Self-serving pop-up TC thread

[ripperj]

The fit and finish on the several Northstar I have looked at is better than other brands. You will seldom hear of any issues such as leaks, squeaks, things that dont fit/work. The couple of issues I have heard about were fixed asap.

I also looked at the Livin lites/ they seem rugged and practical, but sterile and sharp( ( and I have decided they are cold, but don't have any facts))
i believe I am going with Northstar, but the fact that there is a dealer local is a big factor. Hallmarks look awesome, but expensive, and I have never seen one in person.
Sent from my Z10 using Tapatalk 2

 

[AbleGuy]

If you have not bought your Popup yet, check out the CL RV ads by owner in San Diego......there is a screaming deal on a slightly used Northstar listed there for past two weeks.

 

[freedomrider]

Finally have it...

My new truck and camper have now been united. Here's a pic from its maiden voyage to Anza Borrego Desert State Park (CA, USA). Thanks to everybody who offered your experience and knowledge.

 

[brianjwilson]

Congrats!
Your research sounds a big like mine has been. Although I went through a half ton with a small hard side camper (too big and bulky for what we do), then my awesome jeep setup which has been perfect, simple and very capable. But with a kid coming we need more space and comfort. I've been struggling to figure out the right balance between size, comfort, off road capability etc. Most likely considering a four door tacoma and four wheel camper next.
I'm shocked that you were putting a sportsmobile together for near $70k. I priced one out again today and stopped when I got to $100k!

 

[freedomrider]

A few observations from my brief ownership:

The good:

1. The Northstar pop-up mechanism is easy to operate and seems quite reliable.

2. The window coverings work reasonably smoothly and their large area allows a lot of air flow and good view to the outdoors.

3. The mattress turned out to be a lot more comfortable than I'd first thought.

4. The range top works well and can be reliably set very low. That's more important for most of my cooking than it putting out a giga-btu.

5. I sprang for a solar panel upgrade which worked great (this is the dealer's unit, not Northstar's). The flooded battery never dropped below 85% at night, even with the ARB fridge running, and was back to 100% within an hour after sunrise.

The not-so-good:

1. The 3-way fridge is less than ideal for my situation. I mistakenly thought that only the propane operation was impacted by being off level but the fridge doesn't operate at all (i.e., off of any of the power source) when on a slope. My driveway is on a fairly large pitch so I cannot pre-cool while parked there. Even on level ground, it doesn't seem to get very cold. I recommend considering a compressor fridge upgrade if that will be an issue. Also, the fridge doesn't meet our size needs so a secondary fridge and/or cooler was necessary. We ended up having a 50L ARB fridge and a small cooler along with us. The ARB handles larger items (e.g., half gallon milk carton) much better and keeps them colder. Honestly, I think an ARB (or Engel, etc.) fridge or two on sliders may be a better option than a front opening fridge.

2. The wet bath takes up a lot of space, which is at a premium since we'll need to bring additional cold storage. During our first trip, we stayed in a developed campground and didn't use the camper's bathroom at all (except as inefficient storage). For more primitive camping, I think we'd get along just fine with a portable cassette toilet and the exterior shower.

3. The dinette table (I think they call it an "Australian table") is junk. I stowed it the first day and never took it out again.

4. There's a lot of storage capacity under the bed and along its sides but those are not very convenient to access.

Overall, we're happy with the unit and expect it'll get easier as we figure out how to stow things in a more efficient manner (i.e., make better use of the above mentioned over cab storage area).

 

[brian90744]

Jacks to storage.

Mike.
Time to store those jacks, save around 200lbs. the bathroom is good for storage till you arrive at your camp site, I agree the 3 way refrig is OK but I would also like to upgrade to WAECO CR-1110U/F 3.8 CUBIC FEET 12 24 DC around $ 980, There's a lot of easy mods you can make to your new camper, check out my thread.
great buy and good camping=brian

 

[craig333]

Why the preference for a chest fridge over a front opener?

 

[freedomrider]

Mike.
Time to store those jacks, save around 200lbs. the bathroom is good for storage till you arrive at your camp site, I agree the 3 way refrig is OK but I would also like to upgrade to WAECO CR-1110U/F 3.8 CUBIC FEET 12 24 DC around $ 980, There's a lot of easy mods you can make to your new camper, check out my thread.
great buy and good camping=brian

Thanks Brian,
I've had your build thread bookmarked for a while and am not ashamed to steal ideas where applicable.

 

[freedomrider]

Why the preference for a chest fridge over a front opener?

I suppose it's not so much a problem with the front opening style as much as it's a problem with the limited functionality of the absorption cooling, which will be a hassle for my needs. I did have a few things fall out of the front loader upon opening the door after some very mild off-highway driving. That's not a big problem for me but could be a bigger deal for people who routinely push the limits.

 

[freedomrider]

Congrats!
Your research sounds a big like mine has been. Although I went through a half ton with a small hard side camper (too big and bulky for what we do), then my awesome jeep setup which has been perfect, simple and very capable. But with a kid coming we need more space and comfort. I've been struggling to figure out the right balance between size, comfort, off road capability etc. Most likely considering a four door tacoma and four wheel camper next.
I'm shocked that you were putting a sportsmobile together for near $70k. I priced one out again today and stopped when I got to $100k!

Thanks Brian,
A person can ruminate over the myriad possibilities almost forever; and your family expansion (congrats, btw) may require some big changes to your travel style. For me, wife, and kid (all on the tall side), a Tacoma would be tight. I tried to figure out how to make a Tundra work for us but ended up deciding that the listed payload capacity wouldn't meet our needs. And you're right that the Sportsmobile route can get pricey. $70k is probably below the entry point for a Sprinter conversion.

 

[brian90744]

steps?

Mike.
I hope you brought scissor step, as your family will thank you climbing into the camper, I also have a double step over the battery step box so it's a lot easier to get up into the bed.
Your Camper & Truck are a good match. I'm sure we will meet sometime camping.=brian

 

[freedomrider]

Mike.
I hope you brought scissor step, as your family will thank you climbing into the camper, I also have a double step over the battery step box so it's a lot easier to get up into the bed.
Your Camper & Truck are a good match. I'm sure we will meet sometime camping.=brian

Yep, got a 5-step scissor stairs (as seen below behind boy unit). I put a hitch rack on that works well as a step up when the scissor stairs aren't on. There's only a little space between the rack and the camper but the extra storage comes in handy without getting in the way. The rack is also turned out to be convenient for short term placement of shoes and other stuff. I may need to relocate the license plate when the rack is full. I was surprised the camper doesn't have a license plate bracket.

This'll be my last desert trip until the next cool down. From now until December, we'll be hitting the coastal or mountain areas. I'll be sure to say "Hi" if I see you along the way. I'll most likely have cold Guinness Draught and Pacifico Clara on hand to share.

 

[brian90744]

Lic lite

Mike.
I think it was a boo-boo from the factory, I would contact Rex @ Northstar and see if that unit comes with a license light?? brian

 

[freedomrider]

Hmmm...I was wondering what that light was for, now I know. But it sits lower than yours leaving very little room to hang a plate below it. I'll look into what can be done with it.