Don's 2024 Palmino 3210 Camper

[Flyin6]

We just took delivery of a new 2024 Palamino 3210 slide in truck camper!

[Flyin6]

Here it is in the bay when I arrived, ready for the delivery inspection:

[Flyin6]

The dealership, "The Outpost" Is very highly rated amongst the bloggers, people who purchased there, and in the chat rooms.

After going through the process, I can see why.

The owner Phaylon and our salesman, Henry were great people. Dead honest, friendly, and seemed genuinely interested in us and what we were doing. I fear I may have told one too many Armee stories. I hope they forgive me! ;-)

[Flyin6]

The delivery staff moved smoothly through the orientation process, and I had a lot to absorb. Kathy was equally as interested and learned about as much as I did.
Caleb ran us through each system and how to operate the myriad of functions this mobile home afforded.

[Flyin6]

This unit has two generous awnings.

[Flyin6]

The front, underside, and slide were coated with a Line-X coating with a nice texture.

[Flyin6]

That is part of the business end of the electrical system:

[Flyin6]

We had to install a swing out leg extension to clear the Dually fenders

[Flyin6]

Up in the air ready for me to back in to accept it. The dry weight is 3405. My payload is over 4900

[Flyin6]

Going in:

[Flyin6]

And with all the weight resting on the truck.

I was surprised that my Dually did not squat all that much at all. That truck took that thing in stride!

[Flyin6]

Here is a quick scan around the dealership: Oh and they are located very close to Goshen, IN where my Palamino was assembled. The plant is about 20 min away.

[Flyin6]

We decided to stay the night at one of their hookups. We wanted to test everything out just in case we might find something. That way, we could get them to fix it in the morning before we set off for home.

[Flyin6]

Our unit has a12V TV in the kitchen and one in the bedroom. When we turned on the kitchen one, we saw this:

[Flyin6]

We had a couple hot water issues which turned out to be a prime issue at the heater which resolved. Kathy asked for "White colored" screws. The owner himself came out and pulled the visible screws and reinstalled some white ones that blended in much better.

I like that place. THey are going to ship us a new TV.

With that done we drove along country roads for over a hundred miles from 35mph up to around 60. I found no concerning handling issues. Later we merged onto I69, then I74. We just set the cruise at 70 and it was like no big deal at all. No rolling or rocking or wind from semis, nothing. THe thing is very, very stable, and I don't even have a sway bar on it yet!

I experimented with cruising at 75mph and that, too, was very easy.

That 1050 ft-lbs and those 4.10's made for brisk acceleration as well. At this point in time I am very pleased with the package.

Kathy is outside fixing it up. My deal with her is, "She has the inside, I have the outside." I haven't looked, but my money says there are already some flowers somewhere in there...

[Bigdave_185]

So compared to the unit you had lined up before the DRW truck. How much wider is the purchased camper vs the one you had previously posted?

Good looking color combo with the truck colors


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[stlaser]

Pretty sweet set up,

shame to see you beat that all the way to the artic and back though. And you’re right, you’re stuck to wide two tracks with it too now.

[oklawall]

Looks good. I hope you have all the issues worked and you enjoy your purchase

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[Flyin6]

So compared to the unit you had lined up before the DRW truck. How much wider is the purchased camper vs the one you had previously posted?

Good looking color combo with the truck colors


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Everyone comments on the color combo. Sort of slipped into that one.
With the slide-in, it is the same width as any other truck bed camper. Obviously with the slide poking out 30" it gets that much bigger.  It is longer, about 18" I believe.

The arrangement about doubles the available space to move around on the inside. With one of these, you're going to be doing all of your living on the outside. Inside is bedtime, cooking, or hygiene. I suppose you could camp out inside during inclement weather.

[Flyin6]

At the moment the camper remains perched on the back of the truck.

