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

Awesome thread. My girlfriend and I are living full time in a 5th wheel toy hauler and it's rare to find RVers actually heading towards snow instead of away from it.

Currently in Southern Utah prep'ing the rig for High Rocky temps which basically entails adding a ton of insulation to the belly/slides/etc. The 4 season/artic packages on modern RV's are a complete joke.. :nonono2:

We're scheduled to head up to Park City next week, and then heading to Breck early February for 6-8 weeks.

Pic of the rig...

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-j...5+11.21.31.jpg

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Originally Posted by SpencerRB

Awesome thread. My girlfriend and I are living full time in a 5th wheel toy hauler and it's rare to find RVers actually heading towards snow instead of away from it.

Currently in Southern Utah prep'ing the rig for High Rocky temps which basically entails adding a ton of insulation to the belly/slides/etc. The 4 season/artic packages on modern RV's are a complete joke.. :nonono2:

We're scheduled to head up to Park City next week, and then heading to Breck early February for 6-8 weeks.

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Welcome!
Please elaborate on the addition of insulation.
How (where, what) you are doing it, pictures etc.

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Originally Posted by AlpenChronicHabitual

Welcome!
Please elaborate on the addition of insulation.
How (where, what) you are doing it, pictures etc.

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Few items so far,

- 3m Window Film Insulation. http://www.amazon.com/3M-Indoor-Insu.../dp/B00002NCJI
I was skeptical this would work, but it has done an excellent job at cutting down the draftiness from the windows. Installation is easy, and you can barely tell they are installed once they up.

- Reflextrix on windows we don't use. http://www.reflectixinc.com/ This works even better than the film for windows you don't need light through.

- Insulating PEX water hoses in under belly. http://www.homedepot.com/buy/frost-k...l#.UPbgnSd5JqA
I have a couple water hoses that are extremely exposed in the under belly and this has prevented them from freezing.

- Block Norcold Refrigerator intake vents with above pipe insulation. This is preventative to avoid damaging the fridge in below zero temps.

- Filled all holes possible with expanding foam. http://greatstuff.dow.com/

- Foam insulation in all roof vents. http://www.amazon.com/Camco-45192-Su.../dp/B0024E6QX0

- Heated mattress pad (Highly Rec'd) http://goo.gl/TMSCi

Current project is adding foam sheet insulation (http://goo.gl/JPH6l) to various sections of the underbelly, which is already sealed with coroplast but not insulated. This is a big undertaking but running 3 1500 watt space heaters on full blast all night is getting old. I'll attempt to document this process with pictures....

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Originally Posted by NoPostholio

Wow - that thing is pretty stout.....it looks like the water heater is a super store that heats off engine and stays hot/warm for 36 hrs - that is awesomest rv thing ever.

and deserves a link in hopes of mag purchase

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...22#description

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Did not sell, reserve not met. Second chance for a mag...

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Originally Posted by El Chupacabra

Truck camper mags: what do you do to clear snow off the roof of your camper? If you park/store it outside in winter, how do you keep the snow load from damaging the camper?

We got over 2' of snow in the last week, and I'm trying to clear it off the roof of our camper. I shoveled/ broomed off what I could reach, but there's still a decent pile down the center in the shape of a mohawk...

No damage is visible from inside, but I am concerned about the weight of all that snow.

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A couple sawhorses and a tarp, so you have kind of a pitched roof for snow to slide off. Even with heavy snow, there will be less buildup and just yanking on the tarp will get a lot of it off. And a snowhoe.

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Originally Posted by boltonoutlaw

Did not sell, reserve not met. Second chance for a mag...

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whoa whoa whoa... you can SHIT in it???!!!

Currently in Southern Utah prep'ing the rig for High Rocky temps which basically entails adding a ton of insulation to the belly/slides/etc. The 4 season/artic packages on modern RV's are a complete joke.. :nonono2:

Except certain Canadian manufactured RVs ie; Triple E, Citation and Travelaire

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Originally Posted by mmmm...pow!

A couple sawhorses and a tarp, so you have kind of a pitched roof for snow to slide off. Even with heavy snow, there will be less buildup and just yanking on the tarp will get a lot of it off. And a snowhoe.

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Not sure where you live, or what you consider heavy snow, however this has little chance of working in the PNW.

drool
http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/rvs/3586829819.html

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Originally Posted by montanamike

drool
http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/rvs/3586829819.html

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Superbad! Wonder what it'll go for. I've got my heart set on a diesel one ton van but I'd pick that thing up in a heartbeat if I had the dough.

what is something like that worth? I have no idea. Will be homeless soon and planning a two week trip to Canada this month would beat renting.

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Originally Posted by BFD

what is something like that worth? I have no idea. Will be homeless soon and planning a two week trip to Canada this month would beat renting.

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I would guess 15 g's or something. I don't know, the camper isn't that fancy, but the rig is one of a kind.

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Originally Posted by beaterdit

Superbad! Wonder what it'll go for. I've got my heart set on a diesel one ton van but I'd pick that thing up in a heartbeat if I had the dough.

