Pop-up Camper Rear Overhang: Recommendations?

[Hopeless Diamond]

Talk to Hallmark, I think the Ute has the shower (the Ute is the same as the Everest but "self-contained", it's confusing how they do it). But from what I've seen, when they put in the shower, it's integrated with the toilet so that will squeeze the actual usable space for it. The Hallmark will be more expensive than the Northstar. Different overall construction (composite panels so no wood or aluminum framing). Hallmarks are made to order so you can work with them to alter the basic layout pretty easily. They love winter orders, helps fill the slow months. Not real familiar with how Northstar builds, but I believe it's more of a set plan, with a few options.

With the long box, you will probably be good with 8.5' models, the bigger ones just seem too long to me and would be more limiting for getting into places we like to go. Our intent is to not go somewhere to spend time inside the camper, we're usually outside so having a lot of extra room and "all the comforts of home" isn't real important to us. We're usually not dealing with a bunch of heat and humidity though so we don't have to try and keep cool inside. I can turn the insides into a tornado struck yard sale in no time, so it's best if I stay outside anyway

For flat-towing anything, it should have a supplemental braking system (actually anything over ~3500lbs in most states). The Ready-brute I use is a surge brake with a cable that pulls on the Jeep's brake pedal. Real basic and simple system, no hassle with a brake controller. I can stop faster with the Jeep in tow because I'm using the Jeep's brakes too. You're right about if it breaks though, not easy to flat tow a broken hub or axle.

 

[Jeep2.0]

Thanks. I just called them. Problem #1 is that the listed dimensions of the dinettes on their website are wrong. :ylsmoke:
I also found out the bathroom sink intruding on the shower/toilet space is primarily driven by the cut-out in the sides of the camper to allow for the wheelwell & bed clearance on a slide-in. They told me flatbed versions of the Ute rotate the shower 90 degrees & doesn't require to have the cutout - so shower gets bigger but so does the dinette. :luxhello:

Even without the flatbed version, they did say an L-shaped dinette is possible & would allow better legroom clearance for us tall folks.

Matt also mentioned that our preferred cassette toilet is available in almost all configurations.

So, lots of options from Hallmark, but of course would require us to know exactly what we want before ordering.

Totally agreed on Toad brakes. I'm thinking the Ready-Brute style stuff is a PITA to hook up & use, no? Although that looks far simpler than others I've seen. Does it work well w/o the Jeep vacuum power brakes being active?
But then again - probably about the same PITA as loading on a trailer now that I think about it.

So I discussed all these learnings with the S.O. - including the remote possibility we just might feel too cramped in one of these for longer than one night. So, we made the following decision:
1. Start the low-buck way & get a used 8' or 8.5' camper in good condition. Maybe even a Northstar TC850SC - there seem to be a lot of them out there & they appear to have a dinette & shower/cassette like we want.
2. Use it & see how we like it. Make our list of what we like & don't like about the used one.
3. Assuming we like it enough, call Hallmark for a custom, king-daddy unit specific to our needs, including the possibilities of a flatbed version.

Thanks to all for your help in getting my head around these things.

 

[Hopeless Diamond]

A good plan. You will have better luck in for a used Northstar. Using a bit, you will probably find the stuff you thought important, really isn't and find other things are.

Hooking up the tow bar is not a problem at all, pretty quick and easy. No problem with no vacuum. Was concerned there would be no issue at all.

 

[hemifoot]

we have the northstar 850 sc. on a short box ram hd. never dragged *** yet.i'm 6' 245 lbs.so i usually use the outdoor shower with a fold a privy.the indoor shower is ok but it is just easier to use the outside one.i also tow my 15 foot boat without a hitch extension.

 

[Regcabguy]

Got a Northstar TS1000 (now called a 950 I think) on our Fuso. Were both shorter than you and drive dirt roads usually, not trails. I don't like the overhang when it comes to towing. The amas on our Sea Pearl Trimaran end up really close to the camper on tight turns. I bought a heavy long hitch extension but I'm not comfortable with the ball that far behind the truck. We do like the size of the camper. Had it for 9 yrs.

I like Northstar's TC850SC. My 2000 TC800's getting pretty tired. I have the 8' bed.

 

[Runt]

Hi Jeep 2.0

I would highly recommend Phoenix Pop Up Campers. They can make exactly what you want due to they specialize in custom campers. They will make your camper a bit more burly then any thing you can buy from Northstar or FWC by using more gussets in the frame and stronger as well as greater amount of hold down anchors. Cassette toilets are much easier to maintain etc. and is what Phoenix Campers set my camper up with. They work well for only two people. One point to look out for is if the furnace is mounted below the cassette toilet....being a big guy you will want to have as much height as possible and most manufacturers mount the furnace under the toilet area. Again Phoenix is really nice as you can have the layout you want, spec. you want and don't end up paying for a bunch of stuff you don't want.
I opted for the shower with a 20,000 btu furnace & grey water tank are mounted below the shower and at 6' I think I would find it inconvenient height if I was your size. I must admit I prefer just using a hotjugz in the shower area due to the water consumption of the on demand tank-less water system is high, even with all the adjustments for pressure & flow when trying to conserve water....i.e. hot cold, hot cold & use a lot of water trying to get a constant temperature. There better suited if you leave them on and they set to temp. if you use the manual wand flow shut off the tank-less heater turns off and you get a section of cool water in the lines. Over hang wise on the back of the camper I cannot 100 % comment due to my camper is for a 6.5' bed with tailgate removed. However I often take my truck through large deactivation's on Forest Service Roads or through washed out sections & do have a spare tire carrier which my 35" tires lowest point is roughly the same height and I have never rubbed it on any deactivation's. I do take my jack stands off. Any way good luck with selecting a camper.

