Carb_Cleaner
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Joined 12 years ago
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Re: Opinions on folding entrance steps
We use a Brophy 5-step. I don't keep it hooked while motoring. I strap it to our fold-up bathroom step, directly inside the camper's entrance door, with a welcome mat under it to protect the camper's floor (gotta have the door mat handy, anyway). Easy to store, remove and deploy. It works very well on uneven ground, occasionally using an appropriate size stick/rock, as a leveler, under one side of the base. Our camper entrance, sits high. The four-step version, wouldn't cut it. My 220 pounds, introduces very little flex in the 5-step. I tried a Little Giant, and found it created more storage and set-up hassle, with a less-than-secure feeling when stepping from the Little Giant, into or out of the, camper.566Views0likes0CommentsRe: Wolf Creek/ Artic Fox owners
Thinner walls on the WC. Thus, less R-value and weight. Camping in sub-30 degree weather isn't a problem. Sub-teens with shore power, easy peasy. Below zero, without shore power, is not something I aim to do, again. As for the cab-over bed, heat rises. Our AC unit is more than up to the task of cooling. We've camped in The Keys, in August. The inside of the WC, was positively delightful. We've also camped in Virginia, in August. Not really much different than Islamorada with VA's humidity and lack of ocean breeze. The Honda 2000 burned about a gallon every 3-3.5 hours, but no issues with the AC. We do need to turn the AC off while using the microwave, though. Not a problem. Our WC 850 is a long-bed version, with no genny compartment. We don't spend our days in the camper, but I'll fire up the EU2000 to have a cool haven while changing adventure attire or to simply cool off. It cools down, quickly. A gallon in the genny, 6 gallons in reserve, with judicious use, nets a comfortable 3 days. I stash the genny plus a 1.25 glln gas can in the camper while motoring, and put a 5 gallon can on a hitch extender that has a welded-on step. The step is about the size of the 5 glln can's base, so it's easy to bungee/tie it down. If I used a receiver hitch tray/basket, I'd only load more stuff I don't need and add weight. The Harbor Freight extender/step works great. We use it for spacing the hitch-mount bike rack away from the rear door, too, when we're in mountain bike mode. It creates the space needed to open the camper's door, while providing a step area to spring off to enter the camper. I don't use the hitch extender while pulling a 6x12 enclosed trailer. Two motorcycles plus support equipment, trailer is probably 3,000 pounds/350 tongue weight. The gas motor in my '13 F250, with camper package and 4.30 gears (plus rubber-baby-buggy-bumpers), does nicely. Factory suspension and jounce bumpers allowed a little more top-sway than the addition of Timbrens' baby bumpers and Torklift's upper overload-engaging blocks permit. Lowest I've calculated, with trailer, is 8 mpg. No trailer, back roads, doin' an easy 50 mph, I can see 10-10.5 mpg. Throwing the canoe on top seems to have little influence on mpg. Basic tool bag under the truck's back seat. Multi-tester in the camper with a roll of duct tape, spare fuses, a length of stranded wire and extra batteries for the TV remote. Last week-end, I found some loop Velcro I must have thrown in the cubby at some point, too. Like an ol' grey-beard biker once told me, "If you know how to work on your putt at home, you don't need no stinkin' tool bag." Still, I carry some items that make me feel better. Folding lawn chairs tuck into the space in the cab-over between the mattress and window, with room to spare. While I'm not a weight-weenie, I keep an eye on the GVWR, tire pressure and lug nuts, loading heavier items low in the rig. It's a work in progress. I make it up as I go along. I hope you have fun, finding your way. One thing, though, no matter which camper you choose, make like Clouseau and inspect it top to bottom. You'll be excited, but get past that, forget about possibly being insulting to the dealer, and really look at it. Take the drawers out. Not open, out. Have a flash light in your pocket. Taking pictures, isn't beyond considerate.377Views0likes0CommentsRe: Has or uses "Happy Camper" Holding Tank Products
Nothing but Roses comes out of my Gal. Ever. I, on the other hand, like to eat meat chili, egg-salad sandwiches and beans. Maybe, a little sauerkraut, now and then. My Gal says she's happier when Happy Camper is introduced into the black tank. Guess what I do. I put a half scoop into the toilet, let it dissolve for a beer or two and flush it down (19 glln black tank,iirc). I notice a difference, too. I don't care if it's imagined or "real" (perception is Reality). You can pry my tub of Happy Camper from my cold, dead hands when all the nay-sayers and Scientists in the World prove that it's snake oil, not fit for black tank consumption, and a Capitol offense.588Views0likes0CommentsRieco Titan Elect. Jack Leg Dis-assembly and/or Repair
