Vintage toppers

[Night_Sailor]

Fiberglass is a better option. The seals on those leak but a bit of grass or silicone will fix that.

 

[user 22017]

The Lippert slide topper was just installed a couple of days ago and I haven't had a long experience with it in different weather, but it went on easier than I expected and it looks and works great. It works as anticipated and all the parts for a new install are present. The product is well made of quality components and appears to be of durable construction and we are well pleased with it.

Hi Thomas,

I did a search for "Lippert slide topper" and believe the moderator thought your post was about truck toppers. You are referring to the canvas or vinyl cover that protects slides on RV's (slide out rooms). Right?

No idea how to get your post moved again. Sorry.

 

[user 22017]

I found three used fiberglass toppers locally that I can afford ($100, $200 and $350). The $100 one is a 6 x 8 high rise, but the seller posted that it is 5' 11" at the front. My bed is 6 x 8, so it would be 1" too narrow at the front. I'm almost 64 with arthritis, so I think I should get a high rise. How important is it that the topper fit perfectly? Seller's post doesn't say what it came off of. (My truck is 1995 F250)

The one for $350 is cab height, but has wing windows. Those would allow me to reach into the bed from the outside, but $350 is a stretch atm. Came off an F series under 1997.

The one for $200 is cab height, but there is a slight rise in the center. Came off an F series under 1997.

All are old and probably need painting, but was thinking my son could vinyl wrap the topper.

 

[kklowell]

HI Carla. I was surprised to see your thread still going; have you not found a topper yet? If not, keep looking, I got mine for free! I raised it up, which wasn't difficult, and built a back door for it, which was. Here's my thread if you''re interested. IT got a bit long, but if you skim through there are pictures. https://vanlivingforum.com/threads/a-r-e-type-door-for-back-of-cap.42867/ As for comfort, I took a 3800 mile road trip in it last spring and found it worked well for me. I'm 5-9 and 72 years old.

 

[user 22017]

HI Carla. I was surprised to see your thread still going; have you not found a topper yet?

Hi K,

It is an old thread. I've had two truck campers since then. Spent two years babysitting my grandkids, because my daughters are mail carriers (virtual school only due to Covid). Had to sell my last truck camper to pay my property taxes. Now I'm back to square one, buying a topper. I did take one 800 mile trip in my last truck camper and learned from some mistakes. Ie. I need good stairs to get in & out of the camper and I need a toilet. Not a bucket and pool noodle

I didn't want to start yet another thread about buying a topper. I saw your topper build photos when I first returned to the forum. Very impressive. I know my limits physically and won't be building anything. Thumbs up to you, though! I'd love a back door on a topper, but regular toppers are hard enough to find for my truck. From looking on craigslist, I found that campers are abundant on the west coast, the northern Great Lakes states and Colorado. Slim pickings elsewhere.

Did you buy a separate front rail foam tube? At Amazon & Walmart websites they sell the front rail separately. I want to do this correctly. Found a kit by Super Seal, IIRC, that sells the tubing & clamps together for $60.00. Says for a long bed and the clamps are heavy duty.

Was hoping to find someone who knows why the high rise topper I found measures one inch smaller width at the front. And if that will matters. Planned on leaving the 5th, but Illinois broke a record for snow in one day. Probably have to wait for it to melt now, since my truck bed is full of snow.

I'll try to grab photos of the three toppers I found.

Thanks.

 

[kklowell]

I don't know what a "front rail foam tube" is. My extender has foam garage door insulation between it and the bedrails on the bottom and the same thing on top between the extender and the topper.
I built the back and door because I like that style, but even more motivation was that the rear window of the topper and the top of the tailgate had a 6" gap between them after I raised the top. If I were to do it again, I'd make it so the back was straight vertically because the door itself would then be simple to build and open and close better. Doing that would also make the topper a few inches longer.
I had originally planned to just use topper clamps to hold everything together, but listening to people on this forum I ended up drilling holes and bolting it all together.
I have a 6,000-mile road trip planned for this fall so I'm thinking of replacing the topper with a DIY slide-in camper with a roof that is down just above the cab roof when traveling but can be raised when stopped so I can comfortably stand up in it. It would be wide enough to allow me to make a bunk across the front of the bed, which would give me the needed room to have a Thetford toilet in the camper. We'll see.
Good luck with your search for another topper.

 

[user 22017]

I was going to ask why so many place the bed lengthwise. I have only seen one or two youtube videos where the bed was placed across the truck bed, at the front. I'm thinking since I'll only use the bed for sleeping, then having it at the front will allow more items to be within my reach near the gate.

 

[kklowell]

I was going to ask why so many place the bed lengthwise. I have only seen one or two youtube videos where the bed was placed across the truck bed, at the front. I'm thinking since I'll only use the bed for sleeping, then having it at the front will allow more items to be within my reach near the gate.

In the case of my Ford Ranger, it's only about 5 feet across the bed, but it's 6 feet long. I made my bed only 24 inches wide, which suits me just fine, but wouldn't if I had to curl up in a 5 foot space.

 

[kklowell]

The top of the bed is made in three pieces, each hinged so that I have storage under the bed. The end at the back is where I keep stuff I'll need access to from the back.

 

[user 22017]

The top of the bed is made in three pieces, each hinged so that I have storage under the bed. The end at the back is where I keep stuff I'll need access to from the back.

