First camper:

[rystjohn]

Hey everyone!

First off I want to thank the community for all their support so far and the exhaustive Mount of knowledge that is shared and available on this forum. My plans and dreams would not be a possibility without a community like this. So thank you.

Here is some background info: my girlfriend, myself and our dog (like many people now it seems) desire to live a more nomadic and 'free' lifestyle, namely by living from our vehicle doing art, design, odd jobs and whatever we can find. We're both resourceful and crafty, and ultimately want to save up to buy some land and start a family, but not just yet...we need more traveling and adventure in our lives.

Our first plan was to buy a VW Vanagon and wander the USA....however I crushed those dreams since I had previously owned an '84 and it nearly made me bankrupt....

Plan 2 was to buy a Ford Econoline or other similar van and convert it into a camper with a water tank, solar, etc. However, yet again out dreams were crushed when we realized we didn't want to sell my F-150 for a vehicle that we didn't know the history of and that might give us issues, considering it's been family owned since new in 2000 and it only has 90k miles. Also when/if we decide to leave the vagabond life, we don't have to sell one vehicle to get another one. We just keep what we have.

So the next obvious choice is a truck camper - we keep the reliable truck, and we can have 4x4 still. At campsites we have the option to take the camper off (or so I understand) if we need to use the truck separately. Also like I said above, we retain the usability of the truck and can get places we normally couldn't (we don't plan on going crazy off-roading, but we like to be able to access muddy, dirty, less-traveled roads). Also we can always sell the camper if we decide to leave this lifestyle and we don't have to find a new vehicle.

My question to y'all is - other than FWC and Skampers, what other brands are reliable and also preferably decently priced?

We have a 2000 F150 Lariat 4x4 with a 6.5' bed and a GVWR of 6500lbs...which I'm guessing gives us around 1500-1700lbs to play with. (I need to get my truck weighed...I know)

The biggest obstacles are our budget and location. We are on the East coast in Asheville NC, where there seems to be a lack of campers for sale, and where I question rot and rust in those campers that are available.
The next obstacle is money. We don't have much right now....we're trying to keep the total cost of buying a camper under 8k. This includes the travel costs to get it, so preferably we are trying to stay within a day or two drive from home if we have to travel. If it came down to it we could go to AZ or something...but the third obstacle is getting time off from work....

So I've found this camper in GA:
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/rvs/4395018081.html
I'm thinking of going to check it out, check it for rot, etc.

I'm also searching here, WTW and craigslist (searchtempest) for any other leads.

If also like to hear your thoughts as far as any other options, ideas, etc. that we should look into.

Thanks everyone!

 

[topofpalomar]

rystjohn;

I've always had pretty good luck with the used popup campers. I've had 3 used and one new over the last 30 years and my current one, a 1999 Apache (Sunlite) has served us well since we bought it used in 2005, and we're not real easy on it either. Water leakage can be an issue with the older models with the seam in the roof but keep up on the maintenance and they do real well.

That Georgia camper looks pretty good for a start. I'd definitely check it out if it fits your budget and is in decent shape. You will probably want to add some airbags or some other modification to the suspension for better stability but I think your truck will do just fine with a camper in that range of weight. I hauled around a old Skamper on a 4 cylinder Nissan 4x4 for years. (Had to peddle fast going uphill but it did okay).

I'm sure others will chime in on other suggestions but I certainly would look at that one. From the photos it looks to be in pretty good shape, especially for the price, even if you have to do a little work on it.

Good luck with the search.

 

[waterwindsuntraveller]

You might want to keep an eye out for a hard side "Six Pac" camper. My wife and I had one for a couple years. The model we had was a 650 and was designed to fit into the back of a short bed, full-size truck. We had it on a 1998 Chevy 1500. We loved the camper, but the truck was expensive to maintain, so we sold the whole rig.

I recently found a Hallmark LaVeta (1995) which fits perfectly on my 2000 Toyota Tundra. This is a pop up truck camper with a dry weight of just 700 lbs, has a heater, two burner stove, two-way fridge, and a sink w/manual or electric water pump. It's really simple. The pop-up material is in good shape along with the interior. The outside just needed some tlc and I'm almost done with fixing er up. I got really lucky- I was the first guy to call on the camper and I went to check it out-I knew what I was looking at and got a good deal on it.

Ones to look at: Northstar TC650, Sunlite, Phoenix, Hallmark, FWC (four wheel camper). There's a craigslist search tool called searchtempest- you can type in what you're looking for and set the search range for however far you want to search.

Best of luck with your search!

