Ultimate Brinkley RV Shakedown: A Colorado RV Summer Road Trip
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- čas přidán 15. 06. 2024
- Come along for 3 months of boondocking in luxury through Colorado for the ultimate RV shakedown trip! After buying our new Brinkley RV Model Z3100, we immediately took it on an epic summer RV road trip through the mountains of Colorado.
What is an RV shakedown trip? It's usually the first trip in an RV after you buy it (or after it's been in long-term storage), where you get to test everything and get to learn your new RV. Typically, you'll find a few things that need to be fixed and might make a few mistakes (we sure did!).
This video is a compilation of all of our videos from our series last summer. We hope you enjoy watching us break in our new RV!
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TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 First RV Trip
24:12 Boondocking in Pagosa Springs
53:52 Boondocking in Durango
1:17:19 Durango RV Park
1:26:14 RV Leveling System Issue
1:33:42 RVing the Million Dollar Highway
1:53:12 Fixing the RV Leveling System
2:04:37 Boondocking near Telluride
2:24:54 Huge Boondocking Mistake
2:38:20 RV Parks near Denver
*Who are we?*
We’re Victoria & Craig! In 2021, we decided that we needed to make life a little more exciting, so we bought a used fifth wheel and completely renovated it. Then, we sold our house in Tallahassee, Florida and hit the road full time in our RV! We’ve traveled all around the United States (and Baja Mexico!) and fell in love with boondocking in our RV at the most beautiful places. In 2023, we upgraded to a brand new Brinkley RV Model Z 3100. You’ll always find us on some kind of outdoor adventure, whether it’s hiking the Grand Canyon, rock climbing in Yosemite or surfing the shores of Baja Mexico. Subscribe to our channel (bit.ly/3ssOjGT) to follow along on our full time RV living adventures!
![DON’T RV Banff! Do This Instead [RV Life Canada]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/PzaN48VHA1M/mqdefault.jpg)
![DON’T RV Banff! Do This Instead [RV Life Canada]](/img/tr.png)
We are full timers in our Brinkley Z3100 and love it. Only minimal issues and Brinkley customer care handed it no questions asked.
They do a wonderful job!
Z3100 (#873) owner here. Brinkley Customer Care has been excellent (the dealer, hit or miss).
Also the z3100. #539,, had a few issues with the unit but the customer service was great
@@fishaddict2definitely it or miss with dealers.
Love your RV. Glad Brinkley been so good about sending parts with no issues. See so many others argue fight and wait. Leland so cute chaising fuz balls, he's on it
Thank you. It has been a pretty decent rv so far for us.
Respect! I'm South African... we don't have small apartments to tow over mountains with trucks! Really fun watching your trips!
wow y’all made us a whole movie😭🥺 i KNOW that took a lot of work. I LOVE YOU GUYS THANK YOU!! sunday is my fav day of the week because you all make it better💛 i hope to meet you guys one day!
What a compliment, thank you so much!! Hope we can meet you one day as well!
@@wildrvlife i saw you guys were at charlestown state park in indiana awhile back- i live in southern indiana about 20 minutes from there!! so if you guys ever venture back through indiana, let me know!🫶🏻 although there isn’t much to do here except stare at cornfields and crackheads🤣🤣🤣
I'm so happy that you guys have made a full length video you guys rock ❤
I would use full exhaust brake all of the time, even when I am not pulling. Saves your brakes and helps keep your turbo clean.
As a lifelong FL flatlander I’m SO enjoying all that scenery!!!❤️❤️Following your adventures!!!🥰🙏 You’re definitely are convincing me to buy Brinkley when I finally make the plunge!! The customer service🥰🥰
C-Clamp for the Caliper is what i use. Thank you Craig for being a handy man
We keep about a 4 gallon clean bucket in the shower to collect the water until it gets hot. Then we use the water in the bucket for washing dishes.
This Video was the best to date it lasted just enough time . Thank you two o hope it wasn't too much trouble to do. I know I appreciate it and you both. God Bless You both.
Leland does the "Look what I can do" We used that dog food also. Stay safe and healthy.
