2005 F450 Earthroamer XV-LT Extd Cab 40,000 miles 6.0L Diesel No DEF! 4X4 Air Spnsn

Plainsmuse

Plainsmuse

Adventurer
Would you be interested in Renting? PM me for details with name contact info

44,000 miles. :drool: Will cost three times as much to a used 2012! :Wow1: Don't believe me, just look: http://earthroamer.com/pre-owned/ $355K for #111. Only 140 of these grace the world, or roam on it. :smiley_drive:
Oh, and don't forget they are on order thru June 2015. I've taken 2/3rds of the used price tag off, and you get the benefit of solid sailboat construction mounted to an apocalyptic platform. IMG_0024.jpgIMG_19800105_180357.jpgIMG_19800105_180309.jpgIMG_19800105_180207.jpgIMG_19800105_200536.jpgcptyL_800600.jpgch2JX_800600.jpgbqCRV_800600.jpgcdvzC_800600.jpgbgqCY_800600.jpg
50 gallon and 40 gallon dual diesel tanks, to run diesel cooktop, diesel water heater, and diesel heater. No propane hazard, and no need to empty your propane tanks when you take a ferry, because you don't have any. Dual battery bank at runs refrigerator all the time, dual alternator to recharge for AC use, and 50 gallon fresh water tanks, with dual air compressors, to speed up airing up tires, and air chucks front and rear for air tools, and air suspension. 30amp power connection for when you want to be plugged in...if you ever want to.
Has queen size bed, laying length ways, and two storage bins on each side. No rear passenger seats, just room for ARB refrigerator, bike, and extras.
Presently outfitted awaiting travel orders, been serviced, tires have only 5,000 miles since new, Bridgestone 22.5 on Alcoa aluminum. House batteries new in 2011, and brand new starting battery. Granite countertops, beautiful wood construction, dove tailed drawers, with locking knobs. Warn 18K winch to Aluminess bumper, Hella lights with off road HID. Color that changes hues with lighting, military dark green, to dark brown, to black at night, depending on lighting conditions. Think two tone paint, done to military spec. Only ER of 130 with this color, that I am aware of. Unique to #009. In motion satellite, Pioneer stereos, gps, back-up camera, LED outdoor lighting, marker lighting, and indoor led/halogen/florescent. Thetford cassette toilet with teak wood framed shower and floor mat. Great storage bins, and European windows, with bug screen, silver reflective closed, and hinged. Roof access solar window. Great for taking pictures, or just gazing at the stars. 18,000lb tow capacity, class 8 tow hitch, with custom 8" dropping ball, with electric hookups, water, air chuck front and back, with two air handlers, and cable built into the rear bumper.
 
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Plainsmuse

Plainsmuse

Adventurer
No, as fourth owner, I have had zero mechanical issues. I don't drive it 75mph, and don't pound down back roads, either. I get surprisingly good gas mileage at 50mph, from 13mpg to 21mpg, ranging between elevations, hills. When I get to towns, mileage goes back to 9mpg to 12mpg.
No, haven't changed the turbo, either. I know it's been up to Purdue, back down thru Northwest Territory and Alberta, thru the SW, and is presently sitting, awaiting my return to a possible S.A. adventure, provided no one snaps this up. Just turned it over 40,000 miles, so really, this is a great no pee/def/urea diesel, with outstanding capabilities, and is suited for the road less traveled life. For that matter, in reality isn't even broken in, yet.
I will spend three times as much to repurchase, except the wife wants me to thin the herd out. She loves this vehicle too, but if we haven't the time to enjoy, does it deserve to be a trophy of past pursuits? We watched Bill Swalis develop his original design back in the 1999 time frame, ERK, and nearly bought that, when it went up for sale. We wanted and waited 11 years till we purchased unit #009. We specifically wanted a unit prior to the 07/08 DEF requirements, just for the reason of having to find piss/def in the outback, let alone added expense.
As to arrange time to view, you'll have to PM me for arrangements.
 
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Plainsmuse

Plainsmuse

Adventurer
Repairs and possible mods

In response to PM questions, I am posting the following forthcoming realities that face any new owner of #009. I will be brutally honest, and if you want perfection, I suggest spending 3 times as much for either a new one, or one of Earthroamer's Pre-qualified units. You need to spend up to $15,000 more, for any vehicle that goes thru their processes, but you will be assured to be purchasing an already bug free, bug out Extreme RV. There are only two of these units on the market now, and there can be only one... (for you:) (Ugh, really, Highlander quotes!?)

