Belafonte Reboot....Ambulance to 4x4 Camper Conversion

[tgreening]

Here's my Booty-Fab Bob front bumper mod. I seriously doubt this will last but I'm not sure. I've never painted chrome before. It doesn't really matter since it's only a temp thing anyway because I plan to replace it with a semi-diy MOVE bumper. That one will get painted the right way, well, at least as right as I can do it. Got to redo the mounting a bit though because I forgot that it doesn't just auto-level itself when I tighten the bolts. Derrrrr.

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So what's next? Not sure. I finished up my bike mounting system yesterday and I've only got tomorrow and Wednesday to get stuff done before bugging out for the expo. I need to trim the front spring u-bolts but that'll only take a few minutes. I'd like to get my awnings mounted but I'm really at a loss how to get that accomplished without a rack mount of some sort, or drilling and bolting right through the skin, which I don't think will work in the rear because of the scene/load lights and I'm not sure it would even work on the passenger side for the same reason.

 

[patoz]

Yeah Tom, I think I can put those pieces of the Wheeled Coach emblem back together again. Can you send them to me, and I'll reimburse you for the shipping? I'll PM you my address, but no rush on it.

I see your fat bike in the background there, do you have the electric model with the battery pack? That is what I want for cruising around the campgrounds, getting ice, etc.

Check my thread, I left you some info about the hurricane headed up the east coast towards NC this coming weekend.

 

[patoz]

Tom, you were asking about bike racks a while back, so check out these. They are a little expensive, but the quality looks to be superb!




https://www.1upusa.com/index.html

 

[tgreening]

Dayyum shaniqua, what's that smell?

It's the smell of your diesel running out of fuel with an indicated 1/8 tank still left. I knew I was pushing it getting home last night from the expo, but dangit it said 1/8 tank. Pulling away from a light I got a "chug" and thought uh oh. Pulled into the gas station and up to a pump with it bucking like a bronco and killed the ignition I think right before it ran flat out.

Got 'er filled, a couple of cranks, a minute of rough running, and back in business.

Dodged that bullet for sure.

 

[Bikersmurf]

Dayyum shaniqua, what's that smell?

It's the smell of your diesel running out of fuel with an indicated 1/8 tank still left. I knew I was pushing it getting home last night from the expo, but dangit it said 1/8 tank. Pulling away from a light I got a "chug" and thought uh oh. Pulled into the gas station and up to a pump with it bucking like a bronco and killed the ignition I think right before it ran flat out.

Got 'er filled, a couple of cranks, a minute of rough running, and back in business.

Dodged that bullet for sure.

Lucky for sure. I did something similar... Just wasn't smart enough to get it off the road before it stopped

 

[tgreening]

Lucky for sure. I did something similar... Just wasn't smart enough to get it off the road before it stopped

Yeah, I'm not sure how much of a PIA it is if it runs dry but I've heard some horror stories here and there, so I dang sure wanted to avoid that.

It was so close I had put it in neutral and killed it while rolling up to the pump. I didn't want it to die on its own, and it seemed to work out.


Put some Bushwacker flares in the front while at the expo Friday. Chris was going camping but was good enough to hang around his shop long enough for me to fight my way through the traffic jam that was every road in or out of Asheville. Good lord.

Anyway , got my flares, a tour of the current workload in the shop (that OBS F series is off the hook), and my picture took.

Needer neener...

Pics of the flares later tonight, and Bushwacker should go to jail for the ridiculous price they charge for those bits of plastic.

Look nice though. Hehe

 

[FDM2012]

Been there, done that......

How was The Expo? Obviously, your rig must have treated you right on the trip. (around 1k miles?)

I bet a lot of interested folks checked it out!

And your Bushwacker comments make me even happier about my $20 "junkyard special" conversion van flares! lol

 

[Bikersmurf]

I've started from dry twice. That time, and when the fuel bowl was rebuilt. Both times it started no problems. It ran really rough and made lots of smoke for a bit till it was getting fuel, and then it smoothed out. If your batteries are iffy, you'll need a boost. It's not like the leyland diesel I grew up with... It'll self bleed after it runs out of fuel... Just need a strong starter... And batteries 4x1000CCA does the trick.

 

[tgreening]

Been there, done that......

How was The Expo? Obviously, your rig must have treated you right on the trip. (around 1k miles?)

I bet a lot of interested folks checked it out!

