McBride
Adventurer
Thanks Jeremy,
Hope all is well.
I have received numerous recommendations from happy users of the Koni Raids. I'm going to pull the trigger soon and appreciate the input.
William
Purchased an Expedition G Wagen
- Thread starter McBride
- Start date
Thanks Jeremy,
Hope all is well.
I have received numerous recommendations from happy users of the Koni Raids. I'm going to pull the trigger soon and appreciate the input.
William
mk216v
Der Chef der Fahrzeuge
McBride
Adventurer
Jeremy,
I'm good. Working too much as usual. Looking forward to the drive to Mormon Lake.
Based on the input I've received here and that from the men on Pointed Three I've decided on the Koni Raids. I'll order them tomorrow or Tuesday and I'm sure they will be great once I dial them in.
I appreciate everybody sharing their experience and knowledge.
William
mk216v
Der Chef der Fahrzeuge
I think we're all working too much William.
Glad to hear on the Raid's, please post feedback here!
McBride
Adventurer
Its springtime
Greetings,
Its springtime! I got back from my first Overland Expo last Monday. Everything about it was awesome. We made the trip out on mainly dirt roads and I was able to take a couple of routes that have been on my list for years. We only did @ 6 or 7 hours of dirt on the return trip - not much because we had to make quick time. The vehicles in our group -(G-Ronimo and a Unimog Doka Expo Rig) ran great and the weather couldn't have been much better. The Unimog was surprisingly fast and with its extremely experienced driver we made the rough roads thru numerous mountain ranges without incident.
Attached are a couple of pics.
I've also attached a pic comparing the size of my new Koni Raids to the old Bilsteins. Big difference. Another pic is of the Maxtrax that I mounted to the side of the camper using the long Quick Fists. Pretty cool things, those Quick Fists. Didn't budge over 1k miles of track. After viewing Scott Brady's account of extensive Maxtrax use in Australia I figured it would be a good thing to have along, especially since I go out alone most of the time.
Greetings,
Its springtime! I got back from my first Overland Expo last Monday. Everything about it was awesome. We made the trip out on mainly dirt roads and I was able to take a couple of routes that have been on my list for years. We only did @ 6 or 7 hours of dirt on the return trip - not much because we had to make quick time. The vehicles in our group -(G-Ronimo and a Unimog Doka Expo Rig) ran great and the weather couldn't have been much better. The Unimog was surprisingly fast and with its extremely experienced driver we made the rough roads thru numerous mountain ranges without incident.
Attached are a couple of pics.
I've also attached a pic comparing the size of my new Koni Raids to the old Bilsteins. Big difference. Another pic is of the Maxtrax that I mounted to the side of the camper using the long Quick Fists. Pretty cool things, those Quick Fists. Didn't budge over 1k miles of track. After viewing Scott Brady's account of extensive Maxtrax use in Australia I figured it would be a good thing to have along, especially since I go out alone most of the time.
Attachments
McBride
Adventurer
Aux fuel filter/water trap
For those who are interested, I installed the auxiliary diesel fuel filter/water trap. It is just an added measure to insure the 602.983 motor gets fed only what it likes.
My mechanic figured out the mounting brackets and installation and gave me a tutorial on how to drain/purge it.
Prior to the expo trip I also changed the diff and transfer case fluid (2nd time since I bought it 9 months ago - part of the initial cleansing), put on a new belt, A/C drain rubber fittings, new power steering fluid and filter, door seals, greased everything that could be greased, and changed the coolant in the radiator and intercooler. It is a happy camper.
Here are a couple of pics of the engine compartment showing the auxiliary fuel filter and its placement. I bought the filter and housing from Eurotruck. Mark had to come up with the fittings, mounting bracket and hoses on his own. He put it in a readily accessible spot and I can easily reach the bottom drain plug with the 10mm wrench.
For those who are interested, I installed the auxiliary diesel fuel filter/water trap. It is just an added measure to insure the 602.983 motor gets fed only what it likes.
