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06-25-2022, 12:52 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Toulouse (France)
Posts: 9
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Phil from Europe
Hello all
Fresh new member not yet a Keystone owner but after tons of research planning to get a Springdale 202RD and a F150. Newly retired we'll move back to the USA before end of this year to start our new full time RV adventure.
In the past we had several type of RV's: VW Camper, VW ext cab pick-up and home made 1500lbs camper shell, Class C Ford Transit, small european travel trailer and rigid wall pop-up as well. I rented only once a Class A for a 2 week trip in between Colorado and California.
Here hopefully I'll find and share experience about topics such solar power, axles upgrades and more...
Sincerely
Phil
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06-25-2022, 03:19 AM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 11,758
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Welcome to the forum Phil. That combo should work well together. Just do a thorough PDI (pre delivery inspection) as quality has been an issue with stateside RV builds the last couple of years. Enjoy your new adventures.
__________________
Marshall
2012 Laredo 303 TG
2010 F250 LT Super Cab, long bed, 4X4, 6.4 Turbo Diesel
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06-25-2022, 04:29 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2016
Location: South Jordan, Utah
Posts: 2,228
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Welcome from Utah!! Hopefully your camping plans will include coming out west again. Don't miss the "Mighty Five".
https://www.visitutah.com/places-to-...s/the-mighty-5
__________________
2017 Cougar 279RKSWE
2007.5 Dodge Ram 2500 6.7 Cummins
Retirement Training Completed
I think the little voices in my head have started a chat group.
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06-26-2022, 12:43 AM
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#4
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Toulouse (France)
Posts: 9
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👍 Thanks
Quote:
Originally Posted by flybouy
Welcome to the forum Phil. That combo should work well together. Just do a thorough PDI (pre delivery inspection) as quality has been an issue with stateside RV builds the last couple of years. Enjoy your new adventures.
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Very good advice👍
Thank you
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06-26-2022, 12:50 AM
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#5
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Toulouse (France)
Posts: 9
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Utah is of course part of our next big journey, we love it, still having a lot of memories from Moab, Canyonlands ️
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06-26-2022, 03:14 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Mico, TX
Posts: 7,468
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Philvoyage
Utah is of course part of our next big journey, we love it, still having a lot of memories from Moab, Canyonlands ��️
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Welcome to the forum. I am curious about the truck camper on the van in your signature picture. Post a full size if you are able. Never saw that combo before. Cheers.
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wiredgeorge Mico TX
2006 F350 CC 4WD 6.0L
2002 Keystone Cougar 278
2006 GL1800 Roadsmith Trike
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06-26-2022, 03:59 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: jackson
Posts: 1,122
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Welcome From NH!
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JXNBBL (Jay)
Jackson, NH
2021 Keystone 330BHS
2023 Ram 3500 6.7L diesel, 3.73 ratio
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06-26-2022, 06:00 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Germantown, TN
Posts: 6,333
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Phil, might we ask what the price of regular gas and diesel fuel is on average where you live in France?
__________________
Jim in Memphis, Wife of 51 years is Brenda
2019 F450 6.7 Powerstroke
2018 Mobile Suites 40RSSA
2021 40' Jayco Eagle
2001 Road king w/matching Harley sidecar
2021 Yamaha X2 Wolverine 1000
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06-26-2022, 06:13 AM
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#9
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 11,758
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wiredgeorge
Welcome to the forum. I am curious about the truck camper on the van in your signature picture. Post a full size if you are able. Never saw that combo before. Cheers.
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I think that's a truck not a van. Several manufactures in Europ and Asia still build these style trucks. In the US that style truck was sold by Ford (econoline IIRC), Chevy (built on corsair chassis) , Dodge, and VW.
__________________
Marshall
2012 Laredo 303 TG
2010 F250 LT Super Cab, long bed, 4X4, 6.4 Turbo Diesel
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06-27-2022, 01:10 AM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Toulouse (France)
Posts: 9
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VW Doka
Quote:
Originally Posted by wiredgeorge
Welcome to the forum. I am curious about the truck camper on the van in your signature picture. Post a full size if you are able. Never saw that combo before. Cheers.
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Thank you George
The truck camper was a VW T3 DOKA, FLAT 4 CYL 2.OL with air shocks to help supporting the 1500lbs camper shell I built over 24 months , working on weekends and including french state inspection. I was young, not sure I would redo that job but we enjoyed it 😉
Cheers.
