Recent content by PDX_Jay

Thought I'd throw in a few more photos. Just completed a 10k mile 3-month test run in the camper. Still trying to figure out if we can do this regularly, as was not the easiest to actually get work done while on the road. For sure need to make some adjustments if we're going to try it again...

Thought I'd throw up a few photos from our current trip. This is our real first go at any significant amount of time in the truck. Gonna be 3 months total in it. Left from Oregon beginning of February, and currently down in southern Baja, at Cabo Pulmo. Then will head across SW USA, over to...

Yeah, really like being able to sit up in bed. Originally, was going to have storage under the bed (about 5" deep) similar to how FWC does it, but I was going to have drawers pull out for the front section. However, after doing some trial runs in the camper without the underbed storage, decided...

using mostly baltic birch ply - although a few bits and pieces of other misc scraps I had laying around to save money. Cabinet structure is 10 series 80/20 (as you can see on page one of this thread) and just have 1/2" baltic birch panels to cover it.

thanks! really tried to take advantage of every square inch of space, making custom drawers that go all the way to the back walls, and take up as much of the cabinet interior as possible. Also like how the latches turned out. Had to use slam latches in a few locations, due to how the aluminum...

Originally, the actuators (Progressive Dynamics) were all on the outside (two on back, two up on the sides as far forward as they could go before the cabover). But had problems with them malfunctioning (seems like they were getting water in them, as well as not having a lot of side-to-side...

Made some more progress, and now have 17 nights in the camper, making little tweaks. south of Mt. Hood east of Mt. Hood In the Gifford Pinchot Nat'l Forest And if anyone is interested in a 90 sec camper tour - here's a link to a quick tour on my instagram <<90 Second Camper Tour>>

I've got the 7.3 in my F250 - flatbed and camper, total weight is around 10k (not finished with the build yet, but will be soon and will get actual weight). Last 1,000 miles or so I've averaged 11.3 mpg. I drive pretty conservatively, and that's no real off-roading... just forest roads. Been...

Planning on a proper leaf pack. Was looking at Deaver or Alcan - need to do some more research though.

Just realized I could have given you one other piece of info - I weighed the truck w/flatbed, but before camper. With a full tank of fuel (58 gallons), me, my wife, some basic camping gear for a couple of nights, we were at 4,520 lb front axle, 3,700 lb rear axle. After we put the camper shell...

Quick progress report - got the water system and heating system in, and a quick 2-night camp trip to test it all out. Main features of system: - ability to fill 30 gallon freshwater tank from clean pressurized source (aka my garden hose) - ability to use my water pump to ALSO fill the...

nice truck! Is that the long wheelbase? Hard to tell with the Bowen bed on there. Mine was a short bed. Definitely going to be pushing up close to the GVWR on this. I guess I'll find out when I finish building, and can weigh the thing. Tried to keep weight reasonable as I built it. Framed...

opted to go with formica countertops - first time attempting a formica glue-up, and didn't go to badly. Had to take over the dining room, as my tiny garage is unheated, and too cold for the contact cement (truck is parked on the street, and I have an old one-car garage where i have my tools...

Making a bit more progress on interior. Came up with my own latch system— as I didn't really like the look of slam latches for the kitchen drawers, didn't want the push button latches as if you forget to push them back in before you drive, they won't be secured, and the RV Labs locking drawer...

900w of solar now installed! used some 15 series 8020 to create a solid crossbar system for mounting (the panels are pretty big, so were feeling a bit too flimsy for my liking without support). Pretty happy with how it turned out, and should provide a bit more shading for the roof in the summer...