dunegoon1
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Re: Hitch Extenders
I fabricated an extended tow bar for my Honda car which has Blue OX hardware on the front instead of getting the extended hitch. While at it, I built an aluminum diamond plate deck on the tow bar so that we can conveniently step into the camper while stopped at rest areas and grocery shopping along the way. I believe the car tows better with the pivot point (the ball) closer to the rear axle of the truck. At about 5' over-all length, it is still small enough to stow in the cab of the truck when camping.415Views0likes0CommentsRe: Foam Board or Rubber Mat For Under Camper?
I've used a 3" structural foam board for many years and it had been just fine. Concerning foam: Yes it does compress here and there due to the corrugations in the bed, but that's exactly what you want. On the top side, it also shows indentations from screws and some lap joints (Bigfoot 2500), but again that's exactly what I want it to do. It's has to support less than 1 pound per square inch, and after it's initial conformation, it's supporting the camper equally on every square inch. I need the extra height to clear the cab, so the weight of plywood, boards, and a horse mat was a couple of hundred pounds and a P.I.A to take in and out whenever I wanted to use the truck for "actual work". Foam has been good for me and cheaper as well. I am not sure how foam would act if only an inch thick, though. For a "no rise" situation, I might go for some slats and a thin rubber mat. Plywood is not a good idea in Oregon due to the moisture damage, in my experience. EDIT: I also cut extra pieces of foam to support the Bigfoot wings. They are light and easy to deal with. Nothing moves.1.6KViews0likes0CommentsRe: Ford truck build
One of the reasons I have a truck camper in the first place is because I use the truck for many other things throughout the year. 4WD is required here for hauling firewood out of the woods, and much more. I've occasionally found it useful with the camper on, too. As for the luxury items, whatever keeps the wife happy keeps me happy.600Views0likes0CommentsRe: Observation on the NL/Bigfoot Clamshell Design
I had a problem with a leak around the sewer vent on my Bigfoot. The ABS pipe exits the roof and there was a gap around it. The vent assembly consists of a cone that is screwed down to the roof fiberglass and a silly cap that can easily be knocked off. When the cap is gone, rain enters and fills the cone until it can run down along the vent pipe. My solution was to clean all of the moss and water out of the cone, dry it all out, and then spray foam the gap around the vent pipe. I thought about filling the whole cone with foam sealer, but decided instead to drill a drain hole in the cone at the low corner. I can always fill the entire cone later if needed. I recently found a more rugged vent cap that is held in with spring wire. The second vent, for the gray water venting, was also modified likewise. Oh. The water leak ruined the wood that supported the jack at the rear corner. But that is another story.545Views0likes0CommentsRe: how to fix this mess
I had to repair the left rear side of my Bigfoot due to water damage from a leaky sewer vent on the roof last year. It took me several hours to pull out the rotten backer board, a piece at a time. After cleaning the area as best as I could, I was able to push a pressure treated 2x6 into the area (actually two pieces). Then I re-attached the jack with new larger and longer screws. I took about 8 hours of work to get it right, but I feel it's probably stronger than original. Things get very difficult, though, if you can't get access to the back side to evaluate and work. I had to work at it through the access door for the sewer valves. Lots of cuts and scrapes to my hands and arms.419Views0likes0CommentsRe: Extended Receiver Hitch
I have an extended trailer tongue on the car trailer that I tow behind the camper (60"). I think it is a good solution because it keeps the pivot and load point closer to the rear axle. This reduces the leverage due to weight and from crosswinds. I covered the tongue area with grating so that it is a handy step to get into the camper. We don't even bother to unhook unless we will be staying more than a day. When backing up, the extended trailer tongue keeps the camper from hitting the trailer on sharp turns. I moved the electric jack back to near the trailer body, it works just fine back there and this leave more room to get into and out of the camper while hooked up. I suggest you locate a competent fab shop and get a price that you can compare to the price of other solutions. For the same money, I would go for the extended tongue. It's simpler if nothing else.280Views0likes0CommentsRe: Small Adjustable Propane Heater
Perhaps it's best to stick with the heater you already own but control the temperature better by way of added ventilation. You already own the heater and providing extra air should be free or nearly so, plus it's just going to be safer with more clean air.383Views0likes0CommentsRe: How do you secure your scissors steps?
I have a pair of small safety chains for each side of the steps that clip to a small eye-bolt on the outer edge of the lower step on each side. Has redundancy since either chain will hold up the whole thing. About 10 years experience with this system.309Views0likes0CommentsRe: Sleeping With The Genny On
I use a TurboCool instead of an A/C unit and it will run for many hours off of the batteries. I found out also that sheets, blankets and "jammies" keep you too warm. You should pull the shades down if you sleep with minimal (or no) coverage, though.... I don't like it when others run their generators after 10:00 PM.427Views0likes0Comments
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Prefer to camp in a travel trailer? You're not alone.Feb 24, 202544,026 Posts
