Byron's new toy...

[Byron]

Since I was in my mid 20s I've done a LOT of camping, owned a mini trailer for a little while but mostly it's been out of the back of a pickup truck...with a topper, of course. Sometime in my 40s I started thinking about a full on truck camper, but figured I'd wait until I got closer to retirement before taking the plunge. Besides, being a desert rat has it's advantages...it's not too often that you're socked in for days because of weather and most of the time you can just shift the location.

But back in March/April when we had the "shutdown", I packed up my truck and booked it to the desert. I got lucky that during the time I was out, it only rained on me one night...so it was all good, but there were other people bugged out around me and some of them had campers...I became envious. For years now I've been thinking I'd buy one when I hit 60 years old, but I figured "Oh hell, why wait?"...I can afford it, why not get the show on the road?

So now triggers have been pulled. First I ordered the camper...I decided on the Hallmark Flatbed "Nevada", here's a link to what it looks like. hallmark-raton (http://www.hallmarkrv.com/campers/hallmark-raton/)

I chose the Hallmark because of all the pop up campers available, they make what is far and away the best...and I chose the flatbed unit over the typical "slide-ins" as they're called because I see absolutely no reason the keep the bed on the truck. I'm not going to be removing it...this rig has one purpose only...road trips.

So I have to wait until the end of February before it's built. In the meantime, I bought a truck suitable to carry it...no half assed cheapo shit here. Also, I just had the bed removed and the aluminum flatbed that the camper will be mounted on installed...those boxes underneath are for storage, of course. It's ready to go, all I'm waiting for now is the camper. I'll be visiting the facility where it will be manufactured (it's about 45 min. away) as they are building it so I'm totally familiar with what's "under the skin"...takes about a month to build and I'll go there maybe twice a week to take pictures, notes, etc...I'll update this thread as time goes by.

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[Byron]

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[Iceaxe]

Just curious... what are you doing with the original bed? The reason I ask is I modify a lot of cars and that bed will have a significant value on the used parts market. I didn't want you to just walk away from it like a lot of people that do mods do. Ebay might be the easiest place to start.

[Byron]

Just curious... what are you doing with the original bed? The reason I ask is I modify a lot of cars and that bed will have a significant value on the used parts market. I didn't want you to just walk away from it like a lot of people that do mods do. Ebay might be the easiest place to start.I actually did a lot of research on this before my truck was delivered. I wanted to order it with the "bed delete" but they wouldn't give me that option with my configuration...if I would have gone with the diesel or the smaller V8 then it would have been available, but not with the new 7.3 engine. I was offered no explanation...just "it won't let you have it that way". I double checked...it even says so in Ford's literature. N/A with 7.3 engine.

So I look around to see what they're worth...and they're a dime a dozen. Guys are yanking these things off all the time...mostly to install flatbeds for work and agriculture. There are three places here in Colorado that buy/sell them...Pueblo, Grand Junction and Colorado Springs. They sell from a few hundred bucks to about $2000 for the late model/clean ones.

Most of these places that install flatbeds will buy it from you if you don't want to haul it back home and sell it yourself...something that appealed to me because I live in a condo and have no place to store it. I sold it for $1000 and had them waive the $150 "removal fee". I'm happy about that and they told me they'll likely get $2000 bucks for it but they may have to wait for weeks or months for the right buyer to show up. They have guys come in from other states sometimes to buy their stock and when it's a "color"...red, silver, blue, black, something that's rare because it was a color only offered for one or two model years, those are more valuable. The white ones are dirt cheap.

[Iceaxe]

I just wanted to make sure you knew the bed had value and received something for it. Sounds like you have it handled :-)

[BruteForce]

Nice! (despite it being a Ford! :naughty: ). Looks like its going to be a great build!

[oldno7]

The storage boxes in front(underbed) I see as a nice benefit.

The ones in back a likely hindrance in offroad travel.

I know you won't use it as a rockcrawler but you will likely hang those up crossing washes, etc.

Any aftermarket suspension/tires?

[caverdan]

..