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06-27-2022, 02:12 AM
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#11
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Toulouse (France)
Posts: 9
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Gas price...
Quote:
Originally Posted by notanlines
Phil, might we ask what the price of regular gas and diesel fuel is on average where you live in France?
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Hi
Right now in France, even though we have a 15 to 18cts discount financed by govt, price per liter is around 2.00€ for gas and diesel that was historically at lower price is now more expensive that gas!!!
Quick conversion makes it a $8.00/gal
I think this is going to get worse at fall with a 2.50€/liter (~$10.00/gal)
FYI: a European diesel class B runs at 28mpg average
Phil
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06-27-2022, 03:29 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Upper Chesapeake Bay
Posts: 4,839
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Philvoyage
Thank you George
The truck camper was a VW T3 DOKA, FLAT 4 CYL 2.OL with air shocks to help supporting the 1500lbs camper shell I built over 24 months , working on weekends and including french state inspection. I was young, not sure I would redo that job but we enjoyed it 😉
Cheers.
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Kinda cool but high center of gravity and narrow wheelbase….did it need a kickstand when parked or do you normally just store it on its side?
__________________
2020 Cougar 315 RLS
2020 Ram 3500 6.7HO 4.10 Dually Aisin
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06-27-2022, 04:29 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Mico, TX
Posts: 7,468
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Thanks for posting the picture. That was a heck of a job building that camper yourself. I had a Lance camper on an F150 and it was way over payload. I didn't know better but I did change from stock P rated tires to LT. I can imagine what it must have been like for you to travel in your self-made camper. Anyway, welcome back home.
__________________
wiredgeorge Mico TX
2006 F350 CC 4WD 6.0L
2002 Keystone Cougar 278
2006 GL1800 Roadsmith Trike
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06-27-2022, 04:44 AM
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#14
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Toulouse (France)
Posts: 9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jasin1
Kinda cool but high center of gravity and narrow wheelbase….did it need a kickstand when parked or do you normally just store it on its side?
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Stored away when not used and when used we did not bother dropping the 2 front legs unless we camped on high winds of the Atlantic coast. The VW base with air shocks was kinda stiff enough to hold the load ; never had any issue on highways either. Only issue we had, my design mistake, was the limited cargo weight when traveling at 5 people in the cab...
I sold it to buy a Class C on dual rear wheel Ford Transit...
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06-27-2022, 04:50 AM
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#15
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Toulouse (France)
Posts: 9
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@wiredgeorge Same I had to switch to Michelin xzl type or equivalent at this time, 1992 ...
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Looking at full time RV life in America
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06-27-2022, 09:16 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Upper Chesapeake Bay
Posts: 4,839
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Philvoyage
Stored away when not used and when used we did not bother dropping the 2 front legs unless we camped on high winds of the Atlantic coast. The VW base with air shocks was kinda stiff enough to hold the load ; never had any issue on highways either. Only issue we had, my design mistake, was the limited cargo weight when traveling at 5 people in the cab...
I sold it to buy a Class C on dual rear wheel Ford Transit...
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it looks nice…very creative..i’m working on a teardrop trailer for my daughter but it’s been slow going so far…i’ve been busy and i tend to procrastinate
__________________
2020 Cougar 315 RLS
2020 Ram 3500 6.7HO 4.10 Dually Aisin
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06-27-2022, 01:14 PM
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#17
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Toulouse (France)
Posts: 9
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projects...
Quote:
Originally Posted by jasin1
it looks nice…very creative..i’m working on a teardrop trailer for my daughter but it’s been slow going so far…i’ve been busy and i tend to procrastinate
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Thanks and good luck with your daughter's project!
My last one wants to be a digital nomad and she already asked me to help her to convert a van, E250 or similar....
__________________
Looking at full time RV life in America
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06-28-2022, 03:44 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Saginaw Mn
Posts: 1,732
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Welcome from northern MN.
__________________
2012 Keystone Retreat 39 FDEN
99 Dodge One Ton Diesel Dually
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06-30-2022, 12:15 PM
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#19
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Duluth
Posts: 30
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Phil - 1st of all, welcome to the forum. Know you will enjoy it.
Second of all, congradulations on your retirement. Now the real fun starts.
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