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susan peplow
climber
www.joshuatreevacationhomes.com
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 17, 2007 - 12:18am PT
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Ok, so we pulled the trigger. Got a nice & clean unit for a fair price.
We still have to find an anchoring system & beef up the suspension on the truck but...........
deployed and ready for cocktails
buttoned down and ready to roll
cabin view
kitchen with counters!
stealth sleeper (no pop up required)
kitchen
underbed storage
So now, who's got opinions on the best anchoring system for this dog. Keep in mind that we will continue to run the fiberglass shell 98% of the time.
~Susan
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Sep 17, 2007 - 12:29am PT
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I had better clearance with my F250, kept it on permanently, and with a ridiculously low (aftermarket) gearing fore and aft I did serious off roading with mine so happi-jacks made sense, but might not be for you without some kind of quick connect.
Needless to say I didn't have jackstands. Those things are heavy and unweildy.
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susan peplow
climber
www.joshuatreevacationhomes.com
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 17, 2007 - 12:42am PT
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Ron,
Part of the new routine will be to take the jacks off when it's on the truck. Each jack is held on by 3 bolts so it's not that big of a deal to pull them off when we load it.
I'm curious to see how much they weigh, I'm guessing somewhere between 80 & 100 pounds.
~Susan
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Sep 17, 2007 - 12:49am PT
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deeeeeeeeeluuuuuuuuuux!
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Moof
Big Wall climber
A cube at my soul sucking job in Oregon
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Sep 17, 2007 - 01:24am PT
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Nice!!!!
My jacks weighed in at about 50-60 lbs a piece, and I spent most my my trip with them in storage. For me it really improved visiblity as they were RIGHT in the critical bits of the side view mirror's path. Further I removed my back seat in my truck for MUCH more gear storage space, and it only took 4 bolts to unhook it. Lastly I took off the bed of my truck too, as it was much easier to get into the trailer using the bumper as a step than going right for tailgate level. Didn't hurt to leave ~300-350 lbs in storage rather than burning gas to lug it around.
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steelmnkey
climber
Vision man...ya gotta have vision...
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Sep 17, 2007 - 10:26am PT
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So if you run the jacks out, can you raise up the camper and drive your truck out from under that beastie, or what?
p.s. now ya got the wife thinking...
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MisterE
Social climber
Across town from Easy Street
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Sep 17, 2007 - 11:43am PT
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Vey nice unit, Susan! It looks clean! Good find.
Where's the poker table? ;-)
Erik
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susan peplow
climber
www.joshuatreevacationhomes.com
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 17, 2007 - 12:40pm PT
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Greg, yup that's right. Jack it up and pull on out. These jacks are mechanical so there shouldn't get sacked out when the unit is off the truck. I think that hydraulic jacks might have that problem. Either way, it's probably good policy to put something under the unit when it's not in use. Even if you're just creeping around in it getting it ready. Might help to stabilize it.
It doesn't appear to be a big deal to take the jacks on/off when it's on your rig. We've been told about the weight and visibility.
Hey eKat, send me some photo's of how your organizing your rig. I'm looking for good ideas.
~Susan
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Tom the Cop
Sport climber
Northern Virginia
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Sep 17, 2007 - 01:15pm PT
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My retirement home:
(I can dream, can't I?)
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honemasterT
Trad climber
Arizona
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Sep 17, 2007 - 01:50pm PT
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congrats on the new camping rig!
My 'rents had a 1968 3/4 ton Dodge
Camper Special pickup that we put a
huge 14ft cabover slide in unit into
every year for our 2 week family vacation.
That was back before the seatbelt craze..
Us kids used to pile in the back, play board
games, sleep up top over the cab while
cruising down the highway.. etc: Lots of
fun
Plus when it was 'off' the truck, it made a
great clubhouse :-)
As I recall though, it was a PITA to take on
off, presume they are better these days?
If it were much easier on/off I'd see the appeal.
That's the biggest downside to my rig, having to
pack up everything when you wanna head somewhere
for the day. (1990 Syncro Westy Vanagon)
Still though, something to be said for the
smaller RV's they force you to leave the extra
crap at home, and focus on whats required/important
for the trip.
Sweet! No more freezing your arse off tent camping!
Ours has a 12,000 BTU Atwood furnace in it.. makes
a great vehicle for ski trips or in the high mountains
in the summer time.
Yeah the propane fridge blows though.. only keeps a
40 degree temp differential.