[Byron]

Nice! (despite it being a Ford! :naughty: ). Looks like its going to be a great build!Ha! Not a Ford fan, huh? I've been driving them for more than 25 years now and they've all been good to me. Pickups and vans.

Besides, it's the profit I've made in buying and selling Ford stock since '09 that's paying for it all...the truck, the camper, everything...so I reckon I owed it to them to stay loyal. Also, neither Ram nor GM make an extra cab anymore...it's either regular bed or crew cab...and the wheelbase on those things would be very prohibitive off road, especially with the 8' bed I needed. Regular cab is a no go because I need seats for friends. Also, I've got a girlfriend that hates camping...she only comes with me when I promise that we'll stay at a motel, but I'm thinking she'll dig this because it's got a shower in it...that's her big hang up...she's like OCD with the cleanliness. The extra space behind the seats gives more room for all the crap she brings.

[Byron]

The storage boxes in front(underbed) I see as a nice benefit.

The ones in back a likely hindrance in offroad travel.

I know you won't use it as a rockcrawler but you will likely hang those up crossing washes, etc.

Any aftermarket suspension/tires?In regards to the boxes, I also considered the clearance....but I was assured by the fabricator that I'd be smashing the tailpipe and scraping the hitch first. He gave me the measurements before he built the boxes and it checked out. The pictures I've posted are a bit deceiving...those boxes look like low hanging fruit when in fact they're not. In order to tag them, I'd have to be seriously off camber. They actually sit higher than the ends of the stock bumper that was on there.

If you go to the link I put in my OP, the Ram that the camper is being mounted on is owned by a guy named James Langford...that flatbed was the very first of the production and he actually helped design it...you'll notice that he has boxes in front of the wheels, but not in back. He's got a blog and takes that thing on some pretty serious trails, and within the last year he's mounted boxes aft of the tires like mine...so if he's not concerned with it, neither am I.

I'll be able to take this thing to the end of HITR and out to Crack in the Wall, all over Cedar Mesa and the Abajos...the only place I might have trouble is the Flint...I may have a wheelbase issue there...but I'm gonna find out!

Suspension and tires...I ordered the one ton because I'm hopeful the stock suspension will be just fine. I don't plan on lifting it. Also, the tires on here are 33.5...when they wear out I may go to 35s...we'll see.

BTW...the hitch and the spare are in their stock locations...nothing was changed. So you can see the boxes will be fine.

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[BruteForce]

Truly, if I could find a new Ford F450 with a Cummins 6.7 in it, I'd be in heaven. Two years ago, I was ready to walk away from my heavily modified RAM 3500 (Mega-Cab) and started shopping for a Ford F450 Dually, but LHM Super Ford lost my custom order and failed to get the order in time for the Ford cut-off. They lost out on $106k on that custom built truck! So, I just put $40k back into my RAM 3500 (fire ring head, ARP 625 studs, full billet RevMax 850 trans, aux trans cooler, larger VGT turbo, larger air-to-air intercooler, etc, etc, etc..)

[kiwi_outdoors]

4x4 truck ??

(Mehtinks that your camper choice is Xlnt), and extra smart move on the shower for the GF

[Byron]

4x4 truck ??

(Mehtinks that your camper choice is Xlnt), and extra smart move on the shower for the GFYeah, not just for her but for me as well. You know how it is...you've been out all day long and a shower (even a quick one) just puts the life right back into ya. This thing has a plumbing fixture to shower outside, too.

Yes, it's 4X4. One thing to consider for those that don't live in snowy areas is to get a 2 wheel drive truck with the electronic locking rear differential. They're now building these trucks with that option across the lineup...in the past it was always a limited slip as an option. I chose 4X4 primarily because there's a giant mountain range separating me form the desert I love so much...and sometimes in the winter/spingtime that comes in handy when crossing it. Also, having all four wheels grinding down when driving really chunky dirt/rock roads helps too.

For those that live down south or stick to the easy roads then that 2 wheel with the locking diff. is certainly an option...better MPG and it'll take 400 lbs off the truck, too.