 

[Jeep2.0]

Runt - thanks for the props for Phoenix. They're on my list to consider when I'm looking to order one, but I gotta tell you - it's really hard to get an idea of what they have from their website. Kinda like looking at the web version of a blank piece of paper. I'm not good at envisioning just yet. Maybe after I spend some time in a used Northstar I'll be able to sketch up what I'm after.

 

[Runt]

I would recommend calling Cari. There a husband & wife team. Cari does the front end sales and sourcing the goodies and Rob is the eccentric genius with mad fabrication skills. They have a ton of examples of campers they have built over the years.....pictures I'm sure. There really good to work with & Cari is use to people learning what they want as the process unfolds.

 

[phamby]

@MTCK, does the spare tire up front cause any overheating issues due to restricted air flow to your radiator? I am looking for a spare tire carrier option for my 86 chevy truck, but was worried about putting it up front. Looking for some real world experience. Thanks.

 

[Jeep2.0]

One last question: To Dually or not to Dually? I've been looking at only SRW, but the F450 in that other post looks stout, and sweet, with lots of storage. Frankly, I'd be concerned DRW's would be way too wide for a trail...but from the dimensions they are narrow than the mirrors, and the campers are wider than the stock beds anyway.

Anyone taken a dually w/ camper on some trails? Smart? Dumb? Would appreciate your insights here too.

 

[Runt]

Dually is too wide for most trails. Honestly I think a full size fleetside is too large. Also dually wheel wheels use to be fiberglass or some sort of fragile composite and cracked quite easily. I would stay away from a dually. If your running a well appointed pop-up you'll be fine with a 3/4 ton or modified 1/2 ton.

 

[Jeep2.0]

Thanks for that - confirmed my suspicions.

But your comment on the modified 1/2 ton made me curious. I did some weight math & looked at the weights. Maybe I over-estimated the 'stuff' in my numbers below, but I also have no weights for people, dogs, and diesel fuel. But here's what I show:

Northstar 850SC 1,735
6 Gallons WH 50
30 gallons fresh 250
2 Batteries 156
Options (Solar, etc) 500 <---- may be high, but extra propane? Extra batteries? Inverter?
Food/Gear/Gen/Tools/etc 750 <----- likely high, but probably not double...?
Contingency 344 <----- 10% of above totals
--------------------------------------
Total 3,785

So I assume I'm way over on options & gear, but 2 people & fuel add up to 628 lbs.
Then if I ever get to the point of getting a custom camper built & putting it on a flatbed, I'm thinking the camper will weigh more plus the bed will weigh more than stock, even if out of Aluminum.

And looking at trucks, 4x4, diesel, long bed, supercab, SRW with solid front axle (only Fords fit that), I find that:
F350 has ~4000 - 4610lbs weight capacity, even with the 11,400 GVW option, while the
F250 has 3490lbs

I'm pretty sure this would be decreased by the weight of the diesel over the gas motor, but I can't tell that online.

All that is to say, it doesn't look like the 3/4 ton is enough, even if I'm off by 500 lbs on my assumptions.

If I'm that far off that even a modified 1/2 ton would do it, what am I missing?

EDIT: Sorry, tried to line those numbers up as best I could, and still got this.

 

[MTCK]

@MTCK, does the spare tire up front cause any overheating issues due to restricted air flow to your radiator? I am looking for a spare tire carrier option for my 86 chevy truck, but was worried about putting it up front. Looking for some real world experience. Thanks.

No overheating problems for me. I haven't done a good torture test with the spare up front pulling a large grade on a hot day with the AC blasting, but I've never been able to make the needle move on the temp guage. Cooling system is a stock big block radiator for the &#8216;91 truck and mechanical fan that comes on the L29 Vortec 7400.

As for the 1/2 ton comment, I'm banging on 10,000 lbs with the wife, kid, dogs, gas, propane, water food, beer and toys. The kid only gets bigger, telling the wife to get smaller can be hazardous, and I need all the other stuff to go camping. I can drive the speed limit everywhere I go and the truck handles great but I wouldn't want anything lighter than a one ton.

 

[kerry]

Those numbers are a big reason why I drive a Fuso FG under my camper.

 

[GoinBoardin]

And why I don't have storage boxes on my half ton flatbed, then think twice about just about everything I bring. Sort of like going backpacking.. Storage=stuff, and stuff is heavy.