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Super Rad!
Given the very rare nature of it, I would say 17 ~ 20k.
Diesel + 4x4 + pass through camper in a chassis this size is is rare indeed.

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Originally Posted by SpencerRB

We're scheduled to head up to Park City next week, and then heading to Breck early February for 6-8 weeks.

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nice, living the dream

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Originally Posted by AlpenChronicHabitual

Super Rad!
Given the very rare nature of it, I would say 17 ~ 20k.
Diesel + 4x4 + pass through camper in a chassis this size is is rare indeed.

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Wouldn't be surprised if it got more than that. Most vehicles of this age come with some known issues but this thing looks ready to go in every way, with all the extras you could ever want. Only drawback is 1/2 ton axle in the back but that chinook is pretty light I'm sure. Damn.

So I found the original build and for sale thread on the ih8mud forums. Looks like the guy put it up for sale in April before a "permanent move to South America", where [I guess] he died. Sad story. Original asking price was $13K which seems like a steal to me. I guess it's pretty slow on hills and can have a tendency to run hot. He said it could probably benefit from an intercooler. Sick rig.

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Originally Posted by beaterdit

So I found the original build and for sale thread on the ih8mud forums. Looks like the guy put it up for sale in April before a "permanent move to South America", where [I guess] he died. Sad story.

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Sweet Rig - for reference apparently he (David Trippet - posted on several climbing forums under the same avitripp handle) took his own life.

this one nice also, not for sale
http://toyotachinook.wordpress.com/2...1-the-brownie/
http://toyotachinook.files.wordpress...imeline-15.jpg

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Originally Posted by Hugh Conway

Sweet Rig - for reference apparently he (David Trippet - posted on several climbing forums under the same avitripp handle) took his own life.

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Damn, bummer. Didn't know the guy but from what little I've read it seemed like he had it going on. I guess you never know what kind of demons anyone's hiding.

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Originally Posted by Hugh Conway

Sweet Rig - for reference apparently he (David Trippet - posted on several climbing forums under the same avitripp handle) took his own life.

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That's really sad.
Thanks for posting it though.

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Originally Posted by mookie blaylock

this one nice also, not for sale
http://toyotachinook.wordpress.com/2...1-the-brownie/
http://toyotachinook.files.wordpress...imeline-15.jpg

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Interesting, looking at the picture, is just one side of the roof being lifted (on purpose)?

What does everyone think of this? http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/rvs/3577590379.html
Canadian-built camper with slide-out and good headroom in cabover on crew-cab 1-ton 4X4 with 496 V-8 and only 27,500 miles. I looked at it twice last year and it's very nice and well-maintained. Both are 2005s. It seems like lot more comfort for less money than Sportsmobile and also can be used as a truck.

The two things that scare me the most and led me to share it to see what others think are:

1. Weight. Camper is 3,850 lbs. With generator, it's over 4,000. Empty, the truck is at least 6,000 and may be 6,500. With GVR of 9,900, it seems over weight even before you load anything in it. Even though rear springs have been beefed up, rear tires must be over loaded. Owner drove it to Yellowstone from Bay Area last summer and tows a ski boat into Sierra with it without mentioning any problems. Does seem to rock a bit when he pulls up.

I have not driven it and suppose I could ask him if he's had any tire problems and to let me drive it to nearby scales to get each axle and wheel weighed and to see how it feels.

2. Not diesel. A friend says with that kind of load, you want a diesel as they pull hills so much better. I'm not as concerned with the mileage as I probably would not be driving it that much and the much higher price for diesel seems to nearly make up for the better mileage. But another friend with a Dodge diesel 4X4 3/4 ton gets almost 20 mpg empty and 12-14 towing big 5th wheel.

And Kirkwood went and closed the RV lot...

Personally, a diesel would be mandatory at that weight.

Payload is probably over manf. specs, but hard to tell how much without looking at actual scale weights.

^^^^ second that - wouldn't think of taking that anywhere without a diesel....a 3500 gas would pull fine but at about 7-8mpg would be kind of painful.

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Originally Posted by tseeb

What does everyone think of this? http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/rvs/3577590379.html

The two things that scare me the most and led me to share it to see what others think are:

1. Weight. Camper is 3,850 lbs. With generator, it's over 4,000. Empty, the truck is at least 6,000 and may be 6,500. With GVR of 9,900, it seems over weight even before you load anything in it.

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Assuming those are dry weights, that's too heavy of a camper for that truck. Figure on another 600-800 lbs, minimum, once loaded up with propane, battery/ies, water (+ grey and black tanks), and food/gear/etc. That camper needs a dually, at a minimum.

The 8.1L Vortec will pull that load fine. It will cost you in gas $ though -- expect to get under 10mpg on your best day.

The more I look into this the more I am digging the non pickup frame rigs.
If I had a tiny pop up I might take it in and out, but i would be using it year round, so if I had a hard side like the one above, seems like it wastes so much space. Awesome rig and if you gave it to me I'd drive the hell out of it. But if I'm dropping that kind of coin, I think I might go more this direction. Maybe pop a tiny window in it, seems a lot more secure than some of the others, seems like more floor space. Either AWD or preferably 4WD and this could be a nice touring rig.
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