need some advice

[schunkb]

I feel like one of those guys that call into the radio stations, "long time listener, first time caller." I've lurked around and read hundreds of posts and build threads and have slowly been altering my ideas based on your collective experiences. I've decided on a popup camper build and recently pulled the trigger on a 2012 dodge 2500 crew cab long bed cummins. I wanted the 3500, but I got such a ridiculous deal on the 3/4 ton that I couldn't justify the extra expense. I'm seriously leaning toward Phoenix because 1) by all accounts, they do great work, 2) I like the total customizable nature of their operation, (and as a 6'9" guy, I like the idea of customization), and 3) I like supporting local companies.

My current advice seeking revolves around the truck build and managing weight. I'm installing air bags in the rear tomorrow to help handle and balance the camper itself, but I've been debating with myself all day whether or not I should upgrade my front bumper to carry a winch and offer some more protection from antelope and deer (or the difference between totaling a truck from running into an elk, or just causing significant damage). Is it worth adding the 300-350 lbs against your GVWR? I'm also going to put 285 70r17's on tomorrow (up from the stock 265 70R17), and am concerned that the added weight of bumper and winch would necessitate a leveling kit to avoid rubbing, and I'd like to keep the suspension as close to stock to reduce potential warranty headaches down the road.

So, am I fretting about nothing here, and should just pull the trigger on a nice bumper and winch, or am I justified to be a weight weenie and skip the "expo-farkle" bumper?

Thanks so much for any advice, and more importantly, that you so much for the invaluable information I've already gleaned from the forum.

 

[WASURF63]

Welcome to ExPo!
Nice rig choice BTW. That exact truck was my very first consideration when I started thinking this route. Alas, the liquidation of my Tacoma/ATFP combo only got me so far...
I swapped out the stock suspension and turned it into a Tundra HD model. In it's stock form it would never have handled the extra weight the way it does in it's present form.

>>>I'm seriously leaning toward Phoenix because 1) by all accounts, they do great work, 2) I like the total customizable nature of their operation, (and as a 6'9" guy, I like the idea of customization), and 3) I like supporting local companies.<<<
Someone else is welcome to chime in, but I don't recall if any of the other pop-up camper manufacturers offer anything taller than a 6'6" stock interior height? Rob and Cari will definitely accomodate you in the area of customization. (ie...they built our camper around 6'8" interior height.) I recommend calling them and stopping by for a visit. They are really cool people.



>>>So, am I fretting about nothing here, and should just pull the trigger on a nice bumper and winch, or am I justified to be a weight weenie and skip the "expo-farkle" bumper?<<<
Are you going anywhere with the truck or truck/camper that might require a winch?
If the answer is YES, then I would start researching your winch/bumper options. http://www.aluminess.com/ might be a good place to start as far as front bumper weight is concerned. Suspension: Do whatever it takes (within your means) to make your rig capable to handle the intended camper and front bumper. You won't regret it. Airbags are a good start. Your vehicle manufacturer would first have to prove that your aftermarket suspension was directly related to any damage caused. See the "Domestic: Full Size and Other" section for more feedback/suggestions.
Good Luck.

Thanks so much for any advice, and more importantly, that you so much for the invaluable information I've already gleaned from the forum.[/QUOTE]

 

[craig333]

Hold off on the truck suspension upgrades until you get the camper. You may find it handles the weight better than you expect.

 

[Long Distance Rider]

Too Tall????

Something you need to consider with a pop up camper, besides the interior height, is getting in and out thru the small door. At 6' 9" you are going to have a problem. I'm 6' 2" 250 lbs and getting in and out of mine I really have to pay attention.....I have the sore spots on top of my head to prove it! That little door sneaks up and hits me on top of the head every so often. At 6' 9" you might not have many options other than a custom pop up to get the height you need but there isn't much that can be done about the door size. Another consideration is sleeping arrangements. you are a little long for the "standard" bed length, you might end up sleeping corner to corner.....not a problem unless you are camping with momma....

In answer to your second question, I would forget the winch and heavy bumper. Having had a couple in the past, my experience is having a winch on a vehicle puts you in a mind set that will cause you to go places you have no business being in a big truck. And, in Colorado, you will spend time pulling people out of the ditch that have gone off the road driving too fast for road conditions. As far as the bumper is concerned, it would really look good, as would the winch, on the front of your truck, but in Colorado I would not be concerned about hitting a deer or elk. If you lived in south Texas I would recommend one, but not many other places in the country do you need a "cow catcher" on the front of your truck.

Good luck, Mike

 

[schunkb]

Thanks for the input guys. The nice thing about being 6'9", is I've been that tall for a while...I'm used to ducking. I went and crawled through some short doored popups at a local RV dealer and didn't have much of a problem. I'm going to do a custom build, so I can get the cabover and bed long enough to comfortably fit. I think I found a couple bumpers that offers up the protection without being excessively heavy, and I talked with my dealer's service manager who put it in writing for me that a leveling kit wouldn't void my warranty if I wind up needing a little boost up front.

