Ski Bum Truck V2.0, F450 Rough Road RV

I run the milestars on my boxvan in a slightly smaller seize..... 40k on them so far and love them. 

In reply to Professor_Brap :

Thanks for the input! 16" size? Same tread pattern?

I read this article by my local newspaper's outdoors writer today and thought of you - I don't know if connectivity is important to you when out in the wild but it's an interesting device.

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Tech is winning the argument in the wild

In a tiff that arose perhaps 15 years ago, visitors to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and other remote places debated whether their treks would be diminished if they carried with them a satellite phone to use in case of an emergency.

Those in favor of equipping themselves with such gear argued that if they were injured, they wanted to be able to call for help rather than face an uncertain future far from civilization.

Advocates for no-gadget journeying countered that even the possibility of such a rescue diminished the quality of trips into the boondocks, where, the thinking went, a visitor should be prepared for any eventuality.

Largely philosophical in any event, the squabble has been decided in favor of more communication, not less. One reason: Fast-advancing technology has made portable communication easy and relatively inexpensive, whether a traveler is camped at a nearby state park or in the boonies.

Consider that in 1996 I traveled alone by horseback into the Colorado mountains to hunt elk for a week at 10,000 feet. Though a good time, the trip was plagued by deep snow and I killed no elk. I also had no reliable means to communicate to anyone had I injured myself, become lost or otherwise found trouble.

Fast forward to 2016, when I, along with my son, Trevor, and a friend of his backpacked about eight miles into mountains about 30 miles from West Yellowstone, Mont., to hunt elk. Remote and populated with grizzly bears, the area offered no hope of a quick exit in case of an emergency, given that we were traveling by foot.

Yet on that trip, I carried a hand-held Garmin inReach SE, which allowed me to send and receive text and e-mail messages, while also providing a tracking function that pinpointed for my wife 1,000 miles away our various locations. Cost of this widely available peace-of-mind gizmo: about $350.

But technological advances aren’t the only reasons, or even the primary reasons, in my view, why most travelers stay connected today, whether they’re camped in a nearby state park or in the sticks.

Instead, we, all of us, have become so dependent on communications, whether for work or (oftentimes trivial) personal reasons, that we now regard continual or semi-continual exchanges as necessary, regardless of the safety-net provisions they might provide.

The near ubiquitous use today among wilderness travelers of Gar-min’s inReach makes the point. When Dr. Pete Arnesen of the Twin Cities, for example, embarked this summer on a solo canoe trip into Woodland Caribou Provincial Park he had an inReach with him. Which was a good thing, because during his outing, when forest fires unexpectedly advanced on his position, his outfitter was able to direct him away from the infernos via e-mail.

I didn’t encounter that type of predicament on a recent pickup-camper trip my wife and I took out West. But the journey was enhanced greatly nonetheless by another new communication device, the weBoost Connect RV 65 made by Utah-based Wilson Electronics.

The RV 65’s primary feature is a lightweight, telescoping portable antenna that allows recreational vehicle owners to stay connected even in faraway places.

“We already make signal boosters for use in vehicles and for RV owners who are traveling,” said Josh Barnes, Wilson Electronics director of consumer products. “But the biggest part of that market is for what we call destination RVs, where travelers are stationary for longer periods of time.”

I’ve tried a handful of “signal boosters” in recent years that in most cases didn’t significantly help me do what I often must do from the road: transmit photographs and text. Frustration ensues if I have to drive 10 miles or more to receive a cell signal strong enough to engage my phone’s personal hotspot, which facilitates the necessary transmission.

The Connect 65, whose setup was easy, provided a different kind of experience. While in a Grand Teton National Park campground, with no signal on my phone, I extended its antenna 25 feet in the air, attaching it temporarily to the outside of my camper (when not in use, I telescoped the antenna downward and carried it inside the camper.)

The antenna, which was connected via a cable to a booster inside my RV, in turn found a cell signal that otherwise didn’t show up on my phone. As Barnes describes it, “The antenna sends the signal to the booster, which amplifies each of the frequency bands the signal supports using a series of sophisticated low-noise amplifiers and filters.”

The antenna ($649.95 at weBoost.com) also lent my otherwise vintage camper a cutting-edge appearance, and was the source of much curiosity among other RVers, many of whom passed long minutes each day strolling the campground with cellphones in hand, looking for a signal.

