Questions about truck campers

[Radnally]

AT Trailers now makes and sells the Flip Pac. They are made for specific truck models so you will need to call them to see if they make a model that will fit your're truck.

I've got a trailer now. I want the smaller turning radius and ease of use that a truck camper has. 

I just talked to ATC and their bobcat pop up shell (stripped basic) weighs 560 lbs. , this is great. But the price is about $8k.

 

[masterplumber]

I've got a trailer now. I want the smaller turning radius and ease of use that a truck camper has. 

I just talked to ATC and their bobcat pop up shell (stripped basic) weighs 560 lbs. , this is great. But the price is about $8k.

Sorry, I probably wasn't clear. I wasn't suggesting their trailer, that's just the name of the company. They've branched out into vehicle builds, and with that bought the rights to the Flip Pac toppers. I know they have them for a couple different generations of Tacomas, and one that replaces a Jeep top. I just don't know if they have one for your truck.

 

[Radnally]

Sorry, I probably wasn't clear. I wasn't suggesting their trailer, that's just the name of the company. They've branched out into vehicle builds, and with that bought the rights to the Flip Pac toppers. I know they have them for a couple different generations of Tacomas, and one that replaces a Jeep top. I just don't know if they have one for your truck.

Thanks. Interesting. I was thinking about doing a DIY like this. Basically a tent set up on a rack in the truck. But not so sure about this in rough weather.

 

[TimmyB]

Here is a list of websites for truck campers/shells I have been compiling from this site and others

Lowest Priced Campers
--------------------------------
www.belairshells.com/wood-n-alum
www.capricamper.com
www.travellitecampers.com


Sub $20k campers
--------------------------------
www.allterraincampers.com
www.amlrv.com
www.ezlitecampers.com
www.fourwh.com
www.northstarcampers.com
www.palominorv.com


Over $20k campers
--------------------------------
www.alaskancamper.com
www.bigfootrv.com
www.cirrus-truckcamper.com
www.duracozy.com
www.hallmarkrv.com
www.lancecamper.com
www.livinlite.com
www.northern-lite.com
www.northwoodmfg.com
www.outfittermfg.com
www.phoenixpopup.com



Out of Business?
--------------------------------
www.casualturtlecampers.com
www.flippac.com
www.xpcamper.com
www.wrv.com (AlpenLite)

http://www.eurekacampersinc.com/slideinn-truck-campers

 

[wagoneer]

I am using a 1993 Six-Pac camper on a 1995 Dodge Ram 3/4 ton I can close the tailgate it's the 96R series (96 square Ft.) advertised as weighing 1350
wet ( with tanks full) I am not full time and I travel alone or with my son, no dog no cat. Solar on the roof Fantastic fan and still able to crawl through the cab window into the camper but cannot gain any weight, I would get a small trailer for extended trips the cummins likes a load. I have had it on a friends scale, good to go.

 

[Larry Childers]

Try these folks for a light slidein camper......

http://www.eurekacampersinc.com/slideinn-truck-campers

 

[KathyC]

http://www.eurekacampersinc.com/slideinn-truck-campers

Great compilation.  I can only add that I can confirm that Flippac is out of business.  I know this first-hand, as we ordered a camper last summer and after they pushed out delivery date many times, they stopped answering the phone.  Sure enough, Riverside office was cleaned out and they left under cover of darkness.  Very rotten to their customers so beware if they resurrect the business elsewhere in future.

PS: Luckily, I put the deposit on a credit card -- I was able to get reimbursed by my CC company.

 

[masterplumber]

Great compilation.  I can only add that I can confirm that Flippac is out of business.  I know this first-hand, as we ordered a camper last summer and after they pushed out delivery date many times, they stopped answering the phone.  Sure enough, Riverside office was cleaned out and they left under cover of darkness.  Very rotten to their customers so beware if they resurrect the business elsewhere in future.

PS: Luckily, I put the deposit on a credit card -- I was able to get reimbursed by my CC company.

