Looking at a F150 4x4 supercrew cab

[vanman2300]

Thinking about building out one of these but have no idea what others who've lived out of one of these thinks about the advantages vs disadvantages. Any thoughts would be a big help and greatly appreciated.

 

[RVtrek]

By "building out" a F150, are you talking about adding a camper to the back or trying to make the crew-cab area in to a living space?

 

[vanman2300]

Using the cab to live out of while storing most of my stuff in the bed that has a locking tonneau cover. Then I plan on swapping the cover out for a topper and building the bed out as a living and storage area.

 

[DuneElliot]

I've done it short term for 3-4 week roadtrips and it worked great for me. I am short and can sleep across the cab. I build up a flat sleeping area with old sleeping bags and comforters then added a mattress on top with normal bed sheets and comforter etc. I kept a camp box and a cooler in the back with a 7 gallon Aquatainer for water. I also had a tote for clothes and a tote for canned and dried food. The dogs rode in the bed and they had a seat each to sleep on at night. I had a curtain made for the back window and use reflectix for the side windows and the windshield. I still use this set-up when I'm away from the RV and just want to head to the mountains.

 

[vanman2300]

I've done it short term for 3-4 week roadtrips and it worked great for me. I am short and can sleep across the cab. I build up a flat sleeping area with old sleeping bags and comforters then added a mattress on top with normal bed sheets and comforter etc. I kept a camp box and a cooler in the back with a 7 gallon Aquatainer for water. I also had a tote for clothes and a tote for canned and dried food. The dogs rode in the bed and they had a seat each to sleep on at night. I had a curtain made for the back window and use reflectix for the side windows and the windshield. I still use this set-up when I'm away from the RV and just want to head to the mountains.

I'm 5'9" and tried the back and it fits me as well. The back is really roomy. I put the back seats up and the front passenger seat forward and have enough room to lay out without having to bend knees or anything like that.

Good to know you find it easy to live out of for weeks at a time because that's what I wonder about using a truck instead of a van. Thanks for the input!

 

[UptownSport]

Be a really small area to heat-

 

[mr_elijah_gardner]

If people can do it in a prius.

 

[vanman2300]

I don't know how they can live out of a prius without going mad but some do. Especially when it rains for days, it must be tough to sit in a tight space trying to do any daily activities like cooking, eating, etc.

 

[DuneElliot]

I'm 5'9" and tried the back and it fits me as well. The back is really roomy. I put the back seats up and the front passenger seat forward and have enough room to lay out without having to bend knees or anything like that.

Good to know you find it easy to live out of for weeks at a time because that's what I wonder about using a truck instead of a van. Thanks for the input!

Here's my road-trip blog from 3 weeks in my truck in 2015:

https://nomadicpawprints.wordpress.com/2015/10/15/day-1/

You don't have to read it all but it might give you an idea of what it was like.

 

[akrvbob]

Unless you have a back seat that folds away really well, I'd pull it out and build a platform that gives you the whole area to sleep in, including the footwells. That'll give you more storage underneath and more sleeping area.

 

[wagoneer]

I will always keep an open mind about rigs and setups large and small lived out out of a 1958 Porsche in the 70's. seats folded almost flat. I got too much room in the Camper. Comes from growing up poor and sleeping in a tiny room with my two brothers, lol ah the good old days.

 

[user 37446]

What you describe is doable, just lacking in comfort until you can move into the back. 
Yes it's (in cab) easy to heat, "cooling" and ventilation can be/is marginal but then most all rigs suffer from that. You are very close to the power points when in the cab so that's good. You can quickly climb into the front to get going if need be. Nobody will suspect much as far as stealth due to not many even looking at a truck, and covering the windshield is common as far as daylight hours goes.
You can store a lot in the back, covered and secure. Solar can go on the canopy easily.

When you move into the back you can sleep either way, side to side or lengthwise. I made a lengthwise bed frame with storage underneath, look on Pinterest for lots of pics of builds. I found that the canopy (cab high) was a bit low for sitting down on the bed, and the bed was only 10" off the floor.
A canopy that goes higher towards the back would have been nice. Having 4x4 would have been nice, same with extra ground clearance as opposed to a van or car. 

I did not like getting up into and exiting the canopy. It was clumsy, I slipped and fell out once at night, and it just always looked "weird" when I was in public. I could not secure the canopy from the inside and could not get out in bad weather very easily. I ended up selling the truck and am looking at a minivan. That gives me better fuel mileage, inside living, still "stealthy" and more interior room and power-points than the canopy offered (in a short bed).  

Would I do it again? Only if I could build it up about 2' above the cab. Simple enough to frame up and plywood/cedar side it. My truck had a 1600 pound payload, which meant about 1300 lbs actual usable after you subtracted me and things up front. That's enough.

 

[highdesertranger]

I would go with a F250 minimum. highdesertranger

 

[SoulRaven]

I would go with a F250 minimum.  highdesertranger

As a guy with an F150, pulling a Cargo Trailer... I sometimes wish I had a 250... AND A DIESEL!  

 

[Vern]

^^^^^
What these guys said.

I've also got a f150 towing a 6x12.... 3/4 ton would be a much better match.

 

[user 13531]

As a guy with an F150, pulling a Cargo Trailer... I sometimes wish I had a 250... AND A DIESEL!  

That's an interesting comment, can you elaborate? 

I don't have a tow vehicle yet for my 23' 6500# wet load Jayco. I've been assuming an F150 with a 5.0L V8 4X4 would handle it nicely and still give me some fuel economy. Am I off base on that?