I, meanwhile, as necessary sat inside my camper sending photos and stories back to the Twin Cities. The signal was so strong at times during the trip that my wife and I streamed live TV to our little home away from home.

“The Connect RV 65 can’t boost a signal that’s not there,” Barnes said. “But it can amplify signals that don’t even register on your phone.”

Dennis Anderson • 612-673-4424

In reply to stuart in mn :

Ha! Interesting! I have both an inReach and a WeBoost . 

Both are good in their own way, the inReach for family to Track  (mostly when backpacking) us, but works perfect for that and a text as needed. WeBoost, it works great when there is low signal, but no signal means nothing to boost. We loose signal a lot still. 

Had some spring issues.... They did not lift the truck as requested, instead lowered it ~1".... Not paying a shop again to deal with this.

Ive got them re-assembled. That was a fun weekend in the gravel driveway. Big truck stuff is heavy.

Here is what I ended up doing....

Take these two pieces out of the stock pack. The anti wrap leak and the spacer block.

Buy new center pins, cut them down because you can only get 3/4x3/4 heads locally. Ford used 3/4x3/8 ish

Jack up truck from the frame. Remind yourself to use a bottle jack next time..... Floor jacks don't roll on gravel. The license plate panel is not so pretty anymore.... Truck fell off jack.

Plan was to undo U bolts, roll axle forward, drop center pin out, reassemble with extra parts. Well remember this truck has an LSD? Yeah can roll one side forward.... So get out plywood, and a second floor jack, add some ratchet straps, and you can barely move the axle enough (after disconnecting sway bar).

OK, center pin out, WTF why does new one not fit?! Oh Atlas used a smaller one... WHY?! Head would flop in the centering hole in the axle.... Anyway. Now I have to drill out the entire spring pack to the larger center pin..... That was fun and my drill hates me.

Pack with extra bits together.

Now the Ubolts are too short again. Did I mention I just got new ones for this pack?? (at $15 each...) No more pictures, but new Ubolts got made. bolts were tightened, not need to find a torque wrench that goes too 300 ft lbs... They are about as tight as my electric rattle gun will go. Which I had to drive on block and dig a hole under each spring pack to use.... anyway. Frustrated by this ordeal, but truck is derivable now, and ~3/4" higher than it was with the stock springs and airbags, with no air in the bags. I have not even test driven it I was so tired and pissed off. Need to beat the license plate panel out still too.

Another weekend in the truck, sure makes a nice cozy cabin! 

Did some climbing, hiking and enjoyed the PNW. 

Ill check the Ubolts again and see if I can get anything out of them. 

Truck threw a CEL..... P0703, Torque Converter/Brake Switch B Circuit Malfunction, oh joy. Some googling says it may just be the pressure switch behind the master cyl, brake lights still work. Fingers crossed that is the issue.

Hopefully p0703 is resolved. Will find out after a drive cycle. Motorcraft repair kit as this is a known issue I guess. $22 part. Bench bleeding the switch was the hardest part. 

Suspension work sucks. It sucks a lot more on a HD truck.

I'll just leave this here...

https://expeditionportal.com/nitro-gears-adventure-rv/

ultraclyde said:

Suspension work sucks. It sucks a lot more on a HD truck.

 

I'll just leave this here...

https://expeditionportal.com/nitro-gears-adventure-rv/

 

Oh trust me, that was for sale ~2 years ago, I looked long and hard at it (way too much $$ at the time). I know the guy who owns it, its a beast. :D

Thanks to whoever posted that polyethylene mud flap, I finally got around to getting one....

Cardboard mock up. Long enough to be useful? Maybe? Not hang up on everything? Hopefully....

One polyethylene mud flap, supposed to not blow up in very freezing weather. Cut into two mirror pieces.

More wider.

Two OE bolts and a few stainless screws, done. Hopefully that keeps things a bit cleaner.

Took the truck up to deception pass again, nice spot.

Climbed some routes on Mt Erie, new ones we have never done. Finally had to use my bail out carabiner, climbed up a bolted route and found no anchors! I didn't have enough rope to go any higher, possibly could have topped out, but no idea if there was a trail down. Was able to down climb to a bolt (I was up above it by a couple cams) and bail off the route.

