Capt Eddie
Adventurer
How hard was the wireless backup? Is the black wire the power feed? Can you use the driving light power? I know you would have to have lights on for it to work. Alot of lights stay on anyway.
Alaskan Camper Build Up
- Thread starter Carlyle
- Start date
Carlyle
Explorer
Skysix,
The solar vents have a very minimal profile on the roof of the camper, perhaps two inches max. Inside the the camper, the deck head, they sit down about three inches, put most of that is the light and switch that can be push about about another inch if you close the vent. Just be sure to put the vents not directly in your walkway and you'll be fine.
Capt Eddie,
The black wire form the camera is the power cable that I hooked up to a 12 volt power source on the inside of the camper. I think I went to one of the 12 volt outlets.
The screen was a bit of a pain to install as the wires from the screen under the head panel to a 12 volt power source. If you wanted to make it easy you could just plug it in a power plug and use the supplied suction cup, but I had absolutely no faith in that holding. The camera was easy to mount, four self tapping screws and run the wire in beside the wifi cable to a power source.
The camera is actually cctv and has infrared that does an amazing job at night when driving down the road. When I back up, my back up lights kick in and it's light daylight for the most part, except for extra shadows.
For anyone interested you can run video to these screens and could run a
DVD stereo through it. What would be truly awesome is to figure out how to get my tiny Garmin screen to show up on there. Any electronics gurus out there with an answer?
The solar vents have a very minimal profile on the roof of the camper, perhaps two inches max. Inside the the camper, the deck head, they sit down about three inches, put most of that is the light and switch that can be push about about another inch if you close the vent. Just be sure to put the vents not directly in your walkway and you'll be fine.
Capt Eddie,
The black wire form the camera is the power cable that I hooked up to a 12 volt power source on the inside of the camper. I think I went to one of the 12 volt outlets.
The screen was a bit of a pain to install as the wires from the screen under the head panel to a 12 volt power source. If you wanted to make it easy you could just plug it in a power plug and use the supplied suction cup, but I had absolutely no faith in that holding. The camera was easy to mount, four self tapping screws and run the wire in beside the wifi cable to a power source.
The camera is actually cctv and has infrared that does an amazing job at night when driving down the road. When I back up, my back up lights kick in and it's light daylight for the most part, except for extra shadows.
For anyone interested you can run video to these screens and could run a
DVD stereo through it. What would be truly awesome is to figure out how to get my tiny Garmin screen to show up on there. Any electronics gurus out there with an answer?
Carlyle
Explorer
Hi Tom,
The Alaskan camper did great this winter and as mentioned earlier was comfortable down to -17 degrees F. The Goodyear G-124's are a great tire and work extremely well in ice, snow and water. They do need to be aired down a bit to get better traction on ice, but that's the way most are anyways. The are wearing very little and what is wearing is very even, I can't believe that Goodyear has changed the tread design on these, someone must have complained that they're too noisy, but I don't care as they are simply the best tires I had yet.
The EGR system on the Ford 6.0 took a crap about a month ago and I took a big step and purchased a EGR bypass kit. Six hours labor later by my mechanic it was in and running. Exhaust temps are down about 50 degrees and it seems to run a little happier. Oh I also deleted the cat and that helped a bit as well. The engine actually runs smoother and I do not soot up the world either as I don't run a chip. Perhaps with all that stuff off the 6.0 will last many more miles as I don't want one of the new 6.4's.
Hope that helps Tom.
The Alaskan camper did great this winter and as mentioned earlier was comfortable down to -17 degrees F. The Goodyear G-124's are a great tire and work extremely well in ice, snow and water. They do need to be aired down a bit to get better traction on ice, but that's the way most are anyways. The are wearing very little and what is wearing is very even, I can't believe that Goodyear has changed the tread design on these, someone must have complained that they're too noisy, but I don't care as they are simply the best tires I had yet.
