Pop-up truck camper construction

[Terrainist]

Does anyone know what the older Starcraft pop-up slide in's are constructed out of. Are those aluminum framed like the FWC and ATC? Been looking at older one's, maybe 88'-94'.

And I have been wondering what any of them are constructed/framed out of, mainly the older softsided ones. Thought it would be good to have a reference as there are so many brands flying around on the used market. I used to have a list at one point to help search, and there were at least 10 different brand names on there. Some might be better that others based on how they are constructed I imagine.

Would like to know about the older Starcraft's if anyone knows.

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

I'm pretty sure the older Starcraft campers are a wood frame construction.

If you are not doing any serious / crazy off road trips, the wood frame campers will probably do just fine for you.

The aluminum framed campers are usually going to be a bit lighter and won't have as much chance for dry rot, but the aluminum framed campers are also harder to find, and more expensive on the used market.

I guess it depends on your budget and how long you can wait to find the right used camper.

I have seen a few old Scamper, Northstar, & Starcraft campers come through here and they were holding up just fine.

With any type of camper, it depends on how well they take care of it over the years.

Truck campers need a little work each year to keep them in "tip top" shape.

If you put the camper in your backyard for 10 years and never pop it up to air it out, it probably won't be doing so well in the end.

Campers usually last longer when they are being gently used & maintained.

Hope this helps.

Happy Camping !

 

[eugene]

The cheapest wood they could find and staples. I'm in the middle of rebuilding mine, the staples allow a lot of flex.

 

[LimaMikeMike]

The cheapest wood they could find and staples. I'm in the middle of rebuilding mine, the staples allow a lot of flex.

Ditto, I was thinking of using truss type nail plates as opposed to staples.

 

[eugene]

I'm doweling mine and then skinning with 1/4" plywood. The paneling inside seems to come apart in thin sheets, its like gluing to the page of a book, that page just rips out. I'm thinking the dowels will prevent the slight side to side the staples allow and the plywood will help to keep the whole thing square.

 

[rynosurf]

You have to love Stans honest and straight forward answer. It would be easy for him to tell you that his product is superior (which it probably is!) but instead he tells you that the Starcraft might suit your application. As for me I will be looking for a FourWheel when I can afford it.

 

[Bella PSD]

I will be a bit more blunt. 4 Wheel Campers are better! But the Starcraft will be ok if you take car of it. I had a tree fall on mine and this gave me the chance to see how they are built and I was not impressed. It was only 4 years old when the tree fell on it and I was able to see the inside rot from water getting in. If the tree had not hit it I would have had all that rot under the surface and not known it,

Louie

 

[Terrainist]

Thanks for all the replies. Went to look at a Starcraft 'project' today. It was good for salvage, that's about it. Wood frame construction, wood pretty much through out. And it was a hurting unit, riddled with rot. Was a 1989 I think.

When I find my manufacturers list I'll update this, but right now, this is a list of older soft sided pop-ups that could be out there on the market.

Jayco
Hallmark
Phoenix
ATC
FWC
Apache
Starcraft
Palomino
Northstar
Skamper
Roamin' Chariot
Sun-lite
Viking
Sun Valley

Listed in no particular order.

I recall reading somewhere that there was a pop up manufacturer other than FWC and ATC that used aluminum framing. I'm talking older pop-ups, maybe twenty years old, and what I read may have been wrong. Also I do not know if any manufacturers changed materials. But as I figure things out I will update this.

Edit: Near as I can tell, the only aluminum framed campers out there, new or used, are FWC, ATC, Phoenix, and Roamin' Chariot.

 

[eugene]

Ditto, I was thinking of using truss type nail plates as opposed to staples.

Here is some better detail of my construction.

See the dowels in the top of the board there and the dowling jig sitting on top. I haven't cut the two horizontal boards yet, wanted to triple check my width first. I measured the camper width several places just in case anything had flexed over the years. Then measured all the different parts of the rear and drew it all out on paper then the plywood then cut everything and then double checked that the wings on each side were the same width out from the center section and then compared that width with what i thought the top was and it matched so I must have measured and laid everything out right. It measures 85.25 wide.

 

[LimaMikeMike]

This looks like a very quality build, the idea of using dowels to positiely join the formers together has a lot of appeal, are you doweling all the joints?

It was mentioned to me that skinning with off the shelf plywood might not be such a good idea as the original ply board had some fire resistant properties (as stamped on the back of the sheets), Have you given anythought to this?

I personally thought it was kind of redundant as the rest of the structure was not fire retardant.

Anyway, whatever you`re doing looks really good!

 

[eugene]

Yep, every joint has two dowels. Its a quick and easy thing to do too and pretty strong. Both of my kids cribs were made using the same technique (plans from Rockler woodworking).

Mine didn't even have plywood in it, just paneling so as the wood flexed the paneling would just tear. It was like they glued the frame to the page of a book, rip off that one page and there was no more strength. Then the staples would allow some flex also.
I'm not only doweling and using a water resistant glue on the dowels but also gluing it to real 1/4" plywood with liquid nails and then 5/8" brads from a nailgun, then deck screws and 1/4" bolts/t-nuts to attach to the rest.

I would have used better wood but what I'm using now will probably out last the rest anyway.

There was no fire retardent in the old, it lit up an burned easily in our fire pit. With such a small interior volume you wouldn't want any of the chemicals anyway (same with using pressure treated wood).

 

[offroadcamperguy]

Thanks for all the replies. Went to look at a Starcraft 'project' today. It was good for salvage, that's about it. Wood frame construction, wood pretty much through out. And it was a hurting unit, riddled with rot. Was a 1989 I think.

When I find my manufacturers list I'll update this, but right now, this is a list of older soft sided pop-ups that could be out there on the market.

Jayco
Hallmark
Phoenix?
ATC
FWC
Apache
Starcraft
Palomino
Northstar
Skamper
Roamin' Chariot
Sun-lite
Viking

Listed in no particular order.

I recall reading somewhere that there was a pop up manufacturer other than FWC and ATC that used aluminum framing. I'm talking older pop-ups, maybe twenty years old, and what I read may have been wrong. Phoenix is fairly new if I remember correctly, don't think it was them. Also I do not know if any manufacturers changed materials. But as I figure things out I will update this.

Edit: Near as I can tell, the only aluminum framed campers out there, new or used, are FWC, ATC, Phoenix, and Roamin' Chariot.

Hi Everyone,

Just a clarification for accuracy. The brand name "Phoenix Pop up Campers" is fairly new (established 1989 / 21 years ago), but is a direct off-shoot of my Father's original Colorado Built Four Wheel Pop up Campers from 1973. Always have offered and built custom campers with aluminum frame.

 

[Terrainist]

Thank you for taking the time to clarify things. Much appreciated.

 

[wannaby]

Hi guys I was thinking of using a biscut joiner for mine. any idea where one can but a gun that uses the larger staplers or in furniture I have seen those sqwigly 1/4 by about one inch ling pieces of metal that joined the framong any idea where you could get a gun for those..dealind on a older scamper right now that has a uniqe spring loaded lifting mechanism but the body is shot worth it just for the menchanical lifters...Den

 

[eugene]

The big name tool makers make those, dewalt, portercable, etc. I personally wouldn't use staples, they allow too much movement.