Ladies and Gentleman... The Beast.

Mock Tender

Adventurer
Ladies and Gentlemen, Mesdames et Messieurs, Damen und Herren, from what was once an inarticulate mass of lifeless tissues, may I present a cultured, sophisticated, vehicle about town. The Beast!
(Most of the above directly lifted from “Young Frankenstein”-love that movie)

Specs: Everything used on “The Beast” is new.

2015 Fuso FG
2015 Bigfoot 25B175FB with 2 solar panels, hot water (AC or propane), furnace (propane only), Refrigerator freezer (AC, DC or propane), two burner cooktop.
Bullbar, skid plate, headache rack, sub-frame and motorcycle lift (w-Warn tav winch) built by Hefty Fabworks (on-time and on budget)
Earth Cruiser 16” Super Singles
Cooper Tire St/Maxx 315 75R16
Sterling Power BBW12120 120 Amp battery to battery charger
4 x Four Lifeline GPL=4CT (wired both in parallel and in series to provide 12 volts and 440 ahs)

We left Colorado Springs April 9th and have put roughly 7,500 miles on “The Beast” traveling through Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan as well as Ontario and Quebec Canada on our way to the Maritime Provinces of Canada. I changed the oil and filter at 6,000 (because even though I can supposedly go to 12,000 it looked fairly black). Except for a broken windshield, not a bit of problems. I almost got stuck about half a mile from the La Sal pass in Utah when we decided to spend the night . I drove downhill putting my bull bar up against a stump (flattest spot around) and after a night of sub-freezing temperatures the damn Fuso didn’t want to back up. Tires weren’t stuck, no obstructions- just a slight incline. I floored it in reverse and she finally backed up enough to turn around. I have been through hub deep snow, creek crossing (with water over the hub) and up and down the the Shafer trail in Canyonlands, Utah (got stopped by lots of motorcycle and jeeps wondering what we were and how did we get here)?

Mileage is between 10.9 and 15.5 (with 13.4 an average) per mile varying on speeds and tire inflation. The most comfortable ride is at 45 psi in the front and 55 in the rear. The ride is absolutely fine at those psi’s on most roads. Higher psi’s must be on extra smooth roads.

We have spent most of our time on National Forest and BLM land- but the farther east we go, the harder it is to find. In Canada, they have millions of acres of Crown land- but without permission you are considered a trespasser and finding phone numbers to get permission is not easy.

Not getting many opportunities to get on the net; but I will report more when I can.

In all, very, very happy with how fast and how well this all came together.

Mark

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pugslyyy

Expedition Vehicle Engineer Guy
Very nice, congrats!

We run into the same issue going east - running out of BLM land. We end up staying at COE sites, they are usually very decent. Costs a few bucks but the disbursed camping options get harder to find east of the Mississippi.
 

kerry

Expedition Leader
we took ours all the way up to L'Anse aux Meadows at the tip of Newfoundland. Great place. Roads were pretty bad the last hundred miles or so but worth the journey. Corp of engineers often has free camping at their dam sites in the eastern US.
 

kerry

Expedition Leader
we really liked the Madeline Islands out in the gulf of st Lawrence. Have to take a ferry there from PEI. We didn't take the Fuso there but a rental car. Beaches are phenomenal.
 

EAB

Observer
Nice Build

Great looking build!!
A few questions if you don't mind...
1. Where did you store the batteries?
2. Did the Bigfoot come with the solar panels or did you add them.
3. Do you know how much overhang there is from the rear axle to the bumper?

Thanks for your help.

Happy travels.
 

Mock Tender

Adventurer
Hello everyone. Finally got some internet. "The Beast" is working fine. We did get 16.4 mpg the other day. We have seen a general improvement since changing to Schaffer oil and getting more miles: up to 8,900 miles. Managed to get a flat. We have done some off-roading and I believe we punctured the sidewalk with a dead branch- the good news was it went flat at a gas station. Gravel parking lot and lots of lookey loos. Went well and I am very happy with the multiplier and the five foot torque wrench. Getting the tire off the headache rack, on to the truck and putting the flat back up on the headache rack top section took about 45 minutes. I will be faster next time. To get a replacement St/maxx is about double up here from what I paid in the states and takes two weeks-so no more off-roading until the spare and U.S. Get to Gander. Went up one of the steepest hills I have ever been on outside of Conche, NL- and in four wheel drive I just creeped up it? Impressive and a little scary. The view was impressive- about 40 icebergs ranging from Fuso size to huge.- so far New found land is the best of the Maritimes to be.

Mark
 
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Mock Tender

Adventurer
EAB-

The four six volt 220 amp Lifelines went in the middle a TV toolbox on the lower section of the headache rack. They are serial/parrallel to make up 440 amps. The port side toolbox has the Sterling battery to battery charger putting out up to 120 amps per hour. So far the Yamaha generator has only been used as a door stop- making the trip from the cab to the trailer and back (no place to permanently store it).

The solar panels are an option from Bigfoot ( 1 or 2). On sunny days, without moving, we are topped off quickly.

The overhang past the truck frame is about two foot (includes the motorcycle).

Mark
 
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