The rock that claimed my biner 

And next little project, swap the maxxfan out. This one had one too many bumpy roads it seems. It had broken a little tab that kept the top from over traveling, but it seems the hinge blew out too. Luckily Maxxfans warranty is awesome! They asked my serial number and shipped me a new unit. 

Four screws and done, need to hook up the electrical still.

Stunning hike this weekend! Followed the ridge line all the way around the lake. Gorgeous and snow is fun.

Spent the night tucked away outside Mazama.

And a sneak preview of the new things coming!

Beadlocks?

In reply to thatsnowinnebago :

Oh yes... Double beadlocks 

My paint skill have been better, but I think this is going to happen, loose the blue.

OK guys, tire storage..... 

I need to measure more carefully, but it does not look good for mounting under the truck in the stock location.

So mount it on the back door. With the latch the way it is, it needs to be ~5' or a bit more off the ground. Thats a long was for a heavy tire!

So I am thinking a flip down, like the jeep guys do. Deal with getting it on studs and bolted down at waist height then flip up and have a big pin/latch holding it.

Inspiration ish

Red is behind the tire, 1x3 or 4 to spread load over the door (the panels are 12" wide horizontal on the door). Yellow would be hinges (bushings) and the grey would be outside the tire. 

Anyone have better ideas? Another option is the red frame and a hand crank winch to lift the tire up to the mounting area.

Almost ski time for you guys. Love the destinations you guys are going to.

In reply to crankwalk :

I cant wait! Thinking about lugging the skis up Rainier this weekend for first turns 

java230 said:

In reply to thatsnowinnebago :

Oh yes... Double beadlocks 

Most excellent. I await photos of this beast rock crawling then. 

java230 said:

In reply to crankwalk :

I cant wait! Thinking about lugging the skis up Rainier this weekend for first turns 

We have new snow above 2500 ft but it's still 50F in town. Normally, I'd be rushing up there but this year I'm holding on to fall as long as possible before winter punches me in the face.

I like the swing up tire mount.

Why does it have to be mounted up so high?  Is it all going to be mounted to the door so you can open and close the door without lifting the tire?  That would be the only way I'd go, especially since you have those 4 huge hinges.  

In reply to Petrolburner :

See the door latch? It needs to be that high (ok paint drawing may be a little high) but I need to be able to open and close it. It swings up.

And If I dont do the swing up bit, a friend and I were discussing, If I add a piece of anlge iron to the door and the frame just below it, with some hdpe between them, I could then add a latch there to control vertical movement in the door. Right next to the silver door holder thing in the pic.

Seems like a good plan to me. You might consider adding a fold out leg to the fold down part. hinge at the top and it folds out as the tire swings down. Cut it the right length so the tire stops at the best height for lifting it off the rack (horizontal? lower?) when the leg touches the ground. It also adds some leverage for pushing the rack up to the stored position while you get the latch on.

In reply to ultraclyde :

Wife seems to think I will be able to lift the tire and not need the hingy bit.... We will know soon.

The shippers lost the tires for the last week. Finally I was able to track them down after chasing different people on different docks.... They went to Boise ID.... Hopefully I will have them middle of next week.

Wheels are on the way to Portland now....

So much vinyl to peel..... Luckily someone on IG suggested Rapid Remover. It makes getting the glue off 1000% easier.

Starting.

The grey is the glue left behind. I was scrubbing with acetone....

Headed out for the weekend.

One side done. 

Drivers side done. Just about 2 hours with the Rapid remover. 

And the cabover section is a pain in the ass.

Blue is gone! 

Then I got carried away.... I had the cutout from the door still. I tried peeling the vinyl off the cutout to reapply to the door. 

Should be easy right? Cut strips. Peel

Does not come off nicely.... But a heat gun takes most of the stretches out....

Re-applied. Some definite wrinkles. But stick ok ish?

So I got to work, in the dark. Did two pieces, not sure I can get the big bottom one nicely, would have to be three pieces I think. And my god going around the bottom of the window was a huge pain! Modeled rounded bits, to flat panels, with old vinyl.... There are some wrinkles....

Woah dude that looks pretty good from this distance!

In reply to Petrolburner :

Yep, just stand back there in the dark :D

Its not terrible, but its wrinkled and ripped. I think new vinyl would have been much easier.... Debating doing the lower gray parts or not.