[Byron]

Truly, if I could find a new Ford F450 with a Cummins 6.7 in it, I'd be in heaven. Two years ago, I was ready to walk away from my heavily modified RAM 3500 (Mega-Cab) and started shopping for a Ford F450 Dually, but LHM Super Ford lost my custom order and failed to get the order in time for the Ford cut-off. They lost out on $106k on that custom built truck! So, I just put $40k back into my RAM 3500 (fire ring head, ARP 625 studs, full billet RevMax 850 trans, aux trans cooler, larger VGT turbo, larger air-to-air intercooler, etc, etc, etc..)2009, huh?...that's a big boy truck for sure...but I'll tell ya, they've really come a long way with these things in the last 10 years. Can you imagine a 1000 ft.lbs of torque? My God!

I was going to get the diesel but backed out of it because of the weight...also, the purpose of this camper is more camping, less driving. The 445 I've got in this thing is badass and that 10 speed tranny is just a dream. I'm loving it. Been reading that other guys hauling with around the same weight say it moves like it's not even there. This engine hits 400 torque at 1500 rpm, with room to grow. Not bad for a gasser.

[BruteForce]

2009, huh?...that's a big boy truck for sure...but I'll tell ya, they've really come a long way with these things in the last 10 years. Can you imagine a 1000 ft.lbs of torque?

:roflol: Yup, because I'm pushing 800hp and about 1400TQ today, but it wasn't cheap to get to that point!

[Byron]

I figured all the mods were to bulletproof the engine...but I reckon you only got to do that to Fords, huh? :haha:

That truck you're driving is more or less a jet engine...you are the man! Go big or go home, I love it.

[BruteForce]

Byron Keep this thread updated. Curious to see the final result. I have a 43' Toy Hauler and its impractical for some of the adventures I like to take. I've slept on the backseat floor of my dually more times than I can count. The Jeep has zero insulation, so I carry a tent and that too isn't super practical, but especially in winter. I have a Mr. Buddy tent heater thing, but I learned the hard way that those 1 gal bottles are only good for about 4 hours and when you change the bottle out IN THE TENT, you'll melt the roof and your 'stache when you ignite the new bottle! :crazy:

[Byron]

@Byron (http://www.bogley.com/forum/member.php?u=20436) Keep this thread updated. Curious to see the final result. I have a 43' Toy Hauler and its impractical for some of the adventures I like to take. I've slept on the backseat floor of my dually more times than I can count. The Jeep has zero insulation, so I carry a tent and that too isn't super practical, but especially in winter. I have a Mr. Buddy tent heater thing, but I learned the hard way that those 1 gal bottles are only good for about 4 hours and when you change the bottle out IN THE TENT, you'll melt the roof and your 'stache when you ignite the new bottle! :crazy:Ha! That's funny as hell! I've read quite a bit about people living in their campers full time...and one thing so many have in common is "cheapness"...the furnace breaks down in their unit and they're too cheap to fix it proper, so they go portable. Quite a few have gone the Mr. Buddy route, with varying results (as you can attest) but there's a far superior option. heaters (http://www.camco.net/heaters)

Those right there. They're fantastic. Everyone that has one raves about it...I had a client recently that had the big one on his back porch and he told me it's worth it's weight in gold. Some of these campers that have them use them as the only heat source...there's some Youtube on it. I've considered buying the small one for in case I don't need to fire up my furnace...but I'll see if I really need it or it's practical. Sometimes you see something and think..."Oh, I've got to have one of those" and then discover you really don't use it.

As a replacement for what you've got, you might want to check it out. Funny...I don't see you as a tent guy...I reckoned you're pulling a 40' RV with slide outs and the whole nine yards! Of course I'll keep this thread updated, although nothing is going to happen for at least a month...that's about when they'll start the build. I'll take pictures as it's put together. After it's completed, I'll immediately take the rig on a "shakedown cruise"...two or three weeks to get it dialed in and familiar with a whole new way of camping, really. I'll also discover if the stock suspension is adequate or if I need to do upgrades...I'll post all my impressions, of course.

