No Loss Tire Valve Caps

For many years these No Loss valve caps from Extreme Outback Products have been spinning on my motorcycles, cars, and trucks. They are $15 for a five-pack. I love them!

My video tells the story, but more details are available at ExtremeOutback.com. If you order some, tell George that James Langan the RoadTraveler sent you, and that you learned about his product(s) on this blog. George knows me well, as I’ve been a customer for about 15 years.

Remember to check your tire pressures often with a handheld gauge (don’t rely on TPMS displays), and run appropriate pressures for your load and the conditions.

Metal No Loss valve caps

Plastic No Loss valve caps

James Langan

Copyright James Langan/RoadTraveler. All Rights Reserved.

Source: Extreme Outback Products

 

 

 

Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) filling made easier

Filling the diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) tanks on my 2014 and 2017 Fourth Generation Ram/Cummins 2500 trucks is sometimes problematic, the DEF filler necks don’t swallow the reductant as well as fuel tanks gulp diesel. It’s worse on the ’17, which has an aluminum flatbed mounted with much less filler neck fall, however filling the DEF tank on the unmodified 2014 crew cab can also be a fiddly, messy hassle. Similar complaints in online forums confirm that plenty of folks have been challenged and frustrated by the design of pickup truck DEF systems.

The videos tell the rest of the story, but I may have found an inexpensive solution, a well designed DEF jug nozzle made by Motorcraft.

Motorcraft DEF filler on Amazon.com

Copyright James Langan/RoadTraveler.net

All Rights Reserved.

Toyo Open Country R/T 285/75R18 first rotation

(First look video was posted here:  Toyo R/T first look)

All Toyo Open Country R/T tires in LT-metric sizes start with 16.4/32″ of total tread depth. This video shows the depth after 3,450 miles on a 2017 Ram/Cummins 2500 regular cab, long bed, with a G56 manual transmission. The reward cross pattern was used.

Copyright James Langan/RoadTraveler.net

All Rights Reserved.

Source: Toyo Tires

Hallmark Milner Truck Camper Part 1

First generation ’93 Dodge/Cummins flatbed with 1963 Bell camper. Silly looking, poor photo, but fond memories.

Heavy Loads Coming Soon

My initial Still Plays With Trucks (SPWT) column in TDR Issue 86 detailed how my Ram 2500 picked me as much as I chose it, summer of 2014. This was largely due to the ridiculously low one-at-this-price online special, plus rebates, offered by Dave Smith Motors in Kellogg, Idaho. Kind of like an old world mail order bride and a new world groom that fall deeply in-love once wed, fate.

Had I special-ordered a new truck like my prior three diesel pickups (two Rams, one Ford), I would have selected a 3500 because they are the stoutest pickups available, not that much more money, and I generally prefer extra capacity. (The 4500 and 5500 series are not pickups, despite the bodies, but Class 4–5 medium-dutys.) In 1995 I was forced to order a second generation 2500 because Chrysler temporarily eliminated the single-rear-wheel (SRW) 3500s, otherwise I’ve been a “one-ton” guy for decades.

A 3500 Ram would have rear leaf springs instead of coils. As opinionated as I am about most things automotive, I have no strong bias for either suspension. Both designs have good and bad characteristics, and I’ve praised the positives and cursed the negatives of each. Leaf springs are more proven in pickups, simple, and spring oscillation damping is less critical. Conventional wisdom is that leaf springs are better for maximum loads, but there are many variables and contrary arguments. The OE rear coils on my ’14 2500 handle maximum loads better than the soft leaf springs on my 1995 Turbo Diesel, when Dodge overcompensated for the overly-stiff first generation suspensions. Coils are not automatically softer, weaker, or incapable—the Mercedes Unimog singlehandedly squashes such claims for trucks—spring rate and the overall design is what matters. One major advantage to rear coils is their inherent resistance to axle-wrap or wheel hop. (If you need schooling on axle-wrap, read Scott Dalgleish’s Back In The Saddle column, Turbo Diesel Register Issue 88, pages 72–73.)

Coincidentally, during the first 11,000 miles, this coil-sprung 2500 has spent an impressive 42-percent of its miles loaded to GVWR. None of my prior outfits had such a high percentage of hauling miles so early, but they also saw more daily driving, a chore my current Ram does not have to endure unless I choose. (Jan 2018 update: with 42,000 miles logged, the current number is over 75% loaded to GVWR or above.) Loaded to the GVWR with what you may be thinking….

