Trash or Treasure? What Survived My Toughest Road Trip Yet!
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- Опубликовано: 30 сен 2024
- From July to October 2020 I drove my little Outback eggshell camper over 5,000 miles to the Arctic Circle and back to test out how the trailer, Jeep Liberty and my modifications would hold up under rough conditions. Here are the results.
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/ @slimpotatohead
Website: www.slimpotatohead.com
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How I get around:
Trailer: 2008 Outback by Trillium
Tow Vehicle: 2010 Jeep Liberty, 6 cyl 3.7L gas engine, 4WD, over 180,000 km
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After so many people repeating the same comment, here's the answer: I will not put the rear camera inside the window, as the window gets just as dirty as the camera does. Thanks! SP
Installing a wiper would be drilling holes, adding a switch, adding electrical, adding a water reservoir, etc would just make things far more complicated instead of easier . I prefer the KISS rule. Thanks! SP
Por15 is a great product used for the undersides of fleet vehicles that would be perfect for the Tongue of the trailer. I’ve seen it heated up till it was glowing red hot then hammered on and when it cooled you couldn’t even tell anything had happened!
yeah inside won't work
Get some a/t Continental tires they are great or some a/t yokohama they are also very great
Very warm temperatures are coming back! 17C for nov 1st
Who would give a thumbs down for slim. Some people must just be miserable. I enjoy the videos thanks.
Now we know what the Grinch does before the holidays!
Even so, RUclips doesn't seem to have as many idiots as Twitter.
Iknow right i always lear n something from him
My mom did. Slim's not her type
the grinches of the world … :P
Hey Slim great to see you back, but your front is much better. Hahahahaha. You make camping more real. Coming up with problems and solving them for us. Everything is realistic with you not this beautiful girls having a wonderful time on the road. You are down to earth and we learn so much more. Stay warm. Cheers!!!
All Slim needs is a rivet gun, and he can fix anything. :D
Shower shoes....then you dont have to heat up the trailer before your shower. Thanks for the videos SP !
Home or away, I wear my shower shoes. No slip, no cold for my little tootsies.
You beat me to it. I was going to suggest the same thing. For the price of a pair of dollar store shower sandals, your cold tootsies are a thing of the past. Also can perform double duty as a quick set of footwear for tooling around camp or those late night bathroom runs. 👍
@The Orange Man Always Wins I've always found flip flops extremely slippery when wet. The bottoms arnt slippery but my feet sure find them slippery as heck.
Also shower shoes are great when you are at a public campground and want to use their shower.
Crocs are great shower shoes.
I enjoy watching Slim improve his camper in ways I would never think of doing. All are excellent ideas, although some take more tweaking than others. All are fascinating. Imagine traveling 5,000 miles with only one major failure: the rear-view camera. That took some careful planning and execution. Job well done, Slim!
I highly recommend Bf Goodrich All Terrains K02 tires. I have had 2 complete sets over the past few years and they are GREAT all season tires. 3-Peak snow tire rating, quiet on the highway, long tread life, great puncture resistance, good traction in the rain, and great off road traction.
love your vids , find them so relaxing and entertaining unlike a lot of van / camper youtubers. hi from the u.k. take care in these mad times buddy
Since I've been watching you in this trailer i have noticed that type here in southern Virginia. What had thrown me off is they all have AC units mounted on top. They seem to be popular here also. Have you considered a small (3kw) diesel heater, it is dry heat so would help with moisture indoors. Safe travels.
That's what I got for my little trailer
Bf Goodrich All Terrains K02s , great for on , off, snow , mud . Good tread life and not too loud when driving , also a winter rated tire . Worked great for my veh in B.C Vancouver winter snow and ice . Those 2 days were terrible 😉👍
P.s they perform excellent when stopping in rain .
