These upgrades have a common theme: to make us more independent and able to get to even more remote places to camp and hike. They also make it so we can get away from generators and dogs, the Saruman and Sauron of camping.
Front shock absorbers (officially called struts)
The first upgrade was front shock absorbers. These used to be standard equipment for pickup campers. But now only one company makes them (so you can imagine what they cost). They aren't needed as much as they once were because the tie-downs that hold the camper on the pickup bed are much improved--these days they are a shock absorber themselves instead of just being a chain.
Another reason they are not seen very often is that the construction of pickup campers has improved. Ours has an aluminum, not wood, frame, so the part of the camper that hangs over the pickup cab is sturdier than it used to be.
Finally, pickup campers have become a smaller part of the RV world. Most people (by a huge margin) prefer the larger campers, fifth-wheels and mobile homes. We, in contrast, purposefully purchased the smallest unit made for an 8-foot camper bed. We wanted to be nimble and to be able to go to places other RVs couldn't go.
It's worked (see our previous post for some of the hidden places we went on our last trip).
These front shock absorbers work well. They make it so that when you go over big bumps the camper doesn't jolt. We can travel on rougher roads now without damaging the camper.
And we look so tough!
Interior latches
The latches on our cabinets were not heavy duty. Sometimes on rough roads the drawers and doors would come open, spilling contents. They were made for sitting in an RV park. So we installed our own, heavy duty latches. Now our cabinets can't come open regardless of the terrain. Here I am installing them. The new type of latch is at 11:00 above my head.
New refrigerator
A better refrigerator. The one we had stopped working, and despite many contacts with NorCold, it could not be fixed. The repair shop replaced every part the NorCold company said to replace, and the problem wasn't a bit better.
So, do we pour more money into it or go with the old saying of "Don't throw good money after bad?" There is a reason old sayings have such staying power, so went with this one and purchased a Dometic refrigerator. One advantage of the swap is that the new refrigerator is 20% larger, which gives us more time between grocery stops. That makes a difference for us because sometimes we can go over a month without being close to any kinds of stores. Saves on gasoline because we can sit longer in camping spots instead of driving.
Refrigerator fan
This is an interesting upgrade. RV refrigerators generate a lot of heat. It is imperative that the heat rises up and out of the camper for the refrigerators to cool well. We had a solar powered fan installed that draws the heat from behind the refrigerator and out the top vent. It really seems to work (we also purchased wireless thermometers for the refrigerator and freezer so we can easily monitor the temperatures). In a way this purchase uses the sun to help cool the refrigerator, saving a bit on propane costs.
When the fan is starting up we say the chain saw is working. When there isn't much sunlight, it runs very slowly, so the slight imbalance in our camper causes this. Then it gets going and is pretty quiet.
Removal of TV antenna
It may be confusing to think of removing something as being an improvement. But we found that we never used the TV hookup in our camper, and the antenna made us about 6 inches taller than we needed to be. There were times when that made a difference. Plus, it was only a matter of time before a branch knocked it off, and then we'd have to try to do a repair on our own. Now the antenna is sitting in the garage, where it belongs.
The antenna that was removed can be seen behind Vicky in this photo. It's also obvious from this photo why it needed to go. We travel in tight spots at times.
New and better batteries
The batteries that were installed in our Lance camper lasted only two years. You read that correctly. We were having trouble holding a charge in them, so had them tested, and they were bad. That shouldn't happen. Over and over we hear a similar complaint from people in the know--batteries made in America are more expensive and better.
We purchased two new ones, top of the line. Five year warranty.
Another solar panel
If one solar panel works, two should work even better, right? Actually, most of the time two panels aren't needed, as when we are in good sunlight one panel keeps the batteries charged (and there is a limit as to how much the batteries can be charged so past a certain point there is no gain). But, now, when we are in mottled sunlight or on cloudy days, we should be able to keep our batteries in full charge.
(You can see the two large solar panels, and then on the right, a very small one that runs the refrigerator fan. )
What we found with two years of using our first solar panel is that we quickly recouped its cost because we never had to go to RV parks to charge the batteries. Instead of spending $25-50 a night on camping fees, we often spend nothing. That adds up quickly. So all of our improvements will not only make the trips more enjoyable, but will save us money in the not-so-very long run. Best of all worlds!
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