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Posted: 9/18/2016 7:56:57 PM EDT
Just scored me a free camper. A 1999 Dutchmen (Thor?) Aero Cub 16. Basically a 16 foot camper, with pop-up type beds the fold out of either end.
Now don't get me wrong, I have no visions of a "Bug Out Camper". I have no interest or need to be doing any bugging. On the other hand, I do have survivalist tendencies, and most of my stuff is based in a "Red Dawn Reality" I like durability, simplicity, low-cost, and usefulness and sorta self-suffiency. I thought I'd like to be involved in a conversation about a camper a survivalist might have. The camper needs some minor fixes, and some updates, but is otherwise everything functions and is in really good shape. The couple that owned it hadn't used it much at all, and It has just sat in the yard since the kids left home. They noticed it aging and needing a little love. They didn't really have interest enough anymore in investing time and money, so were asking among friends as "free camper to a good home" The idea that would be right for me, is a camper capable of spending 2 weeks in isolation I can tell you right off, I'll be adding a generator invertor small solar system and the biggest battery bank i can afford. Increasing the capacity of the propane and water storage The water system will be updated with a filter/pump capable of getting water from a lake or river. Probably a Sawyer filter and some form of charcoal. Though the charcoal ain't real important yet. I'll be looking for a more efficient form of heat over the LP furnace Maybe a small suspension lift, and a wider stance with the new wheels/tires. Any other suggestions? If you had this camper, what might you do with it? |
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Posted: 9/18/2016 8:42:29 PM EDT
[#1]
use it for hunting and camping trips..
survival type shhhenariiio- dress it up, paint it, setup a "bug out" location. Deep in the woods Extra propane tank with plenty food/water/fuel buried on site. Don't forget clothes, guns, ammo. |
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Posted: 9/18/2016 8:47:33 PM EDT
[#2]
Looks real good at that price,and will keep you and your stuff dry.
Go up a load range on the tires and be cautious about changes and loading that might affect handling. Maybe a second spare to be carried on the tow vehicle. |
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Posted: 9/18/2016 8:52:42 PM EDT
[#3]
I once had a Wrangler with custom built offroad bumpers. The front bumper had a receiver so I could use a trailer hitch. Why? To make it a bit harder to drive off with my stuff. For bugging out, having your stuff harder to steal compared to someone else's stuff could save you a huge hassle. If you're making a bug-out trailer a front receiver may be a valid consideration for you.
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Posted: 9/18/2016 8:55:22 PM EDT
[#4]
Great score! I would look into power sources. Combine panels and wind turbine. Even the ability to generate enough to recharge some small portable electronic devices of varying types from lighting, coms, educational to entertainment would be huge. Then after that if you really have a concern for being off grid figure a water collection and storage set up.
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Posted: 9/18/2016 9:09:36 PM EDT
[#5]
Just for clarity. That picture is on the internet, it's not the actual one i got, though it is exactly the same thing.
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Posted: 9/18/2016 9:29:15 PM EDT
[#6]
It beats the heck out of a tent.
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Posted: 9/18/2016 9:58:19 PM EDT
[#7]
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Posted: 9/19/2016 2:30:39 AM EDT
[#8]
I would get it weighed. Before I hauled it to be weighed I guess I would go through it and remove junk I don't want. And part of weighing it is hooked to your vehicle, and unhooked as well.
I don't care if you are upping the axle and rims and adding brakes or whatever, get a weight and understand the factory weight ratings. If the roof needs sealed or caulked or anything, do it. Check all holes in the thing and redo as needed. One rv site was showing pics of water coming in from around a brake light surround, the putty or whatever was old and owner never thought about it. I am all for upping water capacity and propane capacity and grey and black water capacity and keeping it stocked, but that can add a lot of weight. Might be best to set up tow vehicle to hold stuff. Depends on ratings and what you think of the frame of the thing and what not. I dislike a lot of the stock interior pieces like the fold out bed that is a tiny table. I am a big guy and do not fit in little stuff so I would redecorate as needed as well. I would consider working on insulation, for fold out stuff the space blankets to reflect sunlight help and I don't know what I would do for winter. I guess first I would check tires and suspension, lube where possible and change tires if dry rotted and go out and use it and make notes as you go. |
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Posted: 9/19/2016 4:22:48 AM EDT
[#9]
Check the roof, lots of older RVs die due to a leak.