I was going to say the same
Those two days lol
I had those on my Grand Cherokee and was pleasantly surprised with their well rounded ness (pun intended) for such an aggressive looking tire. Excellent on muddy logging roads, excellent in snow, surprisingly good and predictable on ice (never left me feeling anxious), and pretty composed at rather high speed on highway. I only noticed a little more noise and a SLIGHT squirm under really heavy braking compared to the tame Goodyear Forteras that came with it. I would definitely buy them again.
I'm also in Vancouver, and I agree; those 2 days sucked! lol
Geez! I'm at that point when I see a new Slim video, I immediately click the thumbs up even before I view it. Guess that means I'm addicted. Thanks and keep 'em coming.
Just, need, one, more video ✌😅
@@westsurfer87 Just one?? ;-)
I'm with ya Tom. Always. Love that darn Slim & his adventures!!
I always enjoy Slim Potatoe Head videos
Same here, I know I'll end up 👍anyway.
Hi Slim. A few improvements for you.
1 I was going to suggest the damp bags but you beet me to it. However old socks filled with rice works quite well.
2 use cling film, or sandwich type plastic wrap around your awning supports to keep muck and dirt off while on the road.
3 use an underbody sealant paint on the tongue, it's a tough rubbery paint.
4 I use a dash came from "peztio" that I got on amazon for my van. It records both front and rear camera constantly and displays both simultaneously.
5 use a ceramic coat polish on the trailer to prevent dirt from sticking.
Keep up the good work, happy travelling.
For your cold feet, maybe wear crocks or flip flops.
I'm glad that I found your channel. You are one cool dude who is seriously living your best life. Thanks for taking us along.
Slim, regarding the rust on the trailer frame. Since you have to sand it down anyway to repaint it, consider using some sort of bedliner compound on it. You might be able to get it done at a Line-X or other commercial shop, or you can get cans of the stuff and apply it yourself. It seems like it should be tougher than paint, and last longer.
Keep on camping....
I was gonna say that to
Haha thats what i suggested too
I know someone that has to go to work on those rough roads daily and the bedliner was really good.
On Canada's heavily salted roads, bed-liner will probably last about 5-years max, and he will have to have it redone, but yes, it should work. But I also like the idea of him switching to an aluminum frame. Please consider that eggshell camper weighs next to nothing, so does Slim as a point of fact. And even with the camper loaded with some stuff, he's still not at a weight where he truly needs the weight capacities of a steel frame. Aluminum should do fine.
Good idea.
Thanks for the update.. why don't you build a big garage and heat it so you can work on your trailer and other things.. it would add value to a property..or you could buy a large tent and one of those kerosene big jet looking heaters and heat it that way..or you could come down to my place in south Louisiana and use my shop and do what is needed to be done.. hello from south Louisiana 🤔😂🤗🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🍺🍻👍👌🤔😂🤗
Those mud flaps might reduce MPG because it's like driving with sails on top of the car.
That new rear camera sadly looks like it will not last any longer, had one of them in back garden, it's dead after less than a year.
Hey Slim! Thanks for another great video. You are in many ways a pioneer in camping and equipment. If you break the code with the humidity problem, I'm sure you'll get a camper or a forest named after you. Some in Norway camp all year round and struggle with humidity. We sit and wait in excitement.
I'm presently in the southwest of Arizona where it's nice and warm. I feel for you Canadians this year. So many of you guys are usually down here at this time. I hope you manage to escape the cold to some degree up there over then next few months.
I often enjoy your vids. Well put together, informative at times, and usually soothing with the scenery you showcase so well.
Try LINE X bed liner spray for the frame. Just the areas you showed. It’s super durable and the can pretty much apply it anywhere
That's a great idea! I have a few things that might benefit from that actually.
It will help however I use it on my teardrop and it still gets chipped those rocks must have some force.
@@PWlangford1 Is it LINE X brand?
@@Arculus192 no i don’t think it is. Do they sell it in a spray can ?
@@PWlangford1 Possibly, but every time I've had it applied it's been done professionally, in a spray booth.
