kchristian
Adventurer
I love the rig. I was drooling over it back when you put it up for sale. I'm curious, what kind of gas mileage are you getting?
2012 Dodge 5500 - Expedition Camper - The build has started
- Thread starter dtruzinski
- Start date
dtruzinski
4 Season Traveller
@tbared - I had read a couple of threads on wheel options and the Rickson owners were very satisfied with their choice. Additionally as you stated, there was a significant price difference between Rickson and Hutchison. Wheels and tires are awesome off road; the only drawback is that the tire are a little noisy.
dtruzinski
4 Season Traveller
Thanks for the tip. I will definitely take some time to explore.
dtruzinski
4 Season Traveller
@kchristian - if I am driving 65mph on the freeway fully loaded it averages ~10mpg. If I cut my speed and drive backroads and highways, I can get ~12mpg. Remember there are only 8k miles on the cummins and it is not broken in...I expect the mpg to improve slightly
dtruzinski
4 Season Traveller
A/C who needs it...boxes storage
As you can tell, I am finally getting around to responding to some threads today. I don't know why I missed the notifications from December. In the spirit of catching up on the build, I have made two additional modifications: 1) removed the A/C, 2) added some tool boxes.
The a/c unit is heavy, tall, and requires 110 shore power. Since the likelihood of having shore power in the places I go is similar to winning the lotto, I removed the A/C unit. The hole left behind was a perfect fit for a standard 14" vent. More light and better ventilation is always good.
I ordered 2 18x18x36 under-bed tool boxes from Alumline (flatbed manufacturer for this rig: www.alumline.com ) and had Mobile Welding & Repair of Livingston MT (the makers of my running boards) install the boxes. This was a nice addition for storage.
Next I plan to remove the microwave and reclaim its location for additional interior storage.
As you can tell, I am finally getting around to responding to some threads today. I don't know why I missed the notifications from December. In the spirit of catching up on the build, I have made two additional modifications: 1) removed the A/C, 2) added some tool boxes.
The a/c unit is heavy, tall, and requires 110 shore power. Since the likelihood of having shore power in the places I go is similar to winning the lotto, I removed the A/C unit. The hole left behind was a perfect fit for a standard 14" vent. More light and better ventilation is always good.
I ordered 2 18x18x36 under-bed tool boxes from Alumline (flatbed manufacturer for this rig: www.alumline.com ) and had Mobile Welding & Repair of Livingston MT (the makers of my running boards) install the boxes. This was a nice addition for storage.
Next I plan to remove the microwave and reclaim its location for additional interior storage.
dtruzinski
4 Season Traveller
Thanks for the feedback on the build. I don't know the weight, but I will load it up in the Spring and get it weighed (it's good to know these things). I haven't been too concerned as the camper was built for 1T trucks...I am a believer in over engineering and I have met my goal!
kchristian
Adventurer
Another question for ya. Sorry if it's been answered in a previous post. Its been a while since I read through the thread. What is the height of the rig? Do you run into clearance issues either around town or off road? The tall camper plus the huge tires seem to put you pretty high up there. Has it been an issue at all?
Carlyle
Explorer
dtruzinski
4 Season Traveller
dtruzinski
4 Season Traveller
@Kchristian - it is 11'4" tall (which I believe is about 4" taller than an earthroamer). Keep in mind that I removed the roof air conditioner, as we are seldom in a place with electrical hookups. The A/C removal reduced the height by about 6".
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Capt Eddie
Adventurer
I don't feel so bad. My rig came in at 16600 LB.
dtruzinski
4 Season Traveller
Fender Flares - installed
After many failed attempts to create a wider fender flare, I have solved the problem. I ordered plastic sheets from speedway motors that were 22" wide and cut them down to 7" wide. I attached them with 3.5" protruding out from the existing flare. They are attached via exploding rivets. I have enough material to pull the stock flares and get even more wheel clearance if this does not provide enough protection and clearance
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Colored-Plastic-Rolls-10-Ft,1557.html
After many failed attempts to create a wider fender flare, I have solved the problem. I ordered plastic sheets from speedway motors that were 22" wide and cut them down to 7" wide. I attached them with 3.5" protruding out from the existing flare. They are attached via exploding rivets. I have enough material to pull the stock flares and get even more wheel clearance if this does not provide enough protection and clearance
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Colored-Plastic-Rolls-10-Ft,1557.html