Tires and brake pads are probably due for replacement. What is your towing vehicle? How much does trailer weigh when full of water, food, and gear? Carry a good tool kit, lots of minor repairs will pop up in long term use. |
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Posted: 9/19/2016 8:12:42 AM EDT
[#10]
Two weeks worth of water can get pretty heavy. Hope you have a truck for a tow vehicle so you can put some of your supplies/gear in the bed. It's pretty easy to overload a little single axle camper like that. |
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Posted: 9/19/2016 8:43:56 AM EDT
[#11]
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Posted: 9/19/2016 9:52:24 AM EDT
[#12]
Watch the movie Panic In the Year Zero.
Low key survival camper. 
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Posted: 9/19/2016 10:56:34 AM EDT
[#13]
I know its been said.
Get it weighed at weigh station. But, take out everything that did not originally come with it. Find out what the axle weight is Research weight limit on wheel and tires Id suggest upgrading suspension either this: http://timbren.com/axle-less/ or Heavier duty axle, wheels and tires to allow for all the junk you will want to throw in it... People who do not know better buy a trailer or camper, and say Yeaaaaa! I can load this down with everything and speed off... Watch videos of trailers wagging the dog. I would also research coupler options... Something much more secure.... And be sure to criss cross your chains, they are supposed to catch the coupler should it disconnect. Chains hanging or dragging on the ground is not correct either... Weight should be distributed as equally as possible in a trailer. Also your tongue weight should be approximately 12% of the weight of the trailer loaded (when you are ready to leave). This is so that when you "brake" there isn't to much weight forward, there by lifting the front end of the vehicle while you are trying to stop. or killing your rear suspension necessarily. Also if there is to much weight rearward of the trailer it will assist in disconnecting your coupler and you will watch your trailer slow down and take its own camping trip... If you didn't do the chains correctly. Or your coupler will be much further forward than you would like if you freak out and slam the brakes.... Service the AC unit I think i saw on top... Check your water tank, check the water lines, to include hot water pump if it has one.. A friend of mine recently worked on a pop up camper he had stored someplace for years. Bad shape, but some of the things we found while trying to bring it up to speed... |
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Posted: 9/19/2016 2:50:08 PM EDT
[#14]
Many of the ideas expressed already are interesting but no way I would consider them. I have spent the last 6 years boondocking or off grid in a travel trailer. It is my job.
First, you have to shape your trailer up mechanically. RV rooftop ACs are not normally serviced. They do not even have a port to add freon. Make sure the condensor etc is clean - that is about all you can do. They are throwaway units when they go bad. Replace tires over 7 years old Pack the wheel bearings. Check for leaks. Take a 4" roll of eternabond tape and cover the front and rear roof seams. Clean and re-caulk all roof intrusions with a good caulk like Dicor. You probably have an old single stage converter. Upgrade to a smart charger/converter or it will ruin your house batteries within a year. Check the back of the fridge and see if there is any yellow powder in the guts. Yellow powder = death to the fridge and they are $$. Sanitize your fresh water tank. Replace the anode rod in the hot water heater. The way I stay out of town and out of the grocery stores for long periods is: 500 watts solar / 400ah battery bank / 2000w inverter Honda 2000w inverter generator Chest freezer Residential size fridge plus RV fridge Cheesey RV vent fan replaced with a Fantastic Vent fan and all weather cover 2x40lb propane tanks 5k btu window AC in the bedroom for cooling that runs off the little Honda fine. (rooftop AC requires minimum 3kw generator) Water filter system which includes Doulton Sterasyl element AND a UV light filter (12v) in addition to normal sediment and charcoal filters. When I am off grid, the residential fridge is mothballed because it is a power hog and I put a timer on the chest freezer that turns it off 6 hours every night. The solar keeps up just fine with that. Keep in mind most low end travel trailers are NOT intended for hard or continual use. I average 3 years service life out of mine in a harsh environment. |
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Posted: 9/19/2016 6:16:20 PM EDT
[#15]
Quoted:
If you had this camper, what might you do with it? add 1" armour all the way around-you know for shtf and all |
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Posted: 9/20/2016 1:32:19 AM EDT
[#16]
The advice of "use it" is the best you can get. Tires and suspension upgrades are good IF you do it right and bigger IF you really need it. Getting to know your rig is paramount. Right now Im converting all my interior lights to LED bulbs because no matter how much I remind the family, they turn the lights on a leave them on when not really needed. I like dual deep cycle batteries with 2 mid sized propane tanks and a 2k genset. It takes a few trips to learn how much water you use, how much power you use, how you want to set up your sleep spot... etc.