My mechanic figured out the mounting brackets and installation and gave me a tutorial on how to drain/purge it.
Prior to the expo trip I also changed the diff and transfer case fluid (2nd time since I bought it 9 months ago - part of the initial cleansing), put on a new belt, A/C drain rubber fittings, new power steering fluid and filter, door seals, greased everything that could be greased, and changed the coolant in the radiator and intercooler. It is a happy camper.
Here are a couple of pics of the engine compartment showing the auxiliary fuel filter and its placement. I bought the filter and housing from Eurotruck. Mark had to come up with the fittings, mounting bracket and hoses on his own. He put it in a readily accessible spot and I can easily reach the bottom drain plug with the 10mm wrench.
Attachments
Overland Hadley
on a journey
Glad you had a good trip out to OE-14. Thinking I might make it to OE-15, would like to go at some point...
When you get a chance could you post some close up photos of the MaxTrax mounting.
When you get a chance could you post some close up photos of the MaxTrax mounting.
McBride
Adventurer
Absolutely. I'll get some pics posted in the next couple of days. Hope things are going good for you and your having fun.
Overland Hadley
on a journey
McBride
Adventurer
Nathaniel,
Here are some pics of how I mounted the Maxtrax using the long Quickfists.
I used #14 stainless steel self tapping tamper proof panhead screws to go thru the aluminum skin into the steel frame tubing of the camper body.
The rubber of the Quickfist compressed when the screws were tightened and provided the water tight seal.
1K miles of rough road and they haven't loosened a bit. 2.9" of rain over last weekend proved they are watertight without any additional sealing measures.
I positioned the upper and lower rubber straps tightly against the edge of the Maxtrax so that the 3/8" (or so) thickness of the rubber mounting plate of the Quickfist provides a "stand off" between the Maxtrax and the side of the camper - no rubbing of the paint.
I'll keep my eye on them and let you know if I have any issues.
Hope this provides some good visual info.
William
Attachments
Last edited:
McBride
Adventurer
Solar system logic explained
Here is a rationalization of why I went with the portable 90watt folding solar system from Overlandsolar.
I run a big and remote ranch and we have a dozen stand alone solar systems ranging in size from small two battery systems to huge state of the art tracker arrays with battery banks that weigh over 20,000lbs, and several sizes in between. I'm hands on with them every day so I'm not a complete solar newbie.
For my camper I wanted the system to meet a lot of different criteria.
- economical
- no weight added up high
- no roof penetrations
- simple - I don't want to have to assemble a major contraption every time I use it.
- compact
- reliable and proven design with quality components
- versatile
- durable
- out of harms way (when traveling on rough roads/wooded areas)
- adjustable array so as to easily situate for maximum gain as needed (without having to climb onto the roof)
- a SOC/volt meter for monitoring the batteries
- battery isolator, preferably with a selector switch
- a better/larger deep cycle house battery
As I purchased it, my camper has a simple dual battery set up which charges off the 95amp alternator when the vehicle is running. It was professionally installed and is properly protected with relay's/fuses but it is not ideal as there is no means of battery isolation. If the house battery dies, the engine battery dies. This is also a problem in that the current two batteries are different types/sizes. I have no plans to ever install in inverter.
In the 9 months that I have had the camper I have been able to make it work. While on my trips I have driven every day so both batteries were charged. When I start driving in the morning I turn the fridge to be colder and do the opposite when I hit camp. I installed numerous AA battery powered lights in the camper and only used the 12v house lights judiciously. Despite all of the extra Blue Sea and Magnadyne 12v sockets and USB outlets I installed, I only charged devices while driving. If I did need to charge a device while at camp I used an Anker 26,000 mAh battery pack or a small Anker folding solar charger. It worked but was extra gear and not ideal.
My loads when camping are the refrigerator (3amps when running), house lights (4 fixtures with two 10watt bulbs in each fixture - 80watts!), stereo, phone and Ipad charger, vehicle dome light (2 bulbs - can't remember wattage). Occasional use switched aux loads are the house water pump, onboard air compressor and the winch.
