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I'm not sure either. It sucks losing someone you love, but at the same time its fun to gently caress randoms.
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Jul 30, 2014 09:05
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 Dry run with the camper went well. I should be ready for the trip tonight.
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Jul 31, 2014 23:41
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Well, I guess I can post here now. 2002 Rockwood 1910. Air, heat, fridge and everything works great.
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Aug 1, 2014 04:11
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We hooked up plumbing last night --I need to get some of those little ramp holder things for the sewer line. its amazing how much water a 2.5" line can hold --Flushing seems to be going well, but i'm still getting a little foamy stuff out of the taps, thinking theres still a bit of antifreeze in there. Not the biggest problem as we won't be using this for cooking or drinking. lol if you trust RV park water supplies --Toilet is neat, its not the most odorless thing in the world, but we'll be fine. DEFINITELY flushes strong and well. We're using Scott 1000, as many old salts have recommended that over any RV toilet paper. Still need to start up the hot water heater; I flushed it out last night and set up the expansion area at the top etc etc, so i'm ready to heat. Just ran out of time last night. I realized that we can get an electric heater, we can run the fridge off 120, but the only basic human need that we could not fulfill indefinitely without an LP refill now and then is hot water. Not too worried about it, just a thing. e: sandbagger and trouser chili give us reports! TC, i'm curious what the popup experience is like.
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Aug 1, 2014 16:21
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trouser chili posted:Well, I guess I can post here now. I really like the hard tops, pretty easy to throw up in weather!
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Aug 1, 2014 17:10
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It takes me about 15 minutes to set up the Rockwood. Maybe not really any better than tent camping (I can actually set up a Eureka A-frame four-man in about a minute a half), but then again this is much nicer camping than laying on the ground in a Eureka A-Frame. We have another tent (that is massive) that takes about 15-20 minutes with two people, still leaves you laying on the ground. I think I'm going to put together a setup/takedown checklist. It's not terribly difficult, but I've actually purchased this unit with another family that we're friends with. Having a checklist would be helpful for all.
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Aug 1, 2014 17:33
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trouser chili posted:
Essential. Also, you can grab some of these things maybe (or buy some slap bracelets and a Sharpie) http://www.rvminders.com/ RV Chat: We watched a guy take a WD-40 firehose to the side of his camper last night; I was really confused then I saw that his slide wasn't coming out on that side. Slides kind of sketch me out.
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Aug 1, 2014 19:01
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Jonny 290 posted:
 First night of "camping" in the national guard armory parking lot was a success. My WIFI antenna grabbed all the hot spots in the area but unfortunately they were all passworded. Tonight I seem to have snagged one with their password disabled. The trip up was amazing. About an hour north on I-295 with the doors off on my Wrangler in just the perfect weather. I took it slow and steady and stayed around 65 mph but the ride was gentle and it cornered well enough. I found a parking spot right next to the armory and located an outdoor outlet to plug into. I've only got tonight and tomorrow night left for drill but I think I'll be set. edit: more camper pics.   Weekend drunk chat with goons over stolen wifi. Sandbagger SA fucked around with this message at 02:39 on Aug 2, 2014 |
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Aug 1, 2014 23:18
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jonathan posted:So the new truck I purchased a couple weeks back, might lose it in a divorce lol. Oh poo poo. Sorry to hear that man. Upside, you'll be joining the majority of dudes in GP. Powershift posted:Warning: this might make some jealous. Did this thing break down in Lethbridge yesterday by chance?
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Aug 2, 2014 18:19
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Nope, unfortunately, it hasn't been used yet.
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Aug 2, 2014 19:08
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slidebite posted:Oh poo poo. Sorry to hear that man. Upside, you'll be joining the majority of dudes in GP. UHG gently caress. Checked out a tri-axle 5th wheel Cyclone toy hauler today, 20,000lb gvwr, $110,000. Double decks for Hecklin' poors. I don't even know where the gently caress you could take the thing, besides Walmart parking lots, Glamis sand dunes or Music Festivals in the rich people area. Certainly nice to gawk at though.  
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Aug 3, 2014 00:07
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Downtown Denver yesterday. If you can't have fun with this rig, you can't have fun. I don't want to have to get the job that pays for that sort of thing, though. Hausbus water and sewer are hooked up. The water heater isn't firing up but I am going to goof with it some. The park has hot showers (actually cleaned daily, not bad at all with some flip flops) and I'm just fascinated by the recirc toilet. By itself it's good for up to 2 people ~3 days or so, and then I can dump into the black tank. Wifi has been acquired, though i've got -80 db of signal and have 50-100kbps of throughput. It's enough for posting and IRC and email, so I'm happy. Better than nothing.