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Posted: 9/20/2016 5:14:02 AM EDT
[#17]
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Posted: 9/20/2016 1:37:38 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryIf he gets off the manicured road - he's DONE! 
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Posted: 9/21/2016 3:27:22 PM EDT
[#19]
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Posted: 9/21/2016 8:02:11 PM EDT
[#20]
Wow, quite a few responses. Usually I get like 4 or 5.
My kid was sitting here and recognized the trailer from "that move we watched with the people in the cave".....Kinda cool. Thanks for the input and suggestions. I like the idea of having it weighed, The tow vehicle will be a 1996 Bronco. It's currently under construction. V2.0 due out in the spring. It has a few upgrades, and even a few down grades. I know the wheelbase is a little short for towing, but it's my Bronco, don't really care too much. I don't know what the towing capacity would be anymore, it should somewhat exceed stock, but wasn't built with that in mind.. The Bronco has/will have an optimized charging system, most of the electronics we play with, tools, camping gear, and that sort of stuff. We're normally tent campers, and the Bronco is our toy. It will also get worse than terrible gas mileage (6-8mpg). But the thing is, it will rarely go more than 125 miles from home, will never see a freeway, and rarely over 55mph......i ain't headed cross country or anything, there are more than enough places to go right here I didn't really want a camper when this one fell in my lap. I figured it was good for a few trial camping trips, and the ho don't like rustic camping, so we'll try things out with her having a shower and a shitter too. |
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Posted: 9/21/2016 9:09:17 PM EDT
[#21]
Hmm, the OJ mobile will be maxed for towing a 16 footer. The 351 can handle it, but your trans and rear end might not be too happy if stressed. One nice thing though is you will be able to fit virtually anywhere. I have a 19 footer and a 2011 Ram, it maxes out most parking spots. the guys with real trailers and rigs, I couldnt even...
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Posted: 9/21/2016 10:44:41 PM EDT
[#22]
Solar panel and battery array.
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Posted: 9/21/2016 11:27:11 PM EDT
[#23]
I remarked earlier about going up a weight range on the tires. Everyone I know that tows has had sad experience with blowouts, especially in hot weather. RV repair guys and tire dealers have both told me that trailer manufacturers use the minimum rating to get the unit out the door. When you look at the way they do other things, this is not surprising.
Three years is, I think, a more realistic measure of tire life. When you pop a tire at speed, expect to have some trailer damage, even if you don't lose control. Single axle makes the issue more important. So, beefing up the tires is not an "upgrade", it's just coming up to a decent standard. |
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Posted: 9/22/2016 4:28:15 AM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Hmm, the OJ mobile will be maxed for towing a 16 footer. The 351 can handle it, but your trans and rear end might not be too happy if stressed. One nice thing though is you will be able to fit virtually anywhere. I have a 19 footer and a 2011 Ram, it maxes out most parking spots. the guys with real trailers and rigs, I couldnt even... like i said, currently under construction. The Bronco will have a 10.25" full float axle, 4.11 lincoln locker, and a rather robust C6 trans with a few extra clutches and lower first and second gears from a 4r100....not claiming i can tow a bulldozer, but it should be ok with the camper. |
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Posted: 9/22/2016 10:50:31 AM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryHe gets it. One of the best survival movies ever made IMHO. It touches on so many subjects. It also shows what NOT to do. |
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Posted: 9/22/2016 11:10:27 AM EDT
[#26]
Saw this for sale locally....
