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

[jackattack]

Yup, same output per Chevy

Sorta funny that it would have to carry heavier loads on a truck body that is heavier duty (& thus literally heavier)...sounds like better performance out of the 2500 because more torque & horses can be used towards the payload

I’m not as knowledgeable on Chevy trucks but my F250 (with HD payload and camper packages) has all the same equipment as a comparable F350 short of the sticker on the door stating a higher GVWR.

The lower rating allows me to set my tpms to a more comfortable pressure (65 vs 80) for unloaded driving and saves me cash every year on my registration. My little Bigfoot only weighs about 1k lbs so the lower payload is fine.

[babybear]

Do they really run the same engine in 2500 & 3500?
I’ve never really thought about it but I’m surprised to hear that
Seems like the 3500 might need higher power output, no?

in the promaster they are the same engine, just different suspension
the suspension felt terrible when it was an empty box but now with 7 or 800 pounds in it from the build out etc, it feels a lot better/ smoother

Is that bumper to bumper?

It would be worth having IMO based upon all of the anecdotal reports I have heard from various people who work out of these things or manage fleets. Something to keep in mind. One thing in common with a lot of these folks is that the problems they experienced all happened under 100K.

that wd be worth it. sorta why we went with the promaster over the sprinter. not only half the price brand new, it seemed like they wd be easier/ cheaper to get worked on & you hear about less issues.
we put some beefy winter tires on it and it's been great. will be our 2nd winter with it and it drives even better now that it's weighed down

[willmckay]

Small photo drop from yesterdays process on the van.

[mattig]

How many of you have died in catastrophic accidents thanks to 2WD?

I haven't ever considered it as an option. Anyone gone from being a 4WD pussy to 2WD and lived to tell the tale?

How often to you chain up.

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[::: :::]

Snow tires make a big difference. I’d rather be 2wd with snows/studs than 4wd with all-seasons
(assuming a scraped road surface like we get here)

[Rideski]

This argument has gone round and round. I think it's too subjective to location, type of use, style of driving, weight distribution, other rigs in the quiver, how far from home you'll be, etc, etc.

I've pulled a few out of the ditch, and I've been in a few ditches myself. Self extracting from a ditch at 2am on a snowy pass is worth a fuckton in my personal opinion. Although they do stick to the road a little better on high speed curves, it's less about avoiding catastrophic crash versus just not getting stuck.

[pano-dude]

Snow tires make a big difference. I’d rather be 2wd with snows/studs than 4wd with all-seasons
(assuming a scraped road surface like we get here)

I'm guessing you haven't owned a 4x4 because this is a ridiculous statement.
I can't count the number of times I have driven around 2wheel drive pickups after a big snow fall.

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[nortonwhis]

FWD vs RWD makes a huge difference in that conversation. a rwd truck with no weight in the back on even the best snow tires can be a handful.

[mattig]

I'm guessing you haven't owned a 4x4 because this is a ridiculous statement.
I can't count the number of times I have driven around 2wheel drive pickups after a big snow fall.

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Rwd big difference with weight in the back though, and snow tires.

Also, I'm pretty sure AC's truck has 4wd.

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[b0ardski]

there's a reason why 4 wheel drive was invented and it wasn't for pussy's that I pass at 60 on Icy roads cause their 2(actually only 1)wheel drive can't take the corners over 30 mph.

[Name Redacted]

Driving RWD on snow is the new telemarking.

[Ale_capone]

I was kinda wondering what would happen if someone got their beat econoline stuck somewhere like here for the winter?



a little nervous what the Vail takeover is going to do to the already crappy overnight options at stevens.

[Name Redacted]

Small photo drop from yesterdays process on the van.

I have a friend doing a build who added a wood stove. Love to hear the resining behind it from your side. Personally, I'd love a push button, or thermostated gas heater over wood. I get that it is cheap, and not really that hard to deal with, but still seems like a PITA and borderline dangerous. Maybe both would be cool.

[Ale_capone]

Driving RWD on snow is the new telemarking.

you ain't driving if you ain't drifting

[Eldo]

I have a friend doing a build who added a wood stove. Love to hear the resining behind it from your side. Personally, I'd love a push button, or thermostated gas heater over wood. I get that it is cheap, and not really that hard to deal with, but still seems like a PITA and borderline dangerous. Maybe both would be cool.

I have a gas (propane) heater with a heat exchanger that vents the combustion fumes outside. Basically an RV furnace. Works good and Is super safe but the blower fan to circulate the hot air gulps battery power.

Those Mr Buddy or other catalytic heaters don’t need fans but dump the exhaust inside, and among other things it contains lots of water vapour, which does not help in winter when you’re already dealing with high humidity from drying clothes and boots, breathing, cooking etc.

Wood stove uses no electricity, is dry heat and really helps bring down humidity. Exhaust the stove properly, install good heat shields, have sufficient fresh air intake, and watch where you hang clothes, kick off blankets etc.

I really want to put a micro stove in my van but can’t find a suitable spot.

Will, what stove did you get?

[willmckay]

I have a gas (propane) heater with a heat exchanger that vents the combustion fumes outside. Basically an RV furnace. Works good and Is super safe but the blower fan to circulate the hot air gulps battery power.