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Aug 3, 2014 19:13
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Jonny 290 posted:Wifi has been acquired, though i've got -80 db of signal and have 50-100kbps of throughput. It's enough for posting and IRC and email, so I'm happy. Better than nothing. Amazing, and that's with the fancy antenna. A worthy purchase indeed. Is it stable? I have found you don't need a metric ton of bandwidth for most things if it's relatively stable.
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Aug 3, 2014 19:21
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Pages load slow and it craps out now and then, but the signal is solid 1mbps up and down. I'm suspecting that they just have some poo poo residential Comcast over there that everybody is constantly trying to Facebook from. My IRC runs with about 1-3 seconds lag, but almost never lags out. Kind of wish we had a hotspot at this point, but I am going to see how this next park is first. If I could figure out how to turn on this drat (iphone/verizon) tether, i'd just pay the $20 and bump up my data allowance.
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Aug 3, 2014 19:34
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My $26 chinese wifi antenna pretty much doubled the reception bars I was getting even with the antenna positioned on the kitchen table. I'll have to consider a permanent mounting location for it. My Verizon+Android tether works perfectly. I wouldn't know what to say about the iPhone version, though. My dumb door finally gave in and won't latch correctly now. On the way home from augusta, I tied it shut using an orange extension cord. Sandbagger SA fucked around with this message at 00:54 on Aug 4, 2014 |
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Aug 3, 2014 22:02
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Jonny 290 posted:Pages load slow and it craps out now and then, but the signal is solid 1mbps up and down. I'm suspecting that they just have some poo poo residential Comcast over there that everybody is constantly trying to Facebook from. My IRC runs with about 1-3 seconds lag, but almost never lags out. assuming you're using irssi over ssh (as is the yospos way), have you tried doing it over Mosh?
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Aug 3, 2014 22:31
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Camping in the popup was fantastic. I mean, I've done a lot of tent camping in my life, and never have I been able to lay under canvas in such comfort. However, there have been problems. I've not been able to get the 12v system online. It's supposed to run the interior lights, vent fan and something with the propane fridge, but instead it does nothing. Did all the simple checks a guy would know to do, still nothing. On shore power everything works as expected. Seems like there should be a switch somewhere to flip between 12v DC and 110v AC, but I can't find it. But the biggest problem is that when taking it down, one of the safety supports in the vertical slides for the top was being cantankerous, I attempted to raise the top some more and the main cable snapped. It snapped right at the winch. That left the top stuck up on one of the safety supports and the other three corners dropped. I was able to get some cable from Lowes and some cable splices. With them I was able to get the top raise back up, the safety support out, and the top laid back down normal. However I need to replace the main cable, my splices are weak and I don't trust them. The corner cables are all fine. Any tips? Good how-tos?
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Aug 4, 2014 03:02
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trouser chili posted:Camping in the popup was fantastic. I mean, I've done a lot of tent camping in my life, and never have I been able to lay under canvas in such comfort. Does it have batteries onboard? I'm assuming there is at least one deep-cycle battery in the mix. There should be three main things to check here - your 12v breaker or fuse panel (probably fuses), your battery, and any sort of inverter/charger. There seem to be two classes of 110v -> 12v converters out there - one kind is basically a bidirectional one, that can charge the battery from 110v OR provide 110v from battery power; the other is strictly a charger, and you're on your own for inverting duties. Start by isolating all three systems and checking continuity and for shorts to ground. Inverter/charger, battery and DC panel should all be on the same circuit, wired together with relatively heavy gauge wire (my DC panel is rated at 60 amps and uses 2x8 gauge drops, and I'd like to upgrade that.)
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Aug 4, 2014 16:47
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I can't play much in this thread yet as I only have a 4'x2'6" trailer to throw our camping gear on but I'm pretty much convinced I'm going to try to build a cargo/kitchen teardrop for next year. I don't want to try and sleep 4 on one so cargo and kitchen seems a good compromise, and easier to start.
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Aug 4, 2014 22:14
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Jonny 290 posted:Does it have batteries onboard? I'm assuming there is at least one deep-cycle battery in the mix. There should be three main things to check here - your 12v breaker or fuse panel (probably fuses), your battery, and any sort of inverter/charger. There seem to be two classes of 110v -> 12v converters out there - one kind is basically a bidirectional one, that can charge the battery from 110v OR provide 110v from battery power; the other is strictly a charger, and you're on your own for inverting duties. Start by isolating all three systems and checking continuity and for shorts to ground. Inverter/charger, battery and DC panel should all be on the same circuit, wired together with relatively heavy gauge wire (my DC panel is rated at 60 amps and uses 2x8 gauge drops, and I'd like to upgrade that.) I'll shoot some video of what I've got in a bit, right now I can't do much cause the main cable is snapped. I've got a new one on order from Goshen Stamping. Apparently my camper uses the Goshen 2660 series lift system. I'm leaning all sorts of new things.