Mike, I completely understand the sentiment of not having a winch to avoid pulling idiots out of ditches all winter, but it was nice on the jeep to be able to pull out the people that got run off the road by the idiots that think because they're in a subaru that they're impervious to poor road conditions. Plus there's a little bit of satisfaction in pulling someone out of the ditch and then driving right by the person that caused the mess, leaving them to wait for an expensive tow. As far as the protection offered by the bumpers, if it weren't for the buckstop mounted on my work truck, that poor F-150 would have been totaled a few times. I split time between denver, and Red lodge, MT, and the backroads traveled in between are constantly scattered with critters. Growing up in wyoming, if you've never hit an antelope, deer, or elk, you've never driven at night.

 

[STREGA]

Sorry Long Distance Rider but I do live in Colorado and I do worry about hitting a deer not to mention Elk, Pronghorns and even but not very likely a Moose. Around here it's not if you will hit a deer but when. I would look at a Aluminess front bumper I believe they have one for a full size Dodge available, it's what I put on my FJ Cruiser. Although it's not the best looking bumper for the FJ it's functional and only weighed 8 lbs. more than the stock pos stock bumper that provided no large animal protection.

When installing a slide in camper on a pu truck weight is always a problem so every item you will install needs to be critically evaluated, is it really needed? are you willing to give up something else to have it? A winch for your truck/camper combo is going to be heavy it may not be worth the weight penalty.

Over the years I have had a few truck/camper set ups. My last was similar to yours a '05 Power Wagon DC with a Outfitter Apex8 popup (worse camper I ever owned by the way). Even though its built off the 2500 chassis the PW is sprung a bit softer than the average 2500 for better articulation while offroading, but less capable for hauling a camper around. I used both airbags and Timbrens and found that they both worked about the same, the Timbrens were less $$, simple and easy to install and remove when not needed, so if I was to do it again I would go with the Timbrens. I was never totally satisfied with that truck/camper for many reasons. Also I found out after I had purchased the PW that Dodge does not recommend installing slide in campers, would have been nice if the dealer had told me that fact. It was not printed on any of the sales brochures, found out while reading the owners manual after the purchase, don't know if that applies to all their PU's or just the PW.

 

[Long Distance Rider]

Whatever it takes.....

I don't want to start a peeing contest, but I have lived all over the country and unlike some, I have never worried about hitting a deer. Now, having said that, I'll probably hit one in the middle of nowhere on flat ground with the nearest tree being 20 miles away. If you need to convince yourself that you need a cow catcher on your truck, go for it. But if you will take the time to review the data you will find that no, repeat, no western states are even among the top ten when it comes to vehicle and deer strikes. The same can't be said of Ohio, Michigan and many of the other midwest states. When I lived in Ohio back in the 90's, they were killing 25,000 deer a year with vehicle strikes......my experience was not even a close call during the three years I lived there. I had a friend that lived in Robert Lee, Texas. He used to say that if you want to drive at night, be sure to carry a sharp knife. South Texas is overun with deer. When I lived in Colorado Springs back in the 70's we used to see deer every day as we were driving on the Air Force Academy....but never a dead deer on the road. The liberals that controlled hunting on the Academy had turned it into a protected area....thousands of deer, but none were ever killed with a vehicle.

Bottom line, if you want a big bumper, buy one. If you need to convince your wife that the big cow catcher bumper will protect your ride....go for it. But unless you are getting ready to move to deer country....the midwest....I wouldn't spend much time worrying about hitting a deer.....but, I've always carried a sharp knife just in case.

Mike

 

[Roaming Robertsons]

If you think you might be going somewhere that you'll need a winch you might think about a different suspension option. Airbags do to like lateral movement. I tore one of mine right off the mount. Starting with a 3/4 ton truck I doubt you'll need any upgrade anyway. I'd at least wait untili had the camper to see how it handles. Rob can give you an exact weight so you can check it against specs. He's also done this a time or two (2000?). He ought to know how how truck will handle the weight.

 

[craig333]

I just installed an aluminess bumper on my truck. Heck with statistics, I've hit a deer and seen the damage. Most of my friends have hit deer. I see dead deer on the side of the roads all the time. The state is even building a deer underpass on the freeway. 395 has a huge electronic sign during the migration warning of deer. However, it was tapping a rock off road that convinced me to get a decent bumper.

 

[schunkb]

After touring Hallmark, Phoenix, and Rocky Mtn FWC, I've narrowed my choices down to a custom phoenix, or the FWC. It's basically now coming down to fit and finish options for the decision. The girlfriend likes the idea of a fully self contained rig, while I'm not so sure I'd rather have more interior storage and just go with the outdoor shower enclosure. I did really like the Grandby SC I poked around through other than the lack of storage. While I love the lower profile of the FWC's, the Phoenix under bed storage has a LOT of room, and the idea of having a long gun safe installed into the rig appeals to me. I think I've decided to go with an aluminess bumper. The weight is right, and although it won't hold up as well as steel with an impact, replacing a $2000 bumper is a pretty cheap insurance policy against major front end damage. I recently had a run in with a cow elk between Maybell, CO and Meeker, CO headed up to Wyoming through Irish canyon in my F150 (if anyone's driven that road, you can understand that happening) and while the buckstop did it's job, it could use some time with a torch and welder. BTW, here's a pic of the new rig. Only enhancement so far is the wheels (stock were a little too much chrome for my taste) and upping to 33's.

 

[mudmony]

Dont consider any options until you get the weight of YOUR truck, compare to your GVW, then you can make educated decisions