My latest Adventure, update 7/11/21

bigdog9191999 · Sep 28, 2024

The tabs that stripped out.

Got a semi trailer for storage, in case mom can't stay at the house so we don't loose Dad's things from the shop

Borrowed some toys to get it set in place to use.

Ready to use. Set in the ground some so it is easier to get into.

bigdog9191999 · Sep 28, 2024

Got a new faucet in the rear of the camper and set up so she can use her portable dishwasher.

Also picked up an inverter that fits my batteries, and some led work lights, so I can have lights inside the container and trailer without hassle of cords

They work quite well.

bigdog9191999 · Sep 28, 2024

And last but not least for now,

Finally had to swap the front brakes on the Tahoe. In the 4 years I have been driving it I have never touched them. So a minimum of 30k that I have put on and the rotors have had grooves the whole time. Now new rotors and pads. ( Figure I can swap to the pickup when the time comes if I need to)

Got a tiny peek at the side of the plow truck ( as can be seen in the background in pics above of the semi trailer). And not sure if it will make the cut for this winter. Not looking to drive it around, just not buckle when pushing snow.

And last but not least for now. For the computer out and started twerking some files for ditto in hpt

bigdog9191999 · Dec 15, 2025

Wow, so it's been a while. This last year has been bananas with home and work. Will have quite a bit to cover and will start updating soon, if not some today. Will have too see where I left off and catch up. 50-70+hr work weeks have been particularly brutal and barely enough time to do chores and required things. I have been lightly ready some posts. But will be getting updated on this one soon.

bigdog9191999 · Dec 15, 2025

Ok, so we will start last fall. Knew we would need to prep the camper for winter. So using some billboard vinyl, made a skirting to keep things a bit warmer.

Laid out to cut

Getting some pieces installed

And for time/space uploading ect. Here is some of the finished

bigdog9191999 · Dec 15, 2025

Basically as soon as the camper was done, it was time to get a plow truck working. First had to repair a brake line, which worked out as it was behind the leaky fuel tank anyway. So got it out and repaired the line, and put in the replacement tank that was in hand.

So got the plow ripped off the old truck and onto the newer truck. Took a little work, and did some custom wiring for the headlights. But got it all working in the end.

Getting things fitted.

On and useable lights to come.

And just in time. Used it right away. ( Last year. )

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bigdog9191999 · Dec 15, 2025

A two position switch for high/low, with a double relay setup gives separate manual control of the plow lights ( on a switched hot so they cannot be left on)

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And I used a wiring adapter that has the 1157 base with a pigtail to wire one of the two bulbs to the plow lights. Then just used an old socket to plug the hole so water don't get in.

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And a few more pics of why the old plow truck is not being used. I didn't/don't have time to fuss with the work it would take, when there is a working truck available. And I had talk with Dad in the past about putting the plow on the newer truck anyway and he was okay with it he just intended to limp the old truck as long as he could and I don't have the free time that he did.

bigdog9191999 · Dec 15, 2025

So here was my repair for the headlight, the first did not hold, so we added more jb weld. Going on a year now and no further issues with them.

And here is a peak of winter camper life. Don't recall if I had mentioned before that we are using a macerator pump in a garden hose for tank drainage as our setup would not allow for regular hookups. So every 3 to 7 days usually about the 5th day we fill the onboard water tank and drain all of the wast tanks. Uses a garden hose to an inlet we put in our septic tank lid.

Access to the hose, pump, and rear tank valve.

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What it looks like under there.

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Into the septic

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The hose goes from the far side of the unit by the barn to the tank. About 50ft.

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bigdog9191999 · May 5, 2026

so apparently i am a bit behind in this thread. i will give the spoiler that the house is done and she is in it!!! 4 years in the planning and 2 years living in the camper finally over.

i will try to get things updated and pictures as i can during down time at work (which is less than normal, as restarting a decommissioned nuclear plant for the first time in the country's history keeps everyone a little on the busy side. )

i would doit at home, but there had been so much overtime that i am trying to catch up with things most of the time at home currently and if not super busy trying to spend some time with the wife, who and also had to go with less time

bigdog9191999 · May 8, 2026

So these will be out of order and I am sure I will miss plenty. But I went to get the car going last fall and had part of the gauges not work. Found the issue.

