Cabover Camper Chat

mcollins2 · January 2000

Tom and Vince - Thanks for working out the details of the bracket. I've been camping at Oscar Scherer State Park in Osprey FL for the last few days; very nice sites with no computer! I'll just pitch my bracket for now.

Vince - My battery is a 78A-84. The 7YR or the 84(month) is the warranty. I'm not sure if there is a difference in the 78 and 78A. Noticed the longer warranty battery 78-7YR has slightly better specs than the 5YR or 6YR on reserve capacity (120 min vs 100,110 respectively). Also has larger C.C.A (who cares for second battery). Since it is too difficult to get a deep cycle battery (10.9 X 7.0 X 7.3), I got the 78A-84 for the extra capacity. The cost was $81.

Mike2

mledtje · January 2000

I noticed on the GM Sport Truck Forum that the 2000's have a different way to reset the Oil Minder.

On 99's you turn on the key and wait until the lights stop changing and pump the gas 5 times. On the 00's you only step on the gas 3 times.

Hope this works for you.

Mike

vince4 · January 2000

Well that's very interesting because it certainly doesn't work with 5 times. The manual says 5 times, obviously it's wrong if this is true. That item is on my list for my first dealer visit so I'll see what they say. The clock half broke (sometimes it's 3:84 or 3:94 o'clock) on my radio so now I have a real reason to go.

vince4 · January 2000

By the way, I learned that it's not hard to get stuck in sand even with 4wd. I took the camper to Pismo beach and did something stupid because I thought I could. Start from a stop in soft sand going up hill a little with the wheels turned and punch it. It dug right in. Wasn't a big deal, I was able to back out slowly and then was fine but I learned where the limit is. I guess with narrowish tires at full pressure and all that weight it's easy to dig a hole.

jraske · January 2000

Hey everyone, I wanted to find out what type of camper mounts everyone is useing, I checked with a place yesterday and he recommended the type that mount between the cab and the box for the front, said they were better then frame mount for the front because they would keep the camper from sliding backwords, where as the frame mount won't because the mounting from the camper is to much straight down and wont have any forward pull.
As far as the back is concerned this guy I went to is talking about being able to connect to my hitch from the sides. The only cabover I've had before was on a Dodge Dakota and i had stake pocket mounting on that, so I'm not real sure of the best way to go with my 00 F350.
Thanks for any help.
John

Brutus · January 2000

I've got frame mounts and my camper does not move at all. Make sure you get the good turnbuckles, whichever way you go.

99 F-350SD SC Lariat 4x4 dually V-10 auto 4.30 l/s
99 Bigfoot 3000 10'11"

vince4 · January 2000

Unfortunately nothing is without some drawbacks. The issue of forward pull seems real to me, I've thought about that too. But Brutus has put many miles on his rig without problems so maybe it's not a big deal. He has a spray-in liner though and that in itself will keep the camper from moving easily. I have the bed mount type you referred to, they are made by Happijac. They are good in all ways except one: in extreme cases they can damage the bed. I learned it the hard way and the frame mount company points it out on their web page too. A really hard pull can flex the mount back until it hits the bed and dents it. I went years without this happening in normal use but did have it happen when the truck was towed on a flatbed truck and it got to rocking over some potholes. But I still like the mounts and put them on my new Silverado. They sell a stabilizer bar which may help, you should get it if you go this way. The rear hitch mount is a new one on me but it sounds good and strong. The turnbuckles Brutus mentioned are also made by Happijac. They are nice, use these whichever way you go. They have a spring damped set for the front and a rubber damped set for the rear.

See the frame mounts at www.torklift.com and the bed mounts at www.happijac.com.

jraske · January 2000

I thought the frame mounts sounded better, but got to wondering about the forward pull thing.
One other thing I was wondering about is if the frame mount system shows much when not in use?I know that seems like a petty concern, but on a new truck I would hate to have big ugly camper mounts sticking out.
Thanks for the information.
John

Brutus · January 2000

My camper doesn't sit on the spray-on liner. Because I have the Ford Superduty, I have to have a 3" platform in the bad so the cabover clears the camper by an adequate margin. My camper sits directly on the plywood, so it never touches the bed liner.