I always hit the thumbs up before the video starts, because I know that I am going to love it.
Good one!
I hope there's no damage on the awning, you're right - that's a pretty nice luxury. I'm curious about how you'll road-proof the trailer & tanks. The factory holder is too small for you.
I don't expect that you'll return to the arctic via trailer, it looks like a set of tires every time - yikes!
How about installing the rear view camera on the inside of your rig?
Anyway, thank you. I look forward to your updates!
I was about to suggest that - perhaps coupled with an outside window wiper (and washer) - but that might become too complicated.
I stumbled onto your chanel looking up information on A frame style trailers.
I must say, great stuff. I did a binge watch on some of your older stuff.
And now I am subscribed to watch the new stuff.
Just a quick comment to thank you slim for the fantastic vlogs. I've travelled occasionally in the American West and your sweet, insightful and personal videos take me back. Kerp travelling and keep posting.
It just occurred to me that Slim's camper looks like a Tater Tot™ on wheels!
It's a miracle!
😂🤣🙃🤣😂😎
Finally a name for the new trailer, Slim Potatohead's Tater Tote™.
😂😂😂
LOL! YEP!
LOL
Are you going to put your wood stove set up in the scamp? If so would you be willing to video your construction of it?
It'a NOT a Scamp. It's a Trillium. Two different animals!
The rubber bathmats sold for the bath tub to stop you slipping also act as cold barriers. Some made by Rubbermaid and other cheaper companies, but they help. If you've had a metal tub as we did for many years until we did a reno and put in an acrylic tub, you'll know that the mats designed to avoid slipping also work as insulation. 😊
And like clockwork my main man slim. Great vid. And im sure slim that with your ingenuity that anything you tiuch can be gold. And you my friend is the real treasure. Long as youre safe thats all that matters.
Спасибо за информацию о трейлере и джипе, давно подписан классные нововведения и борьба с грязью актуальна, как и Ваш душ👍🏼👍🏻👍🏼👍🏾👍🏿✌️👌🗽🚙😄😀🤔🤫🤝🤝🤝
Hi! Re rust,from Ontario. Cleaned my trailer frame,used ctc rust converter..used acid to make iron phosphate. Then used two coats of ctc spray liner,undercoat. Easy to do worked well. Converter is key.
Hello Slim, weather wise you are in good company ,we been having the same weather here close to the Swiss alps in the town of Airolo. for the tires someone suggest BF goodrich , sure excellent tires, a little expansive , so after a search for my Pick up bought Radar Tires ,this brand it is sell in North America as well , similar design to BF Goodrich , the price its between the half
Look at Aerogel as an insulation ; RUclips videos on properties for heat and cold and not expensive. There are companies that sell it specifically for insulation listing the R ratings etc.
This trip required you to be a road warrior but you were up to the challenges. We learned a number of good things from your efforts. Thanks for sharing it was a good learning experience. Rugged country you were in on this trip, to say the least, but beautiful. My wife & I just purchased our first 23’ L (inc. tongue) travel trailer at age 68. We love it as you do. My wife is Canadian (from Quebec) and I’m an American. For our 40th wedding anniversary we did an Alaskan inner passage and got to see some of BC. When the kids were young we did a road trip thru NB, NS and PEI. We’d love to do some of the central & western provinces after the pandemic is over so have been watching your blog for some ideas. We prefer boondocking, too. Stay safe, Slim. Thanks, E2A
Great video, as always! I really benefit a lot from your videos, especially your reviews & also your lessons learned. I just wanted to mention to you, one consideration you may want to think about is that fabricated aluminum is much more susceptible to structural fatigue, especially in the welds & mechanical connections. While it is much lighter in weight & more corrosion resistant than steel, the reduction in fatigue strength & durability may offset that advantage, especially if your trailer will be subjected to vibration through rough roads, etc. Painting the underside of the trailer frame is definitely no fun, but good maintenance always pays off!
