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RE: 2nd Annual North-East Truck Camping "Haunted" Jamboree
Have fun folks!!! Will at least be camping this weekend if at UMO - GOOOOOOO BLUE!
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xp8103
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10/13/09 12:31pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: swing out jack extenders
New truck on the way Dick??
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xp8103
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10/06/09 11:08am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Speaking of old, vintage truck campers...
MAN!! LOVE old campers.
Kids ridin in the camper, drum brakes, bias ply tires. How did you EVER survive??
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xp8103
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09/30/09 08:50am |
Truck Campers
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RE: If you don't like noob questions and long posts, skip this.
Couple guys on here suggest picking the truck first -- wrong answer, pretty much. If you buy a truck first, and can't find a camper light enough for that truck, then you're in the same boat lots of guys find themselves in -- too much camper for the truck.
Can't agree with you here. Simply can't. If absolute weights are your issue then you're gonna be in trouble from the get go. Think about it. You're new to TC's. You're shopping around, looking at this, that and the other. Different makes, models. Have the wife with you. Oh, look at this one. How about that one? OHHHHH I LOVE the slide out. TWO slide outs? THREE?? REALLY? That Host is BEAUTIFUL! Next thing you know, you've bought you camper and discover that you're going to need a 5500 Kodiak to carry it, again, if absolute weights are your issue. Find a stout truck that fits your bill, more than you THINK you need, and THEN look for the camper.
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xp8103
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09/27/09 04:21pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: If you don't like noob questions and long posts, skip this.
Thanks! I'll take it! :)
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xp8103
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09/25/09 07:27pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: If you don't like noob questions and long posts, skip this.
Tracecom, As you see, you've opened the veritable can-o-worms! Buy new! Buy used! Buy big, buy small. DRW. SRW. Wet bath. A, B, C! 3 weeks? Too long? 3 weeks? We spend months!
There really is no one answer. You have mapped out a plan and there really is no way to know how it will all pan out. There are those here who feel there is no way they could FT it in a TC. My wife, son and I have spent over 3 weeks at a stretch in our Lance (hey! Neither of us is retired, that's the best we can do at the moment! :) ) and could easily go MUCH longer. In 8 years, God willing our son will be out of HS and it will more and more be just the two of us. But for other folks, more than a couple nights is too much. Since it sounds like you haven't spent too much time in a camper before, there simply is no way of knowing. There are retired folks posting to this thread who have spent months at a time and further, full time it in their TC's. Until you do it you won't know if you'll be changing your plans and canceling those motel reservations.
I would suggest getting the truck first because it is MORE likely that you'll have that longer than the camper. While you can't expect great mileage, you'll do better with a diesel than gas and have a longer service life. I would by MORE truck than you think you will need so that you don't have to replace it should you decide to upsize. An SRW will give you better MPG than a DRW. In our trip to Disney this summer with our rig, we got an honest 14 mpg at between 60 and 65. There are VERY few similar combinations that will do that in a hardsided TC. The pop-up campers are more aerodynamic but you've said you aren't interested in one. At least a 3/4 ton. I would suggest NOT doing a search here of the DRW vs. SRW issue because you'll get TOO much information that will do nothing but take your time. Most of the folks here haul very NEAR or OVER their GVW regardless of rear wheel configuration. There is just TOO much debate and conflict over the subject for which there is again, no right answer. Find a truck you like, that fills your want for the money you want to spend. Because as I said, you'll likely have it longer than your TC. For example, I've been looking at late model Ram 1-ton's. 2007 diesel crew cab with reasonable mileage both SRW and DRW for under $30k can be had all day. Ford's are a little more $$ but shop around. If you're worried about safety but want an SRW buy a set of 19.5" wheels and tires and throw some Rancho adjustable shocks and Super Springs under it. There ARE options. My ONE recommendation here is find a LONG bed truck. A short bed pickup will limit your TC choices considerably.