He is a character! Lol. Thank you guys.
Love your videos. You guys are awesome. Safe travels.
Thank you two for the best experience I’ve enjoyed for many years ❤ love the wholesome down to earth spiritual journey with you guys. Very insightful and informative. Like being there with y’all great job I look forward to each and every week. 😊 oh and that was a pine hen protecting her nest haha chickens of the mountains.
Your dog is so cute playing with the cottonwood puff ball shadows.
The plants are beautiful and I love the colors in your blankets. I wish we could have seen more of the scenery with the train ride. ❤😊
We’re so excited for this trip to Alaska with you guys. We love all things about Alaska safe travels. We watched “Hanging with the hanks “ videos to and from Alaska and they were amazing.
I go to Pagosa Springs almost every year, but we go in Oct and see the aspens changes colors up on Wolf Creek Pass. Been on all those national forest roads. And yes it rain almost every afternoon. Been snowed in at South Fork one year and Pagosa Another. Have to wait for all those passes to throw out.
That's probably one of the prettiest areas we have been to, but it sure does rain a lot.
So glad to see your guys's rv tour and how you like your Brinkley!
We have skied there a few times just loved it. So amazing.
My husband and I enjoy watching y'alls videos. Your plants added a very nice touch, making it more homie. We recently bout our first (used) RV and are going to take it to the coast for our first trip. We have learned a lot from watching you guys.I love to take notes on where you go. Thanks for all your tips! AND TEAM GLOVES for sure! :)
Great vid guys.
Ya'll have become part of my Monday morning coffee ☕routine! Love your transparency in all your encounters. I know it's a big, BIG state but we'll be in "The Last Frontier" (minus the Brinkley) July 1 - 14 (Fairbanks, Anchorage, Homer, Seward, Valdez). Perhaps will cross paths having an ale at one of the 49th State Brewery pubs! P.S. 💙 V's toucan T-shirt!
Love this video!
PS Leland, I feel you as I prefer to suffer in comfort too! 😂
Hi guys happy to see you all
Sorry to hear what happened with the branches and having to do all that work. Aww Leland all anxious 😅 and Maverick “like whatever” 😅
Safe travels 💛💛
The bird looks like some kind of grouse maybe! Definitely see the quail vibe though.
C Clamps are definitely easier on the hands but a monster pair of pliers works too. I'd highly recommend pulling an oil sample & oil analysis if you are running to 15k on your oil change interval. Also turn your wheels to the left to get a little closer to the oil filter. Love seeing people do their own maintenance!
I agree! I feel like I'm in a rush every time I do the oil and can never remember to do an oil sample. Probably really should, though.
Big Mistake Going past 10,000 Miles on a oil Change - Especially When Towing !
Read the Owners Manual & Follow the Owners Manual if u plan on keeping the Truck past 100,000 miles.
Remember to Change the Transmission Fluid & Filter Every Year / 24,000 miles - More if the fluid smells burnt or turns dark brown. a mistake i made not changing transmission fluid. my tranny only lasted 100,000 miles in my ram 2500 diesel.
Also Monitor Transmission Temp -
180 Degrees - Normal Driving No Tow vehicle.
200-220 - Towing.
240 Degrees Maximum.
260 Degrees - You Need to install additional / Bigger Transmission cooler.
270 - Pull over to cool tranny down.
Me - N. i. a. s. e. Certified mechanic.
Transmission Fluid - 175 to 220 degrees
The optimal temperature range for transmission fluid is 175 to 220 degrees. Above that, for every 20 degrees, bad things happen, starting with the formation of varnish at 240 degrees, followed by seals hardening, plates slipping, seals and clutches burning out, carbon being formed, and, ultimately, failure.Sep 25, 2018
Y’all are doing great with this channel. Kudos on living the life!
Thank you so much for the encouragement!
I. Love watching you all!! I just wish I can get my motor home soon ❤
Im only an hour in but the length of this video makes me so happy! I love y'all!❤
Aww yay!! So glad you’re enjoying it! ❤️
Alaska bound soon, sounds awesome. A thought - maybe not feasible in a big rig like yours but something to explore...we converted our sewer setup to a compost toilet (airhead). Boondocking is now a dream. You can go 3-4 weeks before cleaning, no smell, no extra water and no dumping.
