I have started to see a few Toyota RV's for sale around me. Most of the chassis have the DRW's. I don't even know the years but i'd bet they are 80's Toyotas. Some pretty crazy prices too - $17k for one at the local dealer. But i'm wondering if the RV shell will go on a newer Tacoma. Like a 98 on up.
Old Toyota RV body on newer Tacoma truck.
- Thread starter gj91
- Start date
corax
Explorer
Anything is possible if you have the time, skills and/or money. This one's for sale in CO if you're interested . . .
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/28316-Expedition-Camper-by-IrbisOffroad
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/28316-Expedition-Camper-by-IrbisOffroad
tanglefoot
ExPoseur
It would be amazing to put together something like that.
Here's my parents' rig:
I was 7 when we went with my parents and grandparents to California to pick it up from the Odyssey factory. It's an '88 on an '87 chassis with the 22R-E and 4-speed manual transmission. We sleep 5 in it and occasionally 6. The Toyota RV's were made from the late 70's to the early 90's in the US. http://www.toyotamotorhomes.com/
The frame and drive train have been excellent...only replacements have been the exhaust system, drive shaft (worn U-joints) and brakes. The engine's only had oil/filter/battery/spark plug changes.
The camper body has been pretty good but there have been some issues with roof leaks and some side-panel rot in one place that hasn't been addressed yet.
The frame is extended in front of and behind the rear axle for this size camper body (~22-foot total length). It has an 8", full-floating dually rear axle with about 7-leaf spring packs (spring-under).
Nearly all of these campers have extended wheelbases so they wouldn't fit right on a Tacoma or Tundra chassis without frame lengthening...with the exception of the Chinook, as pictured in the above post. These larger camper bodies might be difficult to transfer--they're plywood/fiberglass construction and they might not survive the swap. Also, as you mentioned, the resale value on them is still quite high. They're also heavy--I think it would be too much for the stock, semi-float axle and single rear wheels. You might be better off removing the bed from a Tacoma and building your own, smaller camper body using the original wheelbase, somewhat along the lines of the Supercamper. http://thesupercamper.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-01-06T06:32:00-08:00&max-results=3
It would be incredible to see some campers based on newer Toyotas though. The RV market in the US is very limited for fuel-efficient choices. Only the Mercedes/Freightliner Sprinter chassis delivers fuel economy rivaling these import class-C chassis, and they are prohibitively expensive.
Eric
Here's my parents' rig:
I was 7 when we went with my parents and grandparents to California to pick it up from the Odyssey factory. It's an '88 on an '87 chassis with the 22R-E and 4-speed manual transmission. We sleep 5 in it and occasionally 6. The Toyota RV's were made from the late 70's to the early 90's in the US. http://www.toyotamotorhomes.com/
The frame and drive train have been excellent...only replacements have been the exhaust system, drive shaft (worn U-joints) and brakes. The engine's only had oil/filter/battery/spark plug changes.
The camper body has been pretty good but there have been some issues with roof leaks and some side-panel rot in one place that hasn't been addressed yet.
The frame is extended in front of and behind the rear axle for this size camper body (~22-foot total length). It has an 8", full-floating dually rear axle with about 7-leaf spring packs (spring-under).
Nearly all of these campers have extended wheelbases so they wouldn't fit right on a Tacoma or Tundra chassis without frame lengthening...with the exception of the Chinook, as pictured in the above post. These larger camper bodies might be difficult to transfer--they're plywood/fiberglass construction and they might not survive the swap. Also, as you mentioned, the resale value on them is still quite high. They're also heavy--I think it would be too much for the stock, semi-float axle and single rear wheels. You might be better off removing the bed from a Tacoma and building your own, smaller camper body using the original wheelbase, somewhat along the lines of the Supercamper. http://thesupercamper.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-01-06T06:32:00-08:00&max-results=3
It would be incredible to see some campers based on newer Toyotas though. The RV market in the US is very limited for fuel-efficient choices. Only the Mercedes/Freightliner Sprinter chassis delivers fuel economy rivaling these import class-C chassis, and they are prohibitively expensive.
Eric
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This is the very close to what I am seeing by me. The one at the dealer is much better, I will have to look at it again. Slightly different RV body.
just trying to figure out if the 98 tacoma I have has the same wheelbase as a 1990 DRW toyota commercial chassis. Looks like this one is a sunrader.
just trying to figure out if the 98 tacoma I have has the same wheelbase as a 1990 DRW toyota commercial chassis. Looks like this one is a sunrader.