"There was no fall it went from summer to winter"
Ain't that the truth lol
A suggestion, when replacing the trailer tyres rather use commercial truck tyres of the same size and not trailer tyres. Truck tyres have thicker side walls than trailer tyres.
I so much adore that you once more shared the really amusing clip of the violently jostling trailer. I had to rewatch that segment an embarrassing number of times, giggling like a fool each time. Thanks for that. :)
I always like when you give a review on the trailer and Jeep after a long trip to let us know you thoughts wear and tare
Y not mount ur mud flaps/stone guards on th “A” frame of the camper? Check the way some off road campers in Australia r set up. Sum rough tracks ova here as well. Always good to c ur vids, always enjoy them, keep it up. All terrain tires for ur Jeep, light truck tires for ur camper. Personally I always go for 6 to 8 ply to allow for airing down where necessary, on both tow vehicle and camper
I had bought a 2008 Liberty for my son for his first car. We did a car fax thing on it and I think it was a rental up in Chicago. Unfortunately it didn’t work out for us like yours has. I think I replaced about every bolt on part it had. Lol. But out of all our 4x4’s I always thought it would be the best in the snow etc.
Good luck on your travels and looking forward to the new ones!
Thanks slim.....great info!!! Keep Exploring!! 👍🏾✌🏾
I have watched a lot of RUclips videos that talk about Bfgoodrich ko2 Tires. And I don't believe I found anything that was negative so check them out yourself I think you'll find the same results. This guy sure loves his VANCITY VANLIFE He's a Canadian and he loves the back country also.
Hey Slim.
Love your videos.
If you win the lottery, get yourself over here to Australia and spend a year touring around our beautiful nation.
You'd love it here man
I don't need to win a lottery, just got to make sure my camper floats. I'd love to camp Australia! SP
Thanks for the updated❗️ Keep warm. Are you headed to BC for the winter after you make modifications?
I upgraded my trailer's 14" wheels to 15" wheels and Carlisle Trail HD Load Range E tires in 225/75R15. I also upgraded my trailer brakes to a disc brake set up. All overkill for your set up, but the peace mind with the tough tires on the trailer is immense.
If your RV weighs 5,000 to 20,000 pounds, disks breaks are not overkill however. Better living when you can actually stop and like you know, NOT die. :P
Superb quality of parts where you in blue jacket. Is it recorded with new cam?
It is always cool to see your modifications. Clever solutions, creative comfort enhancements & pretty places.
Speaking of the grilled cheese video, I did try it with mustard and mayo and it was good like you said.
I'm so glad the new-to-you camper worked out for you! I look forward to seeing your newest improvements!
Its been a great series Slim, thanks. Don't forget to buy a new spare wheel, one that fits!
Downunda - Class C owner Melbourne Australia.
A really interesting series; entirely different from the mainstream. I know you did some supension mods, but do not recall exactly what. You might consider switching to Mor-ride which gives you independent suspension. Shock on the trailer could help the bouncing, and also tire pressure. I your tire load is for example 900 lbs and your tires can handle 1800 lbs, there is no need to run the tires at maximum pressure. Check with the tire manufacturer for pressures that will exceed the loaded tire weight by10 or 15% but are less than fulll pressure. It will soften the ride of the trailer, probably not decrease fuel mileage noticably and should be a cheap improvement on trailer bounce. Your poor mileage as you know is from runing in lower gears on lousy roas, the aerodynamics of a brick and some air resistance from the trailer. Unfortunately, not much can be done without possibly some engine modifications such beather breathing intake and exhaust systems. Banks engineering is the leader in this for light trucks, but probably not for a Jeep Liberty. You might have to live with it.
Nothing beats molded fiberglass. I guess some sort of carbon composite would be stronger, but you'd need a second mortgage.
Thanks for sharing, A friend of mine replaced her Scamp trailer frame with a boat aluminium frame.
Goodyear "Endurance" tires for your trailer. Love them on ours.