Those Mr Buddy or other catalytic heaters don’t need fans but dump the exhaust inside, and among other things it contains lots of water vapour, which does not help in winter when you’re already dealing with high humidity from drying clothes and boots, breathing, cooking etc.

Wood stove uses no electricity, is dry heat and really helps bring down humidity. Exhaust the stove properly, install good heat shields, have sufficient fresh air intake, and watch where you hang clothes, kick off blankets etc.

I really want to put a micro stove in my van but can’t find a suitable spot.

Will, what stove did you get?

Eldo,

I've installed the Cubic Mini, the cub version. Honestly it kicks ass. The install took around two hours and quite straight forward. It's pretty efficient since it was a secondary combustion chamber, meaning that I can get a high heat burn for three hours and a full night on low with a full chamber. Cubic is a rad company out of Canada and make their products mostly for sailboats. However a van is essentially a land boat...

I have a Mr Buddy as well but the smell propane gives off is just not for me. Also, when the snow starts really falling, the drying of the wood stove is going to be absolutely crucial. I've taken the van up to Wyoming twice this fall where temps were in the low 20's and I had to shut the air intake off because it was almost too warm.

Plus I can throw leftover pizza in foil on top of it and have dinner in minutes....

[BCMtnHound]

I’ve been thinking a mini pellet stove, with a thermoelectric system to run the hopper and blower. The gas furnace is great, but doesn’t have the humidity control of solid fuels. Solid fuels give great drying heat, but the fuel storage is a pain, and the stove need so much clearance space. So far the propane furnace has been the simplest, but drying gear and overall moisture management needs generator support.

[Ale_capone]

Small photo drop from yesterdays process on the van.

looking good! are you going to fill the back doors with vermiculite?

I had a friend who ran a smaller woodstove in home made pickup camper. a handful of kindling and you had a sweat box.



you should try and source some peat. burns longer, a little a cooler, and smells like a scotish distillery.

[Name Redacted]

I have a gas (propane) heater with a heat exchanger that vents the combustion fumes outside. Basically an RV furnace. Works good and Is super safe but the blower fan to circulate the hot air gulps battery power.

Those Mr Buddy or other catalytic heaters don’t need fans but dump the exhaust inside, and among other things it contains lots of water vapour, which does not help in winter when you’re already dealing with high humidity from drying clothes and boots, breathing, cooking etc.

Wood stove uses no electricity, is dry heat and really helps bring down humidity. Exhaust the stove properly, install good heat shields, have sufficient fresh air intake, and watch where you hang clothes, kick off blankets etc.

I really want to put a micro stove in my van but can’t find a suitable spot.

Will, what stove did you get?

Some good points that I had not considered, especially the moisture thing and drying.

[maddog]

I was at a junkyard looking for a heater for my ski shack and I found this laying in the dirt: 88 Four Wheel pop up. Fits my truck perfect. Not bad for $250

[toast2266]

We cross the USA / Canada border a lot, and if I ran a wood stove, I think I'd be worried about border patrol confiscating all of my heat.

[m2711c]

Treat it like yer weeds.... keep a stash on both sides of the boarder.

[detrusor]

We have as Espar D2 heater in the sprinter. It has the altitude kit. Apparently the altitude thing only compensates to 8k or so? Family was in Frisco 9k and it just stopped firing. I imagine it’s all carboned up from running too rich. The interwebz has yielded no answers so I’m turning to the dentists.

Thoughts?


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[GeezerSteve]

I have a gas (propane) heater with a heat exchanger that vents the combustion fumes outside. Basically an RV furnace. Works good and Is super safe but the blower fan to circulate the hot air gulps battery power.

How old is your furnace? RV furnace fans have become much more energy efficient. The furnace in our 2000 Hawk was an energy hog, required daily recharges on cold winter days. Based on frequency of need to recharge, the furnace fan in our 2014 Hawk sucks est. <1/3 the electricity. FTR, we prefer to sleep in winter sleeping bags and not run the furnace while we sleep. In the 2014 Hawk, running furnace 6-8 hours/day, we can get through 2-3 cold (say <15F avg, 5F low) cold winter days between charges (although I usually bump the batteries with our Honda eu1000i generator for an hour each day to prolong long-term battery life)

[BCMtnHound]

How old is your furnace? RV furnace fans have become much more energy efficient. The furnace in our 2000 Hawk was an energy hog, required daily recharges on cold winter days. Based on frequency of need to recharge, the furnace fan in our 2014 Hawk sucks est. <1/3 the electricity. FTR, we prefer to sleep in winter sleeping bags and not run the furnace while we sleep. In the 2014 Hawk, running furnace 6-8 hours/day, we can get through 2-3 cold (say <15F avg, 5F low) cold winter days between charges (although I usually bump the batteries with our Honda eu1000i generator for an hour each day to prolong long-term battery life)

Curious if your batteries (assume 2 deepcycle 12V?) are stored within the heated portion of the camper, or are exposed to the cold at those temps. I get the same type of drawdown on ours, at temps above -15C. About 2 to 3 days to bring the batteries to under 12V