Once you have a truck, find a TC. Here again, there is no right answer. What you have stated you are looking for IS available with only an exception or two. But the risk you run is that you find yourself trading within a year or two for something "more". Maybe a slide. Or a basement model with more storage or just something bigger. But maybe not, again until you do it you won't know. There are plenty of smaller floor plan units available all come with all the typical amenities - fridge, stove, furnace, sink with on-board water. For bathroom facilities, many of the smaller units come with only a 5-gallon cassette potty which would fill your need. Fridge's are 4 or 5 cu ft, stoves often 2 burner. Some of the smaller floorplan units will even fit within the confines of a long bed pickup, with the tailgate closed. This gives you a built in "deck" with the only need being a set of stairs (do a search for THAT here and you'll find a multitude of options.) Others will hang over necessitating the removal of the tailgate. A quick word about AC and generators. Most of the smaller floor plan units aren't set up for on-board generators meaning you'll need to be somewhere where you have shore power to run it - no overnights in Phoenix or Las Vegas in Wally World parking lots! But again, there are options. Most notably the Honda and Yamaha 2000 watt quiet generators. With the right AC unit on your roof, either of these will handle the load.
Here's what we do:
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a270/xp8103/Core%20Banks/P8100110.jpg height=480 width=640
Underneath the freshwater hose on the front rack is a 6 gallon extended run tank. With that and the gallon in the gen itself, I can go several nights running the AC all night before refilling.
My only recommendation here is to spend some time and look around as much as you can and buy used. In doing so, you can find good, inexpensive units (knowing what to look for in particular brands is important, this place will help you there) and then, if you find that it works perfectly, you're done. If however, you find that you are canceling your motel reservations you can easily trade up without sacrificing a lot of cash.
Keep us posted and let us know how it's going.
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xp8103
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09/25/09 07:55am |
Truck Campers
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RE: 2nd Annual North-East Truck Camping "Haunted" Jamboree
One of these years..... But it's the same weekend as UMaine's Homecoming and we usually camp up there with friends in the Steam Plant lot. Awesome spot right on the Kenduskeag river with some great tailgating.
We are the only campers for UMO's homecoming. Sad really that UMaine doesn't generate the same HC enthusiasm as other major state schools.
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xp8103
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09/25/09 06:44am |
Truck Campers
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RE: 2009 Fall NE Truck Camper Jamboree in PA (Pictures Added)
WOW! Great turnout AND great weather!!! At a rally!!! Who'd a thunk it! sorry we missed it.
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xp8103
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09/23/09 07:15am |
Truck Campers
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RE: New Super Duty Diesel on the Horizon
The faith in Ford to "get it right" is something considering their recent track record. Navistar/IH was forced into a complete redesign for the 6.0 to meet EPA regs as the 7.3 would have been cost prohibitive. The problems with the 6.0 are well documented (my bosses '04 had 6 of 8 injectors replaced for example). Then it was the "Flamethrower" 6.4 in an attempt to meet even stricter emission regs which, given enough time might have been a decent engine but the warranty costs that started with the 6.0 had driven a wedge between Ford and Navistar and Navistar decided to take its football and go home. Ford had NO choice. CAT had already announced its decision to leave the on-road market and the number of manufacturers of medium duty consumer grade diesels wasn't exactly overwhelming.
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xp8103
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09/02/09 01:12pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: 4WD BEACH VEHICLES ONLY. THE VIDEO
Is there a list of beaches where camping is allowed on LI? You can camp all night without having to be "actively" fishing? What does the permit cost?
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a270/xp8103/Core%20Banks/P8100110.jpg height=480 width=640
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xp8103
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09/02/09 11:58am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Truck Camping Mileage
Same here. It's the lifestyle choice that we have made. When my wife and I were a couple months from getting married, we went on our honeymoon (yeah yeah, cart and horse, I know :) ) trip which included a "visit" to a "resort". You all know what I'm talking about. The trip itself was great and involved only a 1/2 day "visit". The pressure was relentless - "Aren't vacations important to you?" "The benefits of ownership are extensive!" "You can trade anywhere in the world!" "You'll get free this and free that!" "Aren't vacations important to you?" You get the point.