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eeh
climber
East Side
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Sep 17, 2007 - 02:17pm PT
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Ok, this may be totally off the subject, but I am at the same point (sick of the shuffle, like sleeping the back of the Tacoma, etc.), but have been leaning more towards buying a rack and Thule box to go on top of the existing fiberglass camper shell. I am truly on a budget and can't through down many thousands of dollars on a pop-up. Anyone out there travel this way for an extended amount of time (several months, say?). Does it really help with the shuffle to have the box on top? Is there a weight limit on those boxes on top of camper shells?
Any advice/experience would be most appreciated!
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G_Gnome
Sport climber
Everywhere, man...
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Sep 17, 2007 - 02:37pm PT
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Yeah, my folks had the giant slide-in camper rig when we were teenagers. Of course they never let us kids sleep inside when we were camping. As we got older it made a perfect location for me and the girlfriend! If my parents ever knew what went on in their camper they would probably just die.
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G_Gnome
Sport climber
Everywhere, man...
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Sep 17, 2007 - 02:40pm PT
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eeh, I just bought a box for the top of my Subaru. The weight limit is 100 pounds and that includes the weight of the box (about 20 pounds). That means you can throw about 80 pounds up top. If you put your sleeping stuff and tent and clothes up there it takes a lot of the bulk out of the car. And mine is the wide box so my chairs can go in there. That helps a lot too.
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Moof
Big Wall climber
A cube at my soul sucking job in Oregon
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Sep 17, 2007 - 03:54pm PT
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eeh, I paid $1200 for my non-popup six pac camper. Not cheap, but the rack and thule box will probably run you at least half that.
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susan peplow
climber
www.joshuatreevacationhomes.com
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 17, 2007 - 04:20pm PT
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eeh, That's exactly what we were running. A rocketbox aka The BeefBooster™ on our rack. We've got a bomber Yakima rack so weight really isn't an issue. It certainly helps in reducing what you have to pull in/out during The Ritual. We love it and were even talking about getting another one (prior to the new rig).
They are great and even if you upgrade later I doubt you'll be sorry. We're not even ruling out putting a rack on top of the pop up just so we can use it. Although, a ladder would be required for access which may be a hassle.
~Susan
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Sep 17, 2007 - 06:07pm PT
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One word of advice;
if you wake up early with the top up and have to roll in a hurry, take a look outside to make sure 7" of fresh wet snow isn't sitting on your roof before you unlock and release it.
Owww!
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Klimmer
Mountain climber
San Diego
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Sep 17, 2007 - 11:43pm PT
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I'm looking to replace my cab level shell on my '91 Toyota 4X4 pickup with the Flip-pac from Riverside, CA:
http://www.flippac.com/
And my red 1987 Vanagon Westfalia Syncro is da-bomb. Bought it after flying up to Seattle to see it in person and made the deal with a nice family who took very good care of it. Just by driving to SoCal the value doubled. This is the vehicle of dreams. No way am I getting rid of it. Some are now going for $80,000 and selling like hot-cakes!
http://www.gowesty.com/
http://www.gowesty.com/vehicles_for_sale.php
It is too bad VW doesn't make the Syncro just like it was available from approx. '85 to about '92 or so. It is just an incredible and desirable vehicle and very practical.
How is it that the big automakers don't make what we all really want? Seems like a no-brainer to me.
If money was no object I would love to get a 4X4 or 6X6 Pinzgauer. They are so cool. Now that is a real 4X4.
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Clayman
Trad climber
CA, now Flagstaff
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Sep 17, 2007 - 11:49pm PT
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my shell leaks like a faucet. i have tried massive amounts of silicon. short of buying a new one which is not an option, how can i waterproof this thing? what have you guys done?
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wilcox510
climber
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Sep 18, 2007 - 12:07am PT
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I'm picking up my Flippac next week and making it into a trip to J-Tree. Im pretty psyched about it, seems like a great compromise between a pop-up and a normal truck topper. If you're looking at these be warned, their customer service is seriously lacking (ie. not returning phone calls, generally less than helpful employees etc.) and there is about a 7 week waiting time to get one.
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susan peplow
climber
www.joshuatreevacationhomes.com
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 18, 2007 - 12:36am PT
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"If you're looking at these be warned, their customer service is seriously lacking (ie. not returning phone calls, generally less than helpful employees etc.) and there is about a 7 week waiting time to get one"
The SHAME!! Who can run a business like that?! Not returning phone calls and a month plus wait?!!
.......snicker.........
~Susan
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