. I went with the low-pro (13/16" height) aluminum to save weight - but I had to special order them from McMaster-Carr. Even paying exorbitant shipping for four 10 ft sticks, it was less than half what any of the electrical supply houses around town were quoting to order it in for me. The actual connectors (cone nuts, etc.) are commodity items easily sourced at most hardware stores. I contacted the RV manufacturer (Adventurer) and got a print showing the layout of the roof structure. I confirmed using a stud finder, and was able to sink screws into almost all the studs - both the aluminum tube framing, and the few wood members. There were a few that I couldn't because of location - I used well-nuts for those. Pretty sure it's better attached than most setups using z-clips.298Views0likes0CommentsRe: Opinions on lightweight portable inverter/generators
Bird Freak wrote: Friend of mine bought a Harbor Freight generator with replacement warranty. never had a problem but every couple of years he takes it back and say's it dies after running a couple of hours. They give him a new one. repeat process! I don't think I'd be claiming someone like that as a 'friend'. Just sayin'...343Views0likes0Comments
Groups
Bucket List Trips
Bucketlist destinations you just can't miss. Which spots stick with you?Jan 18, 202513,487 Posts Fifth Wheel Group
Interested in fifth wheels? You've come to the right spot.Feb 16, 202519,006 Posts Motorhome Group
Join in here to discuss all things motorhomes.Feb 13, 202538,707 Posts Travel Trailer Group
Prefer to camp in a travel trailer? You're not alone.Feb 06, 202544,025 Posts