Great video!
Recommend rubber “Shower Foot Massager Scrubber” pad for your shower to help keep your feet warmer... 👍🏽
I like the little egg camper.
so maybe an aluminum shield on the bottom of the trailer, to help protect the fiberglass? I liked the egg shell storage for the tank and batteries. I did laugh at the pictures of all the mud everywhere. most of that was from cars and trucks traveling in the opposite direction and the ones in front of you. What kind of paint will you use on the trailer? I could not believe how muddy the road was you were traveling on. I do think you need a dog though. :)
Spotted the upgraded wheels and tyres. Looking forward to your improvements/experiments in future vlogs. Regards from U.K. AJ
Since you venture off the pavement frequently, i highly recommend BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A K02 tires. They're tough, have the three peak mountain snowflake rating for cold weather, 50K mileage treadwear warranty.
Yes, I have them on my Class B RV and made a huge difference.
My big concern about the KO2s is their performance in Mud. Just looking at the shoulder treads, they don't appear to me to be able to clean out very well. Or are appearances deceiving? I am currently running Goodyear Wrangler DuraTracs on my pickup and am very pleased with their all-around performance but I am open to the KO2s, especially since they are available from Costco. However, there are valid reasons why you see DuraTracs on a lot of oil field pickups,. I honestly can't say I've ever seen KO2s in oil field service.
@@cletusvandamme6262 It's better than what he's got on there right now
Wait~ what? There's a space between fall and winter, you say? 🤣🤣🤣
Yes. It was typically called Indian Summer, however that may have changed. Are you in a warmer climate? SP
LOL on the colonoscopy 🤤 comment!! Enjoyed the whole trip and this review. Thank you! 😉👍🇨🇦👌🌲
Hi Slim, get the frame sand blasted, primed and then sprayed with a good bed liner. This will solve your rust and chipping problem.
I really like your blue flannel
Slim, been watching your videos for a.long time now. Love seeing some of your "experiments" (wood heater is my favorite so far), My wife and I full-timed for years, so I thought I'd offer a little advice on one thing--your awning. IF you know you are going to be somewhere for a couple of days and the weather is going to be nice or atleast not blowing a gale you can make your camper feel MUCH larger. Look at the bottom of the mounts on the side of the trailer. There should be a quick latch that will allow you to actually detach the bottom of the leg from the bracket. The bottom of the leg is fact a footpad! I recommend you get a couple of steel screw in ground anchors used for tethering dogs outside. and a couple lengths of rope (~20' each). Extend your awning as far out as possible in your normal fashion. Lock the extension braces (the ones that go from the top of the trailer out to the spool to hold it out). Then unlatch one leg at a time from the side of the trailer and walk it out until its vertical under the spool at the end of the awning. Repeat with other end. Screw ground anchors in just inside the feet at the bottoms of the legs. Tie a loop around each end of the "spool".with your rope. There should be a release handle on the side of the leg, pull that, stand on the foot and telescope the leg to the height you want then secure rope to ground anchor. This probably sounds WAY more complicated than it is and after you've done it once it literally only takes a couple of minutes to set-up/takedown this arrangement. If there is a breeze you can lower the end leading into the wind to help eliminate buffeting and they make clamps to go around the braces and fasten to the awning called "Flapper-Stoppers". Guess what they do! Keep on Keeping on!
PS Though a little more expensive I cannot recommend GoodYear DuraTracs strongly enough especially for an all-terrain tow rig. Do your own research about their wet/sloppy, icy, snowy traction and I'll say I got over 65000 miles out of a set on ly diesel Ford Excursion and it made many trips towing a 14' enclosed work trailer, 26' inboard cabin boat, 20' inboard boat etc. Those tires wore like iron yet had excellent road manners, very little road noise (quiet with windows up), and amazed me on snow. Being from the south I didn't know you could get traction on snow with anything short of a snowmobile!
That is exactly how my awning on my house works, we have one straight down and one angled on the house.
Love Cherokees and all the other Jeeps! Tough long lasting vehicles! My favorite Jeep was our 1996 Grand Cherokee! We bought it used with 51, 000 miles. We sold it way too soon! 👍🇺🇸🤠🙏✝️
I very much appreciate your wisdom and knowledge. Look forward to seeing more. You inspire the imagination and broden the horizon! Happy Camping!
just put the rear camera at the top position, you will get better view, and it is away from mud.
May be a teak grate in floor of shower?
One of two best friend's Lovely Bride purchased a Liberty new and put well over 300,000 miles on it (she was a traveling nurse). Her Liberty was the twin to yours, and was only replaced in late 2018 with a new Jeep Grand Cherokee, loaded, with ALL the bells and whistles, 4X4, factory tow package, and 5.7L V-8, because they needed to tow HEAVY loads back to their native North Carolina from Kentucky....What was he driving/towing with?....A 2013 RAM 1500, 4X4 with the 5.7L engine (and twice wrecked, neither not my friend's or the the truck's fault by the way).....That truck has also been replaced by a late 2019 RAM 1500, diesel, Quad Cab. At NO time did the Liberty or the original RAM fail to get my friends home regardless of damage or high mileage....But then neither has the 2014 RAM, 5.7L, 4X4 Quad Cab MY Lovely Bride purchased new in November of 2013!
RE: Damp rid. I have never used the hanging type, but have used the old school container version for years, and it had to be emptied almost daily. Worked like a charm. Haven't used that new type
Worked great for you...:-) I drove through Wyoming and almost got pushed off a mountain by a tractor trailer... but, only ended up losing three vent covers...:-( I'm traveling on back roads from now on, the heck with those truck routes! Happy and safe traveling...:-) Oh, I drive a 2018 Freelander Micro.
Take a look at goodyear endurance for your trailer tires. Good trailer tire.
I recommend Falken Wildpeak All terrain tires . GREAT in ALL seasons. I've had BFGs Toyos Goodyear's dick cepeks Mickey Thompsons. Quieter than all others, load rated 10 ply sidewalls not too soft a compound but grippy enough for mid level off roading. I got 60K miles on my last set. I travel 50 miles on highway and weekend wheeling and off grid camping. Just a suggestion from a guy that's spent the money and being disappointed.
Slim, I know you’re probably already working on your wood/pellet stove version 2.0... but look up “DIY 110V Electric Digital Temperature Controller Wood Pellet Smoker Grill Part” on eBay and see if you could work this into your setup. For under $200 US you could probably get all the parts/setup you need to add a pellet feeder/thermostat to your stove and make it incredibly efficient as well (probably easily converted to 12v too). A “Dektite Premium Red Silicone Metal Roof Pipe Flashing, High Temp” would give you the means to pipe it outside. Anyone else have any other ideas?
Hi Slim. THANKS for the informative video's! Looking at a pull behind winter camper. Between that A-liner and this Out Back. What do you suggest for pulling through snow storms with a Tacoma. I chase powder days to ski and looking for an easy-ish pull behind for drivability, set-up, cold hearty, etc... . Going with a trailer or a slide-in but trailers are more versatile. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Slim, Just watching your video today (11/3/20). Drove the Dempster & Dawson highways last fall pulling a small trailer, like yours. Took it all the way north to Prudhoe Bay. Had extensive rock damage to the front of my trailer, including rock penetration of the trailer's fiberglass shell. Installing your mud/rock guards would have protected my trailer. Next time I'll be smarter. Like you, I have a love for being outdoors and a "wanderlust". Thanks for this and all of your videos - past and future.
I've been away for a while. Nice to come back to see you Slim. Missed the videos. Catching up on this classic " on the couch Sunday." Can't wait to see what's coming. So, Slim... Can you spray a Rhino Liner type spray on the front bottom Half of the egg to protect it from rocks and mud? Take care.. From Sunny High Desert SoCal.