1976 Dodge. Talk me out of it.
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Posted: 9/22/2016 2:21:41 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
He gets it. One of the best survival movies ever made IMHO. It touches on so many subjects. It also shows what NOT to do. Quote HistoryQuoted:
He gets it. One of the best survival movies ever made IMHO. It touches on so many subjects. It also shows what NOT to do. What movie is that from? |
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Posted: 9/22/2016 2:55:37 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
What movie is that from? Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
He gets it. One of the best survival movies ever made IMHO. It touches on so many subjects. It also shows what NOT to do. What movie is that from? Panic in Year Zero Was on Youtube, Can't seem to find it now. Old, cheesy, kinda dumb.......a household favorite. |
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Posted: 9/22/2016 3:00:06 PM EDT
[#29]
Axles, wheels and tires to match what is on your tow vehicle.
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Posted: 9/22/2016 3:21:49 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Axles, wheels and tires to match what is on your tow vehicle. Great idea, I would love to. But 8-lug wheels and 33x12.50's on the camper might be quite a feat.........not to mention quite costly. |
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Posted: 9/22/2016 10:38:24 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Great idea, I would love to. But 8-lug wheels and 33x12.50's on the camper might be quite a feat.........not to mention quite costly. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Axles, wheels and tires to match what is on your tow vehicle. Great idea, I would love to. But 8-lug wheels and 33x12.50's on the camper might be quite a feat.........not to mention quite costly. Maybe not even putting 33's on it... Might look a bit odd.. But could be doable... You would just have to extend your supports when its camped... I bout a M101A1, changed the axle out for the 1962 5 lug bud nuts which I did not know existed.... Fun Couple of hours trying to measure the hub spacing.... To 5 lug to match my tahoe... Same tires, same wheels, well sort of... I have spares.... |
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Posted: 9/25/2016 12:03:16 AM EDT
[#32]
If you get into messing with it being able to engage the trailer brakes all by themselves is something to consider.
Main issue with short wheel base stuff is if the tail starts wagging the short wheel base truck might go quickly. Being able to hit just trailer brakes gets the trailer pulling down the speed and a goose of the gas should pull things straight. I rather want a bronco, have a short bed regular cab 2wd f150 from 1995 right now. I like how easy the f150 handles stuff. And you might also find a hitch that does weight distribution will help the bronco out a lot. Kind of depends on the springs you have on the bronco and what not. Messing with what was sort of a swapped together 1 ton full size blazer in the past, the one ton springs did not mind a little single axle trailer behind it. Not much tongue weight to distribute. But that is something to consider if you have issues. |
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Posted: 9/25/2016 4:52:50 PM EDT
[#33]
Damn great deal.
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Posted: 9/26/2016 6:50:06 PM EDT
[#34]
This is on my camping wish list.
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Posted: 9/26/2016 9:43:25 PM EDT
[#35]
A survivalist should have an RV that blends in and does not stand out. No camo paint schemes, no one-of-a-kind designs, not even a weird set of bumper stickers. Keep your guns out of sight, not in your Easy Rider rifle rack. Look like your neighbors so you will be treated like your neighbors. Bigger than normal propane tanks and maybe an antenna mount, that is about as far as I would go externally.