Love you guys!! Look like so much fun!! Maybe someday!! 😊
It was a blast!! Fingers crossed for you! 🤞🏼
Good evening m
Mr.Craig, Mrs. Victoria and Maverick, Leland.
I use heavy rubber loves have disposable for backup great videos guys
Great trip beautiful scenery like your videos ,we are from New Brunswick, Canada, and we may get to meet up with sometime as we are getting ready to start hitting the road
I wouldn’t call it a mess it’s just real and ur a great wife
My husband and I love watching your videos as we’re about to get a Brinkley in a month! We were wondering what camp chairs you guys have. They look so comfy!
Try Fromm for your dogs. Very high quality food and you can find it in most feed stores and pet stores. My Aussie had allergies and this was the only food that worked for him, but its not grain free.
Thank you for taking us along on such a beautiful trip! Never been to Colorado, so this was so cool to watch❤
We feed ours from 4 star and they love it
Thanks for the ride! We live in Colorado and I lived in Silverton for a short time as a kid. Craig, the 1st snow of the winter was usually about 4' deep. We always had a pantry full of food and firewood (and coal) because the town would often be cut off due to avalanches. BTW.... the million dollar highway is between Silverton and Ouray, not Durango. Keep these videos coming. Our Z-3100 is ready to take this trip this year. (2024)
I need to correct myself.... The million dollar highway goes all the way from Ouray to Durango going through Silverton. So it DOES include the stretch between Silverton and Durango. My Bad...🤐
To change the brake pads on need a caliper spreader much like backwards scissors or a c clamp works
Awesome video once again guys! Great work, like watching a movie 😂
Question for you guys, do you guys prefer the larger 5th wheel hitch that takes up a ton of space in the truck bed or the offset gooseneck trailer hitch?
Going to Alaska will shake you down, regardless of how prepared you may be, enjoy it, and pack that patience!✌️🤙
Lol that is very true, that’s going to be a whole different kind of shakedown trip 😆
Just finished the whole video - WOW! You created a great documentary. You touched our hearts. The close of the video was touching. Having to find a mobile tech in Colorado would be a problem was enlightening. A miracle in the end as God came through! Btw, do you hav3 Dexter brakes? Thx. Happy journeying is in your future! 🙂
Loving your videos!
Thank you so much.
You can point the camera at the scenery and we can still hear you guys talk. Sometimes other channels will go miles showing the road/scenery while putting the video on fast forward and playing music, it makes it feel like we are riding along with them. I'm thinking it makes less work for them and it feels more personal to the viewers. Just some thoughts. Safe travels ❤😊
😂you kids are cute, haven't been off roading much have you?...beautiful areas around those falls!
I watched your full Colorado (multi-videos) as they were published. It was fun to watch it uninterrupted.
You forget details watching with a 7 day spacing. Keep up the fun videos. Awesome job!
Remember, when the going gets tough, suicide is an option!!!
JK
Use a large screwdriver and the old brake pads and leverage is your friend. Also invest in a large pair of oil filter pliers. You'll thank me later. Great videos and love your content. Happy camper living.
Thank you for this great video…even if it took me nearly 10 days to complete. Lol Have seen Million $ Hwy vids from other RV channels, but yours was the best for that and all the great boondocking spots. Took delivery of our Model Z AIR 295 about a month ago (#0026) in Idaho and hope to make it to those CO destinations with it one day. Hubby and I are about 2 decades, 5 human kids and 2 furry ones ahead of you, but your banter is so similar to us. I’m always trying to pull him along to some crazy adventure and he keeps me balanced. Don’t ever stop that. (Victoria, Craig does like it even if he complains sometimes.) Keep it up you two, don’t listen to the “static” and God bless! Oh, and if you’re ever in the Tahoe area, we’ve got a spot for ya a couple blocks from the Lake.
lol well, thank you for the dedication to finish it!! 😄 So glad that you enjoyed it and hope you got some helpful info. Congrats on the new Model Z Air!! I'm so excited to start seeing them out on the road! and LOL when I read "Victoria, Craig does like it even if he complains sometimes" I knew that we really must have a lot of similarities... I know exactly what you mean and it's so true! And I wouldn't have it any other way 😄 Hope to get to meet you in person one day!
Loved this video. I couldn’t find the link for the protective cover you have on your back seat …
Definitely team gloves, even though it’s my hubby who has to do the dirty work😂
Looks like fun!
It was an epic summer!
We took that train and it was so much fun!!!
It is a very nice simple adventure. we loved the train ride.
When using the stinky hose under the frame holder, get a little carbineer clip, to keep the lid closed.
To save water take a “military shower”. Soak yourself with water, turn the water off, lather up and wash everything, then turn the water back on and rinse off.
Thanks!
Thank you so much!!
I'm enjoying your video. I use a c-clamp to change my breaks. If you would ever get to Nebraska let us know. I think it would be awesome to visit with you guys
Absolutely! Thank you, guys, for watching.
Happy Belated Birthday 🎉 ❤
Thank you so much!!
Saw your RV at our RV show this weekend. Gorgeous! There was another one there though for just a little more that had a rear deck, The pups would have LOVED that! :-) Where am I going to come up with the 3 hours to watch this? :-)
We picnicked at San Luis lakes before and there was water at that time it was in september
Can yall maybe do a video on reviewing the details of the water system? It would be super helpful as I’m going to possibly purchase a 3110 this weekend
I use a c-clamp instead of the hand tool that you used. I don't know if you did it or not but by removing your brake fluid brake cylinder cap to allow fluid to push into the cylinder makes it easier to get the calipers back in a whole lot easier j/s
2:12 -- I'd go just for the gondola ride alone ....
I lived in the Durango area for years and worked on the train. Victoria, the term "Million Dollar Highway" has nothing to do with the views. Building the road was one of the most expensive projects in Colorado road building history and cost a million dollars per mile to build. Now you know.
We might be boondocking some of those spots in Colorado on the way back from Alaska. We plan to come back down through Idaho, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado.
Oh that’s going to be an epic trip! So many good places to see in those states. Definitely recommend checking out southwest Colorado! We loved all our boondocking spots there
I use that shower head in my apartment. It works good need to replace it every 6 months or so for us.
It works a lot better than I would have anticipated!
One thumbs up for good luck gotcha covered
it was a Grouse that attacked you LOL
Love your channel. What size/brand of water bladder are you guys using? We're looking to buy one but can't decide how big to go.
Blue Mountain clothes are the best and my favorite best price at TSC
Wolf Creek Ski Area boasts the most snow in Colorado I have seen where they close the ski area with still over a 100 inches on the ground
Can I suggest if you haven’t already, get some rubber chocks instead of those plastic ones. Also, when you change the oil in your truck, if you turn the front wheels hard right, will it give you a little more room to reach for that oil filter?
Interesting that you weren't concerned about the brakes on the trailer when you overheated the brakes on your truck on the Million Dollar Highway. How long were you without brakes on the trailer? Aren't there better ways to splice a wire in an RV than with a wire nut and then not securing the wire?
Check out rv flex armor roof. I think it’s less expensive than rubber and it has a life time warranty. Also call insurance?
I absolutely love watching yall videos
So glad you enjoy them! Thank you for watching!!
For issue with water waste d the tankless water heater, you can add a hot water recirculating system. I have a Super C motorhome and I have plumbed a return line fro the furthest hot water outlet from the water heater back to the fresh tank. This line has a 12v solenoid in the line activated by an push button air switch mounted in the countertop. When you press the air switch button a timed relay opens the solenoid for 30 seconds and the water pump pump hot water through the line and back into the fresh water tank and the solenoid closes and you have true instant hot water when you turn on the faucet. It’s a lot simpler than it sounds and is an inexpensive install that saves wasting water and filling your grey tank.