My truck bed is 6' x 8'. I am 5'9" so placing it across would work, but I was just checking Amazon for cots and none are under 72". I'll have to make a frame from milk crates and pre-cut plywood from Lowe's or Menards.

I'm going to miss being able to stand up in a camper, but next month I'll buy a tent. Coleman makes instant tents for under $200 that go up in just a few minutes. Great for people like me with arthritis. If only I could find a topper with a door like yours.

 

[DougH71]

Carla, where in Illinois are you? I’m in Aurora, west of Chicago. If you need any help with building something, let me know. I have tools and a driveway.

 

[user 22017]

Carla, where in Illinois are you? I’m in Aurora, west of Chicago. If you need any help with building something, let me know. I have tools and a driveway.

Thanks Doug, I'm in Peoria. 120 miles away. I'm ok with a no-build setup for now. Just gotta get a topper and get the snow out of the bed. Do you camp much in Illinois?

 

[kklowell]

My truck bed is 6' x 8'. I am 5'9" so placing it across would work, but I was just checking Amazon for cots and none are under 72". I'll have to make a frame from milk crates and pre-cut plywood from Lowe's or Menards.

I'm going to miss being able to stand up in a camper, but next month I'll buy a tent. Coleman makes instant tents for under $200 that go up in just a few minutes. Great for people like me with arthritis. If only I could find a topper with a door like yours.

Yeah, I don't think you'll ever find a cot that short, but you could have Home Depot or Lowes cut a piece of plywood for you. If I had an 8' bed I'd love to have the bunk across the bed instead of along its side. Actually, I think that if I did that, I'd really make it into a "dinette" that becomes a bed by putting the tabletop down between the "benches", sort of like campers utilize for extra sleeping space.

 

[DougH71]

We hit a few state parks last year. My son and I attend a couple big car shows in Iowa, where we camp on site. In 2019, when I first got my van, we took a ten day road-trip to Maryland and back. I’ve got a 2011 Express 2500 cargo van with a slide out bed, some storage, and a roof fan. I’d really like to build a small trailer as well.

 

[user 22017]

I’ve got a 2011 Express 2500 cargo van with a slide out bed, some storage, and a roof fan. I’d really like to build a small trailer as well.

I should have bought a van instead of my truck, but I had to learn from experience. If I sold my truck now, I might have a hard time finding a decent van. So I'm working with what I have. A trailer would be wonderful, but I know I would be too nervous towing one.

 

[Gypsyjoe#1]

I should have bought a van instead of my truck, but I had to learn from experience. If I sold my truck now, I might have a hard time finding a decent van. So I'm working with what I have. A trailer would be wonderful, but I know I would be too nervous towing one.

If your interested in a trailer, find a parking lot where it is pretty much empty say on a weekend then rent a small trailer from Uhaul for a day and go to that parking lot and practice until you are no longer nervous with it behind you. Practice backing up and coming close to the few vehicles in the lot ect. you will get so it is no big deal having that trailer following you. When I started driving truck many years ago, I was nervous at first also, but my mentor took me to a similiar lot and we practiced all day. The next day me and my mentor left for California, by the time I got back to Michigan two weeks later I was comfortable enough that 2 days later I headed for California by myself. I drove truck for many years after that.

 

[user 22017]

Practice backing up and coming close to the few vehicles in the lot ect. you will get so it is no big deal having that trailer following you.

What about going down mountains? My son recently moved to northeast Washington and I hope to visit him by the end of summer. Going down mountains would be kinda terrifying I've watched youtube trailer disaster videos. I found a "flattest route" website for the trip, lol.

My truck struggles going up steep hills without towing anything. 30MPH is her favorite speed on a steep incline. It is embarrassing.

 

[Gypsyjoe#1]

What about going down mountains? My son recently moved to northeast Washington and I hope to visit him by the end of summer. Going down mountains would be kinda terrifying I've watched youtube trailer disaster videos. I found a "flattest route" website for the trip, lol.

My truck struggles going up steep hills without towing anything. 30MPH is her favorite speed on a steep incline. It is embarrassing.

If your not starting out in the mountains you will get experience with hills along the way. The rule of thumb for truck drivers is go down the mountain in the same gear you went up it so your engine works as a braking force. If you have a automatic transmission, if it downshifted to go up the hill when you go down the hill use the selector to select the lower gear to go down. Do not ride your brakes they will get hot and fail, instead let your engine and transmission do your major braking and only use your brakes when the engine starts reving up then brake to get your speed back down to where the engine is no longer reving. At that point in time let off your brakes (they will cool at this point) when the engine starts reving again apply brakes again.

 

[user 22017]

If you have a automatic transmission, if it downshifted to go up the hill when you go down the hill use the selector to select the lower gear to go down.

I think I understand what you explained. I need to start paying attention to the sounds my engine makes. My truck has automatic transmission. Don't know how many speeds. After Drive it has a 1 and a 2. When do I use those? (My son-in-law told me once, but the truck has sat for almost a year & I forgot).

Edit: which is lower? One?

Also, going up a steep hill near my house the transmission does shift. It really struggles. Should I put it on the 1?

 

[DougH71]

I should have bought a van instead of my truck, but I had to learn from experience. If I sold my truck now, I might have a hard time finding a decent van. So I'm working with what I have. A trailer would be wonderful, but I know I would be too nervous towing one.

Everything is expensive now. Build what you own; upgrade when prices go down. Not alot of headroom in a van, either, but it’s nice to have acces from cab.