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Pickups Pickups - Archived Discussions Cabover Campers & Camper Trailers (pickups) 
1377 messages, Last post on Nov 20, 2003 at 1:43 PM
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Hmmm, trying to make me happy for having manual jacks?? It's working!! You're right, some people I know would have killed someone if that had happened to their camper. Here's a quick story for you. As we were loading the ferry from Newfoundland to Nova Scotia, they checked inside the cab of our truck and inside the camper and the outside of the truck. The cab was too dirty (probably from the dirt in Labrador that we carried with us), so they vacuumed our cab clean, then used a high pressure hose to wash the outside and undercarriage of the truck. Imagine, a free wash and vacuum courtesy of the Canadian government!! Turns out there is a bacteria in the soil on Newfoundland that attacks potatoes, and potatoes are a big crop in northeastern Canada, so the want to keep Newfoundland soil of the mainland. Another quick story: While passing through northern Quebec, we saw maybe hundreds of logging trucks zooming by, going the other way at high speed (do they ever slow down?). Then we noticed a load of logs in the ditch on the outside of a turn (did the supports on the trailer fail?). A mile down the road we saw another load of logs on the outside of a turn --- I hope those supports never fail when we are on the outside of the turn! Another 1/2 mile later we saw a logging truck, upside down on the outside of a turn, with logs still attached to the trailer. Couldn't stop on the blind turn, so we went up the road, turned around and came back. Found a safe place to park and went to check out the accident. The engine was cold, so we assumed the accident had been there awhile, and everyone knew about it (logging trucks pass every 2-3 minutes). You could still see the tire tracks where he had gotten too close to the (soft) edge and the truck slid over and rolled into the ditch. Maybe the trucking company leaves it there awhile to remind the other truckers to slow down. Mike L |
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Anyone have any suggestions on camping at Pismo Beach, or in the outlying area? Might head down that way in Sept.. Vince, yes, I finally got the radio replaced. Hope this one last longer than 23K. Have you or Mike had to replace your tires yet, & if so, did you go to a bigger size & still get 10 ply? I'll probably get new tires next year. Or maybe I'll just get a new truck. After I win the Lotto that is. I looked at the 2003 Silverado when I was getting my radio put in, & if you haven't seen them yet, the front end looks like the Avalanche, & the tail lights are somewhat different. They also have the blinking arrows in the outside mirrors. Not bad looking, but I'll stick with what I have for the time being. |
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Well, we spent the weekend at Cement Creek campground just outside of Crested Butte, CO. Our new "quick trip" camper is a bone stock '01 E350 Diesel Ext. Cargo Van. We tent camped, and used the new zodi portable shower to clean up after dirtbiking both days. Shower works pretty good, 16oz propane bottle and 4 D cells for the water pump and you can take an hour or two's worth of showers. Diesel delivered 18.9 mpg over 1100 miles, cresting our highest pass of 11,700'. The turbo sure is nice for passing, averaged over 60mph for both legs of the trip. So, the big TT and crew cab is still the hot setup for longer duration trips, but the Cargo van along with portopottie and hot shower setup is the ticket for quick turn and burns..... |
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I've camped there a few times. Last time was on new years eve and it was a bit of a zoo. In fact, it's always a zoo there. It's rather like camping on the side of a highway and watching the cars go by. But in this case it's cars, trucks, ATVs, trucks, RVs, trucks, and motorcycles. People drag large trailers and set up camps in circles like the pioneers. It can be noisy and smelly in the day but does quiet down at night.
Actually I like it there just because it's so unique to drive on a beach and camp in the sand where you stop. I'm sure I'd prefer it off season when the crowds are reduced. For tips, hmm. Bring fire wood, you can dig a hole and make a fire. Be ready for a breeze. Bring chairs. Basically it's primitive camping. No water, a few porta-potties, no sites of any kind.
