Pop Up mod question

[Tanto]

Hi there,

I've got an opportunity to buy an older pop up for $350. The canvas and zippers are in good shape. There is a little mold on it, interrior needs work.

Wonder if it is worth buying to convert into an off road popup. Wife saw it so not sure of the contruction of the frame, I'm gussing that it probably isn't boxed. It is an early 80's model.

Am I better off waiting untill I can afford a used Fleetwood Evolution E3? That is what I really want.

Thoughts, ideas?

 

[jnelson4x4taco]

i just got an 81 coleman and it has a fully boxed frame. seems like they didnt know how to cut corners when they first came out so they were actually pretty stout. i flipped the axle on mine for $15 and love it. im prolly going to go from 8" wheels to 13's then itll be good for me. All in all im about 1k into it. i have some pics on another thread here. let me know what your thinkin of, id love to bounce some ideas around.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Hi there,

I've got an opportunity to buy an older pop up for $350. The canvas and zippers are in good shape. There is a little mold on it, interrior needs work.

Wonder if it is worth buying to convert into an off road popup. Wife saw it so not sure of the contruction of the frame, I'm gussing that it probably isn't boxed. It is an early 80's model.

Am I better off waiting untill I can afford a used Fleetwood Evolution E3? That is what I really want.

Thoughts, ideas?

I don't think you will find much difference in frame construction between the E3 and the older Pop-up.

Based on what I've done to travel trailers in the past the cabinets will also shake apart over time, most are particle board glued and stapled together. AFAIK the E3 cabinets are built the same way.

After looking at the Evolution line as well as the Baja and RT my plan is to buy an older pop-up and beef it up on my own. Just m 2¢ worth.

 

[Tanto]

Thanks guys,

What are you looking for to determine if the frame is boxed? Is it just tube steel or do they actually box the open side of a channel? If anyone can point me to some pics it would be helpful, or maybe data on when they changed the basic frame type in the industry.

JNelson - was there any chamber in the axle when you flipped the axle? Did you think about an axle & suspension upgrade? I'm wondering what you'd have to to to get 32" tires under it. Maybe D44al rear end so I have a spare on the trail.

Plus rocker protection seems to be in order for flimsy sheet metal that the popups are made of.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Thanks guys,

What are you looking for to determine if the frame is boxed? Is it just tube steel or do they actually box the open side of a channel? If anyone can point me to some pics it would be helpful, or maybe data on when they changed the basic frame type in the industry.

JNelson - was there any chamber in the axle when you flipped the axle? Did you think about an axle & suspension upgrade? I'm wondering what you'd have to to to get 32" tires under it. Maybe D44al rear end so I have a spare on the trail.

Plus rocker protection seems to be in order for flimsy sheet metal that the popups are made of.

I wouldn't get to fixated on a boxed frame, the points that break are where the cross members join the frame rails. I just added gussets on my travel trailer when they started cracking there.

You really don't "flip" the axle on a trailer. They have camber built into them so you have to weld new spring perches on the top of the axle.

If you put a vehicle axle under your trailer you sacrifice clearance and add weight. I'd say just upgrade the hubs to the correct lug pattern, ie one that matches the tow rig. You can also upgrade to a torsion/ air bag suspension.

I think a simple piece of 2" x 2" x 1/4" angle iron bolted into the cross members extensions would be enough rocker protection. Every trailer I've looked at had outrigger type things that extend from the frame rails to the edge of the body you can tie into. The rear end is what I'm worried about I'm pretty sure the departure angle won't be that great. I haven't quite figured out how to deal with that issue.

I really haven't given this much thought

 

[jnelson4x4taco]

i looked at what the tongue was made of and followed that under to see what made up the main frame. Mine in particular is rectangular tube, some might be welded c-channel. i thought about putting an old toy axle on it to match my truck but also realized i would lose lots of ground clearance and ading substantial weight. for now i just welded new perches on to spring it over until i can afford a new axle, spring/shackle setup with some 30" a/ts in the future. you can only polish a turd so much ya know, cuz at the end of the day...its still a turd. thats why i only put $15 into a springover on a 2200lb axle.