very interesting
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Setting up for Expeditions
- Thread starter Blue85
- Start date
Stomis
Professional Amateur
Lookin good!
The fridge prices are ridiculous... I was considering either a 110v mini fridge or ice maker on an inverter.
The fridge prices are ridiculous... I was considering either a 110v mini fridge or ice maker on an inverter.
I had excluded the idea of a real fridge based on the prices and planned to run my little Peltier unit. Then I found that fridge on Craigslist for $80. It was an hour drive, but I went the same day. It's really an awesome unit.
Everyone knows that the inverter is less efficient than direct 12V operation, but the real problem is that the inverter will draw some power all of the time, even when the fridge isn't running. With dual battery and running the rig every day you could probably make it. You can probably get it set up for $150, which is practically still in the peltier (toy cooler) price range. Plus you get that tiny freezer.
Everyone knows that the inverter is less efficient than direct 12V operation, but the real problem is that the inverter will draw some power all of the time, even when the fridge isn't running. With dual battery and running the rig every day you could probably make it. You can probably get it set up for $150, which is practically still in the peltier (toy cooler) price range. Plus you get that tiny freezer.
Stomis
Professional Amateur
Hmmm apparently there are some reasonable priced 12v fridges. I just saw one on walgreens website for $130.
And now Im also looking into making a fridge myself...
Do you mean the Koolatrons? They are thermoelectric coolers, not real refrigerators. They do cool stuff, but very slowly and the interior temp varies with the external temp. They also consume a lot more power than the swing compressor fridges (2-3x?). I assume this is the style you are talking about building, which should be feasible. I think you can buy a thermoelectric cooler for a lot less than $130.
Progress from yesterday:
Installed the CB radio in the overhead console:
I couldn't make up my mind on antennas, so I picked up a K30 mag mount. There is a connector under the dash that lets me attach and detach the antenna for removal without having to access the back of the radio. I haven't tuned it yet, but hopefully it's good enough to talk to the others in the expedition and hear what's going on. That little Midland is like $30 shipped, has good reviews on Amazon and even has an RF gain control.
Remember, everything is "quick and dirty" at this point.
I also built the window screen for the passengers side.
Installed the CB radio in the overhead console:
I couldn't make up my mind on antennas, so I picked up a K30 mag mount. There is a connector under the dash that lets me attach and detach the antenna for removal without having to access the back of the radio. I haven't tuned it yet, but hopefully it's good enough to talk to the others in the expedition and hear what's going on. That little Midland is like $30 shipped, has good reviews on Amazon and even has an RF gain control.
Remember, everything is "quick and dirty" at this point.
I also built the window screen for the passengers side.
Stomis
Professional Amateur
Right after some more reading last night I now know the difference between and electric cooler and an electric freezer. And to be honest, at this point unless theres some reasonably price 12v compressor fridge Im gonna be going with a 12v ice maker and a really good coleman 6 day cooler.
Home Sweet Home!
The bed is just shy of 6', so the bedding gets piled towards the back a little for driving. We're about 5'9" and 5'7" so it's fine, but for 6'+ people it would be tight.
Here is the screen for the back window.
The top and sides are just rolled around a piece of plastic tubing and secured with the weatherstrip adhesive. It gets shoved into the hard-top window track just like the window would. Then the magnets on the bottom edge stick to the inside of the tailgate. I had considered making a solid insert out of hardboard or something (with little windows cut out of it), but decided that something flexible is a lot easier to store.
High winds will be the real test for these screens.
The bed is just shy of 6', so the bedding gets piled towards the back a little for driving. We're about 5'9" and 5'7" so it's fine, but for 6'+ people it would be tight.
Here is the screen for the back window.
The top and sides are just rolled around a piece of plastic tubing and secured with the weatherstrip adhesive. It gets shoved into the hard-top window track just like the window would. Then the magnets on the bottom edge stick to the inside of the tailgate. I had considered making a solid insert out of hardboard or something (with little windows cut out of it), but decided that something flexible is a lot easier to store.
High winds will be the real test for these screens.
I've got these loaded up for the essentials:
This hut will serve for changing, bathroom and shower:
The sucky thing is that even with sleeping in the truck, now I still have to set up a tent. But with 40 or 50 people on the trip, what can you do?
I've also loaded a canopy that I will set up stretched over the back of the truck, so the gear in the back can be accessed and have ventilation, even if there is some rain.
This hut will serve for changing, bathroom and shower:
The sucky thing is that even with sleeping in the truck, now I still have to set up a tent. But with 40 or 50 people on the trip, what can you do?
I've also loaded a canopy that I will set up stretched over the back of the truck, so the gear in the back can be accessed and have ventilation, even if there is some rain.
