So how many of you actually take your pups off road?

[trace wood]

We have a Starcraft 36 RT. It is huge, We love it to death. I think that the offroadability is limited mainly by the tow vehicle. We tow with an E350 ford van. Lots of suspension and brake power, The 351 v8 has adequate oomph on the road but it likes to gear down to stay in the power sweet spot. Low gear will pull like crazy until the 2 wheel drive breaks traction. There is the limit for us. I shudder at the idea of getting this rig stuck or snookered in a dead end road with no turn around. So long as the rout resembles a road, that's our limit. Of course, A good map and direction from a reputable fellow traveller also go a long way in planning our off road sojourn. all brands of off road series traillers are tuff enough for almost any excoursion, WE love our RT!

 

[charliec]

I have been lucky enough to take mine (1976 Valley Forge) off road here in Colorado many times without many modifications...yet.
I am working now putting in a 3500lb axle with electric brakes and have already put in skid plates and have a new frame built for the new axle.
I have also cut down the rear bed (to a single bunk) and had my canvas replaced using rip stop with a big screen window on the back now.

I removed the stove and sink (put in am/fm/cd satellite stereo with with a dvd and screen) and up upgraded to a high velocity blower on the furnace (gets cold at night over 10,000 ft no matter what time of year). and of course am now using three big marine batteries.

I have been looking for a decent solar electric system that will charge and run these units and so far the best for the buck seems to be through Costco for about $300.00 and another $100.00 to upgrade to 1500W Inverter. BTW, we're not rich so I do all the build work and scavenge all the parts...right now even with the cost of the camper I'm still only in about $1,200.00.

If anyone has suggestions please let me know as this has become a labor of love for my wife and I and we head for the hills every chance we can. We are both closing in on sixty and finally gave up backpacking a few years ago simply due to the limitations of what we can carry to the time we can stay out and we both like going for two week stays where we never see another human so this has been the perfect solution for us. I have to say the only time we have ever stayed in campgrounds have been late fall and early (real early) spring with the camper (too much snow up high) although I do recommend a tent trip in the snow (if you have the proper gear)...that's when a campground in a "tourist" spot can really be a lot of fun.

 

[teejaywhy]

I have been looking for a decent solar electric system that will charge and run these units and so far the best for the buck seems to be through Costco for about $300.00 and another $100.00 to upgrade to 1500W Inverter.

1500 watts !! ?? Seems like a lot of Inverter ?

 

[charliec]

Hi teejaywhy,
Yes, it's a healthy dose of power but, after factoring a nights usage on 3 big marine cells and having the ability to recharge and run all of the same devices plus a small fridge (12v)during the day hours it's a better fit after giving surge consideration as well (plus I am looking into building a hot water shower system that I can pump directly from a nearby creek etc).
So, with a decent solar system (free power) I would rather have more than enough capacity from the start rather than upgrade later as that just adds cost. I also keep toying with the idea of adding a motor to lift the top and perhaps a leveling system...who knows what's next?

 

[cwolfman13]

We don't do any true 4x4 type of offroading with the p'up....but we do like to get back into the back country as much as we can using forest roads and realtively well maintained logging roads. Looking to mod the p'up this season with an axle flip (I know it's not really a flip) to get a bit more clearance. It doesn't make a hill of beans difference on the majority of forest roads, but the extra clearance would make it easier to navigate the "driveways" of some of my favorite boondock sites. Bent the steps last season and decided I needed to do this mod after spending a few hours trying to bend them back into place.

FR 151 into the Rio Chama Canyon Wilderness. This FR is easily passable by sedan unless their is inclimate weather. Many of the "driveways" to nice boondocking sites along the road are another story.

Rio Chama Canyon Wilderness boondock site. You can't really tell in the picture, but this was a real bugger to get in and out of...a little add'l clearance would have probably saved us a half hour on either end.

One of frequented boondock haunts in the Jemez Mts. This is where I bent my steps while leaving. There is a considerable angle when climbing out of the site to the main road and I was draging the steps through the dirt and rocks for a good 10' before I realized I needed to take another angle to get out. Damage was already done....BTW, this was the 1st time out in the p'up so I wasn't used to having to worry about such things....I'm much better now.

