My Pickup & Camper

[Capt._Chaos]

When it comes time for me to get off of the road for a few days and head to San Antonio, I still have to hit the road for another 150 miles to get to where I REALLY want to be for the purpose of enjoying an escape from reality- the BEACH.

"WINTER is my enemy,
and the BEACH is where I'd rather be!"

Here's my trusty ol' 1995 Chevy Silverado that I use to pull the camper.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v217/captchaos/100_0128.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v217/captchaos/100_0129.jpg

It has a 5.7 Liter (350) V-8 with a 4L-60E "slushbox" (automatic transmission), and 3:42 rear end. Other than the "cat-back" exhaust, it is all stock. As of this writing, the pickup only has 96,000 miles on it since i bought it new.

The pickup also has a SnugLid fiberglass bed cover and a Prime 15" X 10" aluminum wheels with B.F. Goodrich Radial T/As for treads. To help pass the time on road trips, the pickup is equipped with a massively overkill sound system, complete with an Alpine CD player (with built-in XM Radio), multiple amplifiers & crossovers, two Kicker Competition subwoofers under the rear seat, and Polk Audio separates throughout the cab round up the rest of the speakers.

Future changes will include getting rid of that factory-installed plastic radiator and installing a new HeatBuster 4-core aluminum unit. I also have a B&M transmission cooler that I will plumb in with AN line as well as a trailer brake controller so I can save wear and tear on my pickup's now-overworked brakes.

Below is my 2000 Coachmen pop-up camper. It sleeps six adults, has A/C, heat, propane stove, shower, and a commode. The dining area is in the slide-out and the table folds down to make a third bed.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v217/captchaos/100_0707.jpg

Since I like to camp right on the beach (where there's no RV hookups- just a water faucet), I have a Yamaha 3,000-watt gas generator that is very quiet so my guests and I can relax & sleep to the sounds of the waves at night while still doing so in air-conditioned comfort. It's also kinda nice to have 120V house current to run a TV, stereo, and, of course, the obligatory BLENDER for mixing up those MARGARITAS to enjoy while relaxing on the beach!:chug:

I plan to sell the pop-up and buy a "hybrid" camper in a few years from now to give us less work to do and allow us to "rough it in style" a bit more. This is my "starter" camper and it has served me well so far!:cool:

[saddletramp]

I got just the deal for ya Jeff!!!!

32' Four Winds 5th wheel with a 14 foot slide out kitchen, fully self contained, air, the whole 9 yards.............

make ya a hell of a deal. Its the trailer we bought last spring to live in while we built the house. We were so sick of living in it for 10 months that we decided we would never go anywhere in it so away it goes!!!!


Course you would have to purchase the 1 ton Ford dually with the 6 litre deisel to pull it around........................

and at the price of diesel i would probably make you one HELL of a deal on it right now!.......:p

[Uturn2001]

Hey Jeff. You can return my camper any time now. ;)

That is exactly the style and features the we are looking at purchasing either next year or the year after, unless we find one heck of a good deal on a smaller travel trailer.

[EagleAce]

Looks and sounds sweet, Jeff! I have a small sound system in my Cav- two Rockford Fosgate Punch 100 amps, two RF Punch 12"s and MB Quart 6.5" coaxials up front.

[Capt._Chaos]

I got just the deal for ya Jeff!!!!

32' Four Winds 5th wheel with a 14 foot slide out kitchen, fully self contained, air, the whole 9 yards.............

make ya a hell of a deal. Its the trailer we bought last spring to live in while we built the house. We were so sick of living in it for 10 months that we decided we would never go anywhere in it so away it goes!!!!

Bob, that sounds like a nice unit but for the kind of camping I do it's too heavy. Trying to pull anything over 4,000 lbs through the soft sand with ANY vehicle is like trying to drag an 800-pound carp out of a toilet bowl by hand! :wow:



Course you would have to purchase the 1 ton Ford dually with the 6 litre deisel to pull it around........................

and at the price of diesel i would probably make you one HELL of a deal on it right now!.......:p

Sorry, no diesel pickups for me- with the limited mileage I drive my personal vehicles I'm sticking with gas. Besides, when it comes to gas engines it's gotta be a GM product after how well they have worked for me in years past!

[nitestar]

Jeff
amd any one else that has ideas.

Question for you.
I too have a 95 Chevy Silverado with a 454 engine and auto, long bed ext cab ( 2 door)120,000 + miles. The heaveset I tow is a 2 motorcycle trailer and now and again a boat.

this truck is my baby.
the 72 p/u is my project

2 years ago I found that my 95 p/u was leaking rear end oil out on the brakes.Both sides.
Had a local shop pull the axles and he said they had a groove and that the seals cut it into the shaft. I found that hard to believe as both axles were exactly the same. Any way new sels installed. and new brake shoes. 3 days later same thing.
Took it to GM dealer and they wanted me to buy a complete new rear end. That didnt happen.
so I again replaced the seals and brake shoes. Again it leaks. I think it is supposed to have the groove but few mechs today understand the older vehicles. I have heard of a seals set kit that is suposed to fit a bit higher on the shaft and it will be just fine.. Is that right? I dont remember the name of the kit.

