TriBeard
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Re: Need Suspension Mods
You really should try and get to another scale. Those weights seem off to me, either that or mine are just crazy. I’ve weighed my truck and camper twice (af811 and 2018 ram 3500 srw) and I’m at 9k loaded on the rear axle. I’m heavier than everyone else online seems to be and I’m not sure why, but you may be as well. I just upgraded to 19.5 wheels and tires to handle the load and they’re a huge improvement for stability even when just in the camper when the truck is parked. Check your compression on your airbags when the camper is loaded. Mine was less than 3 inches between the top and bottom metal disks for the bags and so I’m having to move up to the 7500xl series to handle the load. I have stableloads also which help but didn’t solve any of my issues on their own. I can only have the lowers cause rams don’t have upper overloads so if you have those too maybe they’re helping, not sure. AFs are heavy and I honestly don’t know how someone can carry one safely and be under fire ratings and whatnot without a dually or 19.5s. Not saying that it’s impossible or that people don’t have combinations that work, but it hasn’t been my experience and I have what is supposed to be one of if not their lightest units.307Views0likes0CommentsRe: 1150 ARCTIC FOX?
Not exactly related, but I'd love to know what yours weighs when you get it and get a chance to have it weighed. We just got an 811 for my 2018 Ram SRW 3500 and I'm right at 9k on the rear axle just with that. The suspension (Airbags and lower stableloads) handles it fine, but I'm moving up to 19.5s to handle the weight from a tire perspective. I know these things are heavy, but the truck scaled at about 3500 on the rear axle unloaded, so not sure quite how I'm where I'm at and would love to see your weigh slip too. Maybe the 2021's have lead in the floors, idk lol.754Views0likes0CommentsRe: Cooper tire failure at 65mph - now what?
I've had 3 sets of those Falken Wildpeak AT3s on my truck, just put a new set on my truck last week to move up to the 4080lb per tire (certain sizes) I wanted to be comfortable with my weight. I have had 0 issues with any of my sets, and get nearly 55-60k out of each set (some towing, mostly empty driving so far, we'll see how these hold up to the truck camper). Great traction all around and just a great tire.676Views0likes0CommentsRe: Remove Stock 40w Panel Before adding?
I checked all three panels with a multimeter today with full (but not directly overhead) sun. The two 100w panels were about 20.5v at their individual leads, and the 40w panel was between 21.5 and 22.4V at it's lead. I guess I've just never run the batteries low enough to see any higher amps coming in. We're preparing for an 11 day trip where we'll only have power 2-3 of those days, so it should be a better test of the system than the last couple short outings have been.505Views0likes0CommentsRe: Remove Stock 40w Panel Before adding?
I did wind up just going ahead and adding the two additional panels to the OEM connector with a splitter, and everything seems to be working normally. It is hard to tell how much power the panels are pulling because I think the charge controller I have only shows me the current amps that are going into the battery, not the amps the panels are producing/capable of producing. I've never had the batteries run low yet, but the highest I've seen (I've actually had these installed for about a week but started second guessing my install) is about 6-7amps. I know I won't get 240w in reality, but on a sunny day I figured I'd get 180ish or so, which would be more like 12-15A right?506Views0likes0CommentsRe: Remove Stock 40w Panel Before adding?
naturist wrote: Assuming all panels are the same voltage, a 30 amp controller should be able to handle all 240 watts of panels. Put them all in parallel, and it should be fine. 240 watts at 12 volts is 20 amps, well within the controller’s capacity. Of course, upgrades are always possible. But the simplest is just adding the 200 watts. Judging by the spec sheets I was able to find, the voltages are within a volt or two of each other, but they're not identical.505Views0likes0CommentsRe: Remove Stock 40w Panel Before adding?
Some additional info - these are the panels in question: https://www.amazon.com/Richsolar-Polycrystalline-Efficiency-Module-Marine/dp/B07DNP14JY/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=100w+solar+panels&qid=1597084597&sr=8-4 https://plugandplaysolarkits.com/products/obsidian-45-watt-solar-panel-kit?variant=31384666538097505Views0likes0CommentsRemove Stock 40w Panel Before adding?
So I just got an Arctic Fox 811, and I'm adding 2 x 100 solar panels to the unit to help us with boondocking. The camper came with a zamp solar 40w panel already on the roof, and a zamp solar 30a pwm controller already installed. On the roof, there are two SAE plugs (inverted wires because of being "zamp ready") and my plan was to wire my two panels together in parallel on one of the plugs, leaving the 40w factory panel plugged into the other one as it came originally. Then I got to thinking, I'm not sure if that's the best plan. Will having that one other panel, presumably also wired in parallel with the larger panels (not sure how they wire it up from the factory) cut down my output? Should I just disconnect it and use the 2 100w panels?2.9KViews0likes13CommentsRe: Arctic Fox 811
Grit dog wrote: TriBeard wrote: 996Pilot wrote: 13'2" on the back of a 2015 RAM 3500 4x4 SRW MegaCab. That's to the top of the standard A/C and 20W solar panel. Have you ever weighed your truck? Stock tires? I'm looking to move into a single slide truck camper on my 2018 3500 MegaCab also, and I'm trying to decide between a few different models. I really like the 811, I'm just worried about weight. You'll be well over most/all the published "limits" and under the practical limits, save for OE tires/rims. Figure 4000-4500lbs depending on full vs empty and how much you load in it. That's what others report from scales and what I've roughly calced from airbag psi to get to origianl ride height. That said I've hauled AF 860s (same as 811 basically) on OE 17" wheels and now on OE Ram 20" wheels (on my 07 2500 Mega), both with OE Firestones and slightly higher rated tires. All without issue. I'm aware that I'm at or a little over the tire's rated capacity. Couple runs cross country, up to AK, all over AK and the western US mountains including plenty of forest roads and dirt roads. Tires have held up fine. I'm not too afraid of being a little over ratings (other than tire ratings, and I can go up to the 285/75/18 size on my rims or higher rated ones and get 4080lbs/tire) but I don't want to be at 8k on the rear axle either. Looking mostly at the 811 or the adventurer 89RBS, the artic fox is a little nicer and better looking inside IMO, but the adventurer seems to be lighter also.725Views0likes0CommentsRe: Arctic Fox 811
996Pilot wrote: 13'2" on the back of a 2015 RAM 3500 4x4 SRW MegaCab. That's to the top of the standard A/C and 20W solar panel. Have you ever weighed your truck? Stock tires? I'm looking to move into a single slide truck camper on my 2018 3500 MegaCab also, and I'm trying to decide between a few different models. I really like the 811, I'm just worried about weight.725Views0likes0Comments
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