The real difference in your rig from all those others should be in the gear stored inside. Warm clothing in drab colors, cast iron for cooking over a fire, a solar oven that folds up, lots of fishing and hunting gear, a good selection of basic tools, lots of canned and dried foods, a good first aid kit. Towing vehicle should have a second fuel tank if possible, and snow chains, and a good selection of paper maps. Also, have cash and credit cards. It costs money to dump the blackwater and greywater tanks in most places, and costs almost as much as a cheap motel room to hook up in an RV park. Add in a couple of tanks of gasoline, a trip to the laundromat, and a trip to the grocery store and a few hundred dollars extra is almost mandatory. Also, a survivalist should have a destination in mind, a pre-planned bug out site. RVs run primarily on propane and get very cold in the winter without a lot of it, a good bug out site would have a large propane tank available for hook up. If this bug out site also had a latrine/outhouse/toilet available, it would cut down on trips to the dump station to empty the waste tanks, which will save on gasoline as well. |
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Posted: 10/5/2016 1:52:25 PM EDT
[#36]
Well, finally got it home. This it the actual one.
Quote HistoryQuoted:
not even a weird set of bumper stickers. So you're sayin I screwed up right off the bat? Anyone know a good product the clean the black mildewy stuff off the white window rubber? And decent for scrubbing the fiberglass shell?.....there's black streaks, and some kinda moss growin in spots. Maybe a wax? 
I found the spot the water get's in, and covered it for now, its about a 1" hole in the EPDM roof rubber. It was patched with the white camper caulk/goo, and the patch failed. That leaked on the aluminum door frame, and ran down to the floor. I stripped out the water damage, and started drying everything. |
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Posted: 10/5/2016 3:26:58 PM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
A survivalist should have an RV that blends in and does not stand out. No camo paint schemes, no one-of-a-kind designs, not even a weird set of bumper stickers. Keep your guns out of sight, not in your Easy Rider rifle rack. Look like your neighbors so you will be treated like your neighbors. Bigger than normal propane tanks and maybe an antenna mount, that is about as far as I would go externally. The real difference in your rig from all those others should be in the gear stored inside. Warm clothing in drab colors, cast iron for cooking over a fire, a solar oven that folds up, lots of fishing and hunting gear, a good selection of basic tools, lots of canned and dried foods, a good first aid kit. Towing vehicle should have a second fuel tank if possible, and snow chains, and a good selection of paper maps. Also, have cash and credit cards. It costs money to dump the blackwater and greywater tanks in most places, and costs almost as much as a cheap motel room to hook up in an RV park. Add in a couple of tanks of gasoline, a trip to the laundromat, and a trip to the grocery store and a few hundred dollars extra is almost mandatory. Also, a survivalist should have a destination in mind, a pre-planned bug out site. RVs run primarily on propane and get very cold in the winter without a lot of it, a good bug out site would have a large propane tank available for hook up. If this bug out site also had a latrine/outhouse/toilet available, it would cut down on trips to the dump station to empty the waste tanks, which will save on gasoline as well. This and most everything else you said. A sturdy fairly lightweight cargo trailer... Capable of standing up in... Sized to the tow vehicle, might be generally best for most... Not necessarily the faggy tacticool fantasy trailers so many are infatuated with... 