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Chewed the corner of the printed circuit

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Had some minor issues with hot tub power. Found the fues and holder pretty melted.

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Plow truck has been working pretty well. Just have to get a couple seals changed so I don't get moisture in there, as it was freezing up on super cold days.

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bigdog9191999 · May 8, 2026

Painted the rad braces. Looks much better. I always have hated being able to see the bright shiny silver behind the grill

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Decided to change the front wheel bearings on the wing. Ended up not being the issue. But I know it isn't now

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And made a camera mount. It is stuck to the side of the container so I can watch the side lot where her moms house is to go.

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bigdog9191999 · May 8, 2026

Going to speed this up a lot.

But we started to get some work done.

The first crew that started to frame did some bad things. They cut a 1" gas main with a sawzall. Could have been a big bada boom. Many phone calls, fire trucks, utility peoples but got taken care of with no incident. But could have been a 200ft fire you guys are on the small side and could have blown the main bag to the cut off on the band side which would screw all the neighbors

The progress below was over a couple months. And the gas was several months after that

mountie · May 8, 2026

bigdog9191999 said:
Painted the rad braces. Looks much better. I always have hated being able to see the bright shiny silver behind the grill

View attachment 484808

View attachment 484810

Decided to change the front wheel bearings on the wing. Ended up not being the issue. But I know it isn't now

View attachment 484811

View attachment 484809

And made a camera mount. It is stuck to the side of the container so I can watch the side lot where her moms house is to go.

View attachment 484812

2 years ago I put black tape on my radiator supports…. I used Gaffer’s tape….. a ‘stage hand’ non-reflective black tape….
it still is holding up.

bigdog9191999 · May 8, 2026

So later was some more tub issues. Ended up doing a motor, heating element, and some plumbing repairs.

bigdog9191999 · May 8, 2026

So to skip around a little. The house is done and she has been in for a couple weeks now. Was a week or two past 2 years in the camper. . Glad to be done with that! The wall is done and everything also.

bigdog9191999 · May 8, 2026

We will say the bike was overdue for some fluid love

Front brake res

Rear brake res had a little slime

Fluid tells a story some fresh and old

The clutch was worse! Kind of surprised the clutch worked at all

Look at that sludge

bigdog9191999 · May 8, 2026

All is good now and clean/fresh

But I was back elbow deep in this thing. Again.

And was given a trailer by a friend of ours that Dad passed away it was his. I'm also going to try to get the goldwing that he had. I'll cover that in a few more posts.

bigdog9191999 · May 8, 2026

Had it apart to figure out why the one rad fan not working. Found a bad noise isolator. So pulled them both for now.

Also did a wiring mod to the trunk. The lower lights in the saddlebag are tail brake. The upper light in the saddlebag is turn signal only in the trunk lid. There are four lights. All of them are tail light. Two of them are brake light from the factory. I added a wire harness to make the other two act as a turn signal so I now have four turn signals instead of two. After I get everything back together I realized they had a bulb out so upgrade time. It is. In this picture you can see all but the lower left bulb are replaced with the LEDs. They are much much much brighter

Same for the front. One is new/old

And it feels fantastic to start getting things out of the container!!!

bigdog9191999 · May 8, 2026

While I'm there. Was the theme with the bike. Did plugs

And added an android auto interface, that has tons, cameras front and rear, and some other things.

bigdog9191999 · May 8, 2026

So, as best I can ****** for now, is that it is a 79' that hasn't run since 06' or so. Has an electrical issue and many other things from sitting. But looks like is in decent shape, and I have a big hankering for it. Have to see what we can work out. I had talked with her dad about it several years ago

And here is a pic I found of about what it should look like when in good shape.

My latest Adventure, update 7/11/21

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