Essentials for Your First Barebones Skoolie Camping Trip

[FawnaFox]

I've spent a night in my bus, but I want to camp in it for the first time.. a real camping trip where I go out and actually drive somewhere and camp.. More of a discovery trip.. because my bus is empty, only having the floor..

All I want to know is there anything I should bring with me for a "barebones" camping trip in the bus, Just an overnight trip. Any tips help!

 

[s2mikon]

First aid kit? A good one. A few MRE's just in case. A Florida rated sleeping bag. Toilet paper. I always take my cordless drills in both 9mm and 10mm.

 

[FawnaFox]

First aid kit? A good one. A few MRE's just in case. A Florida rated sleeping bag. Toilet paper. I always take my cordless drills in both 9mm and 10mm.

I bought a new first aid kit and put it in the old BB box that came with the bus, I'll have to order the MRE's... I have my sleeping bag to put on the floor

 

[Rucker]

A journal, so you can keep track of the great ideas for building out your dream space that come from contemplating your rig by firelight.

 

[s2mikon]

I have a word document on my bus computer that I fill out while on trips enumerating issues that come up. Like things forgotten, things not needed, rattles, leaks, things that worked real good and the marginal stuff. It gets smaller each trip. That's a good thing.

 

[powderskier]

I took a kitchen sink and a 20 liter pail a small wooden stand for table and sink holder. So nice to wash dishes standing up and watet a tree when your done.
I always take my battery skill saw and impact driver. Container full of screws. So easy to build quick take down shelving and stuff at the campsite. Have fun.

 

[SkyMaster]

Beer

 

[Rock-N-Ruth]

I've spent a night in my bus, but I want to camp in it for the first time.. a real camping trip where I go out and actually drive somewhere and camp.. More of a discovery trip.. because my bus is empty, only having the floor..

All I want to know is there anything I should bring with me for a "barebones" camping trip in the bus, Just an overnight trip. Any tips help!

Going on your first boondocking trip? Even though you only plan for one night, pack food and water for a week. make sure you have something to charge you phone battery. Extra distilled water for your cooling system. Jumper cables. Tools, a jack, and a torque multiplier. A couple of tow straps and a snatch block. Of course first aid kit and a couple of fire extinguishers.

If you don't have a breakdown, get a flat. or get stuck at least you know you were prepared. If you do, then you are prepared. It is less likely to take the fun out of the maiden voyage if you are prepared for things that can an do happen all the time when you are living the bus life.

Have fun, Rock and Ruth.

 

[#1FordFan]

FIRST thing I’d put on board??…..is Toilet Paper. I’d still spend two days camping in the driveway just to see what you can forget

 

[SkyMaster]

RNR brings up a great point regarding the preparation for emergency's.

I'm planning on getting a used tire and keeping it on the bus.

What's everyone's experience with having a tire changed while out on the road?

 

[FawnaFox]

I have returned from my trip,.. thank you to everyone who suggested things! It went well, and I had fun.. although in classic fashion, SOMETHING had to break, which was my old school mechanical oil pressure gauge.. which decided to leak oil all over my feet.. Luckily there was an Autozone not too far, so I walked there, bought a new gauge, and have been leak free since!

 

[Mr. Beefy]

I have returned from my trip,.. thank you to everyone who suggested things! It went well, and I had fun.. although in classic fashion, SOMETHING had to break, which was my old school mechanical oil pressure gauge.. which decided to leak oil all over my feet.. Luckily there was an Autozone not too far, so I walked there, bought a new gauge, and have been leak free since!

I was a passenger in a car that burned to the ground thanks to one of those gauges.

One moment we're crusing down the highway on a cold, snowy day, on our way to work. The next there's a stream of hot-AF oil shooting out from somewhere behind the dash panel onto the carpet just below my feet. A couple seconds after that, while I was trying to grab something (ended up being my coat) to keep the oil from scalding me, something ignited it, and it went from a stream of oil to a high-pressure jet of flame.

Fortunately we were able to pull to the shoulder with a quickness and get out of the car (it's a miracle I didn't get burned in the process). Long before the fire department arrived the car was completely engulfed in flames. The only thing remaining when it was all said & done was a charred husk.

IMO this was God telling you to ditch that POS. Use an electric gauge with an oil sending unit where it belongs... well outside the cockpit. Whoever originally designed that style of gauge needs to be slapped to death.

 

[desrtdog]

I was a passenger in a car that burned to the ground thanks to one of those gauges.