[Byron]

Check this thing out. Just sitting there waiting for the camper. Pretty fancy pants, huh? I could have done with a base model white one with all the black plastic, but I wanted leather seats...and you have to move up to a Lariat to get them. Up until the age of 28 every vehicle I'd owned was a total piece of crap. So here it is 30 years later and it's like "Oh, I'll take the leather seats, thank you".

Some guys buy vacation homes, sports cars or boats...I get the truck with leather seats.

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[Byron]

So this was my little project for the day. If you're going to have a camper, you've got to have an air compressor. I built a mount inside the passenger flatbed box and hooked it up to one of the Upfitter switches that came with my truck to make sure it worked (it did)...now I'll run the wires proper when the camper gets mounted. They're going to be running some major power from the engine back to the camper along that side, so I'll just tie in to what they do. Piece of cake, fun little project. Beautiful day, too.

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[BruteForce]

From personal experience, ensure you're running at least 8ga wire to that compressor with a 30+ amp fuse or you will blow the fuse regularly. I installed a compressor in my Jeep and my RAM 3500, but went with like 10ga wire and it would get HOT and then blow the fuse.

[kiwi_outdoors]

My adult niece says that leather seats are easier to clean than fabric (and she has 2 small kids)

[Byron]

From personal experience, ensure you're running at least 8ga wire to that compressor with a 30+ amp fuse or you will blow the fuse regularly. I installed a compressor in my Jeep and my RAM 3500, but went with like 10ga wire and it would get HOT and then blow the fuse.It's powered by the Upfitter relay box in the engine compartment...the power and ground coming off the compressor is 10 gauge and the up fitter box has six leads (all switchable from the cab) 4 25amp and two 40amp...the 40s have 10 ga and the others look to be 14 ga.

I'm running 11 feet between them and figured the distance would be functional with 10 all the way. Were you running more than 12'? Also, this little ARB only sucks up 35 amps at full tilt...

[Byron]

My adult niece says that leather seats are easier to clean than fabric (and she has 2 small kids)Oh absolutely! It may cost a few more bucks to get them, but leather seats is the only way to go. You just have to make sure the sun isn't blasting them all day long.

[BruteForce]

It's powered by the Upfitter relay box in the engine compartment...the power and ground coming off the compressor is 10 gauge and the up fitter box has six leads (all switchable from the cab) 4 25amp and two 40amp...the 40s have 10 ga and the others look to be 14 ga.

I'm running 11 feet between them and figured the distance would be functional with 10 all the way. Were you running more than 12'? Also, this little ARB only sucks up 35 amps at full tilt...


I was probably running ~10 feet from battery to the compressor. It was a pain to re-wire again. Jeep's pre-wired AUX wiring is 30amp max on two switches, so I couldn't use them. I have a VIAIR compressor and it too hits about 35amp max.. inflating 37's will keep that thing running for a bit!

[Byron]

Well there ya go! The tires on my truck now are 33 1/2...I'll likely keep them on until they wear out and then decide to stay with the "stock" size or move up to 35s. I can't put 37s on it because I'll have clearance issues with the bottom of the flatbed. Plenty of room right now for articulation, but those big tires would be pushing it. If I went that big I'd have to put a lift on the truck...and I bought the one ton hoping the stock suspension will be adequate without having to super size it all.

The stock tires are E rated...80 max, so I'll likely only be able to air down to around 45 in the rear, maybe 40 in front...on the highway it'll be 75 and 65. If I change over to 35s I'll likely get D rated that'll handle the weight. A lot of guys go with the twin ARB, but this singe gets kudos as well if it's only being used for tires. We'll see...but I may just run that 8 ga just to be on the safe side.

[aporyste]

What tires are those? Any plans on installing aftermarket rims and shocks? Or adding nerf bars? Checking out more mods (for my truck too) on 4wheelonline.

[Byron]

What tires are those? Any plans on installing aftermarket rims and shocks? Or adding nerf bars? Checking out more mods (for my truck too) on 4wheelonline.The tires are Goodyear Adventure. I like them, nice and quiet. I'll only upsize the tires and replace the rims, shocks, etc...if I deem it to be necessary, but quite frankly I suspect this truck will be able to go anywhere I've taken my stock F-150 for the last 17 years...even with the camper on it.

