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Camp life

Yep. It's almost like a Jake brake on a semi. I love my truck for towing. I can hold a steady 65mph without breaking a sweat and still have plenty for passing and hills. I try to let the engine do most of my braking and touch the pedal as little as possible only snubbing to control the speed. I grew up the son of a logging truck owner operator who insisted that every time he touched the brake pedal it cost money.
 
NorthernRedneck said:
Yep. It's almost like a Jake brake on a semi. I love my truck for towing. I can hold a steady 65mph without breaking a sweat and still have plenty for passing and hills. I try to let the engine do most of my braking and touch the pedal as little as possible only snubbing to control the speed. I grew up the son of a logging truck owner operator who insisted that every time he touched the brake pedal it cost money.
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In my opinion, it is easier and more reliable to use a Stick Shift.
 
bczoom said:
Let's get Brian to buy a new truck!!! A 3/4 ton GMC, diesel, standard tranny... and A/C to boot!! :)
You do have an extra $80,000 laying around, right?
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No, but Crumpy works at GM, Maybe a discount.


For the record, real trucks have Dually wheels, Manual transmissions, and say "CUMMINS" on the side.
I have several "T" shirts which attest to that fact. They are available.
So,,, why didn't Brian buy a real truck in the first place.:LOL:
 
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bczoom said:
Let's get Brian to buy a new truck!!! A 3/4 ton GMC, diesel, standard tranny... and A/C to boot!! :)
You do have an extra $80,000 laying around, right?
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Try more like 135k up here. Ain't happening. Mine is paid for and does everything I need it to do. Plus, after patching many rusted rockers on past chevs and dodges, I'll stick with my aluminum body panels up here in Salt land.
 
NorthernRedneck said:
Try more like 135k up here. Ain't happening. Mine is paid for and does everything I need it to do. Plus, after patching many rusted rockers on past chevs and dodges, I'll stick with my aluminum body panels up here in Salt land.
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I get that. Not sure what a Dodge RAM one ton cost today but $80 K sounds low. More like $90 K. Canadian dollar is .76 of and American dollar.
Mine is a '95 one ton Dodge Ram that has over 400K on the clock. Some rust and bent metal but she trucks right along. I just spent two grand on it, but such repairs are rare. Monthly payments are relentless.
 
We've got the route planned out more or less. We'll be avoiding the worst of the rockies and spending a couple days in drumheller Alberta.

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FrancSevin said:
I get that. Not sure what a Dodge RAM one ton cost today but $80 K sounds low. More like $90 K. Canadian dollar is .76 of and American dollar.
Mine is a '95 one ton Dodge Ram that has over 400K on the clock. Some rust and bent metal but she trucks right along. I just spent two grand on it, but such repairs are rare. Monthly payments are relentless.
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I remember when semi trucks were 80k and it wasn’t all that long ago. I’m with you frank, instead of buying a new truck, I bought a first gen w250 all rebuilt, just needs a little body and paint. Should last til they throw dirt on me.
 
m1west said:
I remember when semi trucks were 80k and it wasn’t all that long ago. I’m with you frank, instead of buying a new truck, I bought a first gen w250 all rebuilt, just needs a little body and paint. Should last til they throw dirt on me.
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I paid $21K for mine back in 1995. It was discounted from $27K because nobody in the ritzy part of town this dealer inhabited wanted a stick shift. It was otherwise top of the line.
&
It was exactly for what I was looking.

I just spent $2K having the front end rebuilt, ball Joints, tie rod ends, Front brake calipers. Last year I put in a new clutch actuator, about $1,200. Payments on a brand-new replacement might go as high as $2,200 a month. I'll stick with occasional repairs.
 
I hear you. I would love to do the same thing and have an older diesel and keep the thing forever but the biggest problem is the salt on the roads in the winter time. I saw an ad for a 2014 chevy 1500 parting out because the frame was rotten. I have taken to unloading a couple cans of asphalt undercoating on my entire frame in the fall for rust protection which is why I think ford is the best option up here with the aluminum body panels. Mine is a 17 and still looks new while others with dodges and chevys are fighting rust issues already.
 
Meanwhile....I'm going camping.....lol

While I was up on the roof this week I installed a vent cover I had bought a while back but never installed. I ordered another one for over the bedroom as well so can leave it open in the rain and while traveling for air circulation. I also noticed that the flat vent covers were sun baked so ordered a set of those to replace. I want to let the roof coating cure good before going up to change them out and inspect the finished product up close and do any touch ups.

