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- Thread starter Meili
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Meili
Adventurer
Well it has been crazy since the Overland Expo East.
After Expo was Gulf Coast trip, back to Pa then Seattle, Back to Pa then Boston.
Really have not done much on the truck but decided at the last minute to take a trip to Rausch Creek Offroad Park with my cousin.
Did a little prep, finally wired my on board compressor.
Also installed the skid plates. Had to add a small spacer on the oil pan skid plate to clear the V8 pan.
I'll give up 3/8" ground clearance to save the pan.
I also had removed my summer/mud tire and installed the winter/all terrian tires. Rears are studded.
Slowly getting my packing down. The hook rails worked great to secure everything, even offroad.
More in next post.
After Expo was Gulf Coast trip, back to Pa then Seattle, Back to Pa then Boston.
Really have not done much on the truck but decided at the last minute to take a trip to Rausch Creek Offroad Park with my cousin.
Did a little prep, finally wired my on board compressor.
Also installed the skid plates. Had to add a small spacer on the oil pan skid plate to clear the V8 pan.
I'll give up 3/8" ground clearance to save the pan.
I also had removed my summer/mud tire and installed the winter/all terrian tires. Rears are studded.
Slowly getting my packing down. The hook rails worked great to secure everything, even offroad.
More in next post.
Attachments
Meili
Adventurer
The "goal" of the trip, besides spending some time with my cousin and his son, was to test the truck "as driven" on road.
The tire pressure was not touched, truck stayed loaded, air shock left at cruise height etc etc.
It was also close to a worst case senario weather wise: dropped to 32, at any given time had dense fog, drizzle, rain, sleet and mixed wet flurries.
Being at a high elevation, there was also wind gusting to 40 mph.
Studded tire are not the ticket for offroading, especially over slick wet rock.
I was following my cousin in his Avalache Z71 (stock except upgraded tires) since I figured I could pull him out if needed.
Alot of the trails had bypasses, I stayed on the main trail and he took bypasses.
The truck did awesome, barely even spun a tire!
I did damage the l/r of the box while fooling around on a big manmade mound. Funny how it bend right where a certian magic marker line is!
The tire pressure was not touched, truck stayed loaded, air shock left at cruise height etc etc.
It was also close to a worst case senario weather wise: dropped to 32, at any given time had dense fog, drizzle, rain, sleet and mixed wet flurries.
Being at a high elevation, there was also wind gusting to 40 mph.
Studded tire are not the ticket for offroading, especially over slick wet rock.
I was following my cousin in his Avalache Z71 (stock except upgraded tires) since I figured I could pull him out if needed.
Alot of the trails had bypasses, I stayed on the main trail and he took bypasses.
The truck did awesome, barely even spun a tire!
I did damage the l/r of the box while fooling around on a big manmade mound. Funny how it bend right where a certian magic marker line is!
Attachments
Meili
Adventurer
Last update for today!
The bad weather really tested the camper.
I installed the extra HD tarp I had bought as a rainfly using the hooks on the fenders.
Not a drop of water inside, it held up to some very strong winds.
After dark,day 1, turned on the Little Buddy heater to prewarm the camper.
During that time we built a fire, cooked dinner and drank some "adult" beverages to prewarm us!
Was nice and toasty all night. The heavy canvas tent held the heat very well even after the heater was off.
My theory is the tarp added a small amount of insulation, as it created a sealed air gap on the roof section, helped hold the heat too.
Mounted black side out, it warmed up mid morning on day 2 when the sun broke threw. Free solar heat.
All in all, the whole rig preformed very well.
Still got work to do but I am a "happy camper".
22982
The bad weather really tested the camper.
I installed the extra HD tarp I had bought as a rainfly using the hooks on the fenders.
Not a drop of water inside, it held up to some very strong winds.
After dark,day 1, turned on the Little Buddy heater to prewarm the camper.
During that time we built a fire, cooked dinner and drank some "adult" beverages to prewarm us!
Was nice and toasty all night. The heavy canvas tent held the heat very well even after the heater was off.
My theory is the tarp added a small amount of insulation, as it created a sealed air gap on the roof section, helped hold the heat too.
Mounted black side out, it warmed up mid morning on day 2 when the sun broke threw. Free solar heat.
All in all, the whole rig preformed very well.
Still got work to do but I am a "happy camper".
22982
Attachments
jswift716
Adventurer
Meili
Adventurer
01burb,
In the first version, stock bed, all I did was flip the doors so they opened the way I wanted. Always planned on making the r/s fixed since the frig is mounted right behind it.
In the 2.0 version, utility bed. I moved the door so it fit flush on the L/S and used pieces of the other door as fill material.
I cut the utility box down, so no cuts were made on the door.
If you have the strength, go to page 12.
In the first version, stock bed, all I did was flip the doors so they opened the way I wanted. Always planned on making the r/s fixed since the frig is mounted right behind it.
In the 2.0 version, utility bed. I moved the door so it fit flush on the L/S and used pieces of the other door as fill material.
I cut the utility box down, so no cuts were made on the door.
If you have the strength, go to page 12.
Last edited:
i bought a trailer made of a service body bed with a camping trailer in mind. i was flip flopping on whether to just mount a rtt on it using the bed floor for a deck or inclosing it. thank to finding this thread im racking my brain about it even more. really love the build. you have dont great work. would love to see it some day.
Meili
Adventurer
k9lestat, just do it!!!
As with every trip you learn things that need to be fixed or adjusted.
First addressed the damage to the corner of the bed. I plan on doing some cutting to increase my depature angle but thats a way off so fixed it the best I could.
The shiny part is actually the corner folded up and in. Worked the dent with a 4 ton jack from the inside and used the weight of the truck with a floor jack on the outside.
Push, hammer, lift, hammer, repeat. Turned out pretty good for a "non-metal" guy.
Another fix, much easier was to add the mesh net in the open side of the RTT. It holds the sleeping bags in place and keeps the tents "guts" from hanging down.
As with every trip you learn things that need to be fixed or adjusted.
First addressed the damage to the corner of the bed. I plan on doing some cutting to increase my depature angle but thats a way off so fixed it the best I could.
The shiny part is actually the corner folded up and in. Worked the dent with a 4 ton jack from the inside and used the weight of the truck with a floor jack on the outside.
Push, hammer, lift, hammer, repeat. Turned out pretty good for a "non-metal" guy.
Another fix, much easier was to add the mesh net in the open side of the RTT. It holds the sleeping bags in place and keeps the tents "guts" from hanging down.
