Need advice from truck camper gurus.....

[craig333]

"A truck laden with a well-stocked truck camper tends to not inspire much confidence on the road. It's top-heavy and terrible in the curves. Although towing also changes driving characteristics, I usually prefer the feel of having the load behind, rather than on the driving vehicle". That certainly can be true. My old chevy with a big camper was like that. My current arrangement is nothing like that. Its not top heavy and I don't even notice any handling differences.

 

[Freebird]

I agree, a TT is a good option if almost all of your travels will be on "improved roads" or highways.....
If you want to wander out in nature off the beaten tracks, then TC is the better option.
I also agree that the further you can be from the GVW of a truck, the better things are in a LOT of ways, especially if you are keeping/using/maintaining long term. And then there is the Safety factors (better braking, less chance of catastrophic failure, etc.)
If you go TC, work hard at keeping CG as low as possible.....and between the axles.
Good luck sorting out all the well intended advice....lol

 

[adam88]

That's a tight budget. But it's do-able. Asking what truck is best for you is really like asking what mattress is best for you. It's an individual thing. To answer your question about reliability, no... there truly isn't a vehicle that is notoriously reliable - they all have issues in reality. What is more important than the brand you choose is making sure the vehicle has been well maintained. Do not buy from a dealer, ever. That's my advice. Buy from an owner, preferably a 1 owner. Find that rare low mileage truck, that some 70 year old guy has rarely driven. He just used it mostly for gardening and going to home depot on the weekends. It's been garage kept. He has all the maintenance records. No accidents. VIN# check comes back clean. Even if you pay more for a vehicle like this (and you will), it will be well worth it in the long run. So when looking through craigslist or wherever, sort by "For sale by owner" and never look at the cheapest vehicles. Look for the 1 owner ones and find that gem! Good luck!

 

[outdoornate65]

Thanks guys for all the informative feedback.

So here's where I'm at after much deliberation:

Out trip is still a ways off. I think during the next couple years I'm going to explore the option of a small fiberglass "egg" trailer towed behind my 2008 4-Runner.

While not really an "expo trailer", a 16' fiberglass trailer will fit most of our criteria as a self-contained basecamp and save us a bunch of money in the meantime.

We have agreed to sell our Westy to buy a used camper and will miss the funky fun we had in her but not the ever present potential for costly breakdowns.

Thanks again for all the good info.

Nate

 

[Freebird]

Congrats! The road to "happiness" is being able to discern what fits you/your usage/your needs/your wallet,...best.
Some folks go through several rig$ sorting that out.

 

[tanglefoot]

Good call. There's no need to fall into the mold of the overdone, "Expo" stuff. An expedition trailer is a trailer that is used for your expeditions--that's all...plain and simple.