 

[Sock Puppet]

In regards to the camper in Atlanta, I would ask a few questions about the jacks. The seller indicates it has them, but they must be the portable "tri-pod" style, as they are obviously not attached to the camper. You mentioned that you like the idea of being able to remove the camper occasionally while at camp, and that style of jack is less than ideal. You'll want jacks that are permanently attached to the camper, and they can be pricey to add later.

 

[subterran]

Dude, I'd jump all over that camper. Speaking from experience of watching CL constantly for these in the southeast - if it's in good shape, do it. You'll have to be really really lucky to see one better down here. Good luck, guys!

 

[escadventure]

Ryst,
I too have a 2000 F150 and am working on a camper setup. For my wife and I it seemed the best option for us regarding a comprimise of size, space and versatility. We found one with 60k miles in Fla.
Awhile back I posted a question about modding the suspension a bit to ensure the truck safely handles the weight of a camper and all the associated gear. Got a lot of great ideas from the expo folks. The choice I went with was inexpensive and easily changeable if the truck needs more help.
Good luck and enjoy your truck. After the research I did on available campers, if I was stillin the States, I might have gone with a FWC shell model just because they seem well built, the after sale service seems excellent, and you can finish your own custom interior spreading the cost over as much time as you need. But there are many other good choices out there...

Hopefully we pick up our new camper this week!

 

[JHa6av8r]

Are you also monitoring the Wander the West site? The post a used pop-up camper thread almost daily.

 

[whiskeycutter]

first camper

I went thru a similar search here in NC. I bought a Hallmark UTE fully self contained popup. Its too big for your truck. I had it on a2011 F250 4x4 diesel. I have since decided to sell both truck and popup and downsize to a teardrop. For full time living the UTE is a good choice since it has everything you need for comfortable living but IMO needs to be mounted to a 3/4 ton truck. For full timing I would recommend a full size bed -8 foot - camper. It gets pretty cozy in a short bed camper. I agree with other posts that you are pushing the limits of your truck with even a well equipped FWC and your gear. If you decide to get a bigger truck my UTE is a 2001 not perfect but in good shape for its age and its here in NC for $3500. I also agree that the Sunlight seemed to me to be more solid than a Palomino. Good luck with your search. I lived in a van for a year while roaming the US in 1975. I had a blast and book full of great times.

Happy Trails

 

[rystjohn]

Thank you everyone. I'm going to check that sunlite in GA this week. Think I'll go for it if it's nice. If love to do the FWC but I just don't know if we have the funds now....
Escadventure, what did you have to do to your suspension? Add a Leaf or air bags?

 

[rystjohn]

So I have found a FWC ranger on WTW, that has been modified a bit and I'd like everyone's thoughts:

I've attached some photos to help with the measurements. Everything seems to fit from my measurements.

My only concerns are the overhang and the cab over height.

Basically I'm going to have to slide the camper towards the tailgate by 6" or so in order to clear the edges of my bed in the rear. Because of that, it will have to overhang from the end of my bed by 19".

Normally the tailgate would be underneath, but I will have to remove it because of the way the camper is set up, the support cables will be in the way.

Will this affect the support of the camper? I can't imagine those cables (and hence the tailgate) would provide tons of support.

My other concern is the cab over height. The seller said it is 43" (if he is measuring correctly) and the height of my cab (from the bed of the truck) is the same : 43".

The bed rails & height from the bottom of the camper to where it would connect to the rails is also 20." Could/should I place the camper on a 4x4 or other blocks of wood in order to gain more cab over height? Will this affect the structural integrity or stability of the camper?:

Does anyone have experience with a FWC Ranger on a f-150?

 

[JHa6av8r]

I think I'd give FWC a call and tell them what you're thinking and whether or not they think it's a good idea. Brenda is the service manager.

 

[rystjohn]

Already did and they told me to look at their website ( which I already had) that only states "should work." I asked for specs or any help and didn't really get much...

 

[java]

To answer the 4x4 question, yes its pretty common for people to make "pallets" to set their slide ins on to adjust the height.

 

[potterjon]

Great drawings!
I know that doesn't answer your question, but just sayin'....

 

[tanglefoot]

Campers that extend past the end of the bed are common, even without tailgate support. As long as your attachment points are suitable, you shouldn't run into trouble.

I would raise the camper slightly to get a little clearance over the cab. In your case, a sheet of 3/4" plywood may be enough. Raising the camper on a platform or similar is also pretty common practice for those using campers designed for compact trucks. Even if the camper cabover doesn't contact the cab while at rest, chances are it will while underway.