A few of the pictures on my neglected web page were taken there. Here's one
I replaced my tires and wheels with wider ones. Not because I needed to of course. I put on 275/70/16 BFG All Terrain Wobbly Crap tires. They are only load range D but since they are wider they still have a 3000 lb rating. They handle the camper just fine at the max of 65psi. I don't care for the new Chevy front end at all. Yuk. I'm glad I'm not in the market for a truck. I still think the last generation of Chevy and GM were the best looking trucks ever. But that's a debate for another day. |
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Glad you liked the van. That was quick, it doesn't seem long ago you were talking about wanting such a vehicle. What is that shower you mentioned, I've never heard of such a thing. The only portable shower I've seen is the black bag you hang in a tree. |
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OK Mike. Lay it on us. What were your MPG stats for the trip? I found that I can choose my mileage: 70mph = 9mpg 55mph = 12mpg I'll guess you averaged 15.2mpg. Worst tank 11.4, best 16.8. |
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I put a set of LTX A/T's on my truck just before we left on vacation. 7 weeks and 10,000 miles later, I can give you my impressions. The tires I took off were Firestone SteelTex A/T 245/75-16 LR'E's with about 24K on them. Plenty of tread left (I put them on my other truck), reasonable traction, quiet, comfortable, with a small vibration that would come and go. The Michelin's are 235/85-16 LR'E's. I chose this size for a couple of reasons: first, they are 5%taller than the stock tires, but still recommeded for fitment on the stock 6.5" wheels. They have the same load capacity as the stock tires (3042 lbs  80psi). They are slighter narrower, but don't look skinny on the truck. The added height is noticable (same height as a 265/75-16), but not objectionable. A narrower tire works well in snow, surface mud and hard surfaces. And a narrow wheel/tire has less side to side balance problems than a wider set does. When the tires were installed, I was disappointed with the amount of balance weights needed - I always thought Michelins were quality tires and needed very little weight. The tires took 0.5, 5.5, 6.0, and 7.5 ounces to balance. Seems like a lot of weight to me. The F'stones took 3.5 oz max to balance. On the road, the tires are smoother riding than the F'stones were. The slight periodic vibration I had noticed before was gone. The tires are slightly noiser, but only slightly. The tread is quite tough. Several hundred miles of poor dirt and gravel roads in Labrador did not cause any chunking or chipping of the tread, unlike the Firestones that chunked quite a bit going up the Dalton Highway in Alaska. All in all, I like these tires. The Michelins run about $50/tire more than some other well known brands, but I am happy the purchase and would do it again. Mike L |
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Dang, I wish you would have asked that yesterday when I brought the camper to work. The logbook is in the truck, and it is at home today, and I'm driving the 1500. I think we averaged about 14 mpg. Don't know why it is down about 1 mpg from last year, but it was. Could be the taller tires (I added 5% to the miles each tank to account for the height difference) changing the effective final drive ratio, or maybe the air deflector I added to the front of the camper, or maybe higher speeds. We got our best mileage up in the Colo Rockies going up Pikes Peak, Mt. Evan and into Rocky Mountain National Park. Lower mileage cruising across the plains. The worst tank was probably in the 12's and the best was in the mid to hi 15's. Don't quote me on that, it is from a frequently defective memory. I do remember paying $100 (Canadian) to fill the tank in Labrador City. The oil minder finally went off in the middle of Newfoundland - 7200 miles from the last oil change! Not bad considering I had about 1500 miles of around town on the oil before we left. I carried the Mobil 1 and filter with us, and paid $10 (US) to have it changed in the middle of almost nowhere. Mike L |
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can be fun, if you can get away from the crowds. If you're going after Labor Day, that should make it quieter. Vince is dead right, it can be a zoo. Especially during the summer and on holidays. The 4th of July is pretty spectacular there. The fireworks displays that the campers and local beach-front residents put up are often better than the professional display that the town of Pismo puts up on Pismo pier. I lived up that way for 25 years, and used to ride dirt bikes in the dunes before they fenced them off (to protect some obscure weed, I think). My daughter lives in one of the houses on the beach in Oceano (that's one spot where you actually drive onto the beach. Take Grand Avenue in Arroyo Grande to US1, head south on US1 to the next light in Oceano - Juan's Cantina is on the NW corner - then head west about 3 blocks to the beach... If you're coming from the north, you can pick up US1 right in Pismo, then head south a couple of miles to Oceano/Juan's. Be prepared to pay a day-use fee. I'm not sure how much, but $40 rings a bell. You might want to check that out before you go. Bring a 12-volt air compressor... letting a bunch of the air out of your tires will make a bigger footprint on the soft sand and give you lots better traction, and you'll need to pump 'em back up after you get back on pavement. And watch the tides. (My wife used to drive around in her J-10 Jeep pickup on weekends and pull 4x2 folks out of the sand after they got stuck. The tow guys - and some of the camper guys with 4x4's - charge a bundle of money for that, she did it just for kicks...) JT |
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Thanks guys for the info. on the tires. My stock tires have been great so far, (Steeltex 245/75-16E)but when I do replace them, I'll more than likely go with MICHELIN. Come winter, I change over to my narly M/S studed tires & an extra set of rims & several hundred lbs. of sand bags. Get around in the snow with no problem. If I go to Pismo in Sept. I'll be well informed, thanks to Vince& JT. My main reason for going there was to try & find a Manx type dune buggy, & If not, I might head over to the Ruby Mountains in Nevada..a great place to have a buggy. Filled up my propane tank this morning..might need my heater this week end. Twenty nine this AM, but then, It's Truckee! |
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