Neither of us had any inkling of owning an RV at the time. But the answer to the question is an unmitigated YES! Vacations ARE important to us. And choosing to go in the camper is the only way. I've had friends ask the same question - Cheaper to fly or go by car and stay in a hotel. Maybe in a strict dollar sense. But it's not wealth breaking cheaper and the benefits of the "do as you please" lifestyle that a TC offers more than makes up for ANY $ deficit.
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xp8103
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09/02/09 11:26am |
Truck Campers
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Source for replacement LED taillites??
My right hand taillite has lost a majority of its LEDs. Has anyone replaced one of these themselves? Big job? Not? Need a good source for one.
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xp8103
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08/19/09 08:46am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Disney Experts speak out!
Great stuff folks!! Thanks!
We already have tix and reservations (thru AAA). Will be doing the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue and are planning at least one dinner in the park (I've done the 50's and Sci-Fi themed places in DHS and think our son would like either). We have a 5 day pass (no park hopper) so we'll be able to done one park twice. With proper planning DHS can be done in one day (done it twice now.) If we can get all the rides in in the MK, that's another day. Same for Epcot. Never been to the Animal kingdom so that might be our two day? Not sure.
Opinions?
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xp8103
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07/16/09 12:14pm |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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Disney Experts speak out!
We are heading there in a couple weeks with our 10 year old (his first time). I've been reading the "Unofficial Guide to WDW - 2009" and will be putting together a touring plan shortly. I've been to Disney plenty of times before - the last being 11 years ago when then fiancee and I got passes to Disney-MGM.
My question for you is, give me a list of 5 - 10 do's/don'ts or don't forgets or some such for surviving Disney in early August. We do plan a mid-day break and are staying at Fort Wilderness in the camper.
So, have at it.
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xp8103
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07/16/09 09:56am |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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RE: This Drought....??
It was like this a couple of years ago here in the Austin area. The local media had all the marina owners from around Lake Travis on the news every night. The lake was at record low levels and nobody knew what to do. It ended when a stalled tropical depression dumped over a foot of rain in the recharge zone, and the lake was filled within a week. This morning the head weather guy at the LCRA was on the radio and he said this winter will bring an El Nino which should break our drought. Knowing the weather, it will probably flood this winter and we will forget all about the drought.
We here in the North East would KILL for an El Nino which brings warmer drier weather. The last time we had one of those (late 90's) it was dry up here and wet in the south west..... BRING IT ON!!!!
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xp8103
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07/16/09 09:50am |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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RE: Frisco Woods Campground - OBX NC
We've never stayed there but we stop there every year to fill propane and stock up on Bubba's BBQ!!! :)
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xp8103
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07/16/09 08:20am |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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RE: Help with Honda EU2000i problem
How about an EU2000i that surges at low idle (eco switch on, no load)??
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xp8103
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06/24/09 10:53am |
Tech Issues
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Coleman Polar Cub prices?????
Ok, a couple years ago, a buddy of mine and I bought a Polar Cub for his brother's rig as a birthday present. We picked it up at CW in NH and as I recall it was something around $300. Maybe $350 tops. Now, CW lists them for $580 plus the ceiling unit???
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xp8103
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06/15/09 07:35am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Finding a sat signal. What am I doing wrong?
Hi folks,
turns out the wiring WASNT fine. The cable end off the dish cable was not properly attached. In fact, taking the end completely off and sticking the wire in the back of the receiver WORKED. A new cable end is in order.
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xp8103
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06/15/09 07:14am |
Technology Corner
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RE: Finding a sat signal. What am I doing wrong?
Ok. Cannot find a signal on transponder 1 (or any now for that matter.)
This is a frustrating exercise and should not be this hard....
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xp8103
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06/10/09 07:14pm |
Technology Corner
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