Outfitting the Rig - The Three T’s

Long To-Do Lists for Truck, Trailer and Tools

Preparation for our trip is focused in three areas, the three T’s:

• Truck
• Trailer
• Tools

Eventually we will need to provision and pack some clothes (the 2 P's), but in the meantime...

Truck

We actually got started on preparing the truck in late March.  There is so much else to do before our departure that we would be in a real crunch if we had not made a jump start.  Things already completed include:

• New set of all-terrain tires
• Bilstein shocks
• High capacity transmission pan, new governor transducer and pressure solenoid, filter and fresh ATF
• Transmission fluid temperature gauge
• High capacity differential cover with fresh synthetic gear oil
• Electric Brake Controller
• Class V hitch
• Engine hood gas strut replacement
• Windshield wiper replacement

Remaining tasks include:

• Weight distribution hitch
• Hard tonneau cover (to provide some security for tools and equipment)
• Install new stereo
• Recharge A/C
• Restore headlight lenses
• Repair driver seat lumbar support adjuster
• Oil Change and top off other fluids

Trailer

Trailer preparations involve power, water, communication and media.

RV park power service can be dodgy.  A Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C Electrical Management System (EMS) will be installed to protect the trailer and occupants from surges, low and high voltage, reverse polarity, lost/open neutral.

Water pressure regulation and filtration -The plan is to have a regulator and two-stage filter outside connected to the trailer water inlet and an additional filter at the kitchen sink for water used for cooking and drinking.

Internet access and local Wi-Fi - The plan is to install a cellular booster .  For the Alberta trip all of our devices will be wirelessly networked to the internet using our Verizon cellular data sharing plan and one of our iPhones as a local hotspot.  We have setup a Verizon roaming plan for cell coverage while in Canada.

 

Eventually we will add a wireless router that will support Wi-Fi as WAN and tethered cellular modem and a WiFi booster.  This will provide a single access point to both cellular data and Wi-Fi at long distances within the trailer.

Finally, if there is time we hope to setup and install a Raspberry Pi 3 as a compact low power draw media server.

Tools

This is a work project and it is our obligation to be prepared with tools to accomplish a range of typical maintenance and construction tasks along with personal safety gear.  These tools need to be organized and stored in containers and totes that facilitate packing, handling and use.

With so much to do before departure, we better get to it.