The following needs for this vehicle that owner will need to address:

All systems go in the cab. I am not aware of any aftermarket upgrades, and I don't chip. I have planned on doing an EGR delete, and some upgrades. The 05-06 6.0L Diesel has it's share of detractors, where most problems occurring in the 02-04 timeframe. That being said, I drive this vehicle sensibly, really needn't even be concerned with the upgrades, as I don't overwork the power train, and I also don't tow 10K lbs. I have planned to do so as an insurance for it's future proofing. That being said, it's a $5000-$7500 operation, that makes the 6.0L bulletproof. Here's a link to sensible recommendations, http://www.internationalpowerstroke.com/bulletproof-6.0L.html

The following are issues to be handled in the camper.

The previous owner assured me the TV and satellite were working, but the satellite seeks while driving, creating a load on the House Batteries. So based on this and a conversation with an ER tech, the answer was to unplug the fuse located on the drivers side booth. I verified this with same ER Tech. I haven't replugged in this fuse, but know that it also powers the Terk powered Antenna, so that is presently disconnected. Since not a TV viewer, and have books & music, I know the TV works, but doesn't receive any signal, and I haven't plugged this fuse back in at this time. Honestly, I don't care to have Direct TV monitor my receivers whereabouts and viewing habits, anyhow, even when I don't pay for their services, which is what goes on with the automated dish, regardless if you are paying for it or not.

The air conditioner is great for Northern and higher elevations, anemic for humid and 110 degrees. I have the AC disconnected at present, going to either reconnect it for the new owner, or upgrade it to 10,000btu or better if I keep. Also, the AC drain has apparently plugged with desert dust/adobe, bugs or something, as the small drain tray under the AC isn't draining properly. It drains out while driving after having been run, or when the vehicle is parked on an incline, into the top drawer located by the rear door. This has leaked out before, apparently, due to an inefficient design. I am advised by my ER Tech, to drill a hole in the back of the tray that will drain down the inner fiberglass wall between the living space and the outer wall along the back of the cab. To elaborate, the hollowed out tire mount, and the back storage bays form a large open space that runs the rear length of the cab. Water should drain out the rear of the living quarters that this AC unit broaches, and then down the far side wall to drip out under an opening beneath the retracting stairs. Earthroamer.org is where a lot of owners address this issue, and have good work arounds. I expect new owner will decide for himself which way to go, or whether AC is even important to them. The 6000btu unit was good to cool things down 20 degrees or so after a hard days drive, and could run for around 4 to 5 hours before needing to be shut off, or the engine restarted for a fast charge of the batteries with the charging alternator. As long as you aren't in the desert flats, it was enough to be comfortable. The fantastic fan has a wonderful wind effect with the front overhead cab windows. When you reverse the Fantastic Fan to draw air out, it will suck air thru the front windows of the queen bed, that will blow over your face whether there's a wind or not, and provided ample cooling in all but the worst heat of summer.

The mechanical steps have sheered their primary bolts, after pushing into an stone while opening. This could of been avoided, had I turned off the automated opening feature, but didn't see outside before I opened the door. Rather than reorder the whole stairs, I have the bolts ordered. The mechanical steps will lower and retract, requiring a small effort to see that they retract fully, and don't fully extend, or hold weight. I have the bolts purchased, and intend to replace. Rear stairs work with supports under the bottom stair, as I have some pop pallets that stack, and I place beneath steps to give support so can use at present. The steps were like $575 to completely replace, I think $15 for just the bolts.

The rear camper Pioneer CD Car Stereo is skipping when playing CD's.

The fiberglass shell for the camper has a point of too great an angle of change. The slope to the top, takes a bend that created a cracking point for the paint job. It appears above the drivers door on the bed berth above the cab, and above and to the left of the rear door. (picture didn't appear, will reattempt new post) This picture shows the cracking above and to the left of the door. Perhaps due to the door being slammed, but however, it's there. It is most pronounced here, and less discernible above the drivers side, and won't really show in any present pictures I have. These are cosmetic, from my conversations with Earthroamer, and they have since changed the design, so don't appear in any new designs. I will fill these with paint.

The camper has been driven down treed paths in remote places, and has scuffing and lines from branches. Other than the most astute, owner intensive view, they aren't even noticed by anyone else. Having been the owner, lived in it remotely, and around it, I have come to accept these signs as the loving signs of the passage of time, and they grew endearing to me, seeing others experiences showing through. I am not sure who used the flat black spray paint on a two spots, one roughly 3", to the rounded edge on the passenger side camper, and the other on the passenger side of the camper two feet below the main window, but it works, with this paint. It's militaristic blending of dark green and dark brown, that changes based on lighting conditions, and then black in low light and night, lend to it's awing members of the military and other outdoors types. It was the only unit that used this paint. It was referred to as UDF Green by one Earthroamer tech I spoke to, but Ford had another color name for it. Dark Green Satin Metallic. It's a wonder to me, and I will say it absorbs more desert sun than white. With that being said, a repaint from ER is out, having quoted $30,000 or some high number, and they said it's not fixing the underlying design issue. Never got a quote from Maaco, and I am not going to Pebble Beach:088:.