Nerf bars?...nah, I don't plan on smashing it up. Why don't you post a picture of your truck and detail the mods you're considering? There's a few guys around here that would likely give excellent suggestions.

[Byron]

Here's the F-150 I was talking about. Not too bad for an '04, eh? I take care of my kids! However, now that I have this new truck and camper, along with a work van that will be seeing less and less use, I've got to consider if I'm going to keep this truck or sell it.

I'll make that decision after one year...this truck costs virtually nothing to own. Insurance and registration is dirt cheap and it runs like new...never had any problems with it. But if it's just going to sit in the garage and collect dust then it might be a good idea to pass it on to someone that'll actually drive it. Even though it looks and runs like a new truck (interior is nearly pristine and I even clean the engine and frame!) it really isn't worth much...maybe 15 grand. These trucks are really a dime a dozen but you don't see many this clean and well kept.

One year....we'll see.

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[Byron]

Alright...another new toy to add to the big toy. Too bad Beech isn't around, as I'm sure he'd throw down the seal of approval. Then again, maybe he is?

So I figured to buy a drone to scout ahead on trails...better campsites up the road, what's in the vicinity of where I'm camped, etc...generally just a "recon" device and I really didn't have any notion of making videos or taking super duper photography...but considering I just paid $1500 for what you see here I reckon the photo and video stuff might be rolled into the equation.

So when I looked into drones, it became clear that the cheap ones are just toys you fly around a park and if you want something that will cover a lot of ground and give really good video resolution then DJI is really the gold standard. For about $700 you can get the drone with the basic controller and one battery (batteries are good for about a half hour) but double the price and you'll get a whole bunch of goodies, including two extra batteries and the "smart controller". Seems like a lot of cash for a scout "vehicle"...but I learned a long time ago to just go ahead and get the "good stuff"...no sense in wasting money on junk when you're likely to be moving up the line anyway. Kinda like mountain bikes...buy the one you've really got a hard on for.

Now that smart controller is pretty awesome...no need to attach a phone or tablet, no cable to run, no bluetooth, etc...just power it up and start flying. The screen is also top end with brightness...you don't need to hide under some shade to see what's going on. I reckon never to own a phone any bigger than the smallest one you can buy so this made sense.

I never got into "gaming", so I was a bit nervous about the learning curve...operating the joysticks. But let me tell you, it's SURPRISINGLY easy to fly. I took it out for a half hour today and had it zipping around, flying in figure 8s, circling around me as I made it go up and down. It's totally badass, I love it. I can tell the "trick" to this is flying it when it's completely out of sight...you'll be relying on the camera. So I'll fly it around my local park to get it down like second nature but probably won't fly it way "out of sight" until I get out to the desert.

Fun stuff, gentlemen. If you've kinda been "thinking about it"...

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[BruteForce]

I now have two of the Mavic Air drones. I crashed one into the hill near Helper (later recovered) and had it repaired. In the interim, I went out and bought a 2nd unit. I too bought the drone originally as a recon device for my ATV exploring & adventures.

[Byron]

I now have two of the Mavic Air drones. I crashed one into the hill near Helper (later recovered) and had it repaired. In the interim, I went out and bought a 2nd unit. I too bought the drone originally as a recon device for my ATV exploring & adventures.Nice!. Included in the price I paid was the one year crash replacement insurance. I figured if I'm going to beef it it'll be while I'm learning to fly.

Jeez...I remember in 1978 trying desperately to save up for my first good skateboard. About $150 for a Logan deck with Tracker trucks and Kryptonic wheels, German bearings, of course. It was like a king's ransom...took me two months of slave labor for whoever would hire me...but I'll never forget when I put it together...how proud I was. It was the first really nice thing I'd ever bought on my own. It was the first really nice thing I'd ever owned, period.

Now I can crash $700 into a friggin' rock?

[aporyste]

Nice choice of drone.

[Byron]

Alrighty then, tomorrow is the big day! I finally get my camper loaded on my truck. I set the wheels in motion back in the middle of September and that seems like forever ago.

