Ten questions for someone considering a Four Wheel Pop Camper

[General Automag]

We are considering purchasing a Four Wheel Popup Camper for our Chevrolet 1/2 pickup truck. The model that would fit is their Hawk model.

Considering that there will be no room in the bed and no truck bed tool box anymore, and as a potential buyer, I have the following questions:

1) Where do you now store your Hi-Lift jack and other recovery gear?
2) Where do you store your extra fuel cans (we need at least two 5-gallon cans)?
3) Do you carry any extra water or is the camper water storage enough?
4) Does anyone have experience with using and or specific information on how the shower works (in both functionality, ease of use, and any moisture issues)?
5) Have you installed an AC, and if so, how do you power it?
6) Have you used their installed solar or did you install your own? If so, then what size in watts is your solar and is it sufficient to power your camper?
7) Do you regularly or have you at all removed and reinstalled your Four Wheel Pop Up Camper and how easy or difficult is it to do? How do the four (4) removable "legs/support stands" work for you and do they work well? Do you drive around with the camper installed or do you remove it after your trip?
8) Does your wife enjoy the Four Wheel Pop Up camper?
9) What option(s) do you consider essential and which ones would you not include if you had to buy another one?
10) What is your poop setup? Cassette toilet, outside, etc.

Bonus questions:
What degree of off-road driving do you do with your Four Wheel Pop Up camper? Obviously we can't go in our full-size pickup where we used to go with our FJ40 Land Cruiser. Do you feel limited in where you can go?

If you drive a 1/2-ton pickup, do you wish you had a 3/4 or 1-ton pickup while driving around with the Four Wheel Pop up camper? (We run SuperSprings over the rear leaf springs which prevents bottoming out with heavier loads)

 

[Josh41]

I have a Fleet Shell in a Nissan Frontier

2. I have 1 fuel can in a carrier bolted to a jack stand plate and sitting on a 3/8 aluminum sheet (8"X8") that I bolted under the side. It was fine for 10k miles this summer on and off road.
7. I keep it on from May to October. Only takes about 20-30 mins to put on the stands and detach. About the same to put it on, maybe a solid 30 to put it on right.
8. Wife loves it, bed is large and comfy.
9. As a shell owner, my must haves are fan, awning, heat (comes standard now, I don't have), I build a front dinette, perfect for 3 to eat.
10. We use a PET with WagBags, honestly, most places have something, if not, the bags are easy, the toilet takes up little space, easy clean up, just throw out the bags.

Bonus: Gravel and dirt roads, no problems at all. This is a quick slide show with video of some Colorado trails, the trails were easy and moderate in the Guide to Co Backroads book. Slow, but the camper never moved, lots of traction with the weight.

Weight: My shell is only 700lbs with battery, a loaded FWC is probably in the 1200 to 1300 before stuff. Don't forget that people and dogs, and bags, and water and extra fuel and heavier tires all add up fast and make for a really heavy truck.

Enjoy

 

[Pax2525]

We are considering purchasing a Four Wheel Popup Camper for our Chevrolet 1/2 pickup truck. The model that would fit is their Hawk model.

Considering that there will be no room in the bed and no truck bed tool box anymore, and as a potential buyer, I have the following questions:

1) Where do you now store your Hi-Lift jack and other recovery gear? Most guys use the exterior to mount them
2) Where do you store your extra fuel cans (we need at least two 5-gallon cans)? See above
3) Do you carry any extra water or is the camper water storage enough? Depends on your water usage, availability, and length of trip
4) Does anyone have experience with using and or specific information on how the shower works (in both functionality, ease of use, and any moisture issues)? Overall pain in the butt if referring to interior option, even the FWC guys will tell you that. Probably better off with some sort of exterior shower or the FWC ext option
5) Have you installed an AC, and if so, how do you power it? I did an exterior one that was ghetto rigged, wasn't great. There is an AC option from the factory. Overall a fantastic fan can save you in most situations minus mid summer in texas
6) Have you used their installed solar or did you install your own? If so, then what size in watts is your solar and is it sufficient to power your camper? If you have a solar plug its much simpler to do yourself. I had 2x 100 watt panel and it was great
7) Do you regularly or have you at all removed and reinstalled your Four Wheel Pop Up Camper and how easy or difficult is it to do? How do the four (4) removable "legs/support stands" work for you and do they work well? Do you drive around with the camper installed or do you remove it after your trip? Once you are used to backing up under it it takes 20 minutes or so. Add another 10 minutes to remove the 3 bolts per leg. You are better off taking legs off to prevent damage to them, wind resistance, and helps lighten the load. Yes I've driven around with camper installed after trips, not a problem. Lots of guys leave on full-time to full season
8) Does your wife enjoy the Four Wheel Pop Up camper? Overall a fan but with 3 kids she's not loving it as much. I still get her out in it though
9) What option(s) do you consider essential and which ones would you not include if you had to buy another one? Heater, fantastic fan, king bed
10) What is your poop setup? Cassette toilet, outside, etc. bathrooms or the wild. We have been looking at ports potty just haven't committed yet

