The Toad Ranger
September 1, 2019 - I decided it was time to try something different for traveling on the road. The Toad Ranger was sold and I upgraded to Maggie & Lance.
I was extremely sad to see the Ranger pull away after selling it because that truck was phenomenal and it's so hard to find manual transmissions now.
A couple reason for changing:
The Ranger was over 150k miles and only RWD so I was concerned about having to drive through the mountains frequently during the winter.
The Motorhome home was over 90k miles and I didn't want to have to deal with two aging vehicles.
The Motorhome did not seal well for winter living and had some recurring leaks I had to keep dealing with.
What was it?
2007 Coachmen Concord 275DS
29ft
2 Slides
6.0L Power Stroke Diesel V-8
Purchased November 2016
Observed Fuel Economy (mostly towing Ranger) - 11MPG
30,000 Miles traveled
What was it towing?
2005 Ford Ranger
Base - Manual everything
2.3L 4-Cylinder
Where did The Toad Ranger travel?
Observations:
Don't trust a sales guy to know the location difference between a gray and black tank
It can be very difficult to find information and fixes online
Full-time back-up camera is very nice when towing a vehicle and for monitoring traffic behind you
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) is a very nice thing to have (will install on any future RV)
Issues:
Wall rotted out next to door due to leak at upper mounting point on awning
Caused lower awning mount to fall off
Valve stems would not stay tight causing tires to deflate
Significant water leak at water pump connectors
Water connection into RV leaked
Leaky valve does not allow filling of on-board fresh water tank
All faucets were leaking/cracked when purchased (unknown until you hook water up)
Rear exterior cap is loose causing water intrusion into rear wall
Have had to caulk roof and several exterior fixtures to fix leaks
Several relatively minor electrical issues (loose wires, lights not working, bad relays/fuses)
Battery draining issue wouldn't allow RV to start
Repairs/Modifications:
Replaced main water connection into RV
Replaced all faucets and shower head
Replaced seals on lines into water pump
Added filtered water faucet in kitchen sink
Added TPMS
Two new tires to replace separating tires
New valve stems all around to keep tires from deflating
Installed a trickle charger connected to batteries anytime RV is plugged in to keep batteries from draining
Repaired rotted wall next to door and added desk/shelves
Installed new backsplash in Kitchen
Added padded floor for insulation
Removed & replaced all interior window surrounds
Removed TV's in Bedroom and Main room, replaced with mini projector
Added new exterior LED light strip
Added new interior LED light strips
Added gym padding to floors for insulation