I am looking at storage possibilities and I think there is a pretty big chance that I will not be able to fit it in the garage. I have nine-foot garage doors. Sitting on the truck, the camper sits right at 12 feet tall according to a crude/eyeball measuring tape measurement at the dealership. That means there needs to be three feet below the lowest point on the camper to just slide it on its belly and clear. Now we obviously will not be doing that, so there needs to be room for a sled of some kind to fit beneath the thing as well.

I am only seeing something like two feet below the jack feet, so it is a total no-go in the present configuration. I will look at removing the storage legs to see what that yields. If all that works, then I have some designing to do. You see, the sled will have to be a minimum height, maybe 4"-5" or I will lose valuable space. So, I will have to design a sled that jacks up/down so that it can rise to meet the camper with its legs extended, then lower itself almost to the ground laden with the weight of the camper, say 4,000 lbs. If the measurements work out, I think I will be building with 3" square steel tubing and some sort of jack or scissors mechanism.

This is speculative, of course at this point. I suppose I could entertain adding another garage bay, but that would cost more than the camper itself. I am not keen on off-site storage. Kathy is doing her thing in there and is spending hours sizing, loading, storing, and thinking about how the thing is going to work for us. Therefore, I need the camper to remain here where she can access it without just sitting in the driveway outdoors.

Thinking...

[Flyin6]

Oh, and, yes, little yellow flowers are appearing in spots inside...

[Bob Smith]

Years ago my dad had a cab high camper we used for hunting. One year we came home parked in the garage unloaded the little camper and while pulling out of garage to storage area the vent cover hooked the top of garage opening removing the top vent and also left some damage to roof.


Fire up the mill and make enough material for a camper storage structure. Build a couple stands to hold the camper off the ground while stored and store them there while camper is in use.

[stlaser]

Get an rv cover……

[oklawall]

Get an rv cover……

They even make the inflatable one now


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[Flyin6]

I really want to keep it where we can actually access it easily.

Today, Kat installed a Posturepedic memory foam mattress. She likes those, I, however, do not.

But this thing is not about me, but about getting a pretty girl to happen along with me going down the trail!

So, after reconsidering, I like it!

[Bob Smith]

Don, that is was I meant, build a nice covered area for it at home. Doesn’t need to be attached to existing home just somewhat near. Run power and a water line even if you don’t ever use them. Covered storage really helps when time to sell the place. If it rests in its spot you don’t need to worry about trying to roll it around.

[Flyin6]

Don, that is was I meant, build a nice covered area for it at home. Doesn’t need to be attached to existing home just somewhat near. Run power and a water line even if you don’t ever use them. Covered storage really helps when time to sell the place. If it rests in its spot you don’t need to worry about trying to roll it around.

Well, that solution would be ideal, however, my HOA does not allow for any detached buildings AT ALL. They do not allow campers to be parked for more than a couple of days. Think Nazi Gestapo and you get the picture. I would erect a covered structure in a New York minute if I could.

[Bob Smith]

So you either expand the existing garage, or sell the place you raised the family in but now don’t need the extra room. Rent a place until you build at the farm.
Or maybe Shawn can help break the current HOA rules.
Good luck with jam you are in.

[stlaser]

Bob, I don’t break rules in properly setup and run HOA’s. (My current one is neither for the record) I just use their rules against them………

Big difference 

[Bob Smith]

The biggest thing as I see it, is Don agreed to give up the ability to use his property for typical  things people want to do. But they also didn’t hold a gun to his head when he agreed and bought.
This place we have here in AZ has HOA rules that really suck but we knew going in they sucked.

[oklawall]

How about some updated pictures

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[Flyin6]

How about some updated pictures

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OK, but Kat is changing that thing up so fast this morning's shots are obsolete!

She is buying organizers, things to store things and hang things. By the time she is finished, there won't be room in there for any humans, and we'll just sell it! ;-)

I'll snap a shot or two tomorrow.

We have our first trip coming up in April to West (By God) Virginia. A flight School buddy is having a birthday with a lot of candles. We are going over and boon-docking in his yard! Should be fun.

