On your first page you mentioned that your camper will see some -40C nights, and I was wondering what your start-up plan is at those temperatures? Do you have an auto-start with thermostat installed, or a propane coolant heater? I see you have a generator, so I suppose you have electric power for battery/block heaters. I have started my gas engines at -35C when I wasn't able to plug in the engine block heater, but wouldn't want to rely on it in the woods. I sometimes carry charcoal and a metal pan to slide under the motor in those situations, but would be very interested in any Canuck tricks for starting at those temps without an electric source. Sorry if I missed it in your thread. Thanks.
Forest Service Road Adventure Mobile
- Thread starter Runt
- Start date
17 isn't possible. ;from the top of the side rail of the truck to the roof of your camper. I was basically asking how tall are the side of the camper that are expose above the box. Sorry if my English was bad. I m guess 33 to 36 inch range
No worries....41" from topen of rack on camper to the bed rails of the Tundra. Overall height is 8' from top of rack to ground.
I have never had an issue. Blows my mind how great of a truck this Tundra is. Always starts in cold. I thought my 1st Gen. Tacoma was the best truck i ever owned....even better then my landcruisers but this Tundra is an awesome truck. Always starts and if I have an issue I do have a generator with the 12v jump start adapter and cables. Originally my plan was a remote start that would automatically fire up the truck at -30 like my old diesel gmc but I yet to do this. Likely won't....don't think I need it.
Many reasons:
1. Low center of gravity. Pop ups keep your center of gravity low.....I go in rough areas and broken terrain. Hard sided campers once you start leaning a truck no matter how light affect your balance greater which leads to unloading weight on tires and losing traction.
2. Vehicle performance. Tundra does not seem to be greatly affected by the pop up far as acceleration. Still corners well. Did not affect fuel economy (14 to 16 mpg no matter what) but likely that is due to tire size (35's) & the weight the truck was already carrying due to bumpers, sliders, skids, winch blah blah blah .
3. Canoe on the roof. I almost always have a canoe with me and sliding it onto a pop up is easy.....hard sided with another 2 feet of height.....not so much.
4. Windows all the way around. I like the open feeling of a pop top when my windows are open.....its relaxing.
5. Phoenix Pop Up Campers options. I have every thing I could want in a camper, exactly how I wanted it.
That's just a few that came to mind.
Thanks. A little late on the response but better then never eh! Working all over the central interior of BC. The picture above is somewhere up the Nation....Mackenzie area.
bigskypylot
Explorer
Just curious about winter temps and condensation. How much of an issue has it been? I'd love to do a flatbed model with some serious 4 season/winter upgrades. Love your set up!
Oh its an issue lol. When you stay in your camper for weeks at a time in the winter with temperatures down to -30 C often, plus the in & out in snow conditions you bring in lots of moisture. I give up on keeping water stains off of the pop up from condensation. Having said that I do wipe it down with a a chamois if I see it starting to "bead". The floor is easy to deal with because its Rhino lined and again I wipe down the flour. Honestly the condensation issue is over rated in my opinion, these are small spaces so its pretty easy to wipe it down a few times a day and ring out the chamois. When I get back home I put an electric heater in the camper with the top up and crank the heat with the vents open and it usually dries out in 24 hours. Far as temperature wise the only issue I have had is a week of about 0 during the day and rained at one point then it went to -5 C in the evenings so it was wet! and lots of snow. In one day it wen't really cold and dropped down to about -30 C. I dropped the top before I left in AM knowing I was moving camp when I got out of the bush. Top was very hard to get back up due to the fabric was frozen Ended up having to fire up the furnace and warm it up for an hour to get the top up. So far as winter temps that was the only issue besides condensation.
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