Talk me out of a 2014 Lance 825?

[Mundo4x4Casa]

Chris,
I hear ya'. Lack of insulation is most egregious with a 1/2 season Lance. Yes, 1/2 season: Fringe with two windows: May 28th to June 16th, and Sept. 6th to Sept. 19th, depending on the venue in the west. I spent a lot of time trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear by adding a lot of interior insulation with only marginally better cold weather performance. We gave up doing anything in the summer at low elevation/inland. Too hot. We still do Fall/winter/spring in the box, but the heater runs a lot and you burn thru a lot of propane. We just bundle up under a thick down comforter and turn the heat back up in the AM. Many times, AM brings well below freezing temps 'in the box'. I bought the two year old, 165-s used in L.A. for $6500. It had been used 3 times. Who needed insulation in L.A.? Here are some pix of wood rot on the side frame of my TC (that happened before I even took it home). I had a TC craftsman replace some wood. The big deal is to show how little insulation was in there and what type: What is that? R-2 insulation?


After:


That aluminum angle screwed to the side is for our one-pound, former backpacking rip-stop nylon side awning. I had to contact Lance for a build sheet to see where the blocks were.
Saline, by all means get the 4 season package. The good thing about a small/winter prep'd Lance is the resale does not drop like a rock, or at least, drops slower. Non 4-season large campers resale does drop like a rock from my experience.
To add another option to the pile, Jorn over on RV.net Truck Camper forum, just bought a new Livin Lite 8.6 all aluminum TC. http://www.princesscraft.com/inventory/296097/New-2014-Livin-Lite-CampLite-CLTC-8.6-.aspx
It's even lighter yet. It has that cool Airstream look with nice amenities.
regards, as always, jefe

 

[dags]

I've taken a look at the livin lite campers - the issue is they are quite stark inside - they also have a strange layout for the fridge on the smaller model and no dinette.

 

[BillTex]

I've taken a look at the livin lite campers - the issue is they are quite stark inside - they also have a strange layout for the fridge on the smaller model and no dinette.

yeah..utilitarian...some Folks might like that. I have seen them I person...not for me...kind of "cold". Like sitting in a lab...very sterile/metallic. There are plenty of other TC's that fir your needs-the Lance is fine, Adventurer makes some smaller hardsides, Northstar is respected...

 

[chris_the_wrench]

We looked at the livinlites also. I liked how you could literally hose out the interior. The lack of sink in the bathroom(which could've been added with some work) was a big minus for my wife. But I think their going the right direction. They were recently bought by a bigger company, we'll see what happens. Im keeping an eye on them for a possible small toy hauler in the future.
-Chris

 

[dags]

We looked at the livinlites also. I liked how you could literally hose out the interior. The lack of sink in the bathroom(which could've been added with some work) was a big minus for my wife. But I think their going the right direction. They were recently bought by a bigger company, we'll see what happens. Im keeping an eye on them for a possible small toy hauler in the future.
-Chris

Interesting regarding the sink - its probably the most annoying feature in a camper - why waste space with a sink in the bathroom when the camper is only 8ft long? I'd much rather have a larger sink in the kitchen and save space in the bathroom - this is an issue in the Lances camperers where the sink is to the right of the shower.

 

[dags]

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I'm also looking at a lance 825 so interested in opinions

 

[cwsqbm]

Interesting regarding the sink - its probably the most annoying feature in a camper - why waste space with a sink in the bathroom when the camper is only 8ft long? I'd much rather have a larger sink in the kitchen and save space in the bathroom - this is an issue in the Lances camperers where the sink is to the right of the shower.

Its a problem with most manufacturer's wet bath models. The problem is the camper narrows for the truck bed, so they put a sink there. Without the sink, there'd still be no space in those models. I've been in a Lance 825 (RV show), and its the only small hard side that I could actually use the bathroom. Its not only wider than most, but deeper so that my knees aren't hitting the door or cabinet in front.

 

[BillTex]

Its a problem with most manufacturer's wet bath models. The problem is the camper narrows for the truck bed, so they put a sink there. Without the sink, there'd still be no space in those models. I've been in a Lance 825 (RV show), and its the only small hard side that I could actually use the bathroom. Its not only wider than most, but deeper so that my knees aren't hitting the door or cabinet in front.

Whatever camper you end up with...be sure you can "sit" in the bathroom. This was a problem with our last TC...

 

[dags]

would be great to hear from Lance 825 owners

 

[grogie]

Saline,
For an XTC trip, on the edge and up high; in your neighborhood (more or less) go to these links:
http://www.rv.net/cforum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/24528960.cfm
http://www.rv.net/cforum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/24529897.cfm
http://www.rv.net/cforum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/24566904.cfm

Beyond cool! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Capt Eddie]

I was a Lance 825 owner. I did not like one thing about it after I made one trip. It looked all nice and cozy on the lot. And the kids stayed outside the first trip home. But the first real trip with grown adults show the lack of the campers room. The first camper shown on my truck build was a 825. I would have been very pleased with an 830 after being is some. But I had the truck and the room so I went with the 1040. And could not be happier.

 

[Saline]

Going from a SMB the 825 will have more space for the two of us. I think I am more concerned about the camper holding up to the abuses of off pavement and 4wd roads.

 

[Capt Eddie]

in spite of the 6 inches wider size and the weight difference. Have you even looked at the layout of the 830 VS 825. I would not be concerned about the off road uses this either one. The side door entry on the 830 is really a lot nicer then the back door. I tow either a Jeep or a construction trailer, as well as a back rack. Something I could not do with a back door.

 

[Saline]

They layout looks nice for sure but I won't consider anything bigger than the 825 at all. The 825's size and weight is at the limit of what I'm comfortable with.

 

[Mundo4x4Casa]

Saline,
Merry Christmas to you and yours. We're now in the forth day of Christmas.
I have written extensively on how to keep a Lance hard side (or whatever) alive and well on terrible roads and trails. There are a lot of 'tricks' to keeping the white box square and plumb. Virtually nothing I've done is as good as getting your hard side on a 'tray' as the Aussie's call it: a flatbed. Just any old flat bed will not do, however, as it must have it's own suspension consisting of a three-point attachment, or a four-point, (or diamond shaped) attachment system to keep the bed flat, whether the truck frame is twisting or not. This very site has the best info on all of this. Hackney was the leader in forging a path forward with a Japanese FC truck and a Lance Camper into the very bowels of Terra incognita.
There are a lot of ways to accomplish this goal, most of mine have been trial and error, first-hand, not hearsay.
I can pm you my file on keeping a hard-side alive if you want.
For the record, I have taken my 165-s/Xcab over a lot of bad roads and the 86" width has only occasionally been a problem. Anything wider would have meant abandoning the route and turning around. A few times, I've had to get out the limb saw, a small chain saw, or big twig nippers to widen the route thru a brushy or forested area. If there was a way, I would like to apply some brush rails from the front of the truck back to and over the top of the TC to deflect some pesky branches. The current crop of U.S. made campers are not made to deflect errant flora.
Here my bro's '99 F-250/6 speed manual/turbo diesel/9' OUTFITTER comes down Telephone canyon near Bishop, CA. I was obviously right behind him. We spent a lot of time in lo/lo on this stretch:

regards, as always, jefe