What year

[Cave Man]

I am retiring in a couple years and all ready have a newer  F-350 DRW  Diesel and I am now in the market for a truck camper . I like the two slide or single but full wall slide. But I  prefer to buy used and need lots of  Solar and storage also want to be able to stay in it off the truck .
Is there any year I should stay away from or  gravitate toward I guessing I will stay with a 2015 or older but looking for  advantages and disadvantages like  strength of roof strength of floor rubber roof etc.    Thank you

 

[RVtrek]

I bought a 2003 truck camper almost a year ago. The roof is exceedingly questionable. I *think* it's some sort of rubber roof, but the camper has so many other issues that I'm not bothering to do anything about the roof.

If you can find a truck camper without a rubber roof (aka, a fiberglass shell type), I'd recommend that instead of a rubber roof. (Edit: Since you're looking for slides, a fiberglass body isn't likely possible. I guess the best thing to do then is to really take care of your roof and do all the required maintenance.)

Just my 2 cents on other things:
* Wet baths are perfectly fine and give you more space for everything else
* Make sure you water heater is DSI so it can be used off of gas or electric. That also lets you light it from inside the camper and it'll re-light itself if the wind blows out the pilot. Nice features I wish I had.
* As soon as your original house batteries die, replace them with lithium. If you're planning on using solar as your primary charge source, it works great in the summer but unless you're actively tilting and aiming panels, you can count on about half as much power coming in during the winter. Lithium can survive that better than lead acid.

Anyways, a few thoughts off the top of my head.

 

[Cave Man]

Thanks I will be replacing hot water heater and heater with a Truma and will make tilting  brackets for solar panels .

 

[Cave Man]

Not looking for off road but want to get out there and boondock , my main concern is roof and floor off truck with no support other then jacks. I hear Lance is using a different roof now.

 

[Technomad]

Thanks I will be replacing hot water heater and heater with a Truma and will make tilting  brackets for solar panels .

Where can one buy a Truma? My understanding is they sell to OEMs only... love to be proven wrong.


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[bullfrog]

I have seen some camper jack systems here in the park that are full steel tubing loops, one on each side, that rotate around to lift the camper and seem much more stable than corner jacks. Some people here carry plastic pallets to set their camper on when off the truck to keep from stressing the floor. Saw one truck that had a back porch and stairs running sideways built on the rear of the truck using reciever hitches as mounts but came off with the camper.

 

[rvwandering]

Welcome to the CRVL forums Cave Man!

To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips & Tricks" post lists some helpful information to get you started. We look forward to hearing more from you.

 

[4x4sporty]

I would also like to know where to buy a truma?

 

[wagoneer]

I am using a 1993 Six-Pac (no longer made) aluminum roof no basement hard sides no slide but it was basically free and functioning

 

[Cave Man]

Truma " there is a couple that have a YouTube page and they have one in there van and fund the first store that Truma has opened . The channel is A Fit RV on you tube.

 

[Cave Man]

Also what year did there start doing the ducted air and can a Fox landing or a Lance deck , can they be installed on any year truck camper ?