The frame mounts are in two parts. One part stays mounted to the frame at all times. The other part is about an 18 inch piece of steal that has the chain on it. This part slides into the part attached to the frame and is secured by a wingnut and locking washer. This part is always removed when the camper is on the truck. When it is removed, you cannot see the frame mounts.

I got lazy (and we had some subzero temps) so I didn't get the camper on over the break. Eventually, I'll get some pictures.....

jraske · January 2000

I knew you could remove the tie down part itself
but I was wondering about the receiver part that stays on the truck, do those parts show much?
since I also have a Superduty I am going to need that platform also. How is your's made?
John

Brutus · January 2000

John, I sent you two photos of the truck that I took in September. They're not the best, but they will show that you can't see the frame mounts when the camper is not on and the extended part is removed. Next time that I get the truck cleaned up and put the camper on, I will send photos of the camper, platform and closeups of the tie-downs and frame mounts.

defiant · January 2000

I am shopping for a used (1990-95) diesel Ford F350 crew cab 4x4 for a 10 foot camper with a dry weight just under 2500 lbs. I am trying to decide whether to get dual rear wheels. I don't really want a duallie, but I do a lot of driving on twisting high speed roads such as Highway 101 through Northern California, and I am concerned about handling safety. I tend to be a fast driver. I'd like to hear experience of other camper owners.

defiant · January 2000

I've been shopping for a cabover camper, and have narrowed it down to the Northern Lite or Lance 10' campers. I want something that's relatively lightweight, good for camping in very cold or very wet weather, and will last me 10-20 years.

Does anyone have any experience with these brands? Are there others I should be considering?

highdesertrat · January 2000

I recently bought a new 11 1/2 foot Lance myself. I shopped the various brands for sale in my area, Caribou, Elkhorn, Alpenlite And Lance to name a few.I could not find a local dealer for Bigfoot or Northern Lite. I decided on the Lance based on quality, reputation and price. I have only used it once, but as yet I'm not disappointed with my decision.

pistolero · January 2000

I'm in the same boat you are but since I'm waiting on delivery of a shortbed dually crewcab I'm limited to shorter cabovers. I've checked out happycamper and a few other sites, it seems as if Bigfoot, Alpenlite, Fleetwood and Lance are the leading recommended manufacturers for the hard sided models. I've pretty much decided to go with a Lance 820, the Fleetwood Elkhorns were fairly close in quality and a little cheaper. After doing a bunch of research it kind of came down to my personal preference based on company history and roof differences (rubber vs alum). Happycamper has quite a bit of info at their website. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Brutus · January 2000

Make sure that you figure in the weight of options when looking at your dry weight. I got all the options on my camper and they added 1,000 pounds to the advertised dry weight. Some manufacturers provide option weights in their literature.

I have yet to meet a Lance or Bigfoot owner who was dissatisfied with their purchase. They appear to be a step above when it comes to quality, although they tend to be a step above in price also. Bigfoot campers are made in Canada. The number of dealers in the US are limited, and those dealers tend to know it. That makes it harder to negotiate a good price. If you can travel to pick it up, you can get a good price.

Keep in mind that just because Lance and Bigfoot are considered by many to be the highest quality, that certainly does not mean that the others are low quality. There are alot of good campers to choose from in a variety of different price ranges. A good site for camper questions can be found at www.happycampers.net. Click on "Chat". You can do a site search using keywords such as "Northern Lite" or "Lance" or "Bigfoot" or "Feetwood". You can also create a new thread.

vince4 · January 2000

If you get the truck & camper you mentioned you won't be a fast driver any more. The Ford engine is good but that's a lot of weight to pull around.

The dually is best if you are going to leave the camper on most of the time. No doubt it is more stable. But a singley will do the job just fine too and not be so wide when the camper is off. I never considered a dually because I use my truck for a daily driver without the camper and don't want to deal with a truck that's as wide as my camper.

