Interesting truck campers in Prescott

[user 423]

If I had the truck and the money, I would love to have one of these...
(Link to CL ad for truck camper sale):

https://prescott.craigslist.org/cto/d/prescott-2013-trademan-tall-canopy-for/7333987216.html


Not sure what the inside height is but they do seem a bit too high.

 

[bullfrog]

The topper I built for my Jeep truck is basically a 7' square box but I went 8" beyond the sides of the bed rails I order to get 7' width and make a 28" wide bench/bed on each side with a 28" aisle in the middle. From the truck bed to the inside ceiling is 6'. It is tall and wind resistance is noticeable at highway speeds. You won't be going through any drive thrus with 7' height restrictions. I leave the tailgate down to use as a porch and storage. The basic shell was built using interior doors and Poor Man's Fiberglass cost about $500 years ago but even now it could be built for less than $1,000 in materials.

 

[user 423]

^^
Someday I'd like to get a close look at a PMF project like yours. I've been kicking around ideas for some type of lighter weight trailer that I can pull with my 1/2T van. Or a foamie camper set in a yet-to-be purchased PU.

 

[bullfrog]

I have found that you really need to consider how much size and weight matter. For me and in my opinion most people that live full time in a vehicle or trailer need all the space they can get to carry all the stuff they feel they require to live a happy satisfying life. Miscalculating by not taking wear and tear's effect on durability, wind resistance or maintenance involved can make for a very unhappy camper. In the past I always over built to a point that is beyond reasonable because I could not afford to have something go wrong. I have always felt people starting out will in most cases need at least a 3/4 ton vehicle unless they are coming from a backpacking or very minimalist background. Now that I am more financially stable I can afford to experiment. I am finding the limits of what is possible without fear if it doesn't work I guess. I keep meeting people with small vehicles wanting to fulltime in a foamie square drop or tear drop trailer that would be hard pressed to pull a well built utility trailer empty in my opinion and believing they can pull the full 1500 lb. their vehicle is rated for for thousands of miles without problems. I do my best to encourage them to get a 3/4 ton truck because most will end up needing it after adding large solar and water systems or some type of electric bike, UTV or in one case a boat! Even a 1/2 truck with a foam topper needs to be considered a shelter for a backpacker not an apartment with full utilities.

 

[user 423]

Well they always say that gaining experience can be expensive.

IDK. My 1/2T van with a 351 is tow rated at 6800 lbs. A single-axle 6x12 cargo weighs about 1200 lbs. and I can't see that adding 20 galls. of water, a couple of batteries and panels, tools, furnishings,etc. would add much more than 1000 lbs. That total amounts to only about 1/3 of the rated capacity. Granted, a 6x12 CT isn't exactly a rolling apt. but with the storage volume in the van it would be OK for one or maybe 2 people.

You're right though, over-engineering would be the way to go and probably the main thing I'd want to change about the above example would be to use a tandem axle trailer with good brakes. My research tells me that would add another 1000 lbs. or so to the total but that would still be only 1/2 the rated capacity. I'm also aware that Ford and the others sometimes inflate the ratings to boost sales but what are we to believe?

My '93 is kept in pretty good shape and has a large add-on tranny cooler but it's true that I would eventually have mechanical problems of one kind or another. As has been mentioned many times on the forum....save that rent money for a rebuilt transmission!

Right now the problem is that cargo trailers are really hard to find at a reasonable price. COVID has caused a backlog in the supply chain plus there is probably more demand with the housing crunch. So foamie PMF construction sounds good at this time.

 

[bullfrog]

A 6'x12'x6' foamie box will be about as big as you could go with 2" insulation without additional structural support. You will need to embed rafters to support a roof with a 6' span as well as mount solar. Interior cabinets can be built to increase wall and roof joint strength. You will have lots of options as foam is easy to modify. I did interior doors instead of foam and was able to span 80" with very little sagging and no additional support but you do need to insure it never gets wet with extreme waterproofing and as few holes as possible (if interior doors get wet they just expand so drilling a hole and filling with spray foam makes them much stronger but really strange looking! Lol!!!)

 

[Zmann]

...over priced truck topper not to mention the weight!  5k buys a lot of materials ... case in point my neighbor bought a 80s Prowler trailer for 7 bones$.  I advise new skins and repack bearings can't get him to stop gloating about it...takes it hunting and fishing and he pulls it with his 1/2 ton Full-size pickup...

 

[user 423]

^^
What these weigh isn't mentioned and they are made of aluminum so they may not be all that heavy.

Yes, $5k would buy a lot of materials and if you have the time and a place to build something, then that would be a good way to go.

$7,000 for an '80s Prowler doesn't seem like that good of a deal. Maybe in some locations and at this time, IDK.

Also,towing something is not for everyone.

 

[eliyama]

I have found that you really need to consider how much size and weight matter. For me and in my opinion most people that live full time in a vehicle or trailer need all the space they can get to carry all the stuff they feel they require to live a happy satisfying life. Miscalculating by not taking wear and tear's effect on durability, wind resistance or maintenance involved can make for a very unhappy camper. In the past I always over built to a point that is beyond reasonable because I could not afford to have something go wrong. I have always felt people starting out will in most cases need at least a 3/4 ton vehicle unless they are coming from a backpacking or very minimalist background. Now that I am more financially stable I can afford to experiment. I am finding the limits of what is possible without fear if it doesn't work I guess. I keep meeting people with small vehicles wanting to fulltime in a foamie square drop or tear drop trailer that would be hard pressed to pull a well built utility trailer empty in my opinion and believing they can pull the full 1500 lb. their vehicle is rated for for thousands of miles without problems. I do my best to encourage them to get a 3/4 ton truck because most will end up needing it after adding large solar and water systems or some type of electric bike, UTV or in one case a boat! Even a 1/2 truck with a foam topper needs to be considered a shelter for a backpacker not an apartment with full utilities.

 

[eliyama]

You give very good advice, and your experience shows. Consider writing a small pamphlet sold through mail. Information is vital, and worth while because honesty is a virtue. I knew a lady that became wealthy by selling information; she was homeless when she started. Her name was Louise Hay. You can give workshops across the country for a small fee, gouging is not necessary. To the point: Yes on the 3/4. A motorcycle mechanic from back in day gave a valuable lesson: Always gain a vehicle in its Power To Weight Ratio. Truckers understand, but newbies contemplating life in a vehicle often do not. Yes on the wind resistance. Yes on overbuild. Cold is a major issue that concerns me as I live in AZ and it gets cold on the desert in wintertime. I find insulation is a factor most often not emphasized in builds, or by manufacturers. I learned a long time ago that the best insulation is thermal mass not a heat source, which should (even for homes) be minimal. With advances in polymer science, dwellers can use it to their advantage if they would insulate both walls, ceiling, floor: metal conducts cold quickly! Take care, again, want to encourage you to teach for a fee. You have more talent than realized.