Ski RV's, who's sleeping in parking lots?

[skysos]

Ford 7.3 diesel 6 speed manual 4x4 Class C for $35K:

https://westslope.craigslist.org/rvs...291124160.html

The RV part is probably falling apart by now, but that would be a great ski rig if it holds together.

[snowaddict91]

Ford 7.3 diesel 6 speed manual 4x4 Class C for $35K:

https://westslope.craigslist.org/rvs...291124160.html

The RV part is probably falling apart by now, but that would be a great ski rig if it holds together.

Shit. Right down the road from me too. Wish i could but the timing isn't really right for me.

[m2711c]

it already comes with a sweet ski storage system....

[simple]

Storm chasing was pretty well perfect lately.

My espar heater sucks. Glad to have the buddy Mr heater as a backup.

[Huskier]

Storm chasing was pretty well perfect lately.

My espar heater sucks. Glad to have the buddy Mr heater as a backup.

If you're running around in the rockies it could be the altitude. Get high enough and espar/webasto/etc start kinda choking. I know they sell some kind of compensator though...

[simple]

That is mostly the issue. It has died in the middle of the night multiple times. I've had enough. Going to warranty the whole unit once the season is over.

[jpcm]

That is mostly the issue. It has died in the middle of the night multiple times. I've had enough. Going to warranty the whole unit once the season is over.

They can be fickle for sure. Are you running the high altitude adapter? I feel like that makes a big difference to the diesel burn ratio. Also regular cleaning of the glow plug chamber and air hole. It’s a really easy service and I try to do it once a month in the winter. One other thing to check is that the fuel pump mount angle hasn’t changed. I had something bounce up under the van once and shift mine a little, leading white smoke and error codes.

Do you have any other pictures of your board rack? Looks really clean. I need to add something like that to my rig.

[simple]

Mine is a gasoline version. Seems to have more problems than the diesel espar. I'm tearing it out. It has ruined too many nights sleep this winter. Overcomplicated German garbage.

You can see rack in this empty photo

[frorider]

Diesel Webasto heater (DualTop, heats water too) has been reliable for the past 5 yrs; I had a Webasto tech tune it for 6000 ft, since my operation tends to be 4000-9000 ft. He said I should just run it hard and hot occasionally to keep carbon deposits minimal.

back when I just had a 100 amp hr lead battery, the heater would shut down if it determined the battery was at 50%. Overly Conservative German engr ugh.

[Falcon3]

The diesel heaters will also take kerosene for fuel, and that will help burn out the soot if you run a tank every once in a while.

What size tanks you all running? I’m looking at a 5.5L diesel tank and wondering if it’ll work well enough for long weekends in my 5KW heater.

@simple those sliders are awesome.

[yeahman]

Or your third option WRG. At Value Auto Sales in Helena on consignment for $1,500-1,800. Park it, leave it, be able to put bikes n stuff in the bed of your truck. (Second pic is 2018 Palomino popup for $10,995, fits 6.5 ft bed.)

[El Chupacabra]

Saw this on the Facebook page for Indy Pass - side mounted ski locker, looks like on a truck camper. I like it.

[brown]

Anyone used the Harvest Host site? Basically you pay a fee and they let you in on dry camping sites offered by breweries and wineries and other spots like farms and stuff. They just ask that you spend some money at the businesses. Pretty cool idea.
I know that Broken Compass brewing in Breck is doing it and there’s probably more near ski areas around the country.

We stayed at JH Still Works last week and it was cool. We've saved some decent money using harvest host. I think summer is a different story and larger crowd.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[toast2266]

My two options for now.

-Spend $4000+ for a decent pop up slide in that actually fits my truck

OR

-Spend about $1000-2000 pimping out my current topper. I won't be able to stand up, but I would like to put solar panels + jackery, fantastic van in he roof with thermostat, install yakima tracks + cross bars, some type of ARB awning. An awning off the back would be nice to have an enclosed covered standing/changing/working from the laptop area on rainy days. I currently have a "single" sleeping platform built with have storage underneath. If I get a lady friend I could always double the width of the sleeping platform (but lose some storage area)

The truck and topper in question.

Are you going to use it much in the winter?

For a spring / summer / fall setup, go for the topper mods. It's mostly just a place to sleep.

But for something you're actually going to use much in the winter, a comfortable space (meaning, you can stand up) to hang out in is pretty critical, in my opinion. When it gets dark and cold at 4:30 and you've got ~5 hours to kill before you go to sleep, a real camper is an awful lot more pleasant. The topper setup would be fine for an occasional night here and there, but I think frequent use would get old real quick.