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hillbillyjake
Explorer
are the dually front/rear axles the big 6 lug like they appear or is there some sort of adapter bolted on to convert them from the smaller 6 lug? i've got my '86 apart right now and i believe it would look very nice with FF dually rear under it if i could figure out how to do the front. "6" 255/85 bighorns? i want.
ETA; sorry for the threadjack
ETA; sorry for the threadjack
tanglefoot
ExPoseur
Chances are you would need to do some wheelbase extending. I don't think the commercial chassis are extended to begin with--I'm pretty sure the RV manufacturers added frame length in front of and behind the rear axle.
I also wouldn't put that big a camper body on the stock, semi-float axle. Many of the early Toyota RV's had semi-float axles and they experienced a lot of axle problems, I think mostly with bearings. For reliable service with that load, you'd be best to find a full-floating axle. You can identify the full-floaters by the extended rear hubs with the axle shaft flanges bolted to the end. You can probably get away with single rear wheels if they're high load range, but I wouldn't try to get away with the semi-float axle.
Hillbill-E...I think the fronts do have an adapter bolted on to match the extreme backspacing of the dually wheels and enlarge the bolt circle in the front. Some dually setups use standard wheels on the front and dually wheels on the back, but then you might need to carry two spares in order to be covered. I don't think I would run duallies unless you need to. Not only are you dealing with buying two more tires, but on the trail, rocks tend to get stuck between the duals and you have to get them out right away or they can destroy both tires.
I also wouldn't put that big a camper body on the stock, semi-float axle. Many of the early Toyota RV's had semi-float axles and they experienced a lot of axle problems, I think mostly with bearings. For reliable service with that load, you'd be best to find a full-floating axle. You can identify the full-floaters by the extended rear hubs with the axle shaft flanges bolted to the end. You can probably get away with single rear wheels if they're high load range, but I wouldn't try to get away with the semi-float axle.
Hillbill-E...I think the fronts do have an adapter bolted on to match the extreme backspacing of the dually wheels and enlarge the bolt circle in the front. Some dually setups use standard wheels on the front and dually wheels on the back, but then you might need to carry two spares in order to be covered. I don't think I would run duallies unless you need to. Not only are you dealing with buying two more tires, but on the trail, rocks tend to get stuck between the duals and you have to get them out right away or they can destroy both tires.
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Rattler
Thornton Melon's Kid
There are a couple here in MI for sale that are in good shape for under $5k.
I've known this guy and his bro a longgg time.
http://saginaw.craigslist.org/rvs/2490529871.html
And the other.
http://saginaw.craigslist.org/rvs/2510356304.html
I've known this guy and his bro a longgg time.
http://saginaw.craigslist.org/rvs/2490529871.html
And the other.
http://saginaw.craigslist.org/rvs/2510356304.html
hillbillyjake
Explorer
thanks tanglefoot. the truck that the dually axle would go under would not be a trail truck. work only. sure would be a neat look though.
Rattler
Thornton Melon's Kid
When I lived in Holland I would leave town when Tulip Time came around. It was a mass invasion of the cottonheads.
4xdog
Explorer
Darren's excellent site toyotareference.com has almost ALL the Toyota US literature online. I'd suggest checking out the original source material for wheelbase/chassis differences.
Don
http://www.toyotareference.com/truck#TR84
Don
http://www.toyotareference.com/truck#TR84
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Quite a few years ago I was in Moab for the Easter Safari and there was a Toyota camper in our campground. I didn't get any pictures and never got a chance to talk with the owners. It was a 4x4 Toyota Ex-Cab pickup in the body style of the '86-'88 without a bed and it had a camper mounted on it. It was a really clean vehicle but I don't know if it was factory or something that the owner made or had made. It was pretty slick. The camper wasn't overly big compared to the truck like the motor home in the photo above, but was sized better to the size of the truck.
Yeah, we won't be going back anytime soon. It felt like we were in India or China...
tanglefoot
ExPoseur
I'm not aware of any with extended cabs, but the Bandit came to mind while reading that. I'm pretty sure it also uses the stock wheelbase like the Chinook.