There are the new owner/current owner considerations for ownership. If this puts you off, you're better off staying home and being a lurker/dreamer. This is our fifth RV/Camper, and is by far the most complex. If you are like us, aren't put off by talking to techs on the phone, working with your own hands, have a burning desire to learn more than you knew yesterday and want to live your life down the less traveled road, than you may have found your next engineered marvel of adventure camping, expedition portal style!
 
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Plainsmuse

Plainsmuse

Adventurer
Regarding invalid pictures

View attachment 189944 A bubbled up flaw of some kind that only showed up here after using fluorescent lighting under night conditions.
View attachment 189945 Similar late night photo. Should be able to be blown up sufficiently to see.

Someone else requested more paint pictures, and I don't have, and won't likely get to it. The scrape/scratches are indicative of those who have driven to Baja or South Texas with Mesquite trees, or Canada with overgrown evergreens. Anything used in these areas isn't going to have immaculate paint. This is use. If you can't see taking a Expedition Class vehicle down a narrow, twisty, river bed, or on an overgrown, little used logging road, then you better start with new, or examine your priorities in owning something like this. Maybe you want to be a collector, keep your toys in their boxes, and take your pleasure in looking just not touching. Call it what you will, but this one's been played with, as gently as one may with a 16,000lb vehicle loaded with another 2000lbs of people and stuff.
Really, I have gone out of my way to describe an awareness that I didn't even notice while I was walking around the vehicle buying it. I recall about the only thing I didn't find were the passenger seats, or that I was told it was a crew cab and I find out its a SuperCab, or something like that, and the answer was, "I'll sell it to you at agreed upon price, or I'll start returning calls to the people all around the world that had called on the unit after you agreed to purchase." Hmm...."Nevermind, I'll take it." With motivation like that, and how I didn't even see this in the high light conditions of an New Mexico sun, let alone till later after owning and living with 009 for a while, of course I bought it. If I were still w/o one, which I am not, I would buy it the way it is, and at this low of a price, sight unseen. :drool:
 
Plainsmuse

Plainsmuse

Adventurer
Things to do

Reviewed my notes from last year, and found some items I forgot.

Has 1 lock needs replacing for the bathroom door. Pantry lock was replaced, but the second lock isn't quite the right fit from Earthroamer. Haven't returned it for credit or exchange yet, door works, and locks to the bathroom, but the screw on nickle push knob sticks. Have to screw it in and out, before will unlock. The two became damaged during a time I needed to respond to an emergency, and didn't do an adequate check of the camper portion before leaving a job site. During a corner, the pantry and the bathroom door slid open and collided at exactly the knobs, and broke both.

Further elaboration regarding known construction issue that Earthroamer fixed, but exists on this coach. Paint cracks, no chips, about 6 inches down from top edge, about 24" along the passenger side behind the rear entry door. Also, 6" above the drivers door on the sleep berth. Doesn't leak, the fiberglass expanded as it was explained by ER mech, and that if repaint may fix, but they said may not. No compromise to the integrity of the wall, and no leaking.
Small discolored brown spot beneath the rear door just above the steps. Some stippling or bubbling behind the paint. About the size of a pinky finger nail on a 6' guy. Seeing this is a fiberglass construction camper, I don't believe it's rust, but don't know what to say, other than it's there. No, I don't have any pictures or way to get them at present.

Passenger side outside LED yard light has gone out. Earthroamer said has to replace both the bulb and the socket, as the manufacturer changed the design, and improved with HID LED. Not done, as we like our awning lights, and rear and drivers side are working.

Some one did some touch up with flat black paint on the rear of vehicle, near the tire and the bottom bay, as well as the two aforementioned on the passenger side. Appears 4 total coverups. Each roughly 2" to 4" in diameter. Guess someone backed into branches.

Rear seats weren't in the vehicle for the last two owners. Prior owner used to store bikes and what not. We use for storage of boxed items, water containers, and coolers. I maybe already said this...

Don't have records from any of the previous two owners. All I can say that it's not broken in at 40,000 miles, roughly 5000 miles a year driven, and was given a thorough going thru in March.

Replaced main starting battery.

Previous owner left the coffee burner on all night once, and some plastic melted down the handle. Since don't do coffee, haven't replaced or cut off little melted part, and again, cosmetic. Otherwise, it works find, along with everything else appliance wise.

(2) Halogen night lights in the queen size bed aren't working. Whether this is a bulb replacement or whether the head itself is needing replaced, I don't truly know. I read that if they get turned the wrong way, they can be broken. I don't use them, so haven't addressed.

Ok, I feel I have more than adequately described all of the flaws to this nearly perfect vehicle. All mostly cosmetic, and with the exception to the rear steps, none of these would prevent me from driving anywhere tomorrow.
 
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