New guy looking for advice on low weight TC

[mkish]

Howdy! I've been browsing the forum and learned quite a bit but I'm still pretty clueless. Perhaps y'all can find it in your hearts to direct me.

I am thinking of purchasing a truck and a popup TC for a family of 4. The truck I'm looking at has a payload of ~1960 lbs. You can guess where this is headed...I don't need elbow room but I want to be able to sleep 4 with a spot on the floor for a good sized dog. I also want a spot for my portapotty. And I want a refrigerator. I think I'm out of luck if I want to bring anything else, aren't I?

The closest thing I've found is the FWC Grandby. I know it's pretty darn light for all it's got but I don't think the numbers work out with enough wiggle room for things like food. I'm trying to get away from pulling a trailer but don't want a bigger truck.

Are there other TC manufacturers to look at that might work better? (I will definitely check out ATC, but they seem pretty similar). The FWC Grandby shell is tempting but I think I'd want to put in it what they put in it standard so I wouldn't gain much. I think it has all I want except for the weight.

So all I need is
-sleeping for 4 plus dog
-spot to use portapotty at night (some of us are very young, the rest are old. Not giving up my potty!)
-furnace
-sink (fresh tank not necessary--we are fine using a jug but like a sink that drains outside)
-3-way refrigerator
-place to use a cookstove (or a built in cooktop)
-small table/seating
-the ability to also take the passengers and stuff we need without overloading the vehicle. This is obviously where I get stuck.

And I just need to fit that into a short bed F-150.

Any advice or suggestions on ways to lighten this up a lot or am I definitely not going to be able to make this work with 4 people in a "little" truck?

Thanks very much!

 

[tanglefoot]

The Grandby should leave you plenty of extra payload. It's nice and light but might be a bit snug for everything on your list but it could work.

You have a lot of choices. You could also go with other manufactures such as Northstar for some extra width and space. FWC's are pretty narrow.

The truck payload numbers are conservative figures...I think most of us are probably over the payload limit when we pack up and roll out.

Some, such as Northstar, offer campers with an additional bed out to the side like a tent-trailer that increase sleeping room. Dogs appreciate that feature: http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/to-the-dogs:-a-2011-northstar-arrow-xb-photoshoot/

Phoenix/Coyote is a small manufacturer that builds custom units according to customer wants. I'm pretty sure I've seen one of theirs with the "extra bed" as well.

Here are some you might want to look at:

http://northstarcampers.com/
http://www.coyoterv.biz/
http://www.hallmarkrv.com/

1960 is a considerable payload. Those of us with mini-trucks are working with numbers closer to 1200.

 

[docdave]

Several companies offer a bed that installs or pulls out above the dinette, but in all cases, once all the sleep spaces are deployed, elbow room is at a premium. Outfitter (www.outfittermfg.com) offers a neat pull out bed in some units, and a rear sleeping room on the Juno, but these better equiped units tend to weigh more. Phoenix will build what ever you want,and are aluminum frame construction, but any new camper is going to be in the $20,000 range new. Hallmark's Milner might work also, check out the websites and see what you can find there.

 

[MidnightRider]

I have most of the features listed in my Northstar on a Tacoma, minus the generator. I use solar panels to charge camper battery. You will of coarse need to "beef up" the suspension (airbags, helper springs/ leafs springs) to hold the weight, and good tires. And like tanglefoot siad, most of us will be over payload by the time we are loaded up.

The only problem is that its hard to take extra things like bikes, firewood, boat, generator, beacuse of the space & weight issue.

I am thinking of getting a 4x8" offroad capable trailer for the extra gear, to relieve some of the trucks footprint. Then on short local trips, where I don't need to go offroad, I can strap the camper to the trailer and put gear in the back of the truck.

 

[mkish]

Thanks guys. I know many of you are dealing with much smaller trucks but those who are probably don't do it with a couple kids. They take up a lot of space and will most likely grow. I liked the Outfitter bed drawer deal and really liked the flopout bed in the Northstar but figured those units would be too heavy once I loaded them up. But I think the Grandby (or ATC Cougar) would be adequate as far as living quarters go. I like that they don't come with silly stuff like stereo systems and microwaves standard. The dog could sleep in the truck or with the kids, right?

I've never had a truck camper and I guess I'm just paranoid about loading up the truck.

And yet I don't want a 3/4 ton grocery getter.

 

[ExpoMike]

Our Grandby weighs in at just under 1400 lbs, with full tank of water, camp gear (dishes, silverware, etc.) but not food, clothes and other supplies that don't live in the camper 100% of the time. Even on my 3/4 ton Ram, it squatted the back end about 2" and the front 1". I just had a set of custom made springs from National Springs so I am back at the stock unloaded height. As for space, it's my wife and I plus the dog (62 lbs.) and it can get tight inside. If your kids are under 10, the lower sleeping area would likely work but any bigger/older, it will like not be a good scene with space.