Same site....you can see a bit of the angle I was talking about.

 

[Sal C]

If my TV can make it, my pup can. My TV is a goat (2010 trd Toyota). I take it out elk hunting for a week. Very self sufficient. I go where the bigger RV's can't go. Just slow and easy. Friends that go with me are impressed. I've had my pup for 3 yrs, I've plugged in only 2 times. Boondocking is my thing !!!! 2 good batteries, 4 propane tanks, some Jack D, and I'm good to go.

 

[Jeff Dodgen]

I have had my TV since new and built every bit of it but my PUP is two weeks old to me. I recently sold our 2004 Jayco Baja 10Z and bought a 2009 Starcraft 1701 stock and in the process of modding it to our needs. Right now the TV is getting a tranny swap so I don't have a pic together but you get the idea.

Tow vehicle

Camper day 1

After the first round of mods

 

[StumpXJ]

Howdy Jeffro... camper looks good man. See ya this weekend.

And since everyone loves pics:

 

[gojeepgo]

We take our Hybrid off road at least once a year. We camp on the beach in Montauk NY. Air the tires down in the TV, air down the tires on the camper. Shift the TV into 4wheel low and then slow and steady a mile or so down the beach away from civilization for a week. No hook ups and best of all no cell service.

 

[bearman512]

We take our Hybrid off road at least once a year. We camp on the beach in Montauk NY. Air the tires down in the TV, air down the tires on the camper. Shift the TV into 4wheel low and then slow and steady a mile or so down the beach away from civilization for a week. No hook ups and best of all no cell service.

I think that is awesome. I love the real beaches but you know I have more beach than you! JUST NO WATER!!!!

 

[ChocoChock01]

We had a great time at our rally on this ancient beach!

 

[medicmike5969]

I take my '78 Apache Ramada pop-up off road quite often - whether I'm up in the Northern Michigan woods camping during the summer or deer hunting in Nov.

 

[ChocoChock01]

This is link for the ancient beach:


http://www.popupportal.com/index.php?topic=65637.15


This was where the Colorado River and the Sea of Cortez met a few million yrs ago!

 

[ridenred333]

I use to when I lived in Arizona. I would just slow down the speed of travel as the road are pretty wash board. I would also check nut bolts and screws after trips.

 

[phalynx]

Here's Schnebly hill rd in Sedona AZ.

Side roads at the top of schnebly hill.

Pictures never do the roughness of the road justice. The side road was rough enough that an average person wouldn't take their trucks or SUVs down this road in the first place, let a lone with a trailer.

The whole story is here::
http://www.popupportal.com/index.php?topic=71013.0

 

[jdizzle]

I am starting to think I should have gotten a smaller pup

 

[ridenred333]

Here's Schnebly hill rd in Sedona AZ.

Side roads at the top of schnebly hill.

Pictures never do the roughness of the road justice. The side road was rough enough that an average person wouldn't take their trucks or SUVs down this road in the first place, let a lone with a trailer.

The whole story is here::
http://www.popupportal.com/index.php?topic=71013.0

Thanks for posting these pics I miss that place I grew up in arizona and lived there till I was 30 and left when I joined the Army I havent been back as I am still active duty and havent been back thanks for sharing those pics. I really enjoy them. I am an idiot for not taking more pictures of the place while I was there. I took it for grant it an now have to relay on other people like you to post them so I can remember the old days of when I was there. I know the road you are talking about in this pic.

 

[rOjO]

I take mine "off-highway" regularly, which is what it was built for. It sits on Jeep YJ leaf springs, and uses the same size rims/tires as the TV, so they can share spares (I have 2 spares and carry both on remote excursions).

Speaking of Sedona, I'm tempted to drag it through Broken Arrow when the weather cools back off...

 

[steveandlisette]

If my truck can make it, I will take the PUP.

 

[rd3]

I lease a farm for hunting, hiking and 4-wheeling. I take the pup back off the road a few times a year there plus hunting season. As long as I go slow I haven't had any problems. I have more clearance on my Jayco Baja than I do on on my 4wd truck. Love getting back away from everything