Turning a Blown out RV into a Global Expedition Vehicle(GXV)

Deeds,
Thinking I won't need the duals now but I have no experience on eliminating one wheel on each side.

More to learn.
Any ideas?
bill

I think you can put a regular 8 bolt wheel on it. (From a similar era 3/4t truck.) I've never tried though.

It may look a bit funny with 2 different style rims. Also, if you have a flat you'll need to carry one of the dual rims - just in case its a front blow out.

If you're driving through a state with retentive DOT guys, they may have a problem with it too, as your vehicle was designed to be operated with specific equipment.

You could always take off the outside tires for a longer trip, to see if there is any noticeable benefit.

There check those out for DIY stoves made out of propane tanks.

http://kelowna.en.craigslist.ca/tls/3435296205.html

Back to your 3 burners/oven combo, that's what I have in the house, been cooking with that for 15 years now. Haven't installed my old gas range,very heavy need to reinforce the floors first. But the propane RV works just fine altough I had to add a thick steel plate in the oven, much better heat distribution=less burning of the pizzas.

Also mine doesn't have much insulation on the bottom, will get hot enough to burn whatever it is mounted on, same with the sides so watch out when re-installing, leave lots of vented air space around it.:eek1

Careful with them bloody stoves, there is a very crispy one on the scrap pile at the local dump right now, second "crispy" one I see there.

Great thread.

I made this one, then when visitors to my workshop noticed it they wanted one. So I've made a few of them now. I used a taller gas bottle for my workshop as it's easy to chuck a 2' offcut length straight in the top. The small ones work just as well but need more feeding. When its really cold i get mine going with wood then I chuck some coal in too and it stays hot for hours.
This pic is outside when I test fire them to burn off the paint. It's then used inside and the collar simply pushes into the base of the 125mm Stainless flue liner I salvaged for a chimney installer.

My aunt once had an older Ford Econoline motorhome that was converted from duels to single rear. Someone got new rims and used a wider tire that had a higher load rating then the original. Only did it to the back. Don't know size but the inside sidewall was about in the middle of where the inner tire should be and the outer sidewall just a little short of where the outer sidewall would have been. For a spare they just carried one front wheel (which could be jammed onto the rear in a pinch. I never had it apart and it has been way too many years since I had wheels off a duelly, don't remember if there was anything wierd about the coining of the wheels so they would bolt together as a pair on the axle. That conical lugnut thing needs to be checked out to make sure it is a viable swap.

Broncho,
Guess I need to take the wheels off anyway just to loosen everything up and learn to change them.
At this point I need a jack that can handle things.
Thanks,
bill

H6669,
Thanks for the advice, I'll post a couple of pics of the stove when I dig it out of the snow...gotta make a dump run tomorrow to get rid of the old roof and a couple of windows. The stove link is cool, gotta make a decision soon to get heat inside.



Dug in here...



Pulled this out, better now...




Meanwhile in the living room...rocks and grills.



The nylon portion is broken in pieces...gotta do something there on the top.
bill

Possibly park it til Spring and start your training.

I think I have the very same antique broom, mine is display only now. Yes I do...had to run out and check.

Eh! Get that gas stove under cover,if the white stuff melts you may get the insulation wet and it may (will) pack and then be useless. Took me over a week to restore my old gas range because of that and those you can somehow take apart even if they are not really designed to be.

Even the gas fridge....I am not big on them but they certainly have a market value. New ones are pretty expensive and where I come from hunters are always on the lookout for them to put in their cabins. There may be a little filter screen at the gas inlet, if you are inclined to try it to see if you can get some $$$$ for it, make sure the filter screen is clean.

Guys,
My buddy Jon(the world famous motorcycle traveler and my sometimes partner in the chicka bars in Sud Amerika) refers to the fact that I am signed up for a 30 mile ski race in February.
He thinks I am weakening but look at this pic...all screws I have turned loose by hand. I don't own the proper battery power tools.



Been skiing 3 hours a day...that plus Christmas cuts into work time on the Minnie.
bill

Guys,
Following your instructions!!
Been digging!!!





As for the propane frig, maybe I will save it...the world economy is poised to self destruct any day and if the power goes I have 500 gallons of propane in my main house tank as a back up to wood.

Well at least I'd have ice cubes.

BTW the little sink is a keeper and behind it are the old corners for the back wall.They might prove useful.

Dump run tomorrow, my place looks like it has been invaded by Zombie hillbillys.

My friends say it's not me.

Yada yada...
bill

PS.
Report from the engine room.
Dog house on the engine, quiet, smooth running.
Got lights, 2 speed heater fan with heat and wipers.
b

Wondering aloud if you can make an air-to-oil heat exchanger for the woodstove, then plumb that to a radiator in the cabin with you. That way there's almost no way to asphyxiate, and if you let the fire burn down, the oil will still give off heat for awhile until you get the fire built back up. Might need a circ pump for the oil, or it might flow on its own if it's designed correctly.

As a steam fitter, let me add that I like the heat exchanger idea. I'd use water past the wood stove. Leave it open to atmosphere somewhere. (even just a fill point) You don't want to build a bomb.

You guys are my gods, thinking rocks on the wood stove top now...

Could you imagine a sauna/Adventure van.


Call the foamer. It's getting worse.




bill

I have a couple of them sinks here. All I used was a removeable 3-4 gallons water container under the counter. Easy to switch over and most importantly to me....keep clean.Too many years at sea, having a hard time trusting anything out of a tank. And then at first had an electric pump but switched that to a hand pump,simpler and just as effective for my needs.

I see your oven now, they all suffer from the same problem, the heat deflector plate is too thin, may warp even more if you crank up the heat. Then the pizza will not cook evenly. Or pies or.....whatever.

1/4" steel plate bolted on the bottom without plugging the holes....look around at the dump if they let you, that's where I find that kind of stuff and sometimes even "almost" running motorcycles.

I like the open to atmosphere idea (maybe using a baffle box so vapor escapes, but not liquid), but I wouldn't use straight water because of corrosion and potential for freezing. I like the oil idea because of its higher boiling point, but propylene glycol could be used, too.

I was thinking that for this application, the water could be cycled through hot water tank. A 1/4hp circulating pump and a check valve would accomplish a very simple tie in.

Oil or glycol would be ideal if you wanted to heat underneath the unit, in the winter.

OK, I'll check the oven out as soon as I can find a gas cylinder, I'll cook a pizza to test it. I'll look for a piece of steel to fit.

As for the sink, my water tank has a 12V pump. Hope to have drinking water in jugs and washing/toilet water in the tank.

More snow is coming tonight, I moved the rig and moved the scrap.
I am ready even if we get a foot. The RV is still a big piece to me to drive...it's like herding elephants.

I know a toilet is a thread in itself. I have the grey water tank. Thought about turning the old wet toilet unit into a dry more direct deposit type.
Gravity drop.
My goal is nothing electric.
Deeds, what hand water pump did you use for water?

I am a kayaker, thought of using a hand operated bilge pump for the sink and toilet?

bill

The circ pump would be electric. You're staying away from that though.
If you want to get away from black water, I've seen incinolets. They burn the waste. The one our rig had was propane fired iirc. Or diesel.