Purchased a used ’07 Four Wheel Campers Hawk to try on my 2011 Tundra.

Truck Campers

When I write camper that is exactly what I mean, a slide-in truck camper, not a travel trailer or 5th-wheel, which are often called campers but are not the same thing. Over the past few years I’ve become a fan of the smaller and nimble slide-in pop-ups. Properly outfitted they can provide luxury accommodation in some very beautiful and remote country.

Our first RV ever was a relatively primitive, 30-year-old 1963 Bell camper that we mounted atop a custom Lodi Equipment flatbed on our ’93 Dodge W350. We were cash poor in those days, and barely scraped together the “$300 firm” asking price, paying the last $20 in coins. The Bell didn’t stay around long; within a year we sold it and bought a 1978 Avion travel trailer, which we still own. We used the trailer more initially, but our trailering slowed to a trickle as RVing competed with other hobbies and responsibilities.

For twenty years my wife Beth and I had occasionally considered a slide-in pop-up, but we never bought, partially because it would add another toy to the barn, but with no extra time. Plus, over the past decade I’ve preferred private, remote, and backcountry camping to regular campgrounds. A rooftop tent, two off-road camping trailers, and eventually two Four Wheel Campers (FWC) facilitated this type of recreation. Slide-in units are not one-size-fits-all, so buying my new Ram pushed me to sell my 2012 FWC and shop for something that fits the 2500.

We liked camper travel enough in the new millennium to buy a better-fitting ’12 FWC Raven for the Tundra.

Hallmark Campers History

At the end of WWII, Hallmark owner Bill Ward’s father, Hubert Monroe Ward, started making hard-sided, pop-up trailers out of surplus aircraft aluminum in Corpus Christi, Texas. Literally a garage business in the beginning, later Hubert began making pop-up campers and moved his family to Colorado. With the explosion of the RV industry in the 1960s and 70s, the Ward family and partners owned and produced a few brands, founding Hallmark Luxury Campers in 1969. Eventually the businesses were consolidated into the one brand.

Based in Fort Lupton, Hallmark has always specialized in pop-ups designed to be comfortable in the rugged extremes of Colorado’s fabulous and famous backcountry, or worldwide. They were a high-volume producer in the past, but the pace wasn’t enjoyable. More recently the focus has been on lower volume and often slightly customized or tailored units that are built-to-order. Customization takes both time and money, but I’m selfishly happy they moved in this direction. One challenge to accommodating some special requests and features is the lack of standardization. Assembly line consistency allows for better and easier quality control, but customization requires special procedures to insure details aren’t missed.

Hallmark Campers have unique construction and quality options.

Colorado Factory Visit and Ordering

Inspecting Hallmark’s campers for the first time a few years ago at the Overland Expo West event near Flagstaff, I initially dismissed their products thinking the available amenities indicated they were not rugged outfits. I unfairly put their campers in the same class as many poorly designed and constructed RVs; I could not have been more incorrect. Researching the brand online I learned they have an enviable reputation for making stout, top-quality campers, with some unique construction features specific to their brand.

Before making such a large purchase we wanted to see more, meet the owners, and tour the factory. Fort Lupton is about 1,000 miles distant from our home in Nevada, but we had a Southwestern Colorado vacation planned for autumn 2014. After a week in the majestic San Juans, we drove north to meet the Ward family and tour their facility.

The last camper we ordered had three upholstery color options, but Hallmark offers dozens of interior fabric choices. It was invaluable to have my wife quickly and expertly narrow them to just a few, which we then discussed and agreed upon (you know who did the agreeing…). We both like earth tones and neutral colors, but admittedly I was most interested in the technical details and construction choices. The Milner model was chosen because its short length provides the most clearance in technical terrain, but Hallmark makes several models to fit different needs.

Several new campers being built during our factory visit.

Fiberglass Exoskeleton

Most RVs with fiberglass sides have a separate exterior wall that is bonded to an internal wood or aluminum frame. These panels can separate from the internal structure, which is typically caused by moisture ingress that compromises the glue, extreme heat, inappropriate adhesives, or vibration and flexing. This will never be a problem with a Hallmark; their floating exterior panels are one-piece molded fiberglass, so there is nothing to delaminate. The panels are the structural exterior and interior walls and the exoskeleton frame around which the campers are built.