Did I mention that I sold the house and we're moving in 2 weeks? When we get back from this trip we will have like 4 days until we move. We even had to move the closing date on the house. Prepping the trip, packing everything we own and finding a temporary place to rent with 4 kids has kept us busy. In fact, we still don't know where we're going!
I bet you'll have a good time on that trip. The previous years photos have been awesome. I've been wanting to do that trip since the first one. My wife was encouraging me to go this year, but when they moved it back a week, it conflicted with my work schedule. I guess I am going to plan a solo trip for next year.
garlicbreath
1/2 ton status
Way to pack it all in! And I mean projects, selling the house etc!
I am doing the same sort of thing but with 2 different trucks.
One is an 87 burban I bought last year. Did the same false floor as you. Camped in it.
One suggestion for ventilation is at the marine store. They sell small solar powered vents for boats. If you don't mind cutting a small round hole in the roof somewhere they work great. And they run whenever the suns out so if you leave it parked for a while it's not so much of an oven when you get back.
If your looking for privacy with air flow, I got some stuff at walmart in the gardening section. Black roll of landscape matt. It's pretty thin, perforated for air flow and you cant see through it. It's SUPER cheap too. 3f by 100f for 15 bucks. It's not plastic, it's more like material. I lined the windows of my 2003 E450 bus with it and it made a HUGE improvement on the heat from the sun getting in in the morning.
That overlanding thing, do they do it in colorado at all?
I am doing the same sort of thing but with 2 different trucks.
One is an 87 burban I bought last year. Did the same false floor as you. Camped in it.
One suggestion for ventilation is at the marine store. They sell small solar powered vents for boats. If you don't mind cutting a small round hole in the roof somewhere they work great. And they run whenever the suns out so if you leave it parked for a while it's not so much of an oven when you get back.
If your looking for privacy with air flow, I got some stuff at walmart in the gardening section. Black roll of landscape matt. It's pretty thin, perforated for air flow and you cant see through it. It's SUPER cheap too. 3f by 100f for 15 bucks. It's not plastic, it's more like material. I lined the windows of my 2003 E450 bus with it and it made a HUGE improvement on the heat from the sun getting in in the morning.
That overlanding thing, do they do it in colorado at all?
It might not show in the pics, but I picked this screen because it seems to offer privacy. It is supposed to block like 90% of the sun. Plus I couldn't find the "no-see-um" mesh I was looking for on short notice and the solar screen also has small holes. As long as it's darker inside than out you can't see in. I bought 2 rolls @ $10 each, so your gardening material could have saved me $5.
You could check out the Expedition Portal forums and see what's in the works near you: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/index.php
You could check out the Expedition Portal forums and see what's in the works near you: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/index.php
I loaded the fridge with warm pop last night to test the battery drain.
9pm: 12.38V
7am: 12.24V
Which is something like 18% discharge in 10 hours. It should be fine. (These are measured at the fuse block, not at the battery.)
9pm: 12.38V
7am: 12.24V
Which is something like 18% discharge in 10 hours. It should be fine. (These are measured at the fuse block, not at the battery.)
What kind of information are you looking for? A propane refrigerator uses a flame to boil ammonia and create a cycle of physical and chemical reactions that move heat from the absorber to the condenser without any moving parts. Before the compressor refrigeration was invented, this is how all refrigerators work. Now it is mostly used in RVs.
Although they run a long time on a little propane, I don't know how to apply one to a car without cutting holes for ventilation. Dometic does make a portable one, which would be awesome for extended camping, but I've never seen one. I assume you could strap it in a pickup bed and let it run back there while you drive.
Although they run a long time on a little propane, I don't know how to apply one to a car without cutting holes for ventilation. Dometic does make a portable one, which would be awesome for extended camping, but I've never seen one. I assume you could strap it in a pickup bed and let it run back there while you drive.
So after my first expedition, here's what worked well and what I would change.
The Good:
-Fridge was awesome. Truck got beat for 4 days straight and our only concern was freezing the veggies.
-Bed and privacy worked great.
-The whole second electrical system from the aux battery was trouble-free.
-The CB with K30 mag mount (center of cab roof) actually had better range than all of the bumper mount antennas people had. There were so many low branches and the antenna never moved.
-Air conditioning. The weather was really quite great (U.P. summers are awesome), so it wouldn't seem necessary. However, some of the trails were so dusty that recirc and cool air saved us from sleeping in a dust bed. 1 or 2 vehicles would probably be fine, but in a Caravan of 17 the dust was silly at times.