Bonus questions:
What degree of off-road driving do you do with your Four Wheel Pop Up camper? Obviously we can't go in our full-size pickup where we used to go with our FJ40 Land Cruiser. Do you feel limited in where you can go? All depends on your comfortability, fire roads no problems. More technical trails can be done more depending on truck not camper in my opinion

If you drive a 1/2-ton pickup, do you wish you had a 3/4 or 1-ton pickup while driving around with the Four Wheel Pop up camper? (We run SuperSprings over the rear leaf springs which prevents bottoming out with heavier loads)

I have a F150 and its hard to same, at times yes but when I don't have the camper on I'm glad I don't. If this was my dedicated camper rig full time then yes I would want larger truck

 

[cchoc]

Eagle on a Tacoma.

1) ARB front bumper mounted Hi-Lift, recovery gear in turnbuckle access.
3) camper water is plenty
4) shower is fine but not a lot of pressure
6) came with 100w solar and have added 2 more 100w panels
8) yes
9) compressor fridge, furnace, hot water heater, shower, stove, 2 fantastic fans
10) PET and wag bags with pop up privacy tent (used for shower as well)

I do a far amount of off road driving and haven't found anywhere (yet) that I wanted to go and couldn't

I have never wanted a bigger truck, I like my Taco. Only reason I would get a bigger truck is if I decided to get a larger flatbed camper but I chose the Eagle specifically for it's size.

 

[parkkitchings]

We are considering purchasing a Four Wheel Popup Camper for our Chevrolet 1/2 pickup truck. The model that would fit is their Hawk model.

Considering that there will be no room in the bed and no truck bed tool box anymore, and as a potential buyer, I have the following questions:

1) Where do you now store your Hi-Lift jack and other recovery gear?
2) Where do you store your extra fuel cans (we need at least two 5-gallon cans)?
3) Do you carry any extra water or is the camper water storage enough?
4) Does anyone have experience with using and or specific information on how the shower works (in both functionality, ease of use, and any moisture issues)?
5) Have you installed an AC, and if so, how do you power it?
6) Have you used their installed solar or did you install your own? If so, then what size in watts is your solar and is it sufficient to power your camper?
7) Do you regularly or have you at all removed and reinstalled your Four Wheel Pop Up Camper and how easy or difficult is it to do? How do the four (4) removable "legs/support stands" work for you and do they work well? Do you drive around with the camper installed or do you remove it after your trip?
8) Does your wife enjoy the Four Wheel Pop Up camper?
9) What option(s) do you consider essential and which ones would you not include if you had to buy another one?
10) What is your poop setup? Cassette toilet, outside, etc.

Bonus questions:
What degree of off-road driving do you do with your Four Wheel Pop Up camper? Obviously we can't go in our full-size pickup where we used to go with our FJ40 Land Cruiser. Do you feel limited in where you can go?

If you drive a 1/2-ton pickup, do you wish you had a 3/4 or 1-ton pickup while driving around with the Four Wheel Pop up camper? (We run SuperSprings over the rear leaf springs which prevents bottoming out with heavier loads)

1. Don't have any. Common sense, shovel and a good tow strap. Are you really going places you need a hi-lift?
2. Don't have any. I've been everywhere in mine from the Bering Sea to the tip of Baja and at no time did I need to haul extra gas. (240 miles range)
3. Don't have camper water but carry about ten gallons and a good water filter when venturing off the beaten path.
4. I carry solar shower. Works for me.
5. I go camping. If I want AC I'd have an RV and stay in a RV park.
6. Overland Solar set up. Don't want solar on the rig. If I park in the shade I can orient the solar set up anywhere I want.
7. 30 minutes to take off or put on.
8. Wife goes with me on occasion. It's dry and has a bed but then again she's not high maintenance.
9. Fantastic Fan, side or front dinette set-up, propane. I got the Fleet and customized it to my preferences.
10. **** or piss in the woods.

I've taken mine off-road a bunch. Granted, I'm not doing any rock crawling with it but I don't stay on pavement.