Went to raise my camper the other night and one jack wouldn't operate, producing the click-click-click noise of the clutch release. The leg is neither fully extended, nor fully retracted, but it's the sound the motor/clutch makes when the extremes of operation limits are reached. I swapped the motor from the in-op leg to another leg and the motor works well, raising and lowering the test leg. The nice lady I talked to at Rieco Titan said I have a bent leg. The manual over-ride feature, using a 3/8 ratchet, is very, very stiff, but the in-op leg will go up and down. I needed a breaker bar on my 3/8" ratchet to turn the over-ride. That's how very stiff it is to operate. My 1/2" electric impact gun, wouldn't move it, at all. I didn't try my pneumatic impact gun. I created a blister on my hand man-handling the breaker bar to lower the jack about 2 inches. I work with my hands every day, and I don't consider them "soft", but holy moly it was tough to spin that ratchet. So, since it's already broken, I can't hurt it. I'd like to take the leg assembly apart, if for no other reason than to see what-all is in there. I expect to see a long screw. Are there any springs or tension/compression devises I should be aware of? I may, or may not, be able to repair the leg, but I'd like to, at least, make a learning experience out of a jack that'll cost a few hundred bucks to replace. By the way, it's a rear jack, so I managed with the 3 good jacks to get the camper on the truck Thursday evening for a Friday afternoon departure. Changed the wheels on the cargo trailer and got it hooked to the truck Thursday after work, as well, ready to load the bikes. Then, when I got home after a 14 hour day on Friday, at 9PM, the truck had a flat. Pumped it up, and it was still good Saturday morning (too cautious and tired to leave Friday night). Must have got a piece of dirt in the tire's fill (Shrader) valve when I verified tire pressure on Thursday evening. I checked the weather for our destination, and aborted the trip at 6AM Saturday morning. It just wasn't worth all the effort and drama for a 200 mile trip (one way) when we could only stay for two nights and rain was expected. We took the Harleys out on Saturday, instead, and had a fantastic day riding local. Dang shame to miss the Blue Ridge Parkway, though, and the campground is keeping my $150 deposit (made reservations in February for 3 nights). We had a good weekend, and I feel I made the right decision. Tire is still holding pressure. Stupid tire. Stupid jack. Any suggestions about the jack, are welcome. I know the replacement jack leg is part #56312-W, single electric jack leg without motor, in white. I hope everybody else's camping endeavors went well this weekend, and thanks to all the Veterans!3.9KViews0likes3CommentsRe: Truck Camper for F-250
I have a 2013 F-250 with Camper and Snow Plow Prep packages (heaviest suspension available from factory). Essentially, it's a F-350 suspension with shorter axle spacers. Gas, 4.30 gears factory ordered, 4x4 Super Cab, 10,000 pound payload with an 8' bed. The only differences that year between the F-250 and F-350 are taller axle spacers and a different spline count on the drive shaft. I installed upper Stableloads (large, rubber pads that let the overload leafs engage sooner) and replaced the factory axle bumpers (jounce bumpers) with Timbren SES (rubber baby buggy bumpers "Suspension Enhancement System"). Many F-350 owners perform the exact same mods. My yellow door-jamb sticker states about a 2,950 pound payload capacity, and the truck is loaded with power windows, locks, cruise, tow mirrors, etc. I upgraded the factory wheels and tires (knowing I would upgrade when I ordered the truck), for better capacity. I saved on the purchase price and my personal property taxes are less, every year. My truck is overloaded by about 200 pounds, with the truck camper loaded for multiple-week trips, per the yellow sticker. The biggest, and perhaps only advantage, of the F-350 is the yellow door-jamb sticker's higher capacity rating, possibly relieving you of some liability issues if things go horribly wrong. For many, that's reason enough to get a F-350. If I were to do it over, I'd probably use my 20-20 hindsight, and get a F-350. Probably, cost me an extra 3-4 grand, over the life of the truck, but there's that pesky liability issue that goes away. I also tow a cargo trailer with about a 325 pound tongue weight (I leave holding tanks empty and cut down on gear/supplies while towing). The F-250 handles fine (the Timbren SES made a substantial difference in side-to-side sway) and the gas motor (remember, 4.30 gears) pulls like a tractor and takes off from the line like a rocket when the truck is empty. I was looking to go as inexpensive as possible. Get the F-350. If, for nothing else, peace of mind.419Views0likes0CommentsRe: Above 100,000 miles: Ford/Chevy/Dodge vans?
1999 Chevy 2500 Express, extended van with the larger v-8 had the tranny go south at 140,000. It hauled a lot of tools, materials and construction debris over its life, and occasionally pulled a cargo trailer with motorcycles in it to Florida and back. It was 13 years old when I traded it in on a new, 2012 2500 extended wheelbase, just like the '99, but with a smaller v-8 and a 6-speed tranny. Other than a fuel pump, and the dead tranny, I had zero issues with the '99. I opted to buy another, rather than go with a Ford extended box that uses the same wheelbase with a longer rear overhang. Besides a better towing capacity, the Chevy seems to have a roomier passenger-side foot area and a smoother ride, as well. I never considered a Dodge.393Views0likes0Comments
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