[Conundrum]

it already comes with a sweet ski storage system....

Does the sale include the creep in the mirror?

Are you going to use it much in the winter?

For a spring / summer / fall setup, go for the topper mods. It's mostly just a place to sleep.

But for something you're actually going to use much in the winter, a comfortable space (meaning, you can stand up) to hang out in is pretty critical, in my opinion. When it gets dark and cold at 4:30 and you've got ~5 hours to kill before you go to sleep, a real camper is an awful lot more pleasant. The topper setup would be fine for an occasional night here and there, but I think frequent use would get old real quick.

100% agree here. I have a high top topper on my Tundra and a single side platform for sleeping. We also have a high top van. If the weather allows you to be outside hanging out and I'm by myself, the pickup works great. I can sit upright in a camp chair and read a book if raining but absolutely wouldn't want to do that in the dark hours in a ski area parking lot more than a night here or there. If it's two of us or me in the winter, the van gets the nod every time. Pretty great to relax, stand up to cook and go to bed in a heated space when it's cold and I want to ski in the morning. Other nice thing is when I'm by myself, I have a piss bucket so I don't have to go outside for much of anything. You just have to manage number 2s during the day accordingly.

[Phall]

Mine is a gasoline version. Seems to have more problems than the diesel espar. I'm tearing it out. It has ruined too many nights sleep this winter. Overcomplicated German garbage.

You can see rack in this empty photo

What did you use to mount your fork mount to the L track? Building my drawer system now, and got to realizing that the 3/8" Ltrack bolts dont fit through the 1/2" rocky mounts holes. probably looking to find some 1/4" aluminum or steel from some metalworking buddies.

[simple]

Mount bolted to a piece of aluminum. Aluminum connects to L track with T nuts. I'll try the rocky mounts stuff but they are all out of stock on the product I need

[Phall]

Thats what i thought, seems easy enough, the rockymounts Track system looks neat, but I've got Ltrack already, seems easy enough to find a few pieces of alu and drill some holes.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Are you going to use it much in the winter?

For a spring / summer / fall setup, go for the topper mods. It's mostly just a place to sleep.

But for something you're actually going to use much in the winter, a comfortable space (meaning, you can stand up) to hang out in is pretty critical, in my opinion. When it gets dark and cold at 4:30 and you've got ~5 hours to kill before you go to sleep, a real camper is an awful lot more pleasant. The topper setup would be fine for an occasional night here and there, but I think frequent use would get old real quick.

Ideally some storm chasing and posting up in the ski area lot when it's dumping and I don't want to drive home knowing I am going to ski the next AM.

[toast2266]

Ideally some storm chasing and posting up in the ski area lot when it's dumping and I don't want to drive home knowing I am going to ski the next AM.

I guess if you're only sleeping in places that are close to civilization (i.e. a bar you could hang out at until bedtime), the topper might not be as bad. But personally I'd vastly prefer having a camper.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Yeah, I need an adult camper. You can't dry out clothes in a topper. Even running a buddy heater under the topper is almost pointless because the single layer fiberglass and bare metal truck bed = heat just transfers right outside instantly.

[powdork]

Other nice thing is when I'm by myself, I have a piss bucket so I don't have to go outside for much of anything. You just have to manage number 2s during the day accordingly.

5 gallon (or less) bucket, one of the newer heavy duty grocery bags and some peat moss and you don't have to worry.

[El Chupacabra]

Yeah, I need an adult camper. You can't dry out clothes in a topper. Even running a buddy heater under the topper is almost pointless because the single layer fiberglass and bare metal truck bed = heat just transfers right outside instantly.

If you keep the topper setup, would it help to add a bedrug liner? Do those do much for insulation?

[frorider]

The diesel heaters will also take kerosene for fuel, and that will help burn out the soot if you run a tank every once in a while.

What size tanks you all running? I’m looking at a 5.5L diesel tank and wondering if it’ll work well enough for long weekends in my 5KW heater.
.

My diesel cooktop and heater are both plumbed directly to the main diesel tank. I wanted the simplicity of solar (and engine driven) battery + diesel, no propane. In middle of winter we go thru about half a gallon of diesel per day to heat the van, heat water supply, and cook dinner.

Edit to add: pros of having main tank supply the diesel is that you’re constantly refreshing it, so no water issues. However the Webasto guru says long term reliability could be better if you’re running kerosene grade from separate tank.

[Conundrum]

5 gallon (or less) bucket, one of the newer heavy duty grocery bags and some peat moss and you don't have to worry.

If I’m dropping deuces, I have a pett and wags but it’s so much easier to let my tax scratch fund pit toilets and just dealing with it when I’m around them.