Rig ran great and made a great "edge of the hurricane" shelter. I slept fat, dumb and happy in my rock solid module and watched all those poor folks rockin n rollin in their tents, roof top or otherwise. The wind was brutal, the rain not that bad at all (imo).

The vendor area was much better than last year, though some of the prices still amaze me.

IMO an M416 style trailer is still a utility trailer and no amount of batteries, propane tanks, and water jugs warrants a 5 figure price tag just so I can STILL sleep in a tent, albeit an off the ground one.

I can't imagine driving that GEV truck more than about 50', and didn't even bother asking the price. Nice? Absolutely. Practical? I can't see how.

I think the best "overland" vehicle I saw was an old military (probably Air Force) GM that looked like it might have been a radio truck at one time. Set up for one person but man did the guy do it right. It may have not had the space GEV had, but it would go 100x more places than that mountain of a truck.

Ozrockrat is a cool dude.

Families with 5 little kids that can't stop picking on each other camped behind you kind of blows great big goats.

Biltmore catering is really proud of their food and drinks judging by the prices.

Overland bikers are kind of funny, standing up everywhere they go while putt putting across the flat-as-a-pancake, dry-as-a-bone absolutely rutt/feature free field everything was in, you know....for balance and control.

Some of the speakers need improvement on public speaking and sticking to the subject while delivery useful content rather than drifting off into stories about buddies and whatnot.

Everyone was friendly. Some kind of....weird.

Awesome dogs everywhere, and 1 funky ferret.

My wife just about skinned me when she looked up Biltmore and thought I was staying in that castle called a house.

It's worth bringing your family to.

 

[FDM2012]

Awesome. I have my fingers crossed for making it next year. I am crazy busy every May with work, or I would
love to go to the Expo West in Flagstaff.
While in The NAVY, stationed in San Diego, I explored a lot, and thought the desert was pretty neato.
Not to be confused dessert, which I also enjoy!

 

[villageidiot327]

Overland bikers are kind of funny, standing up everywhere they go while putt putting across the flat-as-a-pancake, dry-as-a-bone absolutely rutt/feature free field everything was in, you know....for balance and control.

as a motorcycle guy myself, these stand up at all times guys crack me up.

im a sit as much as possible, stand when you need to guy.

 

[tgreening]

Mucking about with batteries today and have a question for the ever present internet experts.

I have 4 batteries. Two truck batteries and 2 house batteries. The truck batteries are less than a yr old, the house batteries (old truck batteries) I am unsure of.

All group 31, the 2 sets are different manufacturer.

I've had it plugged in since arriving back home from the Expo on Sunday night and decided to do some metering tonight.

With everything turned off I can think of the house batteries read 12.89v and the new truck batteries read 12.77v. There was one blinky light on my control panel to let me know there was a door open, but that's it. I suppose there could be some parasitic draw somewhere on the truck side as well to account for the diff but my main question is no matter the reason is there any big deal about a .12v difference between the 2 banks?

Generally they are connected together on a day to day basis to keep them charged up.

Any concerns?

 

[luthj]

Battery resting voltage at 100% SOC will vary depending on age, manufacturer, and temperature. If both sets are from different manufacturers, a 0.1V difference in voltage would be normal.

 

[rlrenz]

A ambulance always has some parasitic draws - the only way to stop them is to install a battery disconnect switch in the negative lead (negative because if the battery switch collapses or fails, it won't result in a massive short circuit).

Also, a Group 31 truck battery will have a limited operating duration as a house battery - it's designed as a starting battery.

 

[tgreening]

A ambulance always has some parasitic draws - the only way to stop them is to install a battery disconnect switch in the negative lead (negative because if the battery switch collapses or fails, it won't result in a massive short circuit).

Also, a Group 31 truck battery will have a limited operating duration as a house battery - it's designed as a starting battery.

Not too concerned about them. They aren't seeing use any more severe than the average truck battery at the moment, and the old set is slated to get replaced anyway. The new ones are Marine grade AGMs meant for starting and deep draw use. The old ones will get swapped out for another set of these. Supposedly good for 105 amp/hr on a 20 amp/hr cycle.

They're just the SAMs Club Duracell brand but they get pretty good reviews, relatively cheap, and if one fails Sams Club is just about as prevalent as Walmart. Rather have that than a "better" battery I have to order from someplace in the event one gives up the ghost.