Vanlife On Steroids: Trading a Campervan For an 18-Ton Expedition Truck
A camper van might seem like plenty of space for a road trip, but one YouTuber got the chance to try something much bigger. Alex, who runs the Mispronounced Adventures channel, climbed aboard an 18-ton expedition truck built to travel far beyond ordinary campgrounds.
The massive vehicle is a brand-new MAN TGM 4x4, standing nearly 13 feet tall and stretching about 30 feet long. It has a full living area behind the cab, a hydraulic lift at the rear, and enough fuel capacity for some serious long-distance travel.
Despite the video's title, Alex hasn't actually traded away his camper van. The truck belongs to his friend Guy, who invited him along for its first major test trip through Europe. Since Alex helped with some of the electrical work during the build, he also agreed to serve as the onboard technician.
Their route would take them through France and Spain toward Portugal, where Guy had a wedding to attend. Along the way, Alex would experience life in the enormous truck while sorting out any problems that came up during its first days on the road.
A Much Bigger Ride
The video from Mispronounced Adventures , published October 12, shows just how different this truck is from Alex's usual 4x4 camper van.
Behind the sleeper cab sits a living space nearly 20 feet long, complete with a bedroom, kitchen, and other comforts. At the back, a hydraulic platform can carry equipment such as a motorcycle or ATV.
A 590-liter diesel tank holds roughly 156 gallons, and Alex says the truck has an estimated range of 2,000 miles. Keeping it fueled isn't cheap, though, and its enormous size creates challenges that smaller campers rarely face.
During the drive through France, the pair approached a tunnel with a 14.8-foot height limit. Their truck stood about 12.8 feet tall, not counting its rooftop antennas, leaving Alex wondering whether they would clear the entrance.
They made it through, but toll booths proved more troublesome. At one stop, Guy couldn't get out of his door to reach the payment machine, forcing Alex to climb out and walk around the truck.
Something Isn't Working
The biggest problem wasn't the truck's size. It was the heating system, which had never started successfully.
The custom Alde diesel-powered system heats coolant that circulates through the living area. It also supplies hot water, which is essential for showers and daily life aboard the truck.
Alex suspected that diesel hadn't traveled through the long fuel line to reach the heater. After checking the pump, he found signs that fuel had moved partway through the system but hadn't reached the furnace.
He also discovered a problem with the heater's priming process. Two starting attempts had already been used, leaving only one before the system would lock out and require service.
Rather than risk another failed start, Alex decided to prime the fuel line manually once he had the supplies he needed.
One Fix, Another Problem
Heating wasn't the only issue on the new truck. A water leak alarm had also gone off during the drive, sending Alex to inspect a sensor he had installed weeks earlier.
The wireless device uses a cable that detects moisture along nearby plumbing connections. When Alex checked the area, he found water dripping from a fitting that needed tightening.
Meanwhile, the truck's electronic monitoring system was still being tested. At one point, its display incorrectly showed shore power coming into the vehicle while they were driving.
Despite those problems, the electrical setup was producing plenty of power. During the journey, Alex reported roughly 2.7 kilowatts coming from the alternator and another 1.2 kilowatts from the solar panels.
Finally, Some Heat
After crossing into Spain, Alex returned to the heating problem with a small container of diesel. He worked through the fuel line, primed the system, and reconnected everything before attempting another start.
This time, the pump began running, the combustion fan started moving, and the heater fired up. The repair finally gave the truck a working diesel heating system.
By the end of the episode, Alex had also changed his opinion about driving such a large vehicle. Although it required more planning around roads, parking areas, and toll booths, he found it surprisingly manageable.
He was especially impressed by how easily the automatic truck handled European highways. With the first round of repairs finished, the pair still had more driving ahead through Spain and Portugal, followed by the return trip.
If you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don't miss what's coming next.