Specifically, the gel-coated composite wall panels consist of a fiberglass sandwich with a structural end-grain balsa core, the same material and technique used on some yachts and military aircraft. End-grain balsa is a renewable resource that imparts remarkable strength and stiffness to the sandwich panel. The end-grain configuration of balsa provides high resistance to crushing, and it is difficult to tear. These panels handle high dynamic loads and resist fatigue.

Exoskeleton molded exterior frame and fiberglass wall offers superior durability.

One-Piece Fiberglass Roof

Water damage concerns have been the nemesis of traditionally constructed RVs for decades. To have water damage there must be a leak, which generally comes from above. To reduce the possibility of leaks, Hallmark has used a one-piece molded fiberglass-composite roof since 2010. The cap-shaped roof covers the unit with no seams or transitions to fail or maintain. Roof loads are of little concern, aside from their impact on the center-of-gravity. Walking or sitting on the roof is permitted, which is great for photography.

Hallmark offers three roof-lift systems. The standard mechanical crank-up lift is designed to raise only the roof. Both the electric and super manual systems are rated to support and raise an additional 400 pounds, should someone need to carry that much weight atop. I chose the low-geared super manual, which raises the roof in 37-seconds when using a cordless drill (the primary method) or after five minutes of hand cranking (the backup).

Setting-up or striking camp is extremely fast and simple with this lift system, better than any camping outfit I’ve used. Unbuckling the four roof latches, stepping inside, and raising the roof can be accomplished in about one minute. We love this, particularly during inclement weather, or after driving late and simply wanting to sleep.

One-piece composite roof under construction.
The roof and lift system will handle 400 lb. Insulated soft walls help maintain 70℉ in -20℉ weather.

Wood, Aluminum, or Coosa Interior Framing

Wood, Coosa composite, or aluminum internal cabinetry framing is offered depending on customer needs and preferences. Prior to spec’ing this Milner I thought surely I’d choose the newest and exotic composite material. However, Coosa saves little weight over wood, the cost is high, and wood holds a screw best and is the most repairable material should serious (collision) damage occur. With the molded fiberglass design protecting the internals, and living in dry-air Nevada, we chose wood for the interior framing. One-inch foam block insulation is standard.

Aluminum, wood, or Coosa composite interior cabinetry framing options.
An owner HIT his camper hard to cause this damage. This sight helped us chose wood for the repairability.

All Weather Comfort Soft Wall Design

Above I shared that Hallmark designs their campers to be comfortable regardless of the temperatures. Winter camping capabilities are import to me and where many RVs fail. Hallmark is proud of their cold weather performance, stating their pop-ups will hold 70-degrees inside when it’s minus 20-degrees Fahrenheit outside. Of course this includes using the furnace, but -20 is pretty cold.

The standard two-layer polyester-reinforced marine-awning-material soft walls contain a third layer of 1/4–inch closed-cell foam insulation. These thick soft walls feel substantial, and our Milner has an optional fourth-layer of Mylar reflective insulation in the walls. All our windows and vents have snap-on insulated and upholstered covers. A recent photograph on Hallmark’s website shows Canadian customers Mike and Kim Baird’s 2001 Cummins Turbo Diesel with their new 2015 K2 camper. The outfit is covered in several inches of snow in Estes Park, Colorado, and the caption says: “Any Season. Anywhere. Anytime.” I say, ’nuff said.

2015 Hallmark Milner tease… much more about this unit in part two!

Sources: 

Hallmark Campers link

Copyright James Langan/RoadTraveler. All Rights Reserved.

A version of this article was also published in the Turbo Diesel Register magazine.

2 Low UnLoc From BD Diesel Performance

BD’s kit 1030705 2 Low UnLoc for late model Ram trucks

Installing BD Diesel Performance’s 2 Low UnLoc Differential Kit For Fourth Generation Rams

Moving Slower

Reversing and maneuvering large trucks, trailers, or other big outfits can be challenging and even stressful for those lacking skill or confidence. One way to mitigate the reduced visibility and risk of hitting something and causing property damage, or worse, is to move slowly. This is obvious to most everyone, yet the slowest transmission gears, first and reverse, are still tall for creeping around campsites, parking lots, and other narrow spaces. Adding grades and/or tight turns can increase the gearing deficiency. Excessive slipping of a clutch or loading of a torque converter is not a perfect solution, but sometimes a necessary evil. Done improperly with too much rpm, or repeatedly, wear or a mechanical failure may be the eventual reward.