The bad:
-600 miles of trails shook this solid-axle, leaf-spring pig to death. I had a few issues from hardware loosening up, including a couple of shock bolts, my sway bar "hold-up" and the steering box (!). I also lost a nut from a marginally useful anchor point for the AC lines.
-Broke another wheel bolt from the 8-bolt Hummer wheels. Fortunately I packed a couple of spares and managed to change it out without any observable issues.
-Had a birds nest in my air intake (literally). The rig felt sluggish for a couple of months and I was ready to re-tune thinking it was loss of backpressure from my new exhaust.
After cleaning that out, it feels the way 4.88s should. Too bad I didn't find it until camp the last night.
The Good:
-Fridge was awesome. Truck got beat for 4 days straight and our only concern was freezing the veggies.
-Bed and privacy worked great.
-The whole second electrical system from the aux battery was trouble-free.
-The CB with K30 mag mount (center of cab roof) actually had better range than all of the bumper mount antennas people had. There were so many low branches and the antenna never moved.
-Air conditioning. The weather was really quite great (U.P. summers are awesome), so it wouldn't seem necessary. However, some of the trails were so dusty that recirc and cool air saved us from sleeping in a dust bed. 1 or 2 vehicles would probably be fine, but in a Caravan of 17 the dust was silly at times.
The bad:
-600 miles of trails shook this solid-axle, leaf-spring pig to death. I had a few issues from hardware loosening up, including a couple of shock bolts, my sway bar "hold-up" and the steering box (!). I also lost a nut from a marginally useful anchor point for the AC lines.
-Broke another wheel bolt from the 8-bolt Hummer wheels. Fortunately I packed a couple of spares and managed to change it out without any observable issues.
-Had a birds nest in my air intake (literally). The rig felt sluggish for a couple of months and I was ready to re-tune thinking it was loss of backpressure from my new exhaust.
After cleaning that out, it feels the way 4.88s should. Too bad I didn't find it until camp the last night.
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On this trip, my K5 on 37's was the biggest rig. There were a lot of land cruisers and tacos with like 2" lifts and 33's. Some were stock with maybe one step up on tire size. So wheeling capability was not a problem. The bigger challenge was feeling comfortable keeping up with the little IFS rigs on washboards and rutted trails. So here are the changes that I think would help for future trips of the overland style:
1) Improve the ride quality. With stock rear springs and 4" TC EZ-rides, there isn't a lot of softening I can do without going to links. But maybe some good reservoir shocks would be worthwhile.
2) Tighten every single bolt and fastener on the rig before heading out.
3) Search out every thing inside that could rattle and prevent it.
4) Bring a hand-held CB. Inevitably, somebody will show up without one. Plus, people tend to get out of the vehicles at big obstacles and then nobody has the CB. It would help to give the "all-clear" for the next rig to start up. I did bring some FRS walkie-talkies which probably would have worked for top/bottom coordination, but the trip leaders seemed to be doing OK.
5) Build a better sway bar holder that tugs it tight against the frame or figure out a way to store it inside. It is nice to have it for the 8-hour highway trip, but I don't like hearing it move or get hit by the axle while wheeling. It might work well to just weld the nuts onto the cross-member so the swaybar bushings can be removed with just a socket.
Here's where I posted links to pictures of the trip: http://coloradok5.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2962903&postcount=34
1) Improve the ride quality. With stock rear springs and 4" TC EZ-rides, there isn't a lot of softening I can do without going to links. But maybe some good reservoir shocks would be worthwhile.
2) Tighten every single bolt and fastener on the rig before heading out.
3) Search out every thing inside that could rattle and prevent it.
4) Bring a hand-held CB. Inevitably, somebody will show up without one. Plus, people tend to get out of the vehicles at big obstacles and then nobody has the CB. It would help to give the "all-clear" for the next rig to start up. I did bring some FRS walkie-talkies which probably would have worked for top/bottom coordination, but the trip leaders seemed to be doing OK.
5) Build a better sway bar holder that tugs it tight against the frame or figure out a way to store it inside. It is nice to have it for the 8-hour highway trip, but I don't like hearing it move or get hit by the axle while wheeling. It might work well to just weld the nuts onto the cross-member so the swaybar bushings can be removed with just a socket.
Here's where I posted links to pictures of the trip: http://coloradok5.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2962903&postcount=34
badmix
1/2 ton status
Cool deal.
This type of adventure is what ive been gearing my K5 towards from day one. Hoping to setup or join one next year sometime. Working on my lil expedition trailer right now.
This type of adventure is what ive been gearing my K5 towards from day one. Hoping to setup or join one next year sometime. Working on my lil expedition trailer right now.
Stomis
Professional Amateur
Time to ditch front leafs 
Glad most everything worked out for you.
Glad most everything worked out for you.
