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I was looking at a used camper yesterday and the side rails of the pickup bed are about 2" higher than the detent (sorry, I don't know correct terminology) height between the base of the camper and the part that flares out over the side rails. (The truck is a full size crew cab but with 6' bed.)
So I didn't drop it onto the bed because it would have been hanging on the sides instead of sitting on the bottom - there would be a 2" gap until the sides broke and gave way.
The seller suggested a couple of 2 x 4's stuck into the side rail pockets of the pickup bed to hold the camper higher to clear the side rails. I'm thinking a sturdy pallet at least, otherwise the wood rails on the camper bottom would be only bearing on 4" total of wood.
Anyone else have experience with this issue?
Camper Has to sit on the bed period..... Sounds like the camper is for a small truck like a Toyota. This will not work on your truck and be safe..... I would not even think about placing something under the camper to raise it up 4" or so.....
Personally, I love the pop-up style for its lower weight, lower COG, and lower profile. Unless winter camping is on your agenda, they are eminently practical.
We have a Sunlite 690, which we ordered new after our old truck camper fell apart from age. it's awesome. We decided against the pop-up because we were often in bear country, and pop-ups aren't allowed to stay in some campgrounds and state parks where there are bears. Also, we have a heater and A/C, and the climate control is a great idea since it gets cool at night in the north areas, even in the summer, and it does get hot and humid too.
We got special air shocks that had a 100% guarantee, but they both failed and the company refused to honor the guarantee, even though the service guys at Sears verified that they were both locked up. Never again for those, but the super springs are a good idea. Be sure to tie the camper down to the truck: that, with the super springs, will keep your camper from swaying too much (top heavy) when you go on back roads. I was sure our camper was going to pull us over the edge of the cliff when going to the top of "Bald Knob" on one of our trips (big boulders in a switchback road). We also are careful about proper tire inflation for truck + camper; it's easy to pop a tire when traveling the back roads. And it's not easy to change a tire in some of these places. And tow service doesn't work with a truck + camper.
We go to areas that really require the 4-wheel drive truck (a Dodge Dakota 4-door), like the Cataloochee Valley in North Carolina. I visited relatives with a giant motor home in one of those city-like campgrounds, and I was horrified. You might as well buy a tiny apartment condo in the middle of the city.
I was looking at a used camper yesterday and the side rails of the pickup bed are about 2" higher than the detent (sorry, I don't know correct terminology) height between the base of the camper and the part that flares out over the side rails. (The truck is a full size crew cab but with 6' bed.)
So I didn't drop it onto the bed because it would have been hanging on the sides instead of sitting on the bottom - there would be a 2" gap until the sides broke and gave way.
The seller suggested a couple of 2 x 4's stuck into the side rail pockets of the pickup bed to hold the camper higher to clear the side rails. I'm thinking a sturdy pallet at least, otherwise the wood rails on the camper bottom would be only bearing on 4" total of wood.
Anyone else have experience with this issue?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bones
Camper Has to sit on the bed period..... Sounds like the camper is for a small truck like a Toyota. This will not work on your truck and be safe..... I would not even think about placing something under the camper to raise it up 4" or so.....
I agree that the camper was probably designed for a small pickup, but I believe the side walls on newer trucks are higher than they were at one time. Either way, I think it could easily be modified to fit your truck if necessary. Three or four sheets of 3/4-inch plywood screwed to the bottom of the camper or laid in the truck bed should raise it enough for clearance. That said, I think you'd be better off to just find the correct size camper for your truck; you'd probably have more room, less weight, and not as high a step to gain entrance to the camper.
This camper has a plywood bottom and then it's sitting on a couple of 2x2's running longways with a cross 2x2. So instead of a pallet that would provide another slide plane, would putting 4 treated 6x6's, one on either side of the longways-running 2x2's, and bolting them up through the camper wood floor, likely work better?
I'd think that would be a little lighter and easier to align than the several sheets of plywood - I would imagine would also trap water underneath - but with securing the timbers to the camper and not the bed makes for a lower center of gravity of the camper unit.
I suppose I could use black locust 6x6's, but then I'd need new springs for sure.
Whoa! It already has 2x2s attached to it and is still 2+" too shallow? The more I hear about this camper, the more I think you should just keep looking.
I had thought of a 4x4 frame under it for support, maybe one on each side and two between them to give you 16" O.C. But now we're talking a 6" rise? That's crazy.
The (2) truck campers I've owned both had flat plywood bottoms and still had ample room above the side walls. And that step from the ground into the camper was still pretty high. I had steps that I used -- placed inside the camper door unless I was parked and using them, but you're adding another 6 inches. Whew! It could be dangerous exiting that thing! Place a concrete block on the back of your tailgate, then try stepping off of it to the ground... and then back up. No. Don't. I don't want to be blamed for your broken neck!
One advantage (we gotta look hard for advantages, eh?) is that it could provide you with lots of storage area under there. And I don't think you'd have to worry much about water as long as the camper covers the bed.
It's just my opinion, but I think you should keep looking. There are lots of used truck campers on the market that will fit your truck properly.
To be honest I am having trouble finding truck campers in central Pennsylvania to look at that might fit a full size 6' short bed.
Apparently truck campers aren't very popular around here to start with, pop-up or small trailers are much more common than any sort of truck camper and most truck campers I see are ton+ with 8' bed requirement and I'm not interested in anything that fancy.
Quite possibly as a newbie I'm not using the correct search terms, so I would appreciate pointers!
The truck does have a step bumper, but I wonder if a hitch receiver step might be an alternative to a concrete block (which I can see myself forgetting somewhere, or worse driving over )
Is your truck a 1/2 or 3/4-ton? What's your budget? I'll help you explore the internet for one.
There'll be more advertised in the coming months. It's hard to sell a camper in the middle of the winter, so most sellers will wait for spring to even list one.
I found this slide-in (http://allentown.craigslist.org/rvs/1643867035.html - broken link) for you. He doesn't list a price, but it ought to be affordable.
I got to thinking about your truck. Yeah, you're likely to have some problems finding one that fits properly. Most are designed for 8-foot beds, and most are too heavy for a 1/2 ton. But I'm sure something will turn up.... if the one in the link doesn't do it for ya.
I remember visiting the New York-New Jersey area about 15 years ago with my pickup camper. I was parked along a side street while my wife was shopping, and I must have had 3 or 4 guys stop by and want to see the inside of the camper -- like they'd never seen such an animal before -- plenty of motor homes but few pickup campers.
Here's (http://meadville.craigslist.org/rvs/1654385191.html - broken link) a possibility. Maybe a little heavy with the bath.
And HERE. (http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/rvs/1658758854.html - broken link)
Last edited by WyoNewk; 03-24-2010 at 10:12 PM..
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Sounds like the camper is for a small truck like a Toyota. This will not work on your truck and be safe.....
I would not even think about placing something under the camper to raise it up 4" or so.....
We have a Sunlite 690
