Ski Bum Truck V2.0, F450 Rough Road RV

Fatboyz

Observer
We just returned from 2 weeks in Bacalar Mexico at a friends place on the Laguna. 14 days mandatory isolation so we're heading west to the mountains in our rig. Hiking, ice climbing and ice fishing it is! Also going to work remotely through my cell phone.
 

java

Expedition Leader
What a difference a week makes! Same place without the snow, and 65 and sunny. Absolutely gorgeous spring weather.

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Nice to be out on the rocks again.
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java

Expedition Leader
And I was wrong on the Victron inverter, if you leave it in charger only mode, it will pass the shore power AC through. It just takes 5-10 seconds or so for it to kick in and do it.
 

Srpat

Observer
Have you ever had any issues with frame flex? If I remeber right your box is bolted on top of the chassis. So no pivot points or anything to allow the camper body to flex?

Is it a non issue if you aren't lifting tires off the ground? Any concerns over stress fractures?

My bus has an aluminum frame bolted to the truck chassis. Wondering your thoughts with what you have experienced.
 

java

Expedition Leader
Have you ever had any issues with frame flex? If I remeber right your box is bolted on top of the chassis. So no pivot points or anything to allow the camper body to flex?

Is it a non issue if you aren't lifting tires off the ground? Any concerns over stress fractures?

My bus has an aluminum frame bolted to the truck chassis. Wondering your thoughts with what you have experienced.

That is correct, its old school truck style, 2x4 on top of the frame rail, and U bolts and a a few locating bolts to hold them together.

The floor on mine is 2x2.5 (IIRC) square tube, on 24" centers, with a 3/16" thick plate for the floor. It makes it VERY stiff back there. To the point I don't think the rear frame section flexes much at all. I was a little concerned about it, but the box has shown no signs of issues yet, I am more concerned with the frame at the back of the cab. It definitely flexes right there. Lifting tires on a truck this big takes some real trying.... I have had it all twisted up, and in reality it just would feel way too tippy to get into a situation of lifting a tire I think. I thought I was going to flop it once. I literally just stopped and got out of the truck for a couple mins.... The rear springs on mine move pretty well too.
 

java

Expedition Leader
Looks like age or manufacturing defect to me.

Oddly the fronts are fine? They are a older tires. 7yrs from mfg date now.

I hope you still have some of the extra tires when you bought them all.

I do!


My thinking is perhaps the beadlock ring inside did something weird with the bead of the tire and concentrated the stress right there? I'll pop this one open soon.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
 

Ozrockrat

Expedition Leader
Check the bead profile matches the rim profile. There are a couple of different types. The 365/80R20 that we’re on my yellow truck were MPT and the 395/85R20 are MVT). MPT tires cannot be fitted to MVT rims. MPT rims are not as easy to find as MVT.

Also check that the beadlock insert is not spreading and pushing on the inside of the tire above the lip of the bead.
 

java

Expedition Leader
Check the bead profile matches the rim profile. There are a couple of different types. The 365/80R20 that we’re on my yellow truck were MPT and the 395/85R20 are MVT). MPT tires cannot be fitted to MVT rims. MPT rims are not as easy to find as MVT.

Also check that the beadlock insert is not spreading and pushing on the inside of the tire above the lip of the bead.
That's what I have been hearing.... Looking into it.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
 

java

Expedition Leader
From someone else who bought the same wheel/tires, here is the insert. Could the height/thickness of the insert be causing the tire to flex further into the sidewall instead of down towards the bead more?

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Alloy

Well-known member
From someone else who bought the same wheel/tires, here is the insert. Could the height/thickness of the insert be causing the tire to flex further into the sidewall instead of down towards the bead more?

49944787538_b4848a9cc0_z.jpg

Bead locks fix the bead abd increase the flex in the sidewall .....more flex = more chance of cracking. More chance of it happening on short sidewall high load tires. Also if the tires are run below mfg recommended pressure for weight.

Usually the bead rotate/twists on edge of the wheel which causes rim flange wear. Rim flange wear is the cause of aluminum wheels being scrapped / TIG welded /machined on commercial trucks. Knew a guy that had 20-30 wheel he wanted me to weld but it was mind numbing. I'd had enough after doing 1.

An example, not my welding.
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