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Aug 4, 2014 22:47
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Cakefool posted:I can't play much in this thread yet as I only have a 4'x2'6" trailer to throw our camping gear on but I'm pretty much convinced I'm going to try to build a cargo/kitchen teardrop for next year. I don't want to try and sleep 4 on one so cargo and kitchen seems a good compromise, and easier to start. Teardrops are THE poo poo and if I could find a use case for one, I would be building one, no questions asked. They're so fun and really help you strip down to the essentials, and you can tow them with a n y t h i n g. I think i've seen Priuses pulling teardrops.
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Aug 4, 2014 23:12
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Jonny 290 posted:if I could find a use case for one, Do you own stuff? Because you can put stuff in them! 
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Aug 4, 2014 23:24
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I'd love to set up a micro teardrop toy hauler, with my car fixit stuff/shop inside, and just enough room on the back for an E30 or a Miata. But as is, I can't justify getting into teardrop land when we've got a queen Serta and flat panels in the Hausbus. Enough shared domicile/vehicles for now, the wife says. Plus, once you learn right turns and where your back axles are, it really is a lot like driving a passenger car.
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Aug 4, 2014 23:51
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Got the cockpit emptied and ancillaries off the motor this afternoon. Definitely have water intrusion from...somewhere. But I got lots of pictures and a good diagram of the solenoid made up. Pretty sure I'm just going to replace it with a marine style 1/2/all/off battery switch, but fixing this ought to be less daunting than I had anticipated. Jonny 290 posted:I'd love to set up a micro teardrop toy hauler, with my car fixit stuff/shop inside, and just enough room on the back for an E30 or a Miata. But as is, I can't justify getting into teardrop land when we've got a queen Serta and flat panels in the Hausbus. Enough shared domicile/vehicles for now, the wife says. Plus, once you learn right turns and where your back axles are, it really is a lot like driving a passenger car. Even towing a 35 foot trailer behind my 31' doesn't feel any different than a minivan. its just a 20,000 pound minivan
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Aug 5, 2014 01:18
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We are sneaking up on one calendar month of RV living. Big points: -454's need a shitload of gas, and if your fuel filter is clogged, they will be S A D. We burnt an extra day and $450 at a heavy truck repair shop dealing with this. REPLACE THEM. NOW. BUY SPARES. -Driving a 20,000 pound vehicle at 63 mph through east Colorado in the middle of the night, while remote-control-seeking for the next country station that comes in, with a sleeping cat on the dash as you kick off your shoes (yay cruise) is one of of the most fun things in the driving. After we got the fuel filters fixed in Salina, we drove thirteen hours with nothing but piss breaks and I loved every minute. It's like driving your living room. -Cats will yell for an hour or two, and then either find the dash to sleep on, or hole up in a cabinet under the dinette. They will be happy and chill. This part was amazing. -Buy spare toilet parts. We're currently hitting the park bathrooms because our slide valve died on the underside of the shitter, and I'm having a replacement shipped in as fast as I can - which still takes five business days. -That little Fan-Tas-Tic vent is going to save your rear end. Make sure it's in great shape. -Travellers/gypsies are real. Look for the 150k fifth wheels with no sewer hookups and asphalt trucks parked next to them. -Living in 250 square feet will accelerate your marriage in whatever direction it is going. Mrs and I have not fought once in a month, and have learned that the only thing you can do is to get out and get some fresh air. Keeps you active. -It is very, very competitive and difficult to get into a good RV park. We are currently at the shittiest park in Denver, and are going through applications and such to get into a better park. Do your research! We love this life, a lot. We're living very green....minimizing water waste, power usage, trash, all that. My job is very good and very stable, however, so we are considering renting an apartment next month, and letting Hausbus be a weekend warrior vehicle. My work schedule will be 4x10's after training, so we will have 3-day weekends every week, and that's RV bait for sure.
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Aug 22, 2014 01:56
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Jonny 290 posted:We are sneaking up on one calendar month of RV living. Just going to say I'm jealous as poo poo. Keep us updated, I'm living my dreams of travelling north america in an RV through you.
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Aug 22, 2014 03:53
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Jonny 290 posted:We are sneaking up on one calendar month of RV living. My old cat would scream herself retarded if caged and one day I said gently caress it, and she climbed up on the back of the bench seat and rode my shoulders and purred the whole way. It was like having a fat, furry headrest with neck massager built in. I've never had that problem with my shitter though, but I kinda want to upgrade to that new throne they make.
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Aug 22, 2014 06:42
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You know what's handy to have? Dogbones. http://www.amazon.com/Camco-55175-PowerGrip-Dogbone-Electrical/dp/B000BUTDCA/ and going the other way as well. Also http://www.amazon.com/Camco-55255-PowerGrip-Replacement-Plug/dp/B000PGVZ30 a replacement plug end.