Don't let anyone tell you that a Tacoma (V6) or a half ton can't handle a FWC. Only modifications I made to my set up was air bags. I leave it on the truck all the time and it performs just fine. Former owner of FWC ran a Tacoma with a full set up. That should tell you something. Summary......I'd buy one again in a minute. Have had zero problems with mine and used it a lot over the years. Have fun!

 

[craig333]

1) Rear of the camper
2) Rear of the camper
3) Camper water is enough but sometimes I'll carry extra.
4) Just have the outside shower. Its nice.
5) No AC, haven't needed it yet.
6) Did my own solar. 250 watts is plenty.
7) I leave my camper on full time. Only had it off for maintenance.
8) Not married
9) Heater essential. Rear lights not so much but we've had this discussion many times on WTW and its funny how what is essential to one person is useless to another.
10) Porta Potty

Truck can go many places but I try and leave the really rough stuff for the Jeep.

 

[bill harr]

See my Travel Blog for how the wife and I use our camper. Have done several long trips. Key West from CA by way of Baltimore.


See video below for where you can take your FWC. Yes I have been told I am nuts.

 

[rruff]

1. Don't have any. Common sense, shovel and a good tow strap. Are you really going places you need a hi-lift?
2. Don't have any. I've been everywhere in mine from the Bering Sea to the tip of Baja and at no time did I need to haul extra gas. (240 miles range)
3. Don't have camper water but carry about ten gallons and a good water filter when venturing off the beaten path.
4. I carry solar shower. Works for me.
5. I go camping. If I want AC I'd have an RV and stay in a RV park.
6. Overland Solar set up. Don't want solar on the rig. If I park in the shade I can orient the solar set up anywhere I want.
7. 30 minutes to take off or put on.
8. Wife goes with me on occasion. It's dry and has a bed but then again she's not high maintenance.
9. Fantastic Fan, side or front dinette set-up, propane. I got the Fleet and customized it to my preferences.
10. **** or piss in the woods.

Just wanted to say, I like your approach! Most of the rigs on here make my head spin. I lived in my '84 Toyota 2wd with a homebuilt camper for 13 years. Had female roomates for about 4 of those years. Always camped in remote areas, remote enough that I would rarely see another human for the week or so I was out before heading in for supplies. Usually spent winters in the desert SW, and summers farther north. Did spend a few months one winter between Mulege and Loreto.

1) Recovery equipment was a jack that came with the truck, a camp shovel, a tow rope, and an air pump. With 2wd, momentum is your friend. If you get stuck, air down a lot and gather stuff to stick under the tires. But I tended to avoid getting stuck. Once in 13 years and ~180k miles I needed a tow back to town when my fuel pump died. Otherwise nothing I couldn't take care of on my own. Which is kind of amazing considering how beat up the bottom of the truck was, including the oil pan and gas tank (no skids).
2) No extra gas. The partially smashed tank was enough.
3) For two people, 5-8 gallons of drinking water and 10gal of dish and body wash water (2 sun showers), per week.
5) Moved with the seasons. It was never too hot or too cold to need temperature control.
6) Yep, remote moveable panel. Mostly for powering laptops.
8) If the woman doesn't love camping in the wilderness with you, then no amount of "comfort" that you can haul with you will be enough to make them happy.
10) Yep. Dig a hole and squat.

 

[Flhtruss]

Hello GA
Ours is F250 super duty with extended cab. ATC Cougar
1)removed jump seat made secure mount.
2) none yet, rotopax Mount on camper
3) no
4) external shower, small enclosure, added water heater
5)no
6) factory solar w/ 2nd battery
7)not regular, but easy to do, take your time.
8) yes
9) fantastic fans, solar, sink, heater, awning.
Rest kinda depends on your preference.
10) ports pottie.
Many using 1/2 ton trucks, I personally think they can limit gear. Wouldn’t want to 4wheel like video, but FS roads and minor ruff seldom used roads.
It’s hard to get everything right the first time around. Questions like these and read, and surf sites a great way to help. Look at what your family likes doing and start there. More storage can come be easily add with receiver rack, but will greatly reduce departure angle, and campers access in route.

Best of luck Russ.