I don't know Northern Lite but I have a Lance and am happy with it. If you want less weight you need to go with their Lite series. But then you give up a bunch of goodies so you may not be content for 10-20 years with that choice. On that truck a few hundred more pounds won't be a big deal. It sounds like the Bigfoot has a great cold weather package, Lance also has one but I don't know if it's as good. One thing going for Lance is resale value and ease. All camper shoppers know the name and it's very popular on the used market so you can sell one quick. They are expensive when buying new though. I looked at a 9.5' model last year and they wanted $17k.

pistolero · January 2000

I've listened to all the dually drivers out there who have emphasized the dual wheels are really not a factor after a little getting used to them. After spending a lifetime driving vans, trucks, and commercial vehicles I have to agree that you usually adapt real quickly to whatever you're driving. My choice for a dually was simply based on payload. As Brutus stated, you will most likely gain a lot of weight once you load up all your gear. It seems to be a tendency in the camper community for a lot of people to buy a marginal vehicle to haul their camper, and then spend a lot of money trying to get it to haul better or they settle for mediocre performance. In almost all configurations a dually gives you an average payload increase of 1100 pounds. Personally I like to have some left over, the dry weight on my intended camper is 2700, but I know my truck will haul it fine without having to immediately run out and install a lot of aftermarket gear. Another consideration for you is compensating for the loss of payload for the diesel, Ford's trailer guide puts that at about 650 lbs. Food for thought anyway!!

Brutus · January 2000

Your figures for additional payload with duallys is about right. The GVWR of the Superduty increases by 1,300 from 9,900 to 11,200, but you have to back out the extra weight of the options (two tires and a little more axle).

As I've mentioned before, I exceed the GVWR of my truck even with the duallys, so my camper (10'11" Bigfoot 3000) would not be recommended for a single rear wheel truck. I see the Bigfoot 2500 models on SRW trucks all the time. No doubt they are over their GVWR, but they are at least 500 pounds lighter than my camper. I weighed in one time last summer, loaded for a trip including two full propane tanks, 30 gallons of water and 38 gallons of gasoline and I topped the scales a little over 11,700 with me in the truck.

The diesel weighs more so it does reduce the payload. The good news is that the majority of your camper weight is on the rear axle, while the majority of your diesel weight is on the front axle, so you're more than likely not exceeding the GAWR of either axle. I know someone who has the same camper as I do and carries it on a Superduty with the diesel and 4.10. He gets about 5mpg better than I get with the V-10 and 4.30.

vince4 · January 2000

Not surprisingly the decision comes down to payload. If you want a heavy camper with generator and all the goodies then you may be forced into the dually. I've seen people do it without but they are obviously well over the limit.

I'm sure you would adapt to the dually however parking spaces etc. don't adapt to it. So some portion of adapting is simply not doing what you could otherwise do. For me, it is very different driving with and without the camper. In one case I choose my next move carefully and often just have to be more patient, in the other case I don't need to give it much thought and drive almost the same as in my small car. We have terminal bumper-to-bumper traffic here so being a bit smaller is often handy. But I use the truck for a daily driver. If you won't then pick what's right for the camper you really want.

Brutus · January 2000

When I've got the camper on, if I can't pull through a parking spot to be facing forward, I always back into parking spaces. Just because you can get into the parking space with the camper on, it doesn't mean you can get out of it, especially if someone near you parks awkward. When you back in initially, you know exactly what is behind you and beside you. Unless you've got mirrors that telescope out about five feet, there will always be blind spots behind you so it's best to do the backing on your terms when you have the most control of the situation.

mledtje · January 2000

Boy, reading about driving, parking, mileage, etc. on your guys big campers really makes me appreciate my little popup on a 1/2 ton.