Transfer Case Auxiliary Gearboxes

Four-wheel-drive (4WD) trucks have become extremely popular in recent decades, even with folks that rarely, if ever, venture off-pavement. The low gearing in most transfer cases lives a very lonely life. The point of low-range is to go slow in technical situations, with the added benefit (or impediment) of powering the front tires. Using low-range increases torque and helps the engine move loads at slower speeds, even at low idle. Some savvy and careful drivers will shift into 4WD-low to access the gears for backing and maneuvering, but this is not without consequence.

Traditional part-time transfer cases split engine torque equally between the front and rear axles and are designed for slippery surfaces. A slipping tire can release the inherent bind that occurs at the transfer case between the front and rear shafts. When used on high-traction surfaces that don’t allow dissipation, there is a possibility of drivetrain damage, though the risk is small if the steered tires remain straight and distances are short. Once the front tires are turned, which dramatically increases the need for differential action, drivetrain windup will result. This energy is transmitted to and felt in the steering wheel, which will move or jerk in the driver’s hands as the drivelines complain. (Full-time 4WD systems use a center differential, avoiding the conflict between the front and rear drive systems.)

Two-Wheel-Drive Low

When most 4WDs had manual-locking front hubs, simply keeping the hubs in their normal, unlocked position allowed shifting into low range without connecting the front wheels to the axles. This works, and I did it for decades. Drivers should be careful and smooth because all of the engine’s torque, now multiplied by the transfer-case gears, is going to only one driveshaft, not two.

Manual hubs on Dodge Turbo Diesels disappeared with the First Generation in 1993. Second Generation trucks have a vacuum-operated front axle disconnect system that allows a relatively simple bypass to use low-range 2WD. BD Diesel Performance still makes a kit for these Second Generation Dodge trucks. After Dodge eliminated the disconnect system in favor of constantly driving the front axles, no simple solution existed; the only real option was to add manual hubs. With the return of front axle disconnect on heavy-duty Rams in 2013, now electrically-activated, preventing 4WD from engaging while accessing the low-range gears is again easy.

DISCLAIMER—As always, use extreme care and (un)common sense. Operate all machinery with due care, while also accepting the inherent responsibility that comes with any modification. You may be your own warranty station.

2 Low UnLoc

Spring 2017, BD Diesel Performance introduced their two-wheel-drive low solution, the 2 Low UnLoc kit for 4WD 2009–2017 1500, 2014–2017 2500, and 2013–2017 3500 Rams. BD sent me one of the first units.

One end of the harness has two OEM-quality connectors that go inline at the Drivetrain Control Module, another has ports for the two included relays, and a third connects to the supplied switch. My friend Phil and I installed the kit on his 2014 2500 with 35,000 miles on the clock. He tows a 24-foot travel trailer.

Plug-and-play harness makes for an extremely easy installation

It’s So Easy

The 2 Low UnLoc for late-model axle disconnect trucks is a simple add-on. BD’s directions were followed almost to-the-letter because I found no way or need to improve the process. The one slight deviance was drilling the switch hole.

Removing three push-in retainers for the carpeted panel below the glove box allows pulling the carpet rearward, which exposes the drivetrain control module. Unclipping the black plastic cover exposes the blue factory male connector that is replaced with BD’s. The OE male plug snaps into BD’s female connector. Re-clipping the drivetrain control module cover was only a minor struggle with the extra BD connector inside.

There is plenty of harness to locate the relays far from the drivetrain control module if desired, but we secured them below module with mounting tape. The last thing to do was to make a hole for the switch.

First step, remove carpeted panel below the glove box
Pulling the passenger side carpet exposes the drivetrain control module
BD’s harness placed inline at the drivetrain module

Pulling The Center Stack Cover

Removing the center dash cover that surrounds the radio and HVAC control is a simple task, though like doing anything for the first time there can be trepidation. The first step is the most critical and can be easily overlooked by the uninitiated.

A plastic liner snaps into the tray above the radio and must be removed to expose two TORX T20 screws. Remove these two screws first and replace last. The remainder of the piece is held with several snap-in clips, mostly around the perimeter, and it is simply pulled away at the edges. I use my fingertips and/or a plastic interior trim tool. After the surround is loose, a few connectors on the rear must be unclipped before the piece can be completely removed.

