F-450/550 for work and play? (Building a custom removable camper)
- Thread starter IHDiesel73L
- Start date
boblynch
Adventurer
F550 option
I was in the same position in 2008. We opted to start with a stock camper and stock F550 crew cab. My camper is removable and is tied to a custom flatbed using the factory truck camper tiedowns. Rex at Northstar was very nice to work with and we almost opted to go with a stock unit. However, the economy tanked and they didn't have a full size version at the time. We took a Lance model designed to accomodate a tent option and instead added a bunk room and storage boxes. Our flatbed has stake pockets as you suggested. We don't offload the camper much but it's an easy task. It's been great so far and we're very happy. See the build thread for details and feel free to PM me with questions.
Bob
I was in the same position in 2008. We opted to start with a stock camper and stock F550 crew cab. My camper is removable and is tied to a custom flatbed using the factory truck camper tiedowns. Rex at Northstar was very nice to work with and we almost opted to go with a stock unit. However, the economy tanked and they didn't have a full size version at the time. We took a Lance model designed to accomodate a tent option and instead added a bunk room and storage boxes. Our flatbed has stake pockets as you suggested. We don't offload the camper much but it's an easy task. It's been great so far and we're very happy. See the build thread for details and feel free to PM me with questions.
Bob
Bob, Saw your build thread, NICE.
I am fine tuning my build and accumulating pieces/ideas. I have a low mileage 5.9 Cummins here, a spare F450/550 CC/CC frame, spare Superduty 4 door cab, Found a Dana 135 axle and working on it's purchase. Also, waiting to see if another F350 CC/CC 7.3 6 speed donor truck comes to fruition. It is sitting at a friends tow yard, he is waiting for title, so hopefully a full on 550 "frame up build" will occur here in the next few years.......might just use that Cummins. Could drop a ambulance body on the back...we'll have to see. Fun to dream....
Jronwood
I am fine tuning my build and accumulating pieces/ideas. I have a low mileage 5.9 Cummins here, a spare F450/550 CC/CC frame, spare Superduty 4 door cab, Found a Dana 135 axle and working on it's purchase. Also, waiting to see if another F350 CC/CC 7.3 6 speed donor truck comes to fruition. It is sitting at a friends tow yard, he is waiting for title, so hopefully a full on 550 "frame up build" will occur here in the next few years.......might just use that Cummins. Could drop a ambulance body on the back...we'll have to see. Fun to dream....
Jronwood
Rbertalotto
Explorer
The best part about these flat bed campers is the side door. This allows a real nice sleep - sit area in the rear since you don't have to walk right through the middle of this area.
The whole rear of the campers exterior is available for "hang-on" storage.
And trailer towing is an obvious advantage.
The whole rear of the campers exterior is available for "hang-on" storage.
And trailer towing is an obvious advantage.
I have also been contemplating and designing in my head a flatbed camper and have come up with a couple ideas that I have been mulling over that I would like to solicit input on:
1) Flatbeds are usually kind of heavy for heavy duty hauling. Instead of making a camper that slides on top of a flatbed engineer the flatbed so that it is quick detach from the frame and can be replaced with the camper. This would open up some possible advantages such as Less weight and the ability to mount tanks and stairs etc below the floor level of the camper which would then be removed with the camper. I was thinking of a fiber-glassed plywood floor on a light steel tubing frame for the camper.
2) Make the rear bumper on the truck extendable. This way the bumper and lights would stay attached to the frame when the flat bed and camper are swapped. I could even run around with a short 6 x 6 foot flat bed most of the time then add a 2 foot or 4 foot extension to the flatbed when I need to haul longer items such as sheet goods. The camper length would then be disassociated from the length of the flatbed.
3) I have a crew of 4 including myself. Most of the slide in campers I have looked at are pretty tight for four people. I was considering a rear fold down wall with a canvas shell for extra sleeping room. Basically the whole back wall would fold down and become the floor of a tent enclosed sleeping porch.
4) I really like the pop top campers to reduce drag while driving but would like to incorporate a queen sized bed in the attic over my Crew cab. My current thinking is to build a sparse steel tube frame for strength, especially the attic area, then fill in with lighter materials.
5) Has anyone ever entertained the idea of double wall canvas for a pop top separated by an inch or two of dead air space for a bit of insulation in mildly in-climate weather? Windows might be a little interesting to incorporate into the canvas. Maybe double layers of clear vinyl for windows that could be zipped in and have the possibility of a zip in screen? I live in Oregon and don't do a lot of winter camping but I get plenty of complaints from the female half of my crew if the sleeping compartment temperature isn't a perfectly climate controlled 72 degrees f!
I would appreciate any feedback?
1) Flatbeds are usually kind of heavy for heavy duty hauling. Instead of making a camper that slides on top of a flatbed engineer the flatbed so that it is quick detach from the frame and can be replaced with the camper. This would open up some possible advantages such as Less weight and the ability to mount tanks and stairs etc below the floor level of the camper which would then be removed with the camper. I was thinking of a fiber-glassed plywood floor on a light steel tubing frame for the camper.
2) Make the rear bumper on the truck extendable. This way the bumper and lights would stay attached to the frame when the flat bed and camper are swapped. I could even run around with a short 6 x 6 foot flat bed most of the time then add a 2 foot or 4 foot extension to the flatbed when I need to haul longer items such as sheet goods. The camper length would then be disassociated from the length of the flatbed.
3) I have a crew of 4 including myself. Most of the slide in campers I have looked at are pretty tight for four people. I was considering a rear fold down wall with a canvas shell for extra sleeping room. Basically the whole back wall would fold down and become the floor of a tent enclosed sleeping porch.
4) I really like the pop top campers to reduce drag while driving but would like to incorporate a queen sized bed in the attic over my Crew cab. My current thinking is to build a sparse steel tube frame for strength, especially the attic area, then fill in with lighter materials.
5) Has anyone ever entertained the idea of double wall canvas for a pop top separated by an inch or two of dead air space for a bit of insulation in mildly in-climate weather? Windows might be a little interesting to incorporate into the canvas. Maybe double layers of clear vinyl for windows that could be zipped in and have the possibility of a zip in screen? I live in Oregon and don't do a lot of winter camping but I get plenty of complaints from the female half of my crew if the sleeping compartment temperature isn't a perfectly climate controlled 72 degrees f!
I would appreciate any feedback?
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