Boondocking in a GV.

Topic: Boondocking in a GV. (Read 932 times) previous topic - next topic

Boondocking in a GV.

August 27, 2012, 10:35:59 am

Hi all,

How many of you out there regularly boondock in you GVs and do you have problems with ground clearance?
They seem very low to the ground.

Thanks

Re: Boondocking in a GV.

Reply #1 – August 27, 2012, 05:51:59 pm

Have done a little boondocking with our GV, only had it since September. Haven't been to some of our favorite spots yet, ground clearance may prove to be an issue. Will just have to wait and see.

Roland

Re: Boondocking in a GV.

Reply #2 – August 27, 2012, 11:56:16 pm

I'll look forward to hearing about how it works out!
Thanks

Mark

Re: Boondocking in a GV.

Reply #3 – August 28, 2012, 12:24:26 am

just a silly question but what has Boondocking got to do with ground clearance, unless of course you are going into the mountains?? When we had our 93 GV we never had a problem no matter where we parked as you allways had to try and find someplace near level. I would think that a more important issue is" do I have enough battery power to last (or something in that vane)
John H

Re: Boondocking in a GV.

Reply #4 – August 28, 2012, 06:27:55 am

I would think with a little advance scouting (with your toad) you would be ok. However one must remember the M/H weights 20-30K the sight of that stuck in the mud or sand way back where Hoot owls carry a flash light and lunch box would be real ugly. We have a place in WVA where I would love to take the M/H but the road in there is 18 miles of one lane rock full of pot holes, it just makes that little voice in my head go off.

Re: Boondocking in a GV.

Reply #5 – August 28, 2012, 09:19:43 am

Quote from: John Haygarth – August 28, 2012, 12:24:26 am

just a silly question but what has Boondocking got to do with ground clearance, unless of course you are going into the mountains??
John H

John, most of our boondocking is in the southwest desert. We kinda like being away from the crowd. Some of the places where we have been in our fifth wheel don't have a lot of ground clearance getting to the "site". Once at the "site" leveling usually is not a problem.

Roland

Re: Boondocking in a GV.

Reply #6 – August 28, 2012, 09:31:37 am

John- Yes, we do go to the mountains. We presently reside in Colorado and the boondocking we so enjoy is often down forest service roads that or sometimes not so "improved". We are going to do full timing in the near future so I'm chosing a rig carefully.
We really like the Foretravels but I wonder if they are practical for this use.

Thanks

Mark

Re: Boondocking in a GV.

Reply #7 – August 28, 2012, 10:40:04 am

We like privacy too but Motor Homes are not Off Road Vehicles. The U225/240 have better ground clearance but the still can get high centered pretty easily. Let common sense be your guide. Maybe an EarthRoamer, Google Image Result for http://www.pddoc.com/camp/images/2005-642.jpg, is more what is needed.

Re: Boondocking in a GV.

Reply #8 – August 28, 2012, 11:14:28 am

I used to wonder about taking big rigs like a Foretravel off the main road. I was amazed to see full sized buses heading down twisty sand arroyo roads to the beach off the highway in Baja so we followed their example and have not stuck the U300 yet. Have hit the generator exhaust pipe but the bottom is still unscratched. For any big rocks or the highway to unimproved road transition, you can just add some air to the bags and as long as you are careful, clear the high spots.

Almost any diesel pusher will clog it's air cleaner a lot faster off road. South of the border, I noticed a few bus conversions that had plumbed the air intake up to the top of the roof. Wondered about it for a while until I saw one heading down a dirt road with a trail of dust behind.

With quite a few forest service roads behind us now, 36 feet is absolutely the longest we would consider. With our 26 footer, almost any place a car could go we would follow. Made it across a sandy river bed outside of San Felipe but got it stuck turning around and had to wait for a jeep to unstick us. With a MUCH heavier diesel pusher, you have to be more conservative and use the toad to explore some spots.

Attached is a photo of one of the hot springs along highway 395 close to Mammoth, CA. Bit of rough road but a 40 footer could make it several miles to camp close by on BLM land. Here is a link to Spencer Hot Springs, outside of Austin, NV. Again, a few miles down gravel/dirt roads but great camping and super views: Spencer Hot Springs Nevada Travel A 40 footer could also make this without a problem in good weather and could leave toad connected.

Because of potential windshield shifting/cracking possibilities, I really take it easy flexing the U300 on the rough spots where our 4107 Buffalo could go anywhere without a worry.

RVs are not built like commercial buses so if concerned, perhaps you should look at a bus conversion if pothole off road is seen more than gravel/dirt roads.

Pierce

Re: Boondocking in a GV.

Reply #9 – August 28, 2012, 11:28:25 am

I suppose my previuos answer did not really say what I meant so I will add this.
As Kent mentioned they are not for 4 wheeling country etc so you should keep that in mind as with any DP that size, but we have been on many roads going up to OAXACA and millions of other places in Mexico and as long as the ground was firm have not had a problem, but there are limitations to every vehicle. I would just use common sense.
Boondocking as you mentioned, for my first thought was just living with no facilities as you did not mention getting to the top of a mountain etc.
John H

Re: Boondocking in a GV.

Reply #10 – August 28, 2012, 12:14:50 pm

Yes, common sense very much applies. I was not suggesting jeep trails but even what roads you would drive a sedan down and not think twice have spots with high crowns and such. The discussion brings up something I had not thought of and that is twisting moments on the chassis. Maybe I should be looking for a Wanderlodge (gasp!)