Timely! Just did 2 weeks and then 4 weeks in my new-to-me used Scamp and have similar things I want to improve upon. Esp. INSULATION. Can't wait to see what you have come up with! BTW, also had an Aliner years ago. Thanks Slim!
Slim, great video. Drove 16k miles last year FL to Deadhorse AK and back pulling a Teardrop with a Jeep. Started with 50k on the Jeep and new tires on the trailer. Jeep tires lasted until Fairbanks. Had to replace and went with Cooper All Terrain. Bit expensive but so worth it in my view. Trailer tires are still good but we will replace them in Mar next year before our six week trip to Yellowstone. As for cameras, we added a Furrion 4.5” and it didn’t work. Monitor just wasn’t large enough so we upgraded to the 7” and it’s great. Reliable and rugged. May I suggest you consider purchasing a TPMS for your trailer. Could save you down the road from a major failure on the road. Stay safe
aluminum frame on rough roads is a BAD idea... aluminum is harder to repair, and will stress crack (work harden) and break.. lighter sure.. but not more durable.. you'd be better off either taking a flap wheel to the frame, weld on some fish plates, and see about making a guard of some sort, or a beauty strip (aluminum diamond plate??).. this would re-inforcer that frame joint, as well as protect the frame.. I highly recommend an undercoating such as POR-15, or even Raptor liner/Line-X. that stuff takes a beating, and will bouce rocks, and wash clean easily.
I've been looking into a diesel heater, dry hot air will also stop the moisture build up in your rig... just my 2 cents worth, you can find them on Ebay or Amazon... there are the cheap Chinese types for under $150 US Or the esper or website types, basically the same thing just one costs almost $1300 dollars US... but shop wisely some come with everything you need, some don't... good luck...
If you are thinking of upgrading your batteries...I've replaced my lead-acid with Battleborn 100ah lithium and they are amazing!
You got a great price on the Liberty. Where I am (mid-Atlantic area of US), the used car dealers seem to think the price for a 2010 Liberty with 100k+ miles on the odometer starts around $9000. Insanity.
$6000 US for that Jeep? Damn, I paid exactly the same for a 10 year old Volkswagen Fox in Argentina. Need to move to Canada ASAP.
Rust wise, I highly recommend Fluid Film, a 6 pack should cover the Jeep and the frame of your camper. Spray it directly over the rust, a couple of times a year. Also a very good lubricant. Stops the rust in its tracks and protects against salt. Rural King and Amazon. Highly recommend it.
Perhaps a seed tray warmer for the shower bottom. I think some of those are waterproof.
New PV panels can produce up to 800 watts in the same size footprint as your existing unit. Mounting hardware would be reusable, just a panel swap. Wonder what the durability of the aluminium frame vs the steel would be? Perhaps a truck liner overcoat to provide sealing & rubber armour vs rocks? Diamond plate covered plywood box to protect the lp tanks could provide protection.
Keep Well & Warm. Happy Halloween.
Hey Slim, have a look at Duratrac tires. They have the all weather rating and they wear well on gravel. We ran them on all the trucks north of Fort Mac and they are very good winter tires. We run them on our 2017 Ram 3500 4x4 and on our Timber Ridge 24 RKS.
What a tough little trailer! Slim, have you checked out Elsa and Barron in their 13ft Casita? They have a Cubicmini Woodstove. Wood heat doesn’t cause condensation. It might be a solution for you.
its so funny,,i am your age...i love your videoes...and so i decided to do the same..I live in denmark however live is different here..,.your camper cost aprox 10.000 us dollars....an absolute luxury item for the very rich...try to wrap your head around that...i will attempt to do what you do and make some videoes about it...adapted to european life...absolutely great videoes....wow,,,a big fan here,,I have shared your channel with my friends...