One option I can HIGHLY recommend, especially if you are trying to maximize interior space is getting the extended cab over (which I think might be standard now). It greatly opens up space inside. We were lucky to find a used one with this option.

Good luck!

 

[morrisster]

you want a grandby on a short bed f150?
make sure if you do a long bed camper on a short bed truck that you modify your tie down points. your tie downs are supposed to be opposing one another to help prevent forward/backward movement. when they both go at the same angle like this \ \ facing toward the rear, nothing keeps the camper from smashing forward into your bed or the back of your cab. Not that you can prevent something that weighs 1000 lbs from moving (1700 lbs in my case) but its something to consider when "shoe horning" a big camper into a small truck.
I am full timing in a pop up truck camper and ended up buying a 3500 series truck because even with a camper with a dry weight of 1700 lbs when you ad: me, my wife, our clothes, our gear, food, water etc I think we're probably over GWVR...

Do you have to have a truck camper? my friend bought a very lightly used casita- think "fiberglass egg" (similar to a scamp, burro or trillium) that fits your bill completely for $3000 and he can pull it with his 4 cyl 4runner

 

[mkish]

I don't know if I have to have a truck camper. Just starting to look and seeing if it's feasible to get what I'd need. I like the concept, but it looks like I won't like the truck.

I've already got a trailer but it's not great for on-the-road use--can't access fridge or other facilities without setting up camp. It's an older popup (I find towing a tall trailer really unpleasant) and I have thought about upgrading the axle so I could drive a little faster on the highway or go over pebbles without banging the bumper but it will always be a long awkward (though luxurious) rig. I suppose if I get a truck I could put the portapotty in the bed and at least have potty access en route. Heh heh. Priorities.

 

[camper357]

I would agree that you first need to decide if you need a truck camper. Especially if you need sleeping room for 4 people and a dog. My experience is that if you need that much space in a camper you need a camper that is too big for your 1/2 ton truck.

If you find a tall trailer unpleasant, I can't imagine that you will enjoy driving a camper that will over-loaded your 1/2 ton truck. Also consider your truck's current capabilities. How many modifications will it take to make your truck safe and reliable. A camper is a compromise.

I don't know if I have to have a truck camper. Just starting to look and seeing if it's feasible to get what I'd need. I like the concept, but it looks like I won't like the truck.

I've already got a trailer but it's not great for on-the-road use--can't access fridge or other facilities without setting up camp. It's an older popup (I find towing a tall trailer really unpleasant) and I have thought about upgrading the axle so I could drive a little faster on the highway or go over pebbles without banging the bumper but it will always be a long awkward (though luxurious) rig. I suppose if I get a truck I could put the portapotty in the bed and at least have potty access en route. Heh heh. Priorities.

 

[mkish]

I agree, Camper. I won't drive anything overloaded. That's why I'm asking y'all before I buy anything. I don't even have a truck at this point. I do want to be somewhat confident that I don't purchase a truck and then realize I needed more or less truck though. I guess I'll need more.

I do realize any camper will be tight for 4 adults. But my kids are still small and by the time they are large enough to be really annoying, they can pitch a tent. We don't hang out inside when we're camping and we don't usually go places with inclement weather. So I'm pretty sure we'd be fine with the space of a camper. We just need to figure out the weight.

 

[bob91yj]

I've got a Sun Lite Skyhawk SB in my GMC 2500. The camper is actually designed for a mini truck, so it's a little narrower and the overhang isn't as long. It will come close to meeting your needs. It won't be somewhere that you want to spend time with all of you in there. We have two Boxer dogs and no kids, the dogs have to be up on the upper bed if my wife and I are both in the camper. With the dinette turned into a bed, there isn't room to get the porta-potti out.

Some pics etc here...

http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...op-up-camper?highlight=sun+lite+pop+up+camper

 

[morrisster]

what about a flippac?
I was looking about how much room there is when the top is flipped and you would have enough room for all of your needs. as far as weight it would definitely be within your weight requirements.

 

[Regcabguy]

The Northstar will overwhelm an F-150 IMO. I met a guy with ATC shell model and he said he was maxxed out with that model. I've got a Northstar TC800 on my '07 2500 Dodge with upgraded suspension. It's adequate for my wife and I,but four peeps would be too tight.

 

[chnlisle]

These pictures might be helpful.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jayaronowcampersales/

 

[mkish]

Thanks all.

I think I'll get a bigger truck (after checking out some campers next weekend for a family fit test). I can keep my old car for city driving if I must.