exmx_racer
New member
Can you remind us what you have done to the Tacoma suspension? And what is ride like without the camper on? We are still waffling. . .
The TARDIS - A Four Wheel Camper Build
- Thread starter Overland Hadley
- Start date
tdesanto
Expedition Leader
Sounds about right. Looks like all the hard work and research paid off big time. Congrats!
24HOURSOFNEVADA
Expedition Leader
That was a fast delivery. Congrats.
Northern Explorer
Explorer
Looks good!
ersatzknarf
lost, but making time
Welcome back, safe and sound.
Your comments mean it was all worthwhile and worth the wait.
Very glad for you, OH ! ! !
Overland Hadley
on a journey
Thanks for all the nice comments.
I had hoped to work on the camper some tonight, but it is raining/sleeting/snowing and I did not want to get a bunch of ice built up on the pop top. So no new photos.
I had hoped to work on the camper some tonight, but it is raining/sleeting/snowing and I did not want to get a bunch of ice built up on the pop top. So no new photos.
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Overland Hadley
on a journey
Tacoma (Gen2) suspension
I have Old Man Emu all around. The rear Dakar leaf springs are the standard 7 leaf pack, not the HD 8 leaf pack. I then have custom sized Timbrens instead of airbags. So when the truck is unloaded it rides very nicely on just the Dakars and when it is loaded down it rides on the Timbrens. This way there is only a couple inches of difference between fully loaded and empty. I am very happy with this setup and would do exactly the same thing if I had to do it again.
I have Old Man Emu all around. The rear Dakar leaf springs are the standard 7 leaf pack, not the HD 8 leaf pack. I then have custom sized Timbrens instead of airbags. So when the truck is unloaded it rides very nicely on just the Dakars and when it is loaded down it rides on the Timbrens. This way there is only a couple inches of difference between fully loaded and empty. I am very happy with this setup and would do exactly the same thing if I had to do it again.
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Jeff Wanamog
Off Road Camper Guy
Congrats my friend!
​Jeff
​Jeff
Overland Hadley
on a journey
Weight
I weighed the truck before I picked up the camper, and then again at the same scale after the camper was installed. And minus the camper jacks the camper weighs 650 pounds.
This was a little disappointing as I had hoped (and expected) it would come in at 600, so it is about 50 more than I would have liked. Where did the extra weight come from?
Well there are the options: jack brackets, screen door, full length rack tracks, and the polar pack. (I know it is called the 'arctic pack' but from here on out I will be referring to it as the 'polar pack'.) I also special ordered the camper with a larger pull out for the bed, giving me a ''king'' size bed. So there is some of the weight.
Then there are the special things needed for mounting the camper on a Gen2 Tacoma. The bottom of the camper has wood runners that help it clear the mounting brackets. Then there are the mounting brackets themselves, these are beefy, and I like that because I want the camper mounted to the frame of the truck, not the plastic bed. But the brackets are heavy, I picked one up before it was mounted and I would guess it weighed 15 pounds, so there is 30 pounds right there. There are also the bed matts that the camper sits on, these are stupid heavy pieces of rubber that I will be replacing first time the camper comes off the truck. (It would be nice if FWC had something on their new website that said, ''Gen2 Tacoma mounting system weighs xx pounds''. This would also force them to come up with a lighter rubber bed matt.)
There are some things I am going to do to lighten the camper: replace the thick rubber bed mats, lighten or replace the material for the slide out bed, possibly remove the shelf/cabinet above the window, and anything else I can replace with a lighter option.
I weighed the truck before I picked up the camper, and then again at the same scale after the camper was installed. And minus the camper jacks the camper weighs 650 pounds.
This was a little disappointing as I had hoped (and expected) it would come in at 600, so it is about 50 more than I would have liked. Where did the extra weight come from?
Well there are the options: jack brackets, screen door, full length rack tracks, and the polar pack. (I know it is called the 'arctic pack' but from here on out I will be referring to it as the 'polar pack'.) I also special ordered the camper with a larger pull out for the bed, giving me a ''king'' size bed. So there is some of the weight.
Then there are the special things needed for mounting the camper on a Gen2 Tacoma. The bottom of the camper has wood runners that help it clear the mounting brackets. Then there are the mounting brackets themselves, these are beefy, and I like that because I want the camper mounted to the frame of the truck, not the plastic bed. But the brackets are heavy, I picked one up before it was mounted and I would guess it weighed 15 pounds, so there is 30 pounds right there. There are also the bed matts that the camper sits on, these are stupid heavy pieces of rubber that I will be replacing first time the camper comes off the truck. (It would be nice if FWC had something on their new website that said, ''Gen2 Tacoma mounting system weighs xx pounds''. This would also force them to come up with a lighter rubber bed matt.)
There are some things I am going to do to lighten the camper: replace the thick rubber bed mats, lighten or replace the material for the slide out bed, possibly remove the shelf/cabinet above the window, and anything else I can replace with a lighter option.
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At 650lbs you did great! 30+lbs of the 50lbs are not from the camper itself. The thick rubber bed mats might be good to keep it for now, it may help to provide some cushion between the camper and the truck on washboard trails. Really looking to see the pictures from your trips with the camper.:wings:
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Redline
Likes to Drive and Ride
Polar Pack sounds good, better than arctic pack.
Bigger, longer bed sounds nice too.
I think you did pretty good on the weight when you consider all the extras. I am actually surprised that the list you rattled off didn't ad up to over a hundred plus, seeing that the Tacoma's need those big bars at 30 pounds by themselves and the bed mat might be pushing or over 20 lbs.
I have a new Hawk shell with a furnace, cook top and roll over couch and have done no other mods. Based on your obvious careful consideration on bascially everything involved - I am now going to be following this thread very close. Can't wait to see your build and I have a feeling that I may be "borrowing" a few idea's. :bowdown:
I have a new Hawk shell with a furnace, cook top and roll over couch and have done no other mods. Based on your obvious careful consideration on bascially everything involved - I am now going to be following this thread very close. Can't wait to see your build and I have a feeling that I may be "borrowing" a few idea's. :bowdown:
NothingClever
Explorer
I only quibble about 50 lbs if I have to carry it on my back, a bicycle or a motorcycle :bike_rider: .
It's a truck....you'll be OK.
Now post some photos, fer cryin' out loud !
It's a truck....you'll be OK.
Now post some photos, fer cryin' out loud
!
rotti
Adventurer
Quote: "I also special ordered the camper with a larger pull out for the bed, giving me a ''king'' size bed."
Hmmm, does the ''king size bed" come standard on the Hawk I just ordered?
Didn't see that on the option list.
At 6'4'' I need all the room I can get.
Congrats on the camper, I have about another month to wait for my camper AND truck.
Edit: Guess I will answer my own question, got a email back from FWC:
Yes we do have a King slide option $395.00, but you will have to order
flush mount appliances which are an additional $ 600.00.
For a grand I'll pass.
Hmmm, does the ''king size bed" come standard on the Hawk I just ordered?
Didn't see that on the option list.
At 6'4'' I need all the room I can get.
Congrats on the camper, I have about another month to wait for my camper AND truck.
Edit: Guess I will answer my own question, got a email back from FWC:
Yes we do have a King slide option $395.00, but you will have to order
flush mount appliances which are an additional $ 600.00.
For a grand I'll pass.
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