I was very concerned when I went to the Expo this year. I was going to be parked for 3 days and didn't want to have to run my engine each day. The first thing I did at the Expo was do a walk thru, looking at the solar systems of both the vendors and the Expo attendees. By noon of the first day I had made a decision and purchased a turnkey system from Overlandsolar.com. It is a quality built 90 watt tri-fold unit using very good Bosch cells, a sturdy frame with corner protection and fold out legs, good latches and handle, has a charge controller and comes with a very nice form fitted semi-rigid storage case. It was less than $400! He had larger and smaller systems as well. I took it back to my truck at lunch and in less than 5 minutes had it unpacked and hooked up. I used my multimeter to verify that it was charging and immediately turned my fridge down (from 2 1/2 to 3 1/2). The super cold beer was nice! The system worked without incident and the vehicle batteries were fully charged when I started it 3 days later, just prior to my departure. I then jump started the neighbor next to me - he idled every day but didn't quite make it thru the last night. A solar system is on his list too.
This set-up meets most of my criteria.
- The price was right
- it is ready to go right out of the box and 90 watts is perfect for my loads - I was at full charge in a couple of hours each day.
- quick and easy to set up - just set it out and clamp the leads to the battery
- isn't mounted on the roof so no added weight aloft
- not subject to trail damage (if secured properly in the vehicle)
- not subject to the sun/weather degradation when not in use - should last a lifetime unless I physically damage it (this is why I loved the nice case)
- can be re-positioned a few times a day for ideal gain if need be so it can be a smaller array (as compared to a fixed panel)
- don't have to worry about orienting the vehicle as it relates to solar gain
- I can take it with me or not, and can move it between vehicles
- it has a charge controller
While looking around at the various vehicles I saw a super simple, inexpensive solution for a SOC/volt meter. It is made by Innova and plugs into a cigarette lighter (12volt outlet). When the engine is running it displays the voltage being put out by the alternator (gauges the health/function of the alternator and voltage regulator) and when the engine is off it displays the battery voltage and state of charge of the battery system. I compared it's read out to my high end multimeter and it is right on the money. It was $13 on Amazon.
Now I just need to figure out what I'm going to do for a battery isolator/switch and get a better/larger deep cycle battery. For the latter I have heard good things about the Odyssey batteries. I looked at the National Luna dual battery set up but, being smart, limits how the batteries can be switched (ie for winching). I have to learn more about that aspect of a battery system. Any input would be much appreciated.
I also purchased LED bulbs from Overland Solar to replace the standard ones for the house and vehicle dome lights. Man, what a difference. Not all LED bulbs are created equal and the ones he sells are the good ones. His prices were incredible compared to what I've seen in the auto parts store and RV stores. With the 10 new bulbs in the camper it was so bright I had to switch half the fixtures off. I got the warm white bulbs and it is a very pleasant light. Now I don't have to use my AA battery powered fixtures. Yay!
Hope this is of some help to someone.
Cheerio.
-
Here is a rationalization of why I went with the portable 90watt folding solar system from Overlandsolar.
I run a big and remote ranch and we have a dozen stand alone solar systems ranging in size from small two battery systems to huge state of the art tracker arrays with battery banks that weigh over 20,000lbs, and several sizes in between. I'm hands on with them every day so I'm not a complete solar newbie.
For my camper I wanted the system to meet a lot of different criteria.
- economical
- no weight added up high
- no roof penetrations
- simple - I don't want to have to assemble a major contraption every time I use it.
- compact
- reliable and proven design with quality components
- versatile
- durable
- out of harms way (when traveling on rough roads/wooded areas)
- adjustable array so as to easily situate for maximum gain as needed (without having to climb onto the roof)
- a SOC/volt meter for monitoring the batteries
- battery isolator, preferably with a selector switch
- a better/larger deep cycle house battery
As I purchased it, my camper has a simple dual battery set up which charges off the 95amp alternator when the vehicle is running. It was professionally installed and is properly protected with relay's/fuses but it is not ideal as there is no means of battery isolation. If the house battery dies, the engine battery dies. This is also a problem in that the current two batteries are different types/sizes. I have no plans to ever install in inverter.
