2003 Northstar -- 2004 f-250

[UHAULER]

After our Nash camp trailer burned up 5 months ago, we weren't sure if we were going to replace it with anything. I'm always surfing craigslist, Etc. "looking" for something. I was really tying to talk myself into buying a nice used Northstar Liberty camper. Very hard to find any for sale, let alone on the west coast. This 2003 Northstar popped up on CL not too far away. Went and looked at it, it was clean and the price was right. Not sure what model it is. The lady I bought it from was the second owner and she said the original owner custom ordered it. It is 8' long, refrigerator, water tank, sink, 2 burner stove. No water heater, no built in toilet or shower.no funrace.Has a small grey water tank. The second owner had a Wave 3 catalytic heater put in. Has a portable cassette toilet. The space is there for the shower enclosure but it is not waterproof, just standard paneling.
Figuring out the tie downs. I had torklift frame mounted on a previous truck, but wanted to to something different this time. The front bed panel was bowed so I made a reinforcement panel out of 1.5" tubing and some flatbar. There is also some 1x2 tubing to center the camper and act as a guide.

 

[UHAULER]

The truck is an 04 f250, V-10, 6 speed manual.

 

[Regcabguy]

Nice job. Definitely no camper wander.

 

[VanIsle_Greg]

Nice setup... I really like that idea, with the guides and so on. This is a particularly nicely designed and deployed setup.

 

[givemethewillys]

I like your rig! I've been looking for a 2005-2007 f250 or f350 with the v10 and 6-speed for awhile now, with no luck. It doesn't help that my search is narrowed to blue or black lariat's.

How do you like the truck? If you had to start over, would you go with the same truck? My last truck had the 6.0 diesel, which I loved but almost drove me to bankruptcy (or at least it felt like it), so this time around I'm planning on going gas.

 

[UHAULER]

I like your rig! I've been looking for a 2005-2007 f250 or f350 with the v10 and 6-speed for awhile now, with no luck. It doesn't help that my search is narrowed to blue or black lariat's.

How do you like the truck? If you had to start over, would you go with the same truck? My last truck had the 6.0 diesel, which I loved but almost drove me to bankruptcy (or at least it felt like it), so this time around I'm planning on going gas.

I've had the truck for a year now. Really like it. Originally was looking at 05-10 V10 ,auto. If I was going to do an auto trans. I wanted the 5r110.
If I was going to be doing a lot of city/suburb stop and go driving I would probably get an auto trans.

 

[UHAULER]

Today I worked on the tie downs. The front were custom. On the rear there weren't many options, build a new bumper( not right now) , torklift frame mount with low hanging brackets, or happijack bumper style. For now I went with the bumper mount. The bumper is so flexy that spring tension tie downs aren't really necessary. On a previous truck I had the Happijack bumper tie downs, when I sold the truck I kept the removable ears but left the bolts in the bumper. Replacement Happijack bolts are about $ 26-30 each, crazy for a little bolt. Went to the hardware store and found out a 1/2" carriage bolt will work for about $2 each.

 

[UHAULER]

 

[rangerdogg]

Nice setup happy camping . Need interior shots

 

[Mickey Bitsko]

Very nice.

 

[Mundo4x4Casa]

Uhauler,
This is jefe. Nice find. Your setup is one rare bird.
I should have read this post before now. You live right across Hwy. 20 from me and we've talked before. I have excess tie downs from my own transfer of the Northstar camper from my Dodge Cummins to our new Ford F-350 gasser. Stop by and see what I have to fill out your tie downs and turnbuckles. Did you order your HappiJac parts from e-trailer? The reason I ask is the agent I ordered parts from said he sent similar parts to the same zip code.
Do you need a riser? If closer than a couple inches from the cab roof you might need some lift. I have a leftover slab of 4 inch blue foam. I used massaged Torklift tie downs and turnbuckles.
Drop by and we'll talk. You know where i live, mon.
jefe

 

[UHAULER]

Uhauler,
This is jefe. Nice find. Your setup is one rare bird.
I should have read this post before now. You live right across Hwy. 20 from me and we've talked before. I have excess tie downs from my own transfer of the Northstar camper from my Dodge Cummins to our new Ford F-350 gasser. Stop by and see what I have to fill out your tie downs and turnbuckles. Did you order your HappiJac parts from e-trailer? The reason I ask is the agent I ordered parts from said he sent similar parts to the same zip code.
Do you need a riser? If closer than a couple inches from the cab roof you might need some lift. I have a leftover slab of 4 inch blue foam. I used massaged Torklift tie downs and turnbuckles.
Drop by and we'll talk. You know where i live, mon.

I had the happijack tie downs from a previous truck. On my camper I just put a piece of 5/8" plywood under it and I have about 2" clearance over the cab. Took it for a spin around the neighborhood down some forest roads and flexed it a bit, everything seems good so far.

 

[Mundo4x4Casa]

Very nice pix of your rig. It has the ZF-6? Ultra rare version of a classic truck.
Good news. It looks like an E-W bed. Is that true?
Next time you have the camper off, lose the tailgate. It is unnecessary and will save some weight.
What are you using for steps?

 

[UHAULER]

Very nice pix of your rig. It has the ZF-6? Ultra rare version of a classic truck.
Good news. It looks like an E-W bed. Is that true?
Next time you have the camper off, lose the tailgate. It is unnecessary and will save some weight.
What are you using for steps?

Yep, ZF-6 trans. Thats why I jumped on the deal and drove almost 600 miles to get it.
Yes, E-W bed.
Looking at step options.

 

[Mundo4x4Casa]

Uhauler, drop by with your TC and view the Burgess Shale boneyard of steps, stairs, and ladders for a truck camper.
I've been meaning to write an article on what your options are with," Steps and Stairs, and Ladders, oh my!" (to the rhythm of The Wizard of Oz)
Here's what we settled on: Little Giant 4-step stairs. They were the right altitude to have the treads line up in elevation.

jefe