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Mike L

defiant · January 2000

Thanks to everyone who answered my questions about dually vs single, and about Northern Lite vs Lance. There is now a Bigfoot/Northern Lite dealer here in the north San Francisco Bay area, so I paid them a visit today. The Bigfoot brochure has some VERY useful information about estimating the REAL weight of the camper with options. It's pretty surprising. Anyone planning on buying a camper should read it, even if you're buying a different brand.

Thanks also for the reminder about adding in the weight of the diesel engine in my weight calculations. I had completely overlooked that.

I will probably buy the Northern Lite, but first I need to find a different truck, since my current truck isn't camper-capable. I'm looking for a used F350 diesel (or possibly Ram 3500) with a manual transmission.

Brutus · January 2000

Make sure to shop around for camper prices, especially if the camper you're looking for only has one dealer in the area. I've seen some of the best prices for RVs up in Oregon. I almost bought my Bigfoot up there, but ended up buying it in British Columbia on my way back to Alaska.

Since they don't have a place to check out dealer invoice cost like you can with cars, it's really hard to figure out what is a fair price. A lady on another website was trying to sell a fairly new Bigfoot that seemed to be just like mine. She was asking almost $30,000. I bought mine for $22,600 installed, including construction of the platform. I added the $2,500 generator, so I was out the door for $25,100. Her's included the generator also, but the fact that she was asking $5,000 more for a used unit than I paid for mine new shows that there is a lot of room to negotiate. Out-of-State dealers are more than happy to give you price quotes over the phone and might even offer you a better deal than the locals since they know they need to entice you to drive up and pick it up.

vince4 · January 2000

Oh yes but when we arrive...

Since you leave the camper on all the time the popup is great. I prefer the luxury of the bigger unit and the use of my truck when it's off. The only advantage of the popup I envy is the ability to go off-road.

vince4 · January 2000

Brutus, don't you have a window in the camper door? I have one with a wide angle lens and it's great for backing up. I have a good view of directly behind the camper however distances are hard to judge.

For anyone buying a new camper, absolutely for sure definitely get this option if it's offered. It's an important safety feature as well as a convenience.

Brutus · January 2000

OK, call me stupid. Now that I think of it, I do think there is a window on the door at ground level that has an insulation flap on it. I've got a slider in the truck and camper. I'll have to check out how effective it is. I know the upper window in the camper is not one that you can see out. It's kind of like those old bathroom windows that let's light in, but you can't see out. I'm sure it's related to the -40 weather rating of my camper.

I'll definitely be checking out that lower window. I still foresee significant blind spots. My truck also sits up pretty high, so I doubt I would see a car sitting directly behind me.

Anything else I should know about my camper? I can't believe I never thought about the window. I'm still learning new stuff all the time. Although I picked it up last January, I really only used it from May through Labor Day. Of course, I did use it just about every weekend. This year, I plan to get out earlier and stay out later, maybe even do some winter camping. I should be able to winterize it for the season around the middle to the end of April.

Thanks for window tip Vince......

vince4 · January 2000

Uh, what can I say. Lift the shade from your window and see a whole new world. You WILL be able to see a car due to the wide angle lens. You can also see a person standing back there while you run over them. Oh but I jest, you would be able to see them before you run over them.

Actually being able to see people (especially kids) while backing is why I consider the window a required safety item. I don't open the slider or anything, I can see out in the rear view mirror just fine.

defiant · January 2000

I have another question that I hope you all can help me with.

Does anyone have any opinion or knowledge about the suitability of campers for off road use on a 4x4? I'm especially wondering whether there is a strong disadvantage or advantage to either wood frame (Lance) construction as opposed to molded fiberglass (Northern Lite, Bigfoot).

I know a pop-up would be best for this, but I need a camper that I can also use as a mobile office (for writing). I don't want to raise and lower it all the time.

I'm not talking about serious four wheeling on challenging trails. I have a Jeep CJ for that. But I do want to be able to travel long distances on very rough unpaved roads. The two conditions that concern me most are washboard surfaces that continually pound the vehicle, and deep ruts that may put extreme twisting pressures on the camper.

Thanks in advance!