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FrancSevin said:
I paid $21K for mine back in 1995. It was discounted from $27K because nobody in the ritzy part of town this dealer inhabited wanted a stick shift. It was otherwise top of the line.
&
It was exactly for what I was looking.

I just spent $2K having the front end rebuilt, ball Joints, tie rod ends, Front brake calipers. Last year I put in a new clutch actuator, about $1,200. Payments on a brand-new replacement might go as high as $2,200 a month. I'll stick with occasional repairs.
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A nice one is worth more than the 21k you paid for it now.
 
I'm impressed. I climbed up the ladder to inspect the roof of the fifth wheel and it's dried nicely into a thick rubber membrane. We'll see how long it lasts. But the camper is a 2004 and sat unused but covered for many years. The exterior was filthy when we got it. The roof was looking dirty even after I cleaned it. So it got a refresh. It only took a couple hours.
 
NorthernRedneck said:
Meanwhile....I'm going camping.....lol

While I was up on the roof this week I installed a vent cover I had bought a while back but never installed. I ordered another one for over the bedroom as well so can leave it open in the rain and while traveling for air circulation. I also noticed that the flat vent covers were sun baked so ordered a set of those to replace. I want to let the roof coating cure good before going up to change them out and inspect the finished product up close and do any touch ups.

View attachment 192745View attachment 192746
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Just bought a roof mount 24v a/c and heater along with a 400 watt solar panel , charge controller and battery, 285 watts, its going on the camper shell I put on my first gen for the dog when traveling. When I get home, I’ll install it. Now stopping at a restraurant when it’s 110 out, won’t result in leaving the car running so he doesn’t fry.
 
Howdy from camp. We did a turn n burn from our trip to BC with our fifth wheel camper. In the yard long enough to unhook it and grab what we needed for camp. I had picked up a couple of upper cabinets for the outdoor kitchen. This morning I started installing them. I will have to relocate the light fixture on the ceiling but the cabinets are up.
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I may as well accept that I will never be done with the upgrades at camp. I just finished putting my tools away from the cabinet install when SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED said "What do you think about building a permanent awning roof cover? 🤔

I now have plans drawn out with a list of materials needed to build it. The footprint will be 8x16ft with 4x4 posts all tied together with 2x6s and a metal roof 12x17. It's still all rattling around in my head but it's a future project for next summer.
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NorthernRedneck said:
I may as well accept that I will never be done with the upgrades at camp. I just finished putting my tools away from the cabinet install when SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED said "What do you think about building a permanent awning roof cover? 🤔

I now have plans drawn out with a list of materials needed to build it. The footprint will be 8x16ft with 4x4 posts all tied together with 2x6s and a metal roof 12x17. It's still all rattling around in my head but it's a future project for next summer.View attachment 194065View attachment 194066
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My friend was in a same conundrum awning fabric was toast we were talking about it I suggested a cover over the whole RV at his river lot with a roof that extended like the awning. He's planning it out now from whet he figured to getting amish to build it wouldn't be much more than him just buying materials. He pulls it out in september to go hunting and thought about getting it done then or right after. on that property is some with the metal carports he has to talk to the owner if he's allowed to do it too.
 
Not sure I understand exactly how this new permanent awning is going to be installed. Maybe you can clarify.
I'm assuming it's going to be free-standing.
On the uphill side, is it going to be where you back (or pull) your camper under it where it's a few inches over the roof and overhangs the camper by 6-12"?
On the downhill side, is it heading for the glass picnic table area? That area looks to be more than 12' from your camper. Is the rain just going to dump at the end of the 12' (like right on the deck, approx where that table is)? Are you considering gutters on the downhill side? At 12x17', that's 200 sq/ft of rain that's now going to dump in a 17'x6" area (approx. 9 sq/ft). Can that area handle that water volume or will you have to re-route or otherwise dissipate?
Sitting under a steel roof can get hot (and dark when you're in the camper). Have you considered fiberglass? It comes in different shades so you can decide how much light you want in.
The stuff I use is in the second pic. No light gets through (but it's on a woodshed so I don't really care).

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I didn't think that was his approach. He said 12'x17' so I was thinking he's just doing an awning off the side of the camper.
 
Well. It'll be a permanent awning. The uphill side of the roof extending over the roof of the camper and the downhill side ending about where the kitchen is and extending over to the end of the deck where the awning currently extends out.
 
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