We also have a Super-C with an instant water heater. We love it - I believe it has a small heated holding tank (?? It’s late and my husband explained it to me a while back - so I may be wrong) - but it doesn’t take long for hot water. But this may be an interesting option to add. Saw something similar on a this old house episode a while back 😬
@@WildBlueWanderers it depends on the water heater, we have a Truma which is considered a hybrid and does have a small vessel that keeps water hot when set in comfort mode but the Girard and Furrion water heaters do not have this feature. The recirculation system works great and wastes no water at all.
@@bmgm37Yes, ours is the Truma, we have very little wasted water. The recirculating system would be a great idea and very simple, it would be easy for the manufacturers to incorporate is they wanted to improve their products.
-Scott
You’re right Craig real men don’t need maps. 😂
IVE BEEN ON THE TRAIN RIDE YRS. AGO BEAUTIFUL ANNAMAY
Nice Video, I am looking to get a truck cover. What brand to you have...? Has it interfered with the hitch during turns...? Would you buy it again...?
I had the problem in my Z3100 of the spare coming loose. I took it to the dealer and they replaced the whole spare system. This is a common problem in early Brinkleys that has since been resolved. In the G models they have a pin that goes through the shaft and connects to a wire cable so the spindle cannot loosen.
Ace Hardware sells a product called "Through the Roof" its a polyurethane roof sealant and it works fantastic. Give it a shot to repair your roof.....
Nice, I'll have to see if I can find some.
We go two weeks before needing to dump, just like you. That last day sucks though. lol
What time of year were you guys in these CO spots? We are planning on boondocking late summer through fall in CO for like 2 months. Was it hot at all? Obviously when you’re at higher elevation it was ok. Just wondering about the lower elevation spots. Thanks for this one. Really helpful.
I think I saw your brinkley and truck on another channel, cody&Kelly they're were in Florida... Don't know if it was yours. ❤
Love your vlogs im a small CZcamsr starting my channel me and my family have been inspired to get out there and explore the world thanks ❤
I noticed when you were tightening the spare tire on the RV that there was a loose piece of trim just above your head. Not sure how messy your dogs are when drinking but our guys are very messy so we keep their water dish in the shower. Bonus is we can leave it full of water even on travel days so they can have a drink when we stop for lunch.
The other risk that you didn't mention when you were leaving the one spot is the corner of your truck bed touching the bottom of the RV by the hitch.
I also bought a thick pair of chemical gloves at Tractor Supply for dealing with the stinky slinky. Once done I leave the gloves on and "wash" my hands with hand sanitizer to clean the gloves for the next use. The current pair have lasted 3 years with the last year being full time.
C clamp to push the piston back
I agree that's the way to do it!
Did y'all ever get you a bumper mudflap from Elkin?
Man you need to invest in some quick connections for your water stuff .. so much easier.
Nice video new subscriber
Thank you!
You could’ve went down that road in a Volvo, that’s not even off-road, come to Southwest Arizona, I will show you some off roading. You got the truck to do it to.
Brinkley looks like a really nice camper. All though I would like to see better rear axles and larger tires for this size camper. It just looks unsafe.
The bird was a grouse
Hi
Just wanted you to know that we were unsubscribed and we did not do it. We enjoy your chNnely
Is there any taste to the fresh water tank from the plastic?
Get a C clamp👍🇺🇲
You seem to have good deal with Brinkley
We’ve ended up happy with our decision! RV life will never be perfect, but we’ve been glad that we ended up upgrading
Hubby says it's a Chukar not pheasant or quail.
Where's your Amazon store link?? I never can find it.
That bird looks like prairie hen, i used hunt them many years ago.?
It was an angry little bird. Lol.
I love your eyes
Hay” question i see you have the Gen-Y Hitch. With Mega Cab Ram. I watch your CZcams on it, but i never see how it turns do you worry about the back window, I just got the 3400Z and. I also have the Mega Cab. Would like to install the Gen-Y but i had trouble with the Anderson,, You have any feed back on the Gen-Y turning issue ???
It does great. Super happy with it. You don't get as much turning radius with it as you would a slider hitch, but I get decent clearance over the bed rails and with the 5 inch offset I can turn pretty close to 90 degrees.