Weight is critical... |
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Posted: 10/5/2016 3:30:33 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Well, finally got it home. This it the actual one. http://i548.photobucket.com/albums/ii335/a_number_1_bo/Mobile%20Uploads/_20160915_095702_zpskex4qbdi.jpg So you're sayin I screwed up right off the bat? Anyone know a good product the clean the black mildewy stuff off the white window rubber? And decent for scrubbing the fiberglass shell?.....there's black streaks, and some kinda moss growin in spots. Maybe a wax? http://i548.photobucket.com/albums/ii335/a_number_1_bo/Mobile%20Uploads/20161005_131728_zpsk5cvpkpi.jpg http://i548.photobucket.com/albums/ii335/a_number_1_bo/Mobile%20Uploads/20161005_130919_zpsf8d7zlc2.jpg I found the spot the water get's in, and covered it for now, its about a 1" hole in the EPDM roof rubber. It was patched with the white camper caulk/goo, and the patch failed. That leaked on the aluminum door frame, and ran down to the floor. I stripped out the water damage, and started drying everything. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Well, finally got it home. This it the actual one. http://i548.photobucket.com/albums/ii335/a_number_1_bo/Mobile%20Uploads/_20160915_095702_zpskex4qbdi.jpg Quoted:
not even a weird set of bumper stickers. So you're sayin I screwed up right off the bat? Anyone know a good product the clean the black mildewy stuff off the white window rubber? And decent for scrubbing the fiberglass shell?.....there's black streaks, and some kinda moss growin in spots. Maybe a wax? http://i548.photobucket.com/albums/ii335/a_number_1_bo/Mobile%20Uploads/20161005_131728_zpsk5cvpkpi.jpg http://i548.photobucket.com/albums/ii335/a_number_1_bo/Mobile%20Uploads/20161005_130919_zpsf8d7zlc2.jpg I found the spot the water get's in, and covered it for now, its about a 1" hole in the EPDM roof rubber. It was patched with the white camper caulk/goo, and the patch failed. That leaked on the aluminum door frame, and ran down to the floor. I stripped out the water damage, and started drying everything. Clorox for the mold Specifically- Urethane one part self-curing PL S10 grey concrete crack sealer [most any box store or ebay] for an excellent adhesive to repair leaks and even the membrane roofing. Pieces of scrap membrane from any roofing supply place... Or ebay. |
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Posted: 10/5/2016 4:33:16 PM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Specifically- Urethane one part self-curing PL S10 grey concrete crack sealer [most any box store or ebay] for an excellent adhesive to repair leaks and even the membrane roofing. Pieces of scrap membrane from any roofing supply place... Or ebay. Just get some 4" Eternabond tape and be done with it. After cleaning the area with acetone or an equivalent cleaner, it can be applied right over existing caulk or whatever. I would tape **all** roof seams just to be safe. I taped the front and rear caps on a 32' diesel pusher and the Eternabond was still good after 5 years of relentless South Texas UV. Had a leak in the slideout roof of the current TT and could not locate it. Taped the entire seam and no more leak. |
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Posted: 10/5/2016 6:25:43 PM EDT
[#40]
Bruder EXP6
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Posted: 10/5/2016 6:37:30 PM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Well, finally got it home. This it the actual one. http://i548.photobucket.com/albums/ii335/a_number_1_bo/Mobile%20Uploads/_20160915_095702_zpskex4qbdi.jpg So you're sayin I screwed up right off the bat? Anyone know a good product the clean the black mildewy stuff off the white window rubber? And decent for scrubbing the fiberglass shell?.....there's black streaks, and some kinda moss growin in spots. Maybe a wax? http://i548.photobucket.com/albums/ii335/a_number_1_bo/Mobile%20Uploads/20161005_131728_zpsk5cvpkpi.jpg http://i548.photobucket.com/albums/ii335/a_number_1_bo/Mobile%20Uploads/20161005_130919_zpsf8d7zlc2.jpg I found the spot the water get's in, and covered it for now, its about a 1" hole in the EPDM roof rubber. It was patched with the white camper caulk/goo, and the patch failed. That leaked on the aluminum door frame, and ran down to the floor. I stripped out the water damage, and started drying everything. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Well, finally got it home. This it the actual one. http://i548.photobucket.com/albums/ii335/a_number_1_bo/Mobile%20Uploads/_20160915_095702_zpskex4qbdi.jpg Quoted:
not even a weird set of bumper stickers. So you're sayin I screwed up right off the bat? Anyone know a good product the clean the black mildewy stuff off the white window rubber? And decent for scrubbing the fiberglass shell?.....there's black streaks, and some kinda moss growin in spots. Maybe a wax? http://i548.photobucket.com/albums/ii335/a_number_1_bo/Mobile%20Uploads/20161005_131728_zpsk5cvpkpi.jpg http://i548.photobucket.com/albums/ii335/a_number_1_bo/Mobile%20Uploads/20161005_130919_zpsf8d7zlc2.jpg I found the spot the water get's in, and covered it for now, its about a 1" hole in the EPDM roof rubber. It was patched with the white camper caulk/goo, and the patch failed. That leaked on the aluminum door frame, and ran down to the floor. I stripped out the water damage, and started drying everything. The flat roof in MI with AC can be a problematic spot. The weight of the AC can cause a low spot where water will accumulate. When the water freezes it seperates the AC from the roof. In the winter store it so it's very tilted. |
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Posted: 10/8/2016 9:49:52 AM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Panic in Year Zero Was on Youtube, Can't seem to find it now. Old, cheesy, kinda dumb.......a household favorite. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
He gets it. One of the best survival movies ever made IMHO. It touches on so many subjects. It also shows what NOT to do. What movie is that from? Panic in Year Zero Was on Youtube, Can't seem to find it now. Old, cheesy, kinda dumb.......a household favorite. Here you go 
Panic In Year Zero Movie |
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Posted: 10/16/2016 8:05:49 PM EDT
[#43]
Well, after having it here a while, covering portions of it with tarps, drying things out, and exploring.......
