My $100 Skamper build
- Thread starter bikerbill2021
- Start date
bikerbill2021
Member
02rangeredge
Adventurer
Been a while since my last post, or trip for that matter. But dune season is upon us, so I prepped and loaded the bikes and camper up this past weekend, and headed out to Cali to tear it up. The camper did great as usual, although this is the first time driving at night with the setup, so the lights were useless with the bit of sag from the setup. No worries tho, gonna try a few different things to help the rear end sit level and off the bump stops over bigger bumps, gonna start cheap with some spring helpers and re-asses.
Things may be changing down the road however for this setup. While Its a great setup and works really well, loading the thing is a major pain in the ass. Maybe if I could store it on saw horses where I would only need to life it a few inches to get it on and off the truck would change things, but having an HOA, I have to store it in the garage, which requires getting it from the ground up to truck height and vice versa, a very sketchy and stressful event. Im planning on moving back into town next summer, and I hope to find a house with an RV gate or at lest no HOA so I can store this elsewhere. But I've been reading up on enclosed trailer built out as DIY toy haulers, so that may be the next step. So if anyone is interested, I may be parting with the ol' Skamper here soon for a good price, especially for someone on here. We'll see, for the time being tho, this works great.
Until next time, Happy thanksgiving!
I do really love that little camper, you may have said before but I can't recall, do you know what the weight is
bikerbill2021
Member
Ive thought about doing that, but I like the appeal of just a simple white cargo trailer with all my gear locked in it from the elements and prying eyes etc. I still love this lil setup of mine, I may find a way to make it work easier once I move. Its kind of a toss up, as the next thing on the list for this camper is a new canvas, so if I DO keep it, thats what ill have made for it. If not, then that money will go towards the next setup, so we'll see.
Well, according to an old sales brochure I found on it, the dry weight of a 072S is 955lbs and the wet weight/loaded weight is 1090. With it not coming with its original sink, cooker, furnace, and fridge and what not, I'm sure the weight has been saved there, however with the re-enforcements Ive made to the roof/floor and other areas its added some, so I'd like to say its prob right in the same ball park as the OEM specs.
My Tacoma has no issues lugging it around, and I haul this setup up some big hills, some of which I lose my friends on with their full size trucks pulling similar setups. That may just be my technique however, I learned in the old hardbody days lugging up those hills its all about momentum/inertia/run up
02rangeredge
Adventurer
That's actually pretty light, what engine is in the truck? The v6 or the 4 banger?
bikerbill2021
Member
V6 with the automatic. Its a great motor, very torquey. Funny you mention the motor, as I almost bought a Skamper 060S last year off a kid that was hauling it with my same truck, except a 4 cylinder, on the same hills and what not! Im sure it was not happy about it, but it did it, shows how relentless these trucks are
02rangeredge
Adventurer
I was actually asking to look into specs, I prefer the split bench style sets and a column shifter and that pair is pretty hard to find, if I remember right it's not even in the tacos
bikerbill2021
Member
Yea I think thats a Tundra thing, Im pretty sure all tacomas, manual or auto, came with the shifter down on the floor/center console
bikerbill2021
Member
Skamper is for sale, moving onto different projects
EDIT: sold already, that was quick!
EDIT: sold already, that was quick!
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