bajadulce

Ditto

? never saw any of this. Also in case you missed this in other forum category: So it's possible there have been some recent changes to the software.Greg gave me permission to the forum's admin panel last year, but rarely visit that nor mess w/ the board's features/settings themselves unless there is something definitely wrong or board is not working properly, but I don't see any immediate problems? Recently there was some guest posting permissions associated w/ the new "Opps and MIshaps" category that WME brought up and needed attending to as well as this annoying "guest report" bug that was attributed to a plugin associated w/ gallery images. Other than that, added Derek, waiter, and LindaS as moderators. Figured those 3 uniquely different users would make for a good check and balance. They have been doing a great job btw. Anywho... hopefully all is well and will check back occasionally.

Links deleted. And the 3 forum moderators (Derek, John, and Linda) added to this new category to help combat any future spam as well. Thnx for the heads up by Terry and the work you moderators have been doing to eliminate the spam.Looks like this was a new forum category Greg added when he updated the software. The permissions for guests were enabled for them to reply to topics.

Agree w/ Jeff, just cruise and chill out. The law says you're allowed to drive 50-55 on I-5. It does have 2 lanes for a reason. My little rig can go faster, but prefer to stay in the 50-60 mph range even if prob pisses everyone off. Wish I could take my doors off and cruise at 35 sometimes! There are back roads to get thru our state where 45-55 is comfortable, but not as direct as I-5 to be sure. @5,500 miles in ~1 week? Seems like a lot of miles to be traveling in such a short time.

I have a 16' (Not 18' and certainly not 21') Sunrader, modified with all the intentions to keep as light as possible. It has a Tundra axle (T100 same thing) and single 15" wheels. Even this setup I feel is somewhat pushing the envelope and am contemplating eventually putting 16" tires (my vehicle came stock with 16" next year/same body) on a full floating Landcruiser axle OR possibly just getting a beefier truck (Yes, that would be the 4th truck for this rig). Almost every motorhome is overloaded. It's in our nature to load up our rigs. And so a 21' motorhome is going to get overloaded. Putting something this big on a single 15" wheel w/ a non-floating axle doesn't seem like a prudent move.

So there are lids for RV stoves? Good idea. The lid should flip up and then fold out (double hinged) like a book to protect both the side wall and back wall.

Sue: Headliner looks great. Nice improvement. Lightbar is a nice addition too. Your kid for hire? @installing a bar in the curved section above the rear window (Sunrader): Are you talking about the vertical transition from the main roof to the smaller roof ledge at the back? Anything would definitely help that's for sure, but that location seems a bit high for a brake light and somewhat recessed from the rear of the rig? Someone tailgating you might not even see it up there. And you'll have to drill some holes = yuck!. What about mounting that light bar inside the window? That might be a much better elevation and more in your face. No holes required either. Most cars have their 3rd brakelight inside the glass as well. Just an idea. Are you insulating that area btw? I had massive amounts of condensation in those 2 transitional areas. Unlike the walls, insulating these areas was a bit more challenging as the FRP paneling had to be secured to something. I think sunraders have some foam/cloth glued to these areas? Dunno haven't been in any. This would definitely be easier.

I never had any luck w/ automatics esp on hills. They eventually all had shifting problems and didn't like not being in control of my rpms/shifting. That being said, an automatic is probably easier to "creep" and pick your way on really rough roads if you don't have the low granny gearing such as the typical 4x4 has. Never felt the need for a generator. I do have about 150W of solar (mounted flat for the majority of the time tho eventually they always end up tilted after a few days. Just make sure they are really well fastened down. I've seen many a solar panel blow off rigs in the wind tunnel that is baja. My previous setup was 2 Trojan 105 6v, and that seemed to be plenty of storage. Don't recall how many amp hours that equated to (maybe 100?). Now have a single 12v AGM battery, but have room for a second one (which prob will need). I run lights, listen to radio and occasionally fire up laptop (tho might force myself NOT to carry laptop next trip) There used to be a famous bumper sticker that read "Throw your TV away!" Probably the modern version of that is "Throw your laptop away!".Again, you should check out bajanomad forums if you haven't already. Really everything you could ever want to know about that part of the world from veteran travelers and ppl living on the penninsula. I never got into windsurfing. Fun stuff tho and wish I had! Those kite boards sure look like a blast. "Victory at sea!" pretty common down there that's for sure!