1) Where do you now store your Hi-Lift jack and other recovery gear?
2) Where do you store your extra fuel cans (we need at least two 5-gallon cans)?
3) Do you carry any extra water or is the camper water storage enough?
4) Does anyone have experience with using and or specific information on how the shower works (in both functionality, ease of use, and any moisture issues)?
5) Have you installed an AC, and if so, how do you power it?
6) Have you used their installed solar or did you install your own? If so, then what size in watts is your solar and is it sufficient to power your camper?
7) Do you regularly or have you at all removed and reinstalled your Four Wheel Pop Up Camper and how easy or difficult is it to do? How do the four (4) removable "legs/support stands" work for you and do they work well? Do you drive around with the camper installed or do you remove it after your trip?
8) Does your wife enjoy the Four Wheel Pop Up camper?
9) What option(s) do you consider essential and which ones would you not include if you had to buy another one?
10) What is your poop setup? Cassette toilet, outside, etc.

Bonus questions:
What degree of off-road driving do you do with your Four Wheel Pop Up camper? Obviously we can't go in our full-size pickup where we used to go with our FJ40 Land Cruiser. Do you feel limited in where you can go?

If you drive a 1/2-ton pickup, do you wish you had a 3/4 or 1-ton pickup while driving around with the Four Wheel Pop up camper? (We run SuperSprings over the rear leaf springs which prevents bottoming out with heavier loads)[/QUOTE]

 

[Durango]

Good questions!

I should have asked some of these before ordering my first FWC:

1) Where do you now store your Hi-Lift jack and other recovery gear? Don't use a Hi-Lift. Keep major recovery gear in the front RH under bed aluminum box.
2) Where do you store your extra fuel cans (we need at least two 5-gallon cans)? Don't carry extra fuel even though last week on the White Rim Trail even with our 35 gallon truck tank I was worried.
3) Do you carry any extra water or is the camper water storage enough? In addition to the 26 gallons on board the Hawk we carry two 7.5 gallon tanks in the truck cabin. Honestly seldom if ever need them.
4) Does anyone have experience with using and or specific information on how the shower works (in both functionality, ease of use, and any moisture issues)? Sioux hated the outdoor shower. (She gets cold easily and invariably an outside breeze would spring up at shower time.) Inside works but is a hassle to set up and use. Needs to have the "ergonomics" smoothed out and we will do so even though as a 1200.00 option we shouldn't have to!
5) Have you installed an AC, and if so, how do you power it? No
6) Have you used their installed solar or did you install your own? If so, then what size in watts is your solar and is it sufficient to power your camper? Said I would install my own. If I had to do it ever again I would would let FWC do it!
7) Do you regularly or have you at all removed and reinstalled your Four Wheel Pop Up Camper and how easy or difficult is it to do? How do the four (4) removable "legs/support stands" work for you and do they work well? Do you drive around with the camper installed or do you remove it after your trip? It stays on permanently.
8) Does your wife enjoy the Four Wheel Pop Up camper? Usually- hates the mattress even with the Froli.
9) What option(s) do you consider essential and which ones would you not include if you had to buy another one? I would delete FWC's pathetic water faucet and install my own from Home Depot or wherever!
10) What is your poop setup? Cassette toilet, outside, etc. Cassette toilet but when in deep woods we carry two shovels. Works well and makes us feel "close to nature". The cassette toilet gets pee duty at night.

Bonus questions:
What degree of off-road driving do you do with your Four Wheel Pop Up camper? Obviously we can't go in our full-size pickup where we used to go with our FJ40 Land Cruiser. Do you feel limited in where you can go? Not really, We ran the White Rim Trail last week and were seldom scared. it isn't the camper that keeps us from running a given trail- more the fact that it is a big 10,000# truck! Here we are last week on Murphy Hogback on the White Rim. (It was definitely scarier than it looks in the photo!)


Here is the road up to Murphy climbing from the east. About all I want with a full size FWC! But it did it with no drama and no lockers! But definitely in 4WD low!

If you drive a 1/2-ton pickup, do you wish you had a 3/4 or 1-ton pickup while driving around with the Four Wheel Pop up camper? (We run SuperSprings over the rear leaf springs which prevents bottoming out with heavier loads) No question. we currently have a 2500 and will move up to a 3500 in our next build.
View on Google Maps

 

[kmcintyre]

We are considering purchasing a Four Wheel Popup Camper for our Chevrolet 1/2 pickup truck. The model that would fit is their Hawk model.