Re: Boondocking in a GV.

Reply #11 – August 28, 2012, 12:49:53 pm

If I were to desire to get off road into the boon docks with the rough roads, deep ditches and big rocks, I most likely would be looking at a truck conversion where the use a Kenworth road tractor for the chassis. Something that is already high off the road.
To consider a coach, IE; Foretravel, Wonderlodge, Newell or Prevost seems sorta out of reason for your style of off roading.
Dave M

Re: Boondocking in a GV.

Reply #12 – August 28, 2012, 01:19:22 pm

My idea of rough roads is where a passenger car can make it without any trouble just looking for that occasional rock or pothole. Any worse, I unhook and drive the RAV4.

I don't worry about flex that much, certainly not at every pothole, just where the right or left side might drop a lot and I can start to hear creaking in the body. Then I take it a bit slower but this is only very occasionally. Have never had any windshield movement.

The Bluebirds do have more ground clearance. Just depends on how rough your roads are as to what will work well. Wanderlodges are built like tanks and have a roof rack. Nice for dry camping. A lot of trade offs between the two.

Dave, would love to have one of the big 4wd Kamaz Russian Dakar Rally vehicles. Could leave the RAV home and make money crushing cars at state fairs. Here is a great video of what a Foretravel sized vehicle can do at very high speeds over very rugged terrain: KAMAZ Dakar / Master Rally [url=http://www.russiantrucks.com]www.russiantrucks.com[/url] This was the winner in it's class, Paris to Dakar.

Pierce

Pierce

Re: Boondocking in a GV.

Reply #13 – August 28, 2012, 01:32:04 pm

I take this bad boy off road all the time.

Re: Boondocking in a GV.

Reply #14 – August 28, 2012, 01:52:58 pm

That's what I was suggesting! NOT driving Jeep trails!

Thanks

Re: Boondocking in a GV.

Reply #15 – August 28, 2012, 02:19:16 pm

Pierce, why did you show that 'cause Metzger's gonna want one of them and Geoff just got a new car so I doubt Carol will let him change again??
Were they trying to get up your driveway in that video?
John H

Re: Boondocking in a GV.

Reply #16 – August 28, 2012, 03:06:32 pm

We take ours on back country unimproved roads all the time........ One of the big reasons we got it was to have a nice comfy home while out prospecting. I just go very slow.........

Re: Boondocking in a GV.

Reply #17 – August 28, 2012, 03:48:51 pm

After boondocking older ftx's and grand villas and unihomes hundreds of days and having to dig out several coaches I alway thought about installing the manual ride height levers and cables in any foretravel I might own. Used to raise the coaches up and drive slowly over curbs and parking lot concrete tire stoppers and then let it down when I got to where I wanted to go. Especially side slopes off road. Many people asked me how I got such a large coach bck in some areas.

Or I would leave a coach on the lot tilted sideways and invariably a rver would poke his head in our office to tell us about our coaches problem.

Like bait for fishing....

Re: Boondocking in a GV.

Reply #18 – August 28, 2012, 04:47:04 pm

Sure would be nice to be able to pull a lever or two and have the coach come up to max. height without having to hold the button down with one hand. Probably not too hard to come up with a kit. Citroen did that in the late 50's so you could change tires without jacking the car up. Most innovative car both then and now.

John, the Kamaz looks powerful enough to peel the concrete off my driveway and throw it to the bottom of the hill. Wonder how expensive they are? Love the rows of driving lights. I heard they were either left over from a "Terminator" film or are the cab part of an old mobile ICBM launcher.

Pierce

Re: Boondocking in a GV.

Reply #19 – August 28, 2012, 05:44:32 pm

Pierce, I of course have the torsalastic (sp?)suspension, but have been looking at my chassis thinking that there must be a way to put an airbag lift system on it. We have plenty of on-board air.....4-5 more" of lift on demand would make a world of difference

My truck has them installed and when I have no load, I can easily lift the rear 6-7 inches with only 90lbs of pressure.

Re: Boondocking in a GV.

Reply #20 – August 28, 2012, 07:37:11 pm

Steve,

We are back from Tahoe now. We need to get you over here with your U240 and back it over the pit to take a look. I put a set of bags on my old SOB and it made a world of difference. Must be room somewhere. The ride was terrible before but several inches higher and much firmer after installation with the "ship in a storm" feeling gone. You are only 30 minutes or so away from us. Check the member map.

70 miles from our house at 1800 feet up highway 20 to over Donner Summit on I-80 and then down to the lake used 13.5 gallons. Only (only?) 7.6 gallons to get home. Lots of second gear work getting to up to I-80. Fueled here at $4.29. $4.59 in Truckee so glad we didn't wait.

Pierce

Re: Boondocking in a GV.

Reply #21 – August 28, 2012, 09:26:02 pm

Steve, I want to talk to you after "you put your 240 over the pit".

Re: Boondocking in a GV.

Reply #22 – August 29, 2012, 07:03:23 pm

Pierce,
Tomorrow I am off to another 10-12 day prospecting trip (just north of Hwy20). When I get back I will be honored to "Come Bye". What is your favorite happy hour indulgence?

Might even have to bring along a bag of replacement bulkhead bolts!

Bill, will do!

Steve

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