Drilling

Phil and I started this 2 Low UnLoc project by removing the dash center stack cover, which confirmed we could use the blank spot below the cubby on the right. From the front it appeared that the matching blank space on the left could be used instead. This was not the case on Phil’s truck, as there was a connector on the back. These little panels are great locations for switches, plus they are replaceable, secured with four Philips screws on the rear.

Rocker switch requires a large hole

BD recommends using a stepper drill bit to make the hole for their lighted rocker switch. I don’t own a stepper bit, but I would have been concerned about going too deep and making the hole too big. The largest bit in my toolbox is a 5/8”. After stepping up to this size we were close, but the hole was still slightly undersized. Carefully enlarging the hole with the same 5/8” bit worked; I stopped while the rocker was still a very tight, interference fit. A small file was used to cut a notch for the locating tab on the left side. Because of the snug fit, we were unable to use the 2WD LOW sticker BD provides with the kit.

Notched left side of hole for locating tab

Function Testing

Before pushing the rocker switch into its tight, final resting place we loosely connected the three color-coded wires and tested the 2 Low UnLoc system. The operating procedure requires rotating the rocker switch to the on position first, then moving the transfer case selector or lever to low-range. The red light on the rocker will illuminate, indicating that front axle engagement has been bypassed, and BD’s 2 Low UnLoc is active. To deactivate, the sequence is reversed; the transfer case is shifted back to two-wheel-drive high-range, then the switch is turned off.

Color-coded harness wires for the switch
After rotating the rocker, and shifting the transfer case, the switch light illuminates

We reassembled everything and tested the feature again. It worked. Phil and I both love the BD 2 Low UnLoc and think the $148 price is worth the functionality and ease of installation. Geno’s Garage stocks the 2 Low UnLoc kit, and reports they have been selling well.

James Langan

Copyright James Langan/RoadTraveler/Turbo Diesel Register. All Rights Reserved.

 A version of this article was also published in the Turbo Diesel Register magazine.

Sources:

BD Diesel Performance: dieselperformance.com, 800-887-5030

Geno’s Garage: genosgarage.com, 800-755-1715 

 

Zamp Solar Flexi Flat 100 watt panels

Zamp Solar TDR96

 

Source: Zamp Solar, zampsolar.com

Copyright James Langan/RoadTraveler/Turbo Diesel Register magazine. All Rights Reserved.

White Knuckle Off Road Hitch Step

Heavy Duty, 4×4 trail ready, White Knuckle Off Road hitch step

Another accessory for the road ahead. White Knuckle Off Road’s heavy-duty Hitch Step. While I’m capable of entering and exiting the Hallmark camper with nothing more than my Reunel step-bumper, and do so occasionally, it’s nice to have something to bridge the 40″ to the door’s threshold. Typically that’s one of two plastic folding steps, one that is a bit shorter but travels flat, or another that is bulkier but more stable. Wet, slippery, and messy boots, whether from snow or mud, add another dimension, and wind can move steps from their preferred positions (I use bungees). Multiple roadside stops during long road trips can make folding steps less convenient to deploy and store.

Beefy, 3/16″ thick tubing

The White Knuckle Off Road Hitch Step is not merely a step. It is constructed from 3/16″-thick, 2″ by 3″ rectangular tubing, and is “4×4 trail ready”, according to White Knuckle. Surely this is not merely a claim, as many aftermarket bumpers are made from 3/16″ steel plate, so this should be equally stout. Yes, adding a protrusion off the rear reduces the truck’s departure angle. However, convenient camper access is required much more frequently that maximum off-highway clearance.

I had to remove my Factor 55 HitchLink recovery point (it remains with the truck) to install the step. For some pulls a Factor 55 Shorty Strap or a soft shackle around the step should work. Powder coated black and delivered with a new receiver pin, the welds are beautiful. After test fitting and a few trips in and out of the camper, I added Jessup conformable grip tape (skateboard tape) to increase friction.

Looks great installed too
Jessup conformable grip tape is relatively easy to add to irregular surfaces

I carefully considered the positives and negatives of adding White Knuckle Off Road’s Hitch Step, but think I’m going to be happy with the addition. This weekend I spent hours loading the camper for an upcoming Canadian trip, and used the Hitch Step many times. Works for me.

Need a lift? Looks like a long way up from down here.

Copyright James Langan/RoadTraveler. All Rights Reserved.

Resource: White Knuckle Off Road Products