It still seems quite savable, without ridiculous expense. I found quite a few smaller leaks, in various places. The roof, the door, the A/C unit, and a few seams. All these issues probably would have been avoided with routing routine maintenance (which wasn't done). I think what I'm going to do over the next few weeks, is continue drying it, finding finding the leaks, fabricate a floor brace, and get some planks in there. Then cover it really well for the winter, and reseal the whole thing properly when the springtime temps come back up into working range. |
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Posted: 10/23/2016 2:52:01 AM EDT
[#44]
Get yourself a pressure cooker and a coil of copper. They make a great campfire distilling unit. If you coil the copper just right it will pack up in the cooker. You'll need a short length of rubber hose to get from the nipple on the cooker to the copper tubing and two small hose clamps.
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Posted: 10/23/2016 5:06:51 PM EDT
[#45]
If it were me, for a survival type trailer I would ditch the propane stove and heater and figure out a way to safely incorporate a wood fueled heater/stove. I would also ditch the generator and go completely solar with maybe wind as an add for those cloudy days. My goal would be to make it less reliable on the types of fuel you cannot get in nature.
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Posted: 10/23/2016 5:33:25 PM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Just get some 4" Eternabond tape and be done with it. After cleaning the area with acetone or an equivalent cleaner, it can be applied right over existing caulk or whatever. I would tape **all** roof seams just to be safe. I taped the front and rear caps on a 32' diesel pusher and the Eternabond was still good after 5 years of relentless South Texas UV. Had a leak in the slideout roof of the current TT and could not locate it. Taped the entire seam and no more leak. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Specifically- Urethane one part self-curing PL S10 grey concrete crack sealer [most any box store or ebay] for an excellent adhesive to repair leaks and even the membrane roofing. Pieces of scrap membrane from any roofing supply place... Or ebay. Just get some 4" Eternabond tape and be done with it. After cleaning the area with acetone or an equivalent cleaner, it can be applied right over existing caulk or whatever. I would tape **all** roof seams just to be safe. I taped the front and rear caps on a 32' diesel pusher and the Eternabond was still good after 5 years of relentless South Texas UV. Had a leak in the slideout roof of the current TT and could not locate it. Taped the entire seam and no more leak. Propane heaters in campers are fuel hogs. You'll be shocked how fast you go through a tank. Plus they're noisy as hell. When we have electric hookups we bring along a small oil-filled radiant electric heater. It heats really well. Also, get some solar blankets or a set of Pop Up Gizmos to cover the bunk ends. They make a huge difference both in summer and in cooler months. In summer you stay a lot cooler, and when it's cold outside they keep condensation from forming inside. |
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Posted: 10/23/2016 7:53:05 PM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Two weeks worth of water can get pretty heavy. Hope you have a truck for a tow vehicle so you can put some of your supplies/gear in the bed. It's pretty easy to overload a little single axle camper like that. This is key so I will repeat Most of these trailers are sprung so once you top them with water and a bit of food and clothes they are about maxed out . Keep in mind this is also a design for smooth paved roads. Very easy to overload without half trying |
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