In the 9 months that I have had the camper I have been able to make it work. While on my trips I have driven every day so both batteries were charged. When I start driving in the morning I turn the fridge to be colder and do the opposite when I hit camp. I installed numerous AA battery powered lights in the camper and only used the 12v house lights judiciously. Despite all of the extra Blue Sea and Magnadyne 12v sockets and USB outlets I installed, I only charged devices while driving. If I did need to charge a device while at camp I used an Anker 26,000 mAh battery pack or a small Anker folding solar charger. It worked but was extra gear and not ideal.
My loads when camping are the refrigerator (3amps when running), house lights (4 fixtures with two 10watt bulbs in each fixture - 80watts!), stereo, phone and Ipad charger, vehicle dome light (2 bulbs - can't remember wattage). Occasional use switched aux loads are the house water pump, onboard air compressor and the winch.
I was very concerned when I went to the Expo this year. I was going to be parked for 3 days and didn't want to have to run my engine each day. The first thing I did at the Expo was do a walk thru, looking at the solar systems of both the vendors and the Expo attendees. By noon of the first day I had made a decision and purchased a turnkey system from Overlandsolar.com. It is a quality built 90 watt tri-fold unit using very good Bosch cells, a sturdy frame with corner protection and fold out legs, good latches and handle, has a charge controller and comes with a very nice form fitted semi-rigid storage case. It was less than $400! He had larger and smaller systems as well. I took it back to my truck at lunch and in less than 5 minutes had it unpacked and hooked up. I used my multimeter to verify that it was charging and immediately turned my fridge down (from 2 1/2 to 3 1/2). The super cold beer was nice! The system worked without incident and the vehicle batteries were fully charged when I started it 3 days later, just prior to my departure. I then jump started the neighbor next to me - he idled every day but didn't quite make it thru the last night. A solar system is on his list too.
This set-up meets most of my criteria.
- The price was right
- it is ready to go right out of the box and 90 watts is perfect for my loads - I was at full charge in a couple of hours each day.
- quick and easy to set up - just set it out and clamp the leads to the battery
- isn't mounted on the roof so no added weight aloft
- not subject to trail damage (if secured properly in the vehicle)
- not subject to the sun/weather degradation when not in use - should last a lifetime unless I physically damage it (this is why I loved the nice case)
- can be re-positioned a few times a day for ideal gain if need be so it can be a smaller array (as compared to a fixed panel)
- don't have to worry about orienting the vehicle as it relates to solar gain
- I can take it with me or not, and can move it between vehicles
- it has a charge controller
While looking around at the various vehicles I saw a super simple, inexpensive solution for a SOC/volt meter. It is made by Innova and plugs into a cigarette lighter (12volt outlet). When the engine is running it displays the voltage being put out by the alternator (gauges the health/function of the alternator and voltage regulator) and when the engine is off it displays the battery voltage and state of charge of the battery system. I compared it's read out to my high end multimeter and it is right on the money. It was $13 on Amazon.
Now I just need to figure out what I'm going to do for a battery isolator/switch and get a better/larger deep cycle battery. For the latter I have heard good things about the Odyssey batteries. I looked at the National Luna dual battery set up but, being smart, limits how the batteries can be switched (ie for winching). I have to learn more about that aspect of a battery system. Any input would be much appreciated.
I also purchased LED bulbs from Overland Solar to replace the standard ones for the house and vehicle dome lights. Man, what a difference. Not all LED bulbs are created equal and the ones he sells are the good ones. His prices were incredible compared to what I've seen in the auto parts store and RV stores. With the 10 new bulbs in the camper it was so bright I had to switch half the fixtures off. I got the warm white bulbs and it is a very pleasant light. Now I don't have to use my AA battery powered fixtures. Yay!
Hope this is of some help to someone.
Cheerio.
-