I am now reluctant to drive this P/U very far as now and again I smell the oil and stopping is not as positive now.

Got any ideas?

[ladymacguiver]

Jeff you need to upgrade to make sure your sweetart is in the best of the best!!

My dad has a pickup almost identical to yours, however his is a diesel, and he's got a 34' fifth wheel "home away from home" that he pulls behind it. Holiday Rambler style even!! I'll have to take some pictures and post them on here too. You would love his "ride"!

[Capt._Chaos]

Jeff
amd any one else that has ideas.

Question for you.
I too have a 95 Chevy Silverado with a 454 engine and auto, long bed ext cab ( 2 door)120,000 + miles.

2 years ago I found that my 95 p/u was leaking rear end oil out on the brakes.Both sides.
Had a local shop pull the axles and he said they had a groove and that the seals cut it into the shaft. I found that hard to believe as both axles were exactly the same. Any way new sels installed. and new brake shoes. 3 days later same thing.
Took it to GM dealer and they wanted me to buy a complete new rear end. That didnt happen.
so I again replaced the seals and brake shoes. Again it leaks. I think it is supposed to have the groove but few mechs today understand the older vehicles. I have heard of a seals set kit that is suposed to fit a bit higher on the shaft and it will be just fine.. Is that right? I dont remember the name of the kit.

I am now reluctant to drive this P/U very far as now and again I smell the oil and stopping is not as positive now.

Got any ideas?

I would pull those axle shafts out, have a machine shop either (1) install "speedy-sleeves" over the grooved areas, or (2) build them up & machine the surfaces back down, install new seals, reassemble it, fill it back up with the correct gear lube, clean up those brake parts, and then it should be fine.

[Capt._Chaos]

Jeff you need to upgrade to make sure your sweetart is in the best of the best!!

My dad has a pickup almost identical to yours, however his is a diesel, and he's got a 34' fifth wheel "home away from home" that he pulls behind it. Holiday Rambler style even!! I'll have to take some pictures and post them on here too. You would love his "ride"!

Tricia, Bonnie's parents have a "Taj Mahal" of a 5th wheel (a Montana), and they pull theirs with a GMC DuraMax diesel pickup.

[ladymacguiver]

Tricia, Bonnie's parents have a "Taj Mahal" of a 5th wheel (a Montana), and they pull theirs with a GMC DuraMax diesel pickup.


Jeff, that is NOT the Taj Mahal! LOL!! The Holiday Ramblers are the best of the best. Check em out!

:p

[beanie baby]

Jeff, that is NOT the Taj Mahal! LOL!! The Holiday Ramblers are the best of the best. Check em out!

:p

As far as I'm concerned my parents 5th Wheel is a Taj Mahal! :)

[saddletramp]

I'm tellin ya Bonnie you guys could have a real nice 30 footer with all the bells and whistles.................

You just gotta get ol rusty billfold to spend some money on ya hun..........:unibrow:



It's the least a guy can do for his girl ya know.................[smilie=kiss of lov:

[Capt._Chaos]

I'm tellin ya Bonnie you guys could have a real nice 30 footer with all the bells and whistles.................

Bob, did I not mention already that your 5th wheel wouldn't work for the kind of camping we do? We still like to "rough it", ya know!!!;)


You just gotta get ol rusty billfold to spend some money on ya hun..........:unibrow:



It's the least a guy can do for his girl ya know.................[smilie=kiss of lov:

Beanie & I both spend quite a bit of money on each other- but on the right stuff!

[beanie baby]

I'm tellin ya Bonnie you guys could have a real nice 30 footer with all the bells and whistles.................

You just gotta get ol rusty billfold to spend some money on ya hun..........:unibrow:



It's the least a guy can do for his girl ya know.................[smilie=kiss of lov:

Hey, I still like to tent camp, however with age it's really not agreeing with me anymore. :hah:

Pssstt - He does take good care of me. :o

[saddletramp]

Bob, did I not mention already that your 5th wheel wouldn't work for the kind of camping we do? We still like to "rough it", ya know!!!;)



Beanie & I both spend quite a bit of money on each other- but on the right stuff!

just tugging your chain a bit there Jeff!

[jimr]

We had a popup three years ago,wife wanted a TT so I sold the pup and got a 24' TT we hated it. Sold it last year to help pay for kitchen remodel and havent gotten a new popup yet.

[Capt._Chaos]

We had a popup three years ago,wife wanted a TT so I sold the pup and got a 24' TT we hated it. Sold it last year to help pay for kitchen remodel and havent gotten a new popup yet.

There's something about a pop-up that gives one a sense of still "roughin' it", right? I guess it's the canvas-covered bunk areas that have screens in them.

My next camper will be a "hybrid"- they look like a regular travel trailer when ready for travel, but the beds fold out from the shell (with canvas covers, just like a pop-up) and they are pretty roomy, not to mention they can still be pulled easily with a properly-equipped 1/2-ton pickup.:cool: