Going Greener (It's not easy being green!)

[flinchlock]

[hijack on]

This bridge?

[hijack off]
YUP.

Mike

 

[Len]

Wow... nice pix.
We're about 80 Km (50 Miles?) north of the US border in the Okanagan Valley in BC. It's a ways from Spokane actually.

 

[flinchlock]

We're about 80 Km (50 Miles?) north of the US border in the Okanagan Valley in BC. It's a ways from Spokane actually.
Oh, I assume you have been to Mt. Revelstoke National Park? VERY COOL!

Mike

 

[Len]

Oh, I assume you have been to Mt. Revelstoke National Park? VERY COOL!

Mike

Indeed and it' neighbour (my favorite of all the Mountain parks here... YOHO)

 

[Sam]

I change my oil at 6,000 with synthetic vs 3,000 for non. I drive about 20k miles/year, cutting my oil changes from roughly 6/ year to 3. That has to be greener!

Len, I have been using synthetic for 15 years and drive all of my vehicles to at least 300,000 miles.

 

[Pete D]

My understanding is that one reason the synthetics are called that is because they are not made from dinosaur or minerals, but from replaceable plant material, so that's really green right there.

I also use much longer change intervals with the synthetics. Time to recognize that some of the old ways were needed with the old stuf, but new stuf makes for new ways. Is anyone still changing out their sparkplugs every couple of thousand miles? Even tires are lasting a lot longer!

 

[Len]

I change my oil at 6,000 with synthetic vs 3,000 for non. I drive about 20k miles/year, cutting my oil changes from roughly 6/ year to 3. That has to be greener!

Len, I have been using synthetic for 15 years and drive all of my vehicles to at least 300,000 miles.

My understanding is that one reason the synthetics are called that is because they are not made from dinosaur or minerals, but from replaceable plant material, so that's really green right there.

I also use much longer change intervals with the synthetics. Time to recognize that some of the old ways were needed with the old stuf, but new stuf makes for new ways. Is anyone still changing out their sparkplugs every couple of thousand miles? Even tires are lasting a lot longer!

Time to give Synthetic Oil a second look! I didn't realize it was veggie! I don't change plugs nearly that often.

My original thread is really getting pretty wide ranging... I'd like to collect some opinion on cutting weight on the camper... I wonder what the tenting fabric used weighs... I'm guessing there must be 35 ft or more of it on a small camper. I do a bit of back packing and there are a lot of very strong, very lightweight fabric materials around. Anyone played with that idea?? Also the finished wood surfaces on the shell models, is there potential to use alternative materials there?? Perhaps using thin plywood glued to a framework? (Cabinet walls and fronts). I wonder if you started from the ground up exchanging lighter for heavier materials (WHERE THEY AREN'T NECESSARY), just how much could be shaved from the total wieght, making a unit a 4 cylinder truck could handle with ease.

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

Hello Len


We have looked at just about every type of material out there over the past 4 or 5 years to lighten the campers (without sacraficing quality).

There is just not much out there to make the camper lighter than they are now (especially on an empty shell model).

We could shave a few lbs. off here and there, but you would be losing out on overall quality, or your camper price would be going way up to cover the cost of the "high tech" materials available on the market.



.

 

[Pete D]

My understanding is that one reason the synthetics are called that is because they are not made from dinosaur or minerals, but from replaceable plant material, so that's really green right there.

Hmm, I'm still confused about the syn oils. Apparently there's still dinosaur stuf in there, but not as much what with all the additives, but I'm still not sure. The term 'synthetic base stock' is used by Amsoil and Castrol and I was told by an Amsoil guy that it comes from grain They all seem to be a little evasive on this (perhaps they think the marketing will fail if it's discovered that the expensive stuf is made from canola, oats, or whatever).

Amsoil

Castrol

Mobil One

Some things to consider:

1. If you really want to continue changing oil at 3,000 miles, look into one of the 'blends' of conventional and syn oil -- Less expensive but higher temperature ratings, so it might make the difference between an overheated engine and a blown one.

2. Mobil makes a special 'high mileage' oil for vehicles with high mileage and maybe lots of sludge, etc. Seems like it would make a good 'crossover' oil between conventional stuf and then the syn stuf.

 

[Len]

I own a 2004 Nissan Frontier 4cyl 2.4L 4x2. I got my ATC Bobcat shell in July and have been really happy with the combination. I put a couch and furnace in the Bobcat and have tried to keep it as light as possible. With cooler, food, water, people, gas, etc. My gvrw is about 4400.
Quint: I googled up your truck specs and I see a curb weight (veh w/o passengers or cargo) of 3685. If your tipping the scale at 4400 loaded then I figure your rig weighs in at 715 lbs. The bobcat shell is 640 lbs so you've added 75 lbs? Sound right? Your specs also say a "standard payload" for your vehicle is 1036 lbs so you are running at about 70% of capacity and your saying it feels pretty good. Thank you for this info.... it's helpful. The specs I retrieved were for the ext cab. You didn't say what yours was but I'm guessing.

 

[erod]

I change my oil at 6,000 with synthetic vs 3,000 for non. I drive about 20k miles/year, cutting my oil changes from roughly 6/ year to 3. That has to be greener!

Len, I have been using synthetic for 15 years and drive all of my vehicles to at least 300,000 miles.

i agree and do the same!

 

[Quint]

Len,
My truck is a 2004 2wd Nissan Frontier King Cab. It has a curb weight of 3240. The gvwr is 4700. The payload is 1312. When I weighed my truck with three people, gas, loaded it was 4400. The truck has airbags which helps and is a manual which helps too. Best, Allen.

 

[oly884]

Well, let's all be honest. If you want to be going greener, you're better off with a small, efficent car (AWD if snow is encountered) and a good tent. I gain ~3-7 MPG depending on driving conditions with my camper off the truck.

In fact, I've gone camping with tents just to save the money on gas with long trips.

 

[chnlisle]

Well do I get a carbon credit for offsetting the Diesel Ram with my wifes Scion?

 

[DLN]

oly,

You're right, but we're never going back to tent camping. We love the luxury of the camper, especially on cold mountain nights and mornings.

 

[erod]

oly, good point, but i also agree that while we don't drive the most efficient vehicles and tow campers i feel like living/staying in the camper can be extremely efficient. we often spend a day or more without driving, use very little electricity, etc. how are those 255/85's, didn't you have 265/75's last time i saw you? any difference in economy there? any pics?

 

[Len]

Len,
My truck is a 2004 2wd Nissan Frontier King Cab. It has a curb weight of 3240. The gvwr is 4700. The payload is 1312. When I weighed my truck with three people, gas, loaded it was 4400. The truck has airbags which helps and is a manual which helps too. Best, Allen.

Quint
So that means your camper, loaded, with y'all aboard, weighs in at 1160... roughly... correct? I take it Airbags make suspension adjustable... are they pricey??

 

[Len]

Well, let's all be honest. If you want to be going greener, you're better off with a small, efficent car (AWD if snow is encountered) and a good tent.
Greener still a bicycle, and don't be breathing either Hey guys, I think we're all doing pretty good.... my previous camper was a big tank on a big truck, wouldn't pass a gas station... These pop ups have got to be way better!

 

[brett13]

Hey guys, I think we're all doing pretty good

Yeah. And if you figure that every roundtrip airfare is far worse than driving a thousand miles, I am polluting soooo much less than when I used to fly for vacations- even at just a few times per year.

 

[Quint]

Yes, my camper plus cargo including passengers and gas i.e. my payload is about 1160. The camper weighs around 680. I can remove the jacks and save about 100 pound, putting the camper around 600 pounds. Propane for the heater adds about 35 pounds and can be removed in the summer. I use a butane cartridge stove thats about 8 pounds. My camper in the summer can weigh under 600 pounds and with my 4cyl I get 23mph highway average. I like the 4cyl because I remove the camper when not in use and I drive my truck to work about 42 miles round trip per day and must get good mileage. Sans camper my truck gets 27+ mpg highway.