By early Monday morning I'll hit the road for a six week trip. I haven't rode my mountain bikes since last July so Moab is first on the list, backpacking in the Escalante after that then some canyoneering. I'm ready for a break.

The process of loading the camper is an all day event, as there is a lot of orientation involved (it's literally a small house on wheels) so when I get back tomorrow night I'll slap up some pictures. This thing I bought is kind of like the "king of the crop" when it comes to pop-up truck campers.

[Byron]

Well here it is, after long audieu...the camper. Pretty much the top dog...it really is nicely built. I put up some pictures of the interior tomorrow, as I ran out of light. It weighs 3000 lbs as you see it and the suspension on the truck is fine for highway, but I certainly have to upgrade it for even moderate off road use. Even though it's an F-350 with the "camper package" (upgraded springs) it's not up for prime time.

So that means, if I could go back in time I would have bought an F-250 with the same drivetrain and the stock tires and just swapped out the suspension, tires and wheels immediately. I went with the 350 in hoping it would be beefy enough to handle it...it isn't. Not to say the truck is useless....as my goal was to have it go anywhere I've taken my smaller pickup truck and this thing actually will do that, but it's gonna be a wobbly ride!

More pictures tomorrow...

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[Byron]

Here's the inside. I chose the fabric color as I had in mind the carpet in Vegas casinos...they're always mid tones or dark with lots of busy patterns...hides the dirt better. The cabinets and tabletop are bamboo, as I wanted the lightest colored wood. It's really quite modern with the power...a steady stream of water with the water pump and the furnace is a fancy German model...Truma. Lots of lights and the propane burners are excellent with the even flame control and super low steady simmer. I'm loading it up tomorrow for a big trip. I'll give an assessment of how the whole thing worked out when I get back. Before the end of this summer the suspension is going to get redone.

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[Byron]

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Just got home...had a great time. I was out for 6 weeks biking, backpacking, canyoneering and climbing with a couple dozen friends. I'm the only "non-liberal" among them...but I made damn sure they got a good look at my "mask" as it is whenever they toured my new camper. Most are pretty cool about it but a few shit their pants. Some interesting conversations but overall they are largely unified pre-programed clones when it comes to the virus or politics. Funny thing is, they all know something is terribly wrong, but they don't want to face it or even speculate. I'll post up a trip report within a few days.

When Trump was prez they didn't want to talk about politics at all, which suited me just fine...but now it's all about being a member of the "virus flock" as I call it and expressing deep hated for Trump. They have no understanding whatsoever of people that don't see things they way they do. None of them ever wore a mask, but it kinda bummed me out that they are all marching in lock step. Not one of them is thinking outside the box...or dare to acknowledge it.

The fun was great, but when it came to "serious talk" it was quite dissatisfying...not a single rebel among them.

[Byron]

Up on top of Mt. Hillers in the Henry's. Tough climb...about 3200 feet on nothing but scree, but the views are fantastic.

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[Byron]

Here's another shot from up on top of Mt. Hillers. When you get within 500 ft. of the summit most of what's underfoot is that incredible, aged volcanic rock. Looks pretty groovy, huh? Well let me tell ya...those slabs slide around like they're on top of greased ball bearings. Here's another couple shots of the camper in various places while I was out. I'm waiting for my friends to post up all the pictures that were taken before I fire off some trip reports.

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[Byron]

One more...waiting for the ferry at Powell.

[oldno7]

I had heard they recently shut the ferry down, when were you there?

[Byron]

I had heard they recently shut the ferry down, when were you there?That was April 28th. The wind was blowing so hard the thing was going sideways and the captain told me mine was likely the last run of the day...and it was about 10am. I was camping and hiking in the Abajo's and used it as a shortcut between Hall's and Bullfrog to Escalante. I was back at Bullfrog with some friends around May 23 (during the heavy wind episode) and noticed it wasn't running.

The lake level is the lowest I've ever seen, BTW.