Brutus · January 2000

I took a couple of photos at lunch of the frame mounts on my truck. If anyone wants to see what they look like, I can e-mail them to you. Teh pictures show what the frame mounts look like when the camper is off and the slide-in part that has the chains on it not attached. Some time next week, I'll try to get photos of the part that slides into the frame mount. I'll provide a brief description of the photos below, so that if more than one person wants me to e-mail the photos, I won't have to explain them multiple times.

Photo 1 - This photo is of the rear left mount. It was hard to get a photo of the rear mounts that would show you exactly how it is attached. You can see a little hole in the left side. That's for the bolt that you put in after you have slid in the second part of the mount. You line up the bolt holes in both pieces and then secure it with a locking washer and wing nut.

Photo 2 - This is a shot from the rear of the truck. As you can tell, I had the truck running and warming up. It is less than 10 degrees and snowing right now. The point of this photo was to show that the mounts do not extend out from under the truck without the slide-in parts attached, so you can't see them unless you look under the truck and you won't be bumping your shins on them.

Photo 3 - This is a photo of the front mount on the driver's side. I was sitting right in front of the rear tires when I took it. As you can tell, the front frame mount is very well secured since the front tie-down takes the brunt of the pressure of the camper. The cord hanging down is my light cord. It goes up through a hole in the bed. If I pull the cord in the bed, the slack will take up and you wouldn't see it.

Photo 4 - This is the front left on the passenger side, also taken while sitting directly in front of the rear dually.

Truck 1 - This photo was taken in September. After I came in this afternoon, I realized that I hadn't a taken a photo that would show that the mounts don't show so I included it. This is of the front driver's side.

Truck 2 - Ditto for this photo except it's a rear view.

vince4 · January 2000

When are you going to get a web site? You said you wanted to do that. Then you could post your pictures with easy links for us lazy folks.

vince4 · January 2000

You are right to be concerned. A full size camper does fine on dirt roads but it's rather top heavy to be attempting deeply rutted roads especially when on the side of a hill or something. I've taken my old one on washboard and such with no problem but it does vibrate the heck out of it. I assume this could lead to trouble over time with such things as plumbing connections. I guess you would have the same issue with a popup though.

If you travel slow and have a strong nerve I guess you could do quite a lot with a camper on. I just feel too nervous to push it. One problem I have run into (literally!) is low branches. The tall camper on a tall truck requires more clearance than any other vehicle traveling those trails so you could be stopped cold.

As far as the wood frame, I think any good brand camper is going to hold up structurally. It's likely the small things and appliances that will show the wear.

If you read back in this topic, Mike L has a popup he uses for off-road and we have discussed the merits of both styles. You need to decide which is more important to you, convenience or versatility.

jraske · January 2000

Brutus the pictures are great, I only have a couple of questions about them, what brand are your camper mounts, also it looks like your rear mounts are connected to your towing receiver rather than your truck frame is this right? or is it just the way it looks in your picture?
One other thing, how much space do you think is needed between the cab of the truck with cab running lights and the cab over part of the camper? Since I will need a platform to raise it up a few inches I want to get it right the first time around.
I went out yesterday and bought a used 93 Lance Squire that's 10.3ft long. This camper is great,
it looks just like new, The guy I bought it from is going to deliver it to me since my truck isn't set up for it yet.
I can't wait to see how my truck will handle the camper and boat together.
John

stabbur · January 2000

We have done lots of dirt and gravel with no problem, but what causes the most trouble is really bad washboard. I'm afraid to go fast enough to get it to smooth out and to go slow enough so that it is OK is really too slow, especially when there are miles and miles of it. Best way to tell how much is too much is to look for the powdered aluminum under the drink cans in the frig at the end of the day.

We don't have 4wd so we stay on two track at least. We did drive out over some tufa beds at a hot spring so we could get a level place to park for the night and I wondered if we would poke through. Came out OK. I worried about environmental impact but a few others had already done it at this remote site and I don't think we did any harm.

Avoiding tree limbs is a real plus. Also many pop tops are only 7 ft wide so when you are tipped to the side it is easier to get between narrow places in the trees.

