Car Camping / Trip Reports / Photos / Buildouts / “Overland” / Expedition Rigs Area (homeless?)

That's some serious insulation!!

 

Headed out for 6 weeks. Trails and camping FL to WA and lots of places in between.

 

Have fun and be safe. Sounds like it should be an amazing trip!

 

Have a fun and very safe trip!

 

Lol, I see your in DFW Super Bad. We’re stopping in Athens near Tyler to see one of our kids and new granddaughter before heading N to Colorado.

 

Nice, we have a active member that lives in Tyler. If you want to spend a day wheeling near Tyler check out Barnwell Mountain Recreational Area. Fun park with a lot of trails from easy to way to much for an IFS truck. Its also where The LoneStar Toyota Jamboree is held yearly which is a huge Toyota exclusive event held every May. Could be fun to make a trip next year to see your family and attend a great event!

 

Good luck drive safe

 

You need a travel thread for this!

 

Let us know if you are rolling through St. Louis. Lots of active members here and I have a shop that I host TW mod days at in case you want to do some enroute maintanence in a safe place with proper tools.

 

I would totally rock that rig with a smile on my face.

 

I'll be plenty happy if this 5500lb 2003 Eurovan camper can dig out of spots like this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m84r4vkPMk

Same EDL system as the video but I'll have more ground clearance and Hankook RF10's.

 

I don't understand. Both wheels were spinning, then they hit the edl, and both wheels where spinning....I think to be convinced I need to see it work with a tire off the ground. Hell in flat snow my tacomas electric LSD lock the rear wheels together. But we all know if a tire comes off the ground it's useless.

 

Thanks GT! We’re not seeing the arch on this trip but I sure appreciate the offer!

 

First time “travel posting” but I’m definitely working on a way to share the experience. Looking for the right place and platform. Thanks!

 

Thanks for that info Superbad! Everyone here in Athens knows about Barnwell and we are planning to attend next year!

 

Westport, WA several days of crabbing. First time using the RTT. Works great.

 

Hmm, dunno. Tacoma's I never really tested the 2012 SR5 4WD and '98 4WD (no A-TRAC on those) to discover how effective the basic system was with a wheel off the ground. Usually I popped the trucks into 4WD as soon as I got to rougher roads. The T4R's, both full-time 4WD with center diff lock and A-TRAC.

Eurovan EDL engages automatically when wheel slippage is sensed, no ON/OFF button. IF mine had the full suite of VW's ESP (Electronic Stability Program) there is an OFF button for the engine management feature (cuts engine power). The Eurovan LWB cargo vans imported for the Winnebago conversion had only the EDL feature.

I hope the Eurovan EDL is effective with a wheel off the ground, doesn't have much droop in the suspension. It won't be going onto extremely rocky roads, but I do want it able to climb loose surfaces, get through gullies at low speed.

A pic of the '95 Eurovan lifted, '03 will be lifted the same, maybe 1" more in front. Has good approach/departure angles (breakover not so much with the LWB and low-hanging LP tank). Good ground clearance.

 

Those vans are cool that's for sure. I am jealous. It's an awsome setup for going walkabout

 

Kind of a steep buyin price for these things. $28k for the '03 with 125k miles and that was a pretty good price for a clean, rust-free, no leaks van. I think the Winnebago conversions were about $42k new.

VW's do hold a unique niche in the camper van category - narrow, poptop, engine/trans over the drive wheels with either the older RWD's or the Eurovan with FWD, 4-wheel independent suspension, sort of lightweight equipped for sustained camping (5500 lbs). The Winnebago conversions are about 800lbs heavier than the Eurovan Westfalia Weekenders, but roomier because LWB, and the Winnies are fully-equipped for sustained offgrid camping. Good fuel mileage, RWD Vanagons had a 16g tank, Eurovan 21g, good tank range.

Winnie conversion has builtin LP furnace (damn nice), 20lb LP tank, 12g fresh tank, grey tank, 3-way fridge, coach battery, wardrobe, pantry cabinets.

I've owned '67 and '68 Westfalia poptops, surprisingly good in slippery conditions, engine/transaxle weight over the drive wheels is a good thing. 1WD has limitations though, I'm hoping the '03 with true 2WD is better.

Reliability? It's a VW not a Toyota. Any form of roadside assistance is a good idea, AAA, GoodSam. I have State Farm Roadside Assistance and GoodSam for the trailer, talked to the State Farm guy face-to-face today at his office, asked him "If I'm in the middle of Utah on a dirt road 40 miles from I-70, will you cover towing the Eurovan 200 miles to Grand Junction or St. George which are the nearest shops that will work on a Eurovan?" He said yes, I hope I never have to prove it.