We are leaving one day after getting back from Utah which happens in days! Read: WAY LITTLE prep time.

I did order the sway bar, Ari bags, and Stable-load spring spacer things. I, at least, want that on the truck before all those winding mountain roads.

Oh, and I just might bust this HOA wide open and build a detached garage. I mean, really, darn near everyone breaks the rules, so given enough time to think about it, I might do it just for spite. Only 15 homes in our little HOA...

[Flyin6]

I added this surge protector to my shore power cable. This one is highly rated and provides all sorts of additional information such as Trump's latest poll numbers and the size of the local invader population.

[Flyin6]

While I continue to go over this new Palamino, I can see areas that need addressing if this camper is to survive some of the places I envision taking it. First up, the 30 lb propane bottle compartment is a simple sheet metal affair. The floor is really flimsy and is already starting to deform a little. I can just imagine what it might look like after three thousand miles of Alcan highway and roads in AK. My solution was to add a section of 3/4" furniture-grade plywood to it.

[Flyin6]

To do this, I had to relocate the bottle bracket up a little higher.

I coated it liberally with 3M cavity wax. That stuff allows zero moisture penetration and remains somewhat flexible.

[Flyin6]

Then to keep the bottle from sliding all over the place, I fashioned up two simple spacers that drop into place once the bottle is in there and severely limits movement...Propane compartment: Check!

[Flyin6]

To monitor the level of the propane I installed this cool monitor system that attaches magnetically to the bottom of the tank and then relays information to my cell phone.

[Flyin6]

So, I'm guessing everyone has heard that Don busted up his brand new camper.
:-(
Life goes on and I suppose that instead of lamenting or going on any camper trips for now, I'll concentrate on getting it repaired.

I started the process with a call to my insurance company, USAA. They are willing to just take care of everything or to let me get involved to any degree I feel like I need to. So, after the insurance company, my next call was to Holman Motors, the largest RV dealership and shop in the Cincinnati area. They stock hundreds of campers and RV's and sell Buick and GMC vehicles. From my perspective, they have a metric ton of experience fixing campers and pulling out slides, which mine will no doubt need.

My appointment is tomorrow and unfortunately, I will need to leave it in the truck for 1-2 weeks to get the estimate done. From there I will be given an appointment time to bring it in. It is looking like I will be without a truck for quite some time in the coming month or two.

The good news is that the whole affair will not cost me a ton and I will have it all put back together in time for the Wyoming trip.

[stlaser]

Break out the burb…..

[Bigdave_185]

Break out the burb…..

And the customer camp trailer,


I don’t understand what your pickup has to be tied up for? They don’t have forklift to move the camper with? How do they get shipments delivered of campers?


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[Flyin6]

Break out the burb…..

It went off to a new home...

I'm lightening my load...Paring down to mission essentials. Seems the more stuff I have the more time I spend fixing it :-0

[Flyin6]

Break out the burb…..

And the customer camp trailer,


I don’t understand what your pickup has to be tied up for? They don’t have forklift to move the camper with? How do they get shipments delivered of campers?


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They will not use a forklift on it. Apparently, I provide the forklift and it is a 2024 3500 Ram! :-(

[Flyin6]

The process has begun. I dropped it off today at the repair facility.

Wow, that dealership has grown not to 64 acres of shops, sales rooms and inventory. There is now a whole new repair building that looks like a small Walmart. It is all very modern and well organized. I met Kevin who inspected the camper and filled out the necessary paperwork. They are key on insurance, to make sure the process has generated a claim. We talked a bit about insurance. They told me USAA can be a pickle sometimes, but they do the right thing. This dealership, however, does not accept either Progressive or General. I asked why? Kevin said those insurance companies do not pay and are a pain to work with. I guess when you are that big, where business is knocking at the door all the time, you can be more selective.

To me it is just another indicator that the "Progressive" people who really own and run Progressive insurance are fraudulent and in fact, poor businesses.