[Byron]

Also...I mentioned back when I took possession of my camper that the suspension on this truck would have to be upgraded, and upgraded it will be. Even though it's a big, one ton F-350 with the "camper package" it is OK on the highway but totally inadequate off road. The payload capacity of this truck is 4,400# and the total weight on the camper, full gas and water tanks, food, bikes, gear, accoutrements, etc...is 3,800#. So it would seem that the stock suspension would be fine? Not so fast...

This rig gets a lot of attention. I couldn't go in and out of the City Market in Moab with being corned with a 30 minute conversation with someone in the parking lot about it. I talked to a whole bunch of guys with truck camper setups...mostly we talked suspension. Most guys throw on airbags, but for a few hundred dollars more you can have custom leaf springs built. So I stopped at Alcan Springs in Grand Junction on my way home and they'll have them ready by the middle of August. I'll also be putting on upgraded shocks, as the stock ones are shit. The wheels will be replaced with Method beadlocks and I'll move up to 35" D rated tires.

I would have done the suspension upgrades before the camper was installed but I was hoping (against hope) the the stock stuff would be fine. Oh well...what's another 6 grand, eh?

[Byron]

So I just returned from a two week road trip with the camper and it was quite nice...lots of hiking. I spent a week in the Flattops Wilderness at Trapper's Lake and then a week at the Snowy Range in southern Wyoming. The Snowy Range was quite fantastic...absolutely beautiful, majestic place. Kind of like a chunk of Yosemite NP, but this area had alpine mountain lakes, fantastic fishing and a marvelous network of trails all right from the campgrounds. Big loop hikes. I'll tell you what, if you want to find out what shape you're in, go to this place for a week and do 5-12 mile hikes all above 10,500 ft. elevation. That'll let you know what the deal is. In fact, I almost left after two days because I thought it might be too much work and not enough fun...but the place was so awesome I stayed and my body got used to the elevation and it was all good. Check this place out if you're ever in the area as it's worth the trip...even if it's just to drive through.

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[oldno7]

Looks like Sugarloaf area.
Only drove through, didn't have time to stop.
Tell me about the fantastic fishing.

[Byron]

Looks like Sugarloaf area.
Only drove through, didn't have time to stop.
Tell me about the fantastic fishing.Yep...Sugarloaf is where I camped. The best fishing requires hiking...most of the fishermen are only willing to go about 2-3 miles but when you hit the lakes beyond that you're catching them damn near every other cast. Mostly Browns and a few Brookies here and there. The Gap Lakes or anything beyond that and you're good to go. The lakes closer to the picnic areas/campsites are good too, but those fish are a bit more wise...you've got to hit those in the evening.

It's a surprisingly beautiful area. What was really nice was seeing absolutely no trash anywhere...none. The whole place is a "pack it in, pack it out" area and there are no trash bins at the picnic grounds or any of the parking lots...the only dumpsters are at the campsites. Yet riding my bike around in the evenings showed that people "get it". That was also a nice surprise because it seems like folks have gotten a bit trashier since the 90s.

[qedcook]

Snowy is one of those places that is still a secret from most of the public. I hope it stays that way for a bit. I'm hoping to get up there this year actually.

[Byron]

Snowy is one of those places that is still a secret from most of the public. I hope it stays that way for a bit. I'm hoping to get up there this year actually.
Yeah...most folks are concentrating on areas to the south or north...RMNP or Steamboat, Teton, Wind and Yellowstone. Mostly locals with one night campers/road trippers making the drive. Bring all the water you'll need, as the hand pumps at the campgrounds are nearly useless for campers. They're more like glorified drinking fountains...when they're working.

Great place...accessible wilderness with a Lords of the Ring feel to it.

[Byron]

Here's a pic of the rig on my most recent road trip...

97038

[Byron]

So I was flying my drone around the Horsethief campground northwest of Moab and the host was making her rounds collecting post tags. She'd never seen a drone in action before so I brought it in for a picture. Drones are fun.

97039

[Byron]

I call it the "Cylon"...because from the front it looks like the robots from Battlestar Galactica. I've recently done some upgrades to the suspension...new rear leaf springs and shocks all the way around...really made a HUGE difference in the handling! It drives like a truck now instead of a lumbering whale. The drivetrain is fantastic...it'll go 80MPH up anything you want it to...but the stock suspension was miserable. I firmly believe that these heavy duty trucks are more suited for towing than hauling in stock form.