One moment we're crusing down the highway on a cold, snowy day, on our way to work. The next there's a stream of hot-AF oil shooting out from somewhere behind the dash panel onto the carpet just below my feet. A couple seconds after that, while I was trying to grab something (ended up being my coat) to keep the oil from scalding me, something ignited it, and it went from a stream of oil to a high-pressure jet of flame.

Fortunately we were able to pull to the shoulder with a quickness and get out of the car (it's a miracle I didn't get burned in the process). Long before the fire department arrived the car was completely engulfed in flames. The only thing remaining when it was all said & done was a charred husk.

IMO this was God telling you to ditch that POS. Use an electric gauge with an oil sending unit where it belongs... well outside the cockpit. Whoever originally designed that style of gauge needs to be slapped to death.

Sorry, but I have to chuckle about this a bit - I know it probably wasn't funny at the time, but the way you describe it....

...would be hilarious if, when the blaze erupted, you also happened to be listening to "Burning Down the House" or "Disco Inferno" on the 8-track tape player...

 

[Mr. Beefy]

Sorry, but I have to chuckle about this a bit - I know it probably wasn't funny at the time, but the way you describe it....

...would be hilarious if, when the blaze erupted, you also happened to be listening to "Burning Down the House" or "Disco Inferno" on the 8-track tape player...

LOL. No clue what if anything may have been playing at the time, but I don't think the car owner was likely a 'Disco Inferno' type. If anything I'm thinking Def Leppard's Pyromania.

It was a trip, that's for sure. A stream of liquid fire pulsing out between your legs at dark-thirty in the a.m. will wake you up way better than coffee.

 

[s2mikon]

Mechanical oil pressure gauges have been in use since the beginning of the automobile. Even Mercedes were using them into the late 1980's. It is the type of plumbing that makes it either safe or unsafe. The Chinese junk gauges and tubing sold at Autozone and other "fine" auto parts stores are the problem. Use Weatherhead H 101 hose and you won't have a problem. I have used it in the past on industrial engines.

 

[Mr. Beefy]

Mechanical oil pressure gauges have been in use since the beginning of the automobile. Even Mercedes were using them into the late 1980's. It is the type of plumbing that makes it either safe or unsafe. The Chinese junk gauges and tubing sold at Autozone and other "fine" auto parts stores are the problem. Use Weatherhead H 101 hose and you won't have a problem. I have used it in the past on industrial engines.

I'll concede this was likely a very rare occurrence. But it was enough of one for me. I don't doubt your words in the least, but personally, I'll never use one again. The way I see it - since there are alternative means of reading oil pressure / temp (electronic sending units) - there is zero upside to mechanical oil gauges that pipe engine-temp oil (along w/ whatever contaminates it harbors, like fuel wash) into the passenger compartment. Just my .02.

 

[FawnaFox]

I was a passenger in a car that burned to the ground thanks to one of those gauges.

One moment we're crusing down the highway on a cold, snowy day, on our way to work. The next there's a stream of hot-AF oil shooting out from somewhere behind the dash panel onto the carpet just below my feet. A couple seconds after that, while I was trying to grab something (ended up being my coat) to keep the oil from scalding me, something ignited it, and it went from a stream of oil to a high-pressure jet of flame.

Fortunately we were able to pull to the shoulder with a quickness and get out of the car (it's a miracle I didn't get burned in the process). Long before the fire department arrived the car was completely engulfed in flames. The only thing remaining when it was all said & done was a charred husk.

IMO this was God telling you to ditch that POS. Use an electric gauge with an oil sending unit where it belongs... well outside the cockpit. Whoever originally designed that style of gauge needs to be slapped to death.

I'm happy you mentioned this, I will be replacing the mechanical gauge with an electronic one ASAP, before I drive the bus again! I feel bad this happened to you though..

 

[Mr. Beefy]

I'm happy you mentioned this, I will be replacing the mechanical gauge with an electronic one ASAP, before I drive the bus again! I feel bad this happened to you though..

TBH, I'd follow s2mikon's advice before I followed mine. He's way more experienced in these matters. If replacing the hose (if needed) is a viable fix, it would certainly be easier & less expensive. I may be a little biased in this discussion (lol).

And don't feel bad. It wasn't my car (lol).

 

[FawnaFox]

TBH, I'd follow s2mikon's advice before I followed mine. He's way more experienced in these matters. If replacing the hose (if needed) is a viable fix, it would certainly be easier & less expensive. I may be a little biased in this discussion (lol).

And don't feel bad. It wasn't my car (lol).

I didn't use the cheap plastic tube they gave with the gauge (Mostly because I didn't realize it came with it) So I used a braided hose I had leftover from my dad's old jeep when he did his gauge cluster.. I had it just in my toolbox and it is working..

And I'm just glad you're ok from that!