From here I have to wait on an estimate which I must then approve. That's when the parts are ordered and the work can soon follow. I am not going to worry nor focus on some distant delivery date as all of that is no longer within my control. I'm just a fish swimming upstream to an uncertain destination.

[Flyin6]

Holy crap, I just got the estimate back from Holman Motors and RV.

$10,769!!!!!!!!!

I thought I knocked off the awning and broke the glass, but after inspection, there was a whole lot more going on.

I buggered up the floor, part of the slide track, and the slide as well.

I'll be getting back a repaired slide and a new floor along with the window and awning.

Whew!

[oklawall]

you are such an over achiever. That is what insurance is for

[Flyin6]

you are such an over achiever. That is what insurance is for

;-)

[TexasRedNeck]

Wow.  Rates are going up

[Flyin6]

Wow.  Rates are going up

I spoke with the shop today to see what all the fuss was about.

Not only did I destroy the window and awning, but I also did significant structural damage.

The slide mechanism is bent and torqued and will be completely replaced. The sidewall and the floor of the slide are damaged as is the floor beneath the slide. That will get replaced as well. The dealership was surprised to find the damage, but it is a good thing they did.

Now the clock starts to tick. Parts have all been ordered. It could take as little as a month or as much as two, flash to bang. I will be flirting with our Wyoming departure if it goes much longer than that...

[Flyin6]

Update: The work was going well on the repair. In fact, it was almost finished, lacking only the installation of the awning which has not come in yet.

But, then something happened.

Holman Motors not only repaired the slide floor but reinforced it. They did not like the plastic cover Forest River provided, so they installed a piece of Aluminum instead. Well while they were testing the operation of the slide, they noticed the slide rollers were hitting the aluminum, and have actually gouged the new aluminum and the new floor!

Ya, something is not right. Upon investigation, they discovered the slide mechanism was incorrectly installed by Forest River! So now, they have to replace the floor a second time along with the aluminum cover and repair or replace the slide mechanism again. I was going to get my camper back on Monday, but it now looks like I am in the hurry-up and wait mode once again.

The tech who discovered all this has been working on campers for 22 years and is one of the best they have. He says the damage was not caused by the impact at all and that I am not on the hook for it. He places the blame totally on Forest River. He is also reluctant to let anything leave there that is not 100% repaired correctly. He said if he had not discovered the problem, my slide would have failed in the extended position shortly. So there was a hidden blessing in having had the accident in the first place.!

[Flyin6]

This has turned out to be an interesting story

Holman motors completed all repairs yesterday except for the slide's awning, which had not come in yet.

THey asked me to come pick up the camper and just bring it back when the awning came in. So I motored up there yesterday to pick it up as requested. After arriving, I got to inspect the work, which was excellent, and it looks better than when I purchased it. But something was not finished which the tech noticed, so I was sent home to come back today.

I did that, arriving before 0900. While awaiting them to marry up the camper to my truck once again, the brown truck showed up and guess what was inside??? My new awning!

So they sent me home with a rental/loaner and kept the dually. I guess I'll go pick it up tomorrow and be back up to 100%.

That's great because when the bumper is bolted onto the Ram, the truck will be mission-ready, and work will shift to the camper. It will get loaded with all the essentials while I figure out what that looks like.

I own a 2K HF generator that is whisper quiet, so I'm contemplating getting a generator box and bolting all that to the backend. I think I will add a second LIPO battery because people who have boondocked for over a week in my model camper, advise that 200 amp/hr. of lithium will carry all your needs. They carried a small gas generator to top up the batteries when it was cloudy, so I think I'll prep in the same manner.
I also plan to add a soft start capacitor to the AC unit and perhaps another one to the outlets circuit. That should allow me to run the AC and a coffee machine on a 2K generator.

Also on the list is a ladder, a cell phone booster, and the Star Link antenna with a roaming plan.