97074

[outdoorchore]

Nice! What a hookup

[kiwi_outdoors]

with bigger tires is your turning radius decreased?

[Byron]

97116.


with bigger tires is your turning radius decreased?Not really...I think you'd have to upsize quite considerably to make a real difference in that regard. The geometry of the truck "is what it is", so going from 33" to 35s would hardly be noticeable. But I would reckon if you get monster tires on there...like 40" or something like that...???

I just swapped out the stock shocks for these Bilstiens made for these big trucks...very noticeable difference. In the world of these heavy duty trucks...you may have noticed the fancy shocks that are available...FOX and ICON in particular. They're finely tuned and the performance they give is undeniable...but they'e hideously expensive...especially the ICONs. Also, they don't last very long...they need to be rebuilt between 20-50K miles. That's a hassle, IMO.

I was considering the FOX...but unfortunately, they no longer produce a shock for trucks at stock height and I have no interest in lifting my truck...it sits high enough as it is. Besides...I'm not going to go extreme off road with it, no with that camper on the back. My goal for this rig was to get it able to go anywhere my trusty F-150 could take me...and that truck took me anywhere I wanted to go. So these new shocks certainly help in that regard. These Bilsteins are good shocks...I have them on my other truck as well and they really shine on rougher roads. The stock shocks are only good for highway, really.

I'll keep these tires on for a while...may as well get my money out of them. But when they wear down a bit I'll upsize to 35s. They're 33.5 now and are actually good tires...but the next set will be slightly larger with a bit more aggressive tread. Right now I'm looking at the Falken Wildpeak 285/75/18...the tires on there now are 275/70/18...so the new ones will be a bit more than an inch taller but only slightly wider. If I were to put 37s on, there would be too much brain damage with the front end...trimming, extended brake lines, front end alignments and tuning, etc...I have no interest in that. Those big tires would look nice on the truck, though.

[Byron]

97123. 97122


Oh heck...I forgot to mention the new leaf springs! So I order the truck from Ford with the factory "camper package" which includes an overload spring on the rear spring pack and a sway bar. I was hoping it would be adequate for the camper, but alas it wasn't.

The truck drove decent on the highway, but off road it was totally unfunctional. Options included air bags, sumo springs, Timbrens, Stableloads...all of them a bolt on rubber accessory to lift the truck, restore shock stroke from the sag incurred by the weight of the camper and take a bit of pressure off the springs. I didn't want any of that...the most expensive way to go and the best solution IMO is to just get a new, custom made spring pack. They're built specifically for the weight of the camper and they're just plain dumb...they do what they do without any maintenance or having to keep an eye on them. You can add the rubber things for $500-$800 and a custom spring pack cost me $1700 including the install...so considering I spent 130K on the whole rig, another couple grand to do the rear suspension right was a no brainer.

I was on a month long road trip in September when Alcan Springs in Grand Junction call to tell me the springs were ready. I'd ordered them at the beginning of June. They did a great job...built them perfectly. It completely transformed the truck...it now rides like a truck rather than a bloated whale. Best money I've spent so far. So the suspension is dialed in...I'll just upgrade the tires when the time comes and that's it...the rig is good to go.

[oldno7]

Very nice rig.

I'll be looking for a truck next year, it will be set up to tow and a little off-roady.

Already have 2 trucks but they seem lonely:haha:

[Byron]

Took advantage of the warm weather around the holiday and spent it biking in Moab along with a LOT of hiking in the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park. Funny thing about the Needles...I had visited the place back in the 90s and didn't find it very impressive. I did a couple hike then, but it seemed like a "one and done" kind of place. But two years ago a couple friends invited me to backpack there and I "rediscovered" the place...it's actually a hikers paradise. Big, 10-14 mile loops and it's quite pleasant. Here's a few pictures...

[kaniukr]

Exciting! And no more stripping off to jump in freezing lakes after a hike.