The EGR system on the Ford 6.0 took a crap about a month ago and I took a big step and purchased a EGR bypass kit. Six hours labor later by my mechanic it was in and running. Exhaust temps are down about 50 degrees and it seems to run a little happier. Oh I also deleted the cat and that helped a bit as well. The engine actually runs smoother and I do not soot up the world either as I don't run a chip. Perhaps with all that stuff off the 6.0 will last many more miles as I don't want one of the new 6.4's.
Hope that helps Tom.
tlbrewer
Observer
Thanks for the reply. Glad to hear the Alaskan was all you hoped it would be. And particularly glad to hear about the tires. That helps my decsion in the future.
I'll be doing an EGR block-off on my DMax in the future too. However, I'm gonna wait until I get a programmer that has that option. Otherwise it throws codes. There are other ways to cheat the computer, but I'm not to keen on them. I also just put an MBRP cat back exhaust on. Sounds better and seems to spool faster. Would love to get rid of the cat as well, but same reason. Need a programmer to override the codes.
Thanks for the update.
Tom
I'll be doing an EGR block-off on my DMax in the future too. However, I'm gonna wait until I get a programmer that has that option. Otherwise it throws codes. There are other ways to cheat the computer, but I'm not to keen on them. I also just put an MBRP cat back exhaust on. Sounds better and seems to spool faster. Would love to get rid of the cat as well, but same reason. Need a programmer to override the codes.
Thanks for the update.
Tom
Carlyle
Explorer
Latest article on my camper in Truck Camper Magazine:
http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=779&Itemid=34
http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=779&Itemid=34
Carlyle
Explorer
If I had to start from scratch I would probably go with an F550 with a 4" lift and a stretch. I would then have Alaskan build a 14' non cab over. The bed in the camper would remain in the same spot and there would be a ton of storage underneath that area. With that size, I would probably attach the camper to the frame with a three point pivot.
Everything else would stay the same.
Everything else would stay the same.
chasespeed
Explorer
I have to ask, because, depending on alot of things... I might go this route in the near future...
What are you at for a running total on the CAMPER(guesstimate is fine of course)...
That would fit my bill pretty well....
Thanks,
Chase
What are you at for a running total on the CAMPER(guesstimate is fine of course)...
That would fit my bill pretty well....
Thanks,
Chase
DiploStrat
Expedition Leader
Interesting!
Given the weight/complexity/cost issues of the pivoting designs, your simple flat bed has a lot to recommend it.
Are you seeing signs of stress/damage to your camper?
I would have thought that if it weren't broke ... especially going to a larger truck which might be expected to have a stiffer frame. (Granted, you might have to derate the springs a bit.) I any case, you will still have to buy/build some form of frame/bed/foundation for what is essentially a plywood camper. Would Alaskan factory build a steel subframe/platform? That might be very interesting as it would come from the factory stiff enough to mount.
Given the weight/complexity/cost issues of the pivoting designs, your simple flat bed has a lot to recommend it.
Are you seeing signs of stress/damage to your camper?
I would have thought that if it weren't broke ... especially going to a larger truck which might be expected to have a stiffer frame. (Granted, you might have to derate the springs a bit.) I any case, you will still have to buy/build some form of frame/bed/foundation for what is essentially a plywood camper. Would Alaskan factory build a steel subframe/platform? That might be very interesting as it would come from the factory stiff enough to mount.
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dzzz
™
I don't think there's evidence that Alaskan needs to build a better subframe.
I do wonder, however, if their standard design doesn't benefit from having only the center touch the bed. That's the most neutral area, and there's no weight directly over the rear wheels.
In a full flatbed build contact with the bed is triple. It must flex more.
dzzz
™
I'm not sure what area for storage you're referring to?
I'm considering talking to Alaskan, but I know I need a dedicated storage area other than the under truck boxes. I've thought about a large box on the bed between cab and camper. This would also allow me to use an extended cab-over.