I believe Adventure Trailer in Prescott, AZ has the rights to at least some of the Flip Pak designs. I'm not sure who is making them for them.

 

[KathyC]

I believe Adventure Trailer in Prescott, AZ has the rights to at least some of the Flip Pak designs. I'm not sure who is making them for them.

Alas, Adventure Trailer no longer makes them -- we would have purchased from them (their iteration was really spiffy).  

Really a shame about the flip pacs -- a clever design and relatively affordable alternative to the more expensive pop ups.  We wanted it particularly because we have a 4-door truck with a tiny (5') bed.

 

[wagoneer]

Looking at the Capri line,nice, simple, sexy.

 

[Marc]

Great news letter called "truck camper magazine" on web. Lot of good ones made for these new short beds.

 

[DannyB1954]

I made a truck camper for a 95 Dodge Dakota. I made the front and rear walls go down all the way to the bed. I then made side panels that I could put into place once I got to my camp spot. The hard part was making the lifting device. Today I would use linear actuators. something like http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Linear-Ac...628235?hash=item5b106d634b:g:enQAAOSwstxVL~p1

I drove to my spot, took the tie down brackets off, lifted the shell and put the sides into place. Then lowered the shell back onto the sides. The front of the bed and tailgate were now my lower walls.

 

[wagoneer]

I enjoy reading "truck camper Magazine" new stuff and a trading area

 

[ArtW]

Danny, you mean a removeable set of walls to set under a camper shell? I'd be interested how you worked that out, I'd like more room under my cap, but don't want the extra drag it'd cause

 

[DannyB1954]

Danny, you mean a removeable set of walls to set under a camper shell? I'd be interested how you worked that out, I'd like more room under my cap, but don't want the extra drag it'd cause

Yep. The Dakota didn't have a very deep bed, so with a shell that only came up to the top of the truck cab, there was not much room inside. I made the shell so that I could jack it up about 24" and insert side panels. The shell had pins that dropped into the pickup bed sides. The extension piece had female sockets at the top and male pins at the bottom. Once in place it was quite solid.
 

 

[DannyB1954]

The way I did it made weatherproofing the ends more difficult. You could just make 4 walls that bolt together the same size as the perimeter of your truck bed. The back wall may need some sort of door so that you could get in and out easy.

 

[ArtW]

Thanks

 

[Lotsahorses]

I'm building a foam slide in truck camper for a 1/2 ton.   Covered in canvas and titebond II glue.  Estimated weight will bee 300-500 lbs unloaded.   If you build like this your truck can handle the weight without being top heavy and you could cantilever out at least a foot or two beyond the tailgate.   Google search "foamies"   It's a fun way to build too. Good luck.

 

[Bonanza Jellybean]

Hello,
I've had camper vans and trailers and I'm now seriously considering a truck camper as I've decided I want access to all the forest roads in the national forests and BLM land that I can get at.  
I'd like to use my present tow vehicle, Nissan 4x4 short bed/crew cab. And I was wondering how long a slide-in I could use as the bed is really about 5' with the tail gate up?

Thanks

The thing you want to pay attention to on a camper that extends past
Your bed is center of gravity; which will be marked on the camper and should sit directly above your rear tires. Also really pay close attention to your payload. 

Hope that helps. Check out Four Wheel Campers or Travel Lite.

 

[Mk333]

This is an excellent plan!! The only thing I would add is to consider one of these instead of the Capri. I'm a big fan of the Capri, but these would be even lighter--but not easily removable. If that was essential than the Capri is a great choice.
http://belairshells.com/wood-n-alum

Bob

I like the design of the Bel aires but then I read about the wood aluminum frames not holding up. How long can  they last on back country roads? I'm thinking that if I get close to 10 years it would be ok. Does anyone know if they can last that long?
I'm new to this but this is a great source of info to learn from. Thanks Bob, and I did see those bear pics. I'm still trying to get my head around getting so close to bears.
Martin