Considering that there will be no room in the bed and no truck bed tool box anymore, and as a potential buyer, I have the following questions:

1) Where do you now store your Hi-Lift jack and other recovery gear?
2) Where do you store your extra fuel cans (we need at least two 5-gallon cans)?
3) Do you carry any extra water or is the camper water storage enough?
4) Does anyone have experience with using and or specific information on how the shower works (in both functionality, ease of use, and any moisture issues)?
5) Have you installed an AC, and if so, how do you power it?
6) Have you used their installed solar or did you install your own? If so, then what size in watts is your solar and is it sufficient to power your camper?
7) Do you regularly or have you at all removed and reinstalled your Four Wheel Pop Up Camper and how easy or difficult is it to do? How do the four (4) removable "legs/support stands" work for you and do they work well? Do you drive around with the camper installed or do you remove it after your trip?
8) Does your wife enjoy the Four Wheel Pop Up camper?
9) What option(s) do you consider essential and which ones would you not include if you had to buy another one?
10) What is your poop setup? Cassette toilet, outside, etc.

Bonus questions:
What degree of off-road driving do you do with your Four Wheel Pop Up camper? Obviously we can't go in our full-size pickup where we used to go with our FJ40 Land Cruiser. Do you feel limited in where you can go?

If you drive a 1/2-ton pickup, do you wish you had a 3/4 or 1-ton pickup while driving around with the Four Wheel Pop up camper? (We run SuperSprings over the rear leaf springs which prevents bottoming out with heavier loads)

Ok... here's my input
We don't have any hi-jacks (could have used them once)
We put a rack on the back to carry 2 5gal diesel cans (only use that in Baja to get ULSD fuel).
No AC, no shower (looks like a problem to me), we'll carry a jug of water if we need to for the dog but we'll top off the water if we think we are getting low but never have run out
We leave the camper on but it's pretty easy to take on/off (there are some tricks like using a laser to line it up, etc.) and I didn't like the cable jacks (they were ok on my Dakota but the RAM is about 8" higher). Get jacks. It's fine to drive around with the camper on and we don't ever take the jacks with us.
Girlfriend loves the camper. Dog does too.
Outside pooping but you could get one of those "toilets" for outside. Has never been an issue for us.
What would I do differently? I'd get the higher roof model. Maybe a fan above the bed.
We do some "off roading" with the camper. No issues when we do (unless it's me trying to cross a stream). I did lose some maneuverability when I went full size truck vs. mid but I like the extra room (also went 4 door vs. club cab on the Dakota). The Dakota was a bit underpowered with the camper (V8 too) but it wasn't a big issue. Just couldn't pass many people so we drove slow.
Use airbags for the truck. If I had a truck w/ springs on the rear I'd probably put those on as our camper is on the truck pretty much full time.
If I could have bought a 3/4 or 1 ton truck w/ the 3.0L diesel I would have but alas, that doesn't make sense for 99% of the people who want a 3/4 or 1 ton.

Good luck.

 

[kmcintyre]

Oh, one thing we really like is having a FWC Eagle on a Full size truck. It "hides" behind the cab better.

 

[kmcintyre]

Oh, we use "solar in a bag" too. Works well when we need it but it'd be nice to have it on the roof all the time too.

 

[kmcintyre]

See my Travel Blog for how the wife and I use our camper. Have done several long trips. Key West from CA by way of Baltimore.


See video below for where you can take your FWC. Yes I have been told I am nuts.

Bill... you've got more ****'s than me. I guess once you started that section, you were committed....

 

[moveinon]

Had a hi-Lift and did not use it enough to carry. Other recovery gear fits on back of camper or in cab.
Don’t carry extra fuel but if I did I would just attach carriers at jack stand points with aluminum backing plate.
Water is usually adequate but I carry a pump filter and refill camper from a lake or stream when needed.
I have outside shower and it is adequate.
AC means camp ground or generator, I rarely stay in a camp ground and don’t use a generator.
I have 160W ZAmp portable that I attach to roof rack when traveling and take down and use as portable when in the woods or other shade area.
I take the camper off every winter. Takes about 25 minutes to attach jacks and detach camper and set on portable base. Jacks work well with electric drill and are stable.
Wife loves the camper.
I bought a used Fleet with pretty much every option. There is nothing that I do not use. What people like and feel is essential is very different between people. You can see other threads on this.
I have a porti potty primarily for night use. During the day it is trowel and tree.

The Fleet is on a V6 Extended Cab Tacoma. Upgraded suspension (shocks and air bags) and E rated tires (BFG KO2) were essential for me. With that the Tacoma does very well. I drive a fair amount of logging roads and some off road but no real rock crawling. The Tacoma with FWC has gone everywhere I have wanted to go. I could not get into two of the fishing spots I go to with a larger pickup, not because of size, but because of turning radius. I also live in a city so am using parking structures somewhat regularly and a larger pickup just does not work well in those so I would not think of changing to a larger truck.