John, you got a lot of cars to choose from to put this on! I'm not too familiar w/ Scouts. How wide are they? One thing that always looked a little odd about Chinooks is the back single wheels seemed very tucked in the body. The body just looks a bit too wide for the truck. I've seen a Chinook mounted on a Tundra (Full size/width truck) and it looks a lot better to me at least. Probably a lot of toy motorhomes would fit better on full size trucks for that matter. Maybe scouts are wider than typical pickup as well? Since you're going to be putting this shell on a truck with an unmolested cab, you might look into modifying the shell a bit! Popups are great for the low profile, lightness, and overall handling, but canvas seems a bit limiting especially in bad weather. Always thought it would be fun to chop off the front overhead portion of the Chinook and build a hardsided popup! That portion of the Chinook doesn't really do much (beside potential leak at windows) and your new truck will have a cab with an intact roof. Here's probably the most recognized hardsided popup in the toyota world: ...which would be really slick if a Chinook shell was modified in a similar way! Being the car fabricator you are, you probably have all sorts of ideas, tricks, and mods for the drivetrain. What kind of carpenter, plumber, boat builder are you? Btw, that FJ75 pictured above was transplanted to a wider 80 series and the fenders flared. I don't think you can go too wide for the Chinook body. Unless you narrow the shell, it pretty much dictates the width of the overall rig.I went to the other site you linked to check some photos, but you have to be a member to see the pics. The downloads/attachments of that forum should be set so guests can view. I don't like having to register/login just to view some pictures. Maybe you can upload to a photosharing site like flickr etc? Gluck w/ your project and look forward to checking out your progress and ideas!

This is a good winter! There's a lot of great places to kyak on the gulf side that's for sure! Long extended kayak trips are quite common and I'm sure there are all sorts of outfitters running package deals and group adventures. And of course the Pacific has the whale breeding bays that can make having a kayak a real bonus. Surfing and Mexico can be a great combo that's for sure, but even those die-hards that bunker down for 2+ months down there, probably only spend a fraction of their time surfing as ideal conditions usually don't last past 10 a.m due to the wind. Tho to be fair, other places don't get started till after 10 a.m. because that trade wind is favorable for those facing SW, but that's not the norm. The majority of a "surfing" trip is not surfing tho and not the end-all. A name like Buzzy just sounds legendary! btw, I think bajanomad is one of the better forums for all things baja related if you're looking for info/conversation/sharing.

Fun read as always. Do you have a semi-permanent place to park or are you roaming around? Having a base camp would seem to be a big help as you could pile firewood and other gear. And will you be storing all your kayaks and bicycles for the winter? Are these rural areas you are staying now that the snow has started to drop? I picture that part of the world shutting down during the winter and transportation outside of the cities being pretty limited even w/ 4wd? Do you have a way to heat up your engine block/oil etc before starting it? I haven't spent much time in any kind of freezing environment and am somewhat fascinated by the things us moderate climate ppl take for granted! What did you end up doing w/ your windows? Covering them w/ reflective styrofoam insulation? Thick curtains? And obviously you can't completely close yourself up 100%... you'd die from affixiation. Most ppl have vents towards the roofs of their dwelling to let hot air out. Would having a vent low to the floor be helpful in this situation? Cold sinks etc. Too bad there's no way to capture some of that heat/fire from your stove and turn it into some electricity. .. carry on Tim!

Sounds like a good plan!

It was and started by the same person.Hey we all get forgetful.. topics merged.

So your rig has 2 doors (back and side)? That makes things nice. Does your rig also have a small area above the cab? Large enough for one of the kids to sleep maybe? Dedicating a table just for the kids is smart. Kids get a lot of use out of tables that's for sure. How much flex in those bed boards? Do you ever feel they might fall past the hangars on your benches or are they pretty sturdy? If not, you might be able to slide a milk crate under the bed w/ a 2x4 that makes for just the right height for some additional support. Looks like you got it all figured out tho and looks like a winner setup.

T: How many dogs ride in the "rocket"? I'm pretty sure Derek's got you beat there in terms of a full sled. And dog food can get pretty heavy if going on a long trip! D: Ya the "shattered" $2million statue was just my powder puff way of describing a lot of damage without dropping the gruesome F-word you guys are throwing around. (Fatality). L: Ya 100 #'s of clothes does sound ridiculous... that's the problem with guesstimating. Maybe 50#'s tops (wife and I.. something like 10-40 distribution of course). I do know that I'm guilty of bringing along way more stuff than I need. Sorta related since you guys have steered this topic towards accidents: I just noticed that my truck has a driver side airbag? Hope that thing never goes off on some washboard road or other bump?

Ah major accdent. I pictured just a small fender bender, the police take reports, everybody exchanges policy/drivers lic, and drive away. If some later date a lawyer wanted to inquire as to the rig's weight, it would be long gone from the scene. However, a total would be a different story. Now the vehicles are towed away and probably stored in some yard? I've never been in any accident so not sure what happens when cars become wrecks?

Ah so the shell comes off the camper. For some reason it looked like the shell's frame was permanently tied into the frame. That's smart. I really enjoy homebuilt campers and have a lot of respect for you. @building a 2nd shell: Well your 2nd go around will be alot easier to be sure. I like the overall shape, but it prob could use a little "styling". Maybe the overhead cab area could use some different lines as it is a tad boxy up there. All of this is just aesthetics. Tho more angles up front would prob cut through the wind a little easier? Have you seen the supercamper? Might get some ideas for an improved shell shape from their rig: Also, they only have 3 windows and that seems plenty.

That's a really nice table stand that looks real easy to assemble/disassemble. Spiffy lookin countertop w/ a much more practical cook top vs the previous setup w/ the bulky stove. Very nice. Those drawers look light too. You can always come up with more primitive means for baking if you absolutely have to bake something. Solar ovens and Dutch ovens can be fun. Do those cabinet doors shut tight? Just wondering, cause once those drawers get filled with things, they'll want to kick those doors open while in transit and get into trouble when you're not lookng. Something as simple as tying the 2 handles together might work well. I'm confused when you say the rear area is for sleeping? I'm not familiar w/ this layout, but does that mean the sleeping area is in front of the rear door? Agree, nice to have a bed that sets up quickly and easily. Nothing worse than having some Chinesse puzzle to setup when you're tired and just want to sleep. Fun stuff.

Always envisioned rigid solar panels making an ideal awning/window shade that flips up/down above your windows esp. for those w/ limited roof space. When traveling or for night use being flipped down they would cover the window providing some insulation and keep prying eyes out of camper (easy to clean too). Guess the best thing would be a flexible solar panel that was integrated into the awning canvas itself and thus could roll up. Kinda slightly off topic: I think there was a guy on the site that posted about a portable wind generator? Anyone have any experience w/ one? I once saw an old timer many years ago w/ a homebuilt contraption made out of an old bicycle wheel. No idea how much power it put out, but it sure was cool looking. Not all places have constant wind like they do sun, but some places are definitely windier than others (coast for instance)

Never been to this park, but have a good idea where it is. If you could get to the other side of the river, it wouldn't be that far of a walk. Maybe only 3/4 mile crow's flight. Maybe 2 miles walking if you go up Hwy9 and then cut through HCowells Park at the bridge. There must be buses that travel up Hwy9 too. Sounds like a fun time! We're having our annual Pajaro vs. Spring Hills Dorie Cup golf tournament this weekend down in Watsonville, othewise would stop in and say hi to Greg and the crew. Friday might be a good day to go for a walk in HCowells and stop by for a bit though.

@ altering the tags! Wouldn't be the first time I fudged some numbers when it came to registering/owning vehicles... (Did I just say that?) I was just letting out some steam at being so lazy and not checking the door tag when I bought this truck. I'm not really that frazzled by the fact that I prob won't fall into the "legal" limits now. It's the same truck regardless of these new findings. I made this rig 2' smaller to shed some weight + just make it be able to fit on the truck a little easier. And there's a lot of things that could have been done differently to be sure, but it seems to have worked out ok in the end. I just find it rather funny that I went to a "bigger truck" and got shafted 500 #'s less payload... Tho to be fair, I just assume my 94 v6 was a 6K GVWR. I'm now reading that toy 4x4's are typically 5.5K max, not 6K. There are plenty of mid 80's & 90's full size diesel trucks out there that could have easily been candidates for this shell with tons of payload, towing, and equivalent if not better gas mileage. Reliable as a toyota tho? And there's the catch. I've read that my truck is actually made by a subsidiary of Toyota called the Hino company. Which is kinda interesting.

This wasn't meant as some troll topic nor to incite a riot. I was just curious what some of the rigs out there weighed and if anyone was actually "legal"... for whatever that means. Good point. Agree, the lower CofG compared to other huge slide-in campers is definitely a big help.@weighing: Yes, I have weighed my own rig and it weighs 4,780 #'s with basic camping gear that never leaves the rig (i.e. dishware, silverware, pots & pans, stove, propane, blankets, etc). But I can only estimate how heavy it will be fully loaded. I'm sure to easily cram at least 1K+ worth of items into the rig for an extended vacation (150+ lbs of surfboards, 100 lbs of clothes, 300 lbs of groceries, 200 lbs drinking water, bikes, chairs, tarps, books, ... etc etc). So I will be way over the limit of 5.5K. I'm not stressed over this, but am bummed to find out that the 1.5K extra wiggle room I thought had was a mistake in the paperwork. Yes, I did remove a ton of stuff from my rig as well as 2ft of actual coach (my Sunrader is missing 2' of shell out of the center). But the missing mass is more than made up in the additional honeycomb joisted floor, interior fiberglass paneling, heavy lifting jacks, and the steel subframe/flatbed. @ worse case scenario: Sorry for beating around the bush. Guess this was a poor attempt at trying to be humorous. Prob why I never tell jokes. The underlying question was: What are the legal ramifications of being over loaded if any? And unless something looks out of place by the cop on the scene, undoubtely nothing would ever arise. Tho obviously these things have a reputation for being overloaded, and I'm sure insurance companies are aware of this as well? Nobody here is severly overloaded John is 1K overweight Stephen is 800#'s Bunneys is 100#'s for a weekend trip Bufbooth is 400#'s empty. And I think I read somewhere that a lot of Odyseys use 5.5K GVWRs? All of these numbers are harmless I would agree. I think I read that all 4x4's were 5.5K max? ^^ ThisYou (or some other company such as an RV builder) could beef up/modify your car's suspension/frame to your heart's content, but whatever is stamped on that tag in the door and how it came shipped from the manfctr. is the GVWR.

hey sorry missed your thread. That looks like a lot of fun! Are you using this primarily as a work truck? Just wondering why no windows? I could use some boxes for under my truck as well. fun stuff.

Wonder if anyone is driving close to that 10K mark. Guess it would take a lot to hit that lol. So the consensus seems to be that it doesn't really matter as long as the rig is in top shape and you drive accordingly. The limit? Take along whatever fits in the rig? Worse case scenario: A teenager texting cuts you off and your only way to avoid hitting the baby-toting-bicyclist is to verve off the road smack into the $2,000,000 dollar marble statue sitting in the mayor's manor front lawn. The teenager is long gone, nobody saw anything, the statue is reduced to marble pavers, and its determined to be your fault. The new claims adjuster/investigator working for your insurance company is out to make a name for himself. His wife left him to roam around the country w/ a guy in a toyota motorhome after all... Question: Can this situation get sticky because you are over your car's legal limit by 1,000 #'s? Or do things like this only apply to big rig commercial trucking?

John: So you're only 700 #'s overweight. And with your wife, that's another 120#'s (cause all women weigh that I've learned) So 1K overweight seems pretty manageable. You're also an engineer too right? Just asking, cause you seem to have a good grasp on the structural integrity of these motorhomes and offer a lot of sound advice. I'm not trying to justify being overweight, but I think those guys who claim sticking below the GVWR (and you know who you are) are blowing this thing totally out of proportion about being in the neighborhood of 1K overweight. So I guess then, when does it become an issue? 500#'s, 1K? 1 ton? Edit: Linda posting same time I was> Thnx for links. I'll have to check the factory links/details for the real GVWR. Guess I shouldn't trust general google 95 Toy Truck specs. (Says I have a 24 gallon tank too!.. which maybe I do?). Ya funny that a 4x2 would have a higher GVWR than a 4x4 truck w/ same axle, brakes etc. Maybe something else going on. I do have firestone airbags installed btw and am looking to update the leaf pack next spring as well as possibly upgrade to 16" rims/tires.