I use to only buy BFGs. Awesome tires but very expensive. Last year I tried the kenda klever RT. Awesome tire. Half the price. Ride great and offer lots of rugged tread. Just thought it might be a tire you could consider. I absolutely love watching your videos. They inspire me to get out and enjoy the world around me. I always look forward to your videos. Stay safe and have a blessed day
I know this video is several years old. 2 Suggestions - Consumer Reports rates tires and can help in your tire selection. And how about mounting that rear view camera inside the rear trailer window?
Hey Slim, I just bought a set of Pirelli tires for my F150 for about US$670. They look like good tires, you might want to check them out.
For tires chrck out BFGoodrich All terrain K02 have a great compound, awesome traction and if you rotate them every oil change youll get 60K miles out of them
Look for 10 ply
G.O.A.L. get out and look. This is what trucking companies safety tells drivers.
I’ll try to keep it down to two comments! Our all terrain tires are great but they also seem to be wearing out prematurely and leaving rubber marks on our driveway (Nitto ridge grappler). Still I can’t imagine downgrading those. Also, when we switched from the Aliner to our old class B, I wish I could explain it but it seems like the house battery charges a lot faster from the vehicle alternator than the Aliner battery ever did on the 7 pin connector. Not sure if this capability is possible with a trailer? We have a parallax temperature compensating converter now. Or maybe it’s the type of AGM batteries which are Northstar? Anyway, driving across the US now and never once have needed the solar yet (no long stays in the rain though...mostly on the move)
Peace… Shalom… Salam... Namaste and Thank You so much for All that you are doing to Help our Mother Earth 🙏🏻 😊 🌈 ✌ 🌷 ❤
You might try "Por 15" for corrosion protection. It provides an epoxy-like finish that is fairly durable. I have it on the subframe connectors of my 01 Mustang.
I think you should stick with the steel frame. While you have some minor corrosion of the steel frame, there looks to be any significant degradation of the steel itself. When steel corrodes it mostly retain its strength. but that little bit of pitting is nothing. Also, when steel starts to fail, it will begin to bend, but will still give you strength until it goes plastic and fails permanently. Welds will mostly act the same way (bend, or stretch before failure).
Aluminum is different. That frame is probably 6061-T6. I also assume it has some kind of coating on it. When the coating gets a knick, you may end up having corrosion be accelerated at that point. Also, when aluminum begins to corrode it loses it strength quicker because it flakes off layers. Also, assuming that they will still use steel hardware, you will now also have corrosion caused by dissimilar metals. Corrosion at blemishes in the coating will be accelerated if near a steel fastener. Lastly, when aluminum fails, it usually cracks or breaks, especially welds. They won't stretch, they will just fail. And, aluminum welds don't hold up as well with vibration.
Seeing where you're running, I really think the steel frame is the way to go. The weight savings will likely be relatively small. But I would bet the steel will be sturdier and last you longer. If you're worried about the rocks removing the coating, bring a rattle can and repaint when dry. Or get it covered with a thicker paint or Line-X coating. Just my 2¢.
Gotta say our family loved your Northwest tour this year. It became our Tuesday dinner ritual to watch your weekly update as a family. Can't wait to see your "drydock updates." Regarding the trailer, have you considered having it sprayed with a bedliner like LineX? Just as a final thought, if I was the maker of your camper, I'd do a custom build to your spec and say "Here, use the heck out of it. All we ask is that you give an honest input, warts and all." Having your honest assessment is advertising no company can buy.
I put an inexpensive plastic cover over my two propane tanks on my A-frame. Work great to protect them. Easy to find on Amazon. What about mounting a camera on the inside of the camper to look thru the window. Add a wind deflector to help keep the window clear. I'm looking at putting 14 inch General off road tires on my camper for better traction and more durability on sharp rocks. Otherwise really liking your out back. Can see some real advantages over the A-frame.
Slim don't worry what's behind you worry what's in front of you. I driven over 40 years driving big truck. Use your side mirrors you will make it Home. Good luck