J,
Good catch on the ’16-Lance 825. You won’t be sorry you lost over 1K pounds of weight compared to the Cirrus when you get off in the boonies. A lot of this weight in in the tank capacity. Your plans sound exciting. All your travel questions are time-of-year related. Plenty of boondocking in the more westerly states. You develop an eye for finding just the right place and exposure for overnighting. I wouldn’t be afraid of trying some layovering. It’s stealth camping without the negative social stigma. We’ve found a traveling formula that works for us mating pair of septuagenarian love birds. We mix it up with campgrounds in N.F.’s N.P.’s, state parks, county parks, city parks, COE’s, Wildlife and bird sanctuaries, upscale for profit campgrounds with hookups, and finally, at least once a week check into a high bucks hotel for the night. It is never dull.
Sequoia is a steep and curvy in and out proposition with no through road, and weather sensitive, as is the N. Rim G.C. Although hard to get to, the North Rim is a jewel for truck campers.
Your job now is to make sure the suspension, shocks, tires, and wheels are up to the job of carrying your new TC over bad roads. We still use the LANCE centering brackets that keep your camper centered in the bed. It keeps the wallow of tension in the tie downs to a minimum. There is a weak link in there, usually the tire capacity. My 35 inch Cooper AT3’s can carry 3860 pounds each, on Stockton steel super single wheels with a stupid high load rating, plenty enough for the 825.
So, when are you doing this trip? Be sure to make a couple, 2-3 day camping trips with your new rig to sift through the details of a long term living in the motating tiny home on wheels. You will take way too much stuff at the beginning but eventually start leaving much of it at home. This takes time and experience.
jefe
2020 Ford F-350 XLT FX4 4WD SRW SB SC 7.3L Godzilla Gas TorqShift 10R140 397 amps dual Alt dual batts Frnt Dana 60; Rr Dana M275 E-locker 4.30's 4580/4320/4066# payload 7243# curb wt. 11,300# GVWR 5-er prepped. 2020 Northstar Laredo SC, 12v compressor fridge, cassette, 320w Solar sub zero insulation.
