kcowyo said:
Re the options - it sounds like you both have put a lot of thought into what your needs are. I could live without the 14 gallon water tank although I like the sink a lot. I would rather have a stand-up fridge in the galley than a seperate Engel taking up floor or cab space. The heater, absolutely. I use the stove inside quite often. It's nice to step out in the chilly morning and greet the day with a hot cuppa, already in hand.
I think we've thought through what our needs and wants are, but it's always tough to be sure until you've gone through the paces a few times. We have zero experience camping in anything except for a small ground tent. It's tough for me to transfer that experience towards making smart decisions when outfitting something like an FWC.
I hear ya on the stand-up fridge vs. Engel. I guess the reason I was leaning towards an Engel is for efficiency purposes. The more I step back and look at that logic, the more I think it doesn't matter unless the the stand-up fridge is a lot less efficient. I am planning on charging the aux battery off the truck charging system, so I'm probably over thinking the fridge option. And to be truthful, I have not even done my homework to see what the specs are on the stand-up fridge.
I feel the opposite on the water situation. Since we're planning on doing our cooking outside (Natasha's decision and I won't cross what a lady thinks on that topic...), I don't see us using a sink too often. However, I would think a water tank would be great! Right now we use two 7 gallon portable water containers that are a hassle to refill. Of course, what good is a big water tank without a way to get the water out in a graceful manner? Another point for the sink!
kcowyo said:
I wish I had the awning. For me to add it now would entail relocating one of the roof clasps. The aux battery is key, especially with the heater and electric thermostat. I know erod has his pups sleeping on his couch and they're good sized dogs. That way they're out of the way in the middle of the night when you have to hop down and run behind a tree.
I wish I could be more help than just a sounding board. I had a lot of pre-buying jitters as well (mine was used, no warranties) but Jonathan Hanson did some stellar salesmanship to alleviate my concerns. But it still took me 2 years of looking regularly before I found one in my neighborhood and budget.
The awning is one of those things I thought Natasha would balk at, but to my surprise, she actually brought it up first. Since she wants to do the cooking outside, it makes sense to have an awning in case it's raining.
We're also planning on putting the dogs on the couch if we end up with a fold out couch.
Having you and the rest of this forum as a sounding board has been a huge help, both to alleviate the pre-buying jitters you speak of as well as to help me think through some of the decisions involved with outfitting one of these campers. Very helpful to say the least.
kcowyo said:
Just out of curiosity, did the folks in WI talk to you about financing? I'm curious if these can be financed for a longer term like other RV's...?
They did not talk about financing, but it's my understanding that a slide in camper can be financed on longer terms like an RV. That is something we'll be looking into more once we do our taxes this year and figure out where that puts us.
OutbackKammper said:
Dave;
I know that the Eagle is much roomier than the Falcon, but I would be very careful. The amount of rear overhang is not a critical issue in my opinion, but the centre of gravity v rear axle is. I would check with Stan at 4wc HQ and get his opinion. The Falcon was specifically designed for your style of truck, while the Eagle was designed for a longer bed (and more importantly a longer rear axle to rear of cab dimension). No disrespect to the owner of the Toyota in the above pics is intended, but I would not even consider that to be safe! BTW check out the rear cargo carrier on the Toyota!!
Good luck with what ever you decide.
Cheers
Mark
Yeah, I was more concerned with the weight behind the axle more then the actual overhang. I've done some reading on the WTW board and it seems to be a back and forth issue (no pun intended).
I'm far from knowing what I'm talking about when I ask this, but what kind of problems could I anticipate by having more weight behind the axle? I know unloading the front could be more of an issue, but what else? I am planning on airbags for the rear suspension.