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Aug 22, 2014 20:34
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InterceptorV8 posted:You know what's handy to have? YES. Our stupid power drop has the outlets upside down so there's this big ugly loop and the breaker box lid won't close.
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Aug 22, 2014 23:03
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So what's up, RV thread? The interior and charging/12v system in my rig are still in shambles after realizing there's a massive water leak in the slideout. Oh well, it only needs to be ready for the Southeast sailing season which means we have to be ready to leave North Atlanta for St. Petersburg by the 1st of the year.
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Sep 3, 2014 05:04
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Jonny 290 posted:We are sneaking up on one calendar month of RV living. Theres a huge RV parts/service/sales megacenter up in Johnson's Corner. I'm sure in the future that if you went through them that in just a day or two you could have any emergency repair parts that would be too onerous to carry as a spare.
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Sep 3, 2014 05:31
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We're moved into our new digs! Hausbus moved just down the street to a mobile home community that allows RVs. They do six month or longer leases (we did a 6 to start), we have a FULL trailer lot with a yard and 50 amp hookups and everything, the park pool is maintained, and it's way closer to the bus stop. Oh, and to give you an idea of the price range for RV lodging, our previous park was $269 a week. New place is $503.22 a month. All utilities except comcast paid in both cases. Very happy to get settled. And yeah, 50 mbps of cable modem helps a LOT now. Noeland posted:Theres a huge RV parts/service/sales megacenter up in Johnson's Corner. I'm sure in the future that if you went through them that in just a day or two you could have any emergency repair parts that would be too onerous to carry as a spare. Thanks, good call. Toilet's fixed by the way - it was simultaneously clogged and leaky. A dump valve swap, and a very, very brave coat-hangering-out, and we're good again. EASY ON THE TP.
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Sep 3, 2014 17:30
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Paging Powershift. Any chance of renting out that motorhome to some friends of mine for a month ?
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Sep 3, 2014 21:16
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I found a place to keep the fold and tumble rear seat for my wrangler.
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Sep 4, 2014 00:15
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Does anyone have a hands on opinion of the class b camper vans? Not like the VW pop up conversions, but more like the great west or roadtrek.
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Sep 4, 2014 04:04
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PhilintheBlank posted:Does anyone have a hands on opinion of the class b camper vans? Not like the VW pop up conversions, but more like the great west or roadtrek. A buddy of mine swears by them (has owned one or another for more than the last couple decades). I borrowed his latest once and it was pretty drat nice, but thirsty (10 cyl Ford van front). It's not nearly as spacious as my 24' travel trailer, but it is a hell of a lot easier to get around. Problem being, once you get there you're kinda stuck without breaking it down. I sure wouldn't want to tow a car behind one unless it was a diesel, and even then I think I'd rather just tow a travel trailer and have my towing vehicle to run around in. So I guess it really depends on what you like to do once you get somewhere. If you're gonna stay put or you're just camping at night while traveling they're pretty awesome, especially since you can sit in the living area while traveling. (that's why I borrowed his)
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Sep 4, 2014 13:07
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Sounds like you should just throw a motorcycle in the back.
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Sep 4, 2014 17:22
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Safety Dance posted:Sounds like you should just throw a motorcycle in the back. Yeah - this is the easy solution! I've got an old moped which I hope to hang on an external bracket over my spare wheel - when I get time to build the required brackets..
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Sep 4, 2014 17:38
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PhilintheBlank posted:Does anyone have a hands on opinion of the class b camper vans? Not like the VW pop up conversions, but more like the great west or roadtrek. My parents have a 2003 Roadtrek 190 Popular, it's way nice. Makes my van look like a hole to pass out in, they're always taking my cool ideas and doing them right because they actually have money. But yeah plenty of room to stand up and cook, seating in the back is really nice for hanging out. Sleeps 2 well, could sleep 3-4 if you needed to. 4-5 can have dinner and a movie comfortably. I wouldn't put a family in one but for like a couple or something they're perfect. They make different layouts with another table/bed vs. a little bathroom area and bigger kitchen like my parents has but I've never been in one of those. The worst part is they get ~14mpg in that rolling palace and I only get 10 
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Sep 5, 2014 07:07
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The biggest problem I've ever heard of with the Class Bs is that anything that actually fits to the van body is likely only for that model, where most boxy RVs use the same components as any other RV. Those parts of course will be $$$$$ compared to everything else. Other than that the shower/shitter is obviously not going to be a great experience but the rest is pretty much the same as a small C. My grandparents had one for a while based on a Dodge chassis (a massive downgrade from their previous Prevost conversion) and they seemed to like it overall since it could be used as a second vehicle without much trouble. The newer ones based on Sprinters and presumably soon Transits are supposedly pretty awesome and due to the flat sides will likely not have the custom part problem nearly as badly.
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Sep 5, 2014 23:59
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