Good luck.

mledtje · January 2000

Hi Vince and Mike2,

How much room did you have for the aux battery?

I'm asking because I ran across a deep cycle battery that can be 6.8" high. Will that fit under the bracket?

It is an Optima battery, has no liquid and can be installed in any orientation. Laying on its side it is 10" x 7.8"x 6.8". 750CCA. A marine battery so it can be left for months without problems.

Failing that, I guess I would mount the battery in the bed of the truck under the right front corner of the camper. Lots of wasted space there.

Still undecided on the truck purchase.

Mike

vince4 · January 2000

Thanks for the idea, it would fit. I had meant to check into those but forgot, probably because I know they are expensive ($150?). They are supposed to have excellent performance and a long life. The Interstate battery I found runs around $100 so maybe the Optima isn't so bad.

The answer as I assume you read is to remove the bracket. This is GM's enlightened solution. I've gone out twice with just the brand new camper battery and it did fine so I haven't gotten back to this issue yet. I do want the second one though because it lets you not worry about having many lights on, or running the heater a lot in cold weather. I also used it to jump the truck when the battery failed in my last truck. Good peace of mind if you are out in the boonies.

If you do go for the new truck be sure to order this option. Maybe you could set a number goal to resolve the issue, like order a new truck when yours has 60k miles. Or maybe order a 2002 model year. I hear they are going to put alum heads on the 6.0 and boost the hp. I'm not sure which I'd rather have, cast iron or hp. I like both.

vince4 · January 2000

Hey Gary, are you still with us? Did you sell that camper before ever putting it on? Or maybe you just can't get out of that new truck to come blab with us!

mledtje · January 2000

Vince,

If I order a 2500 it will have the Aux Battery option. However, at this time nobody wants to take an order for a GMS price on this truck.

One dealer told me that 3/4 tons are so scarce they can sell them at list. Why would he want to waste a scarce allocation on a GMS deal?

I actually located a 3/4 ton 4x4 stick shift truck in CA. But, it is white, does not have the aux battery, aluminum wheels, fog lamps or the camper mirrors. $24K. I do like the truck I have, so I'm not ready to settle for less than I want (salesmen hate that). None of the dealers want to deal with a manual trans. Only one in CA is a GMC.

One of the features I really want to get on a new truck is the foldown center seat. I actually found one in a wrecking yard, but they wanted $1000 (yes, one thousand dollars) for it. I guess they wanted it more than I did.

Hey, it is starting to look like I can go snow camping next month. I was getting worried for a while. I put a new thermostat in the camper that I can set down to 35. Just enough to keep the water from freezing. Max is 75. Actually it is a standard thermostat adjusted 10 degrees.

We are looking forward to snow camping. We will probably have the place to ourselves again. If it is half as good as I think it will be, we will have a great time.

Later, I have to work now.

vince4 · January 2000

What is GM up to now? I've read the same thing on the Silverado board about scarce 3/4 ton trucks. Yet there are excess 1/2 tons around. Sounds like some planners at GM got it wrong. You need to wait until the 4-door demand is filled and things stabilize to go back and try again. It's worth waiting to get exactly what you want, especially since it's your second time around.

That $1000 seat is crazy. I bet they hold out for someone that really must have one, or possibly to sell to an insurance company. My dad's Blazer was stolen and recovered a few years ago and they trashed the seats. The insurance co. looked all over the country for used seats because the truck was several years old. It took awhile but they found some and probably paid a bunch.

You can have your 35 degree thermostat, eee gads that's cold! I'm happy to use the fuel to keep mine at 50-55 at night but it is noisy. Remember that 35 at the thermostat isn't 35 inside the cupboards where the plumbing is. Those are closer to the outside and are much cooler than the camper interior. You should probably use about 40 or so.

Where are you going to go? Do you know of any campgrounds that are open or do you just make your own?

mledtje · January 2000

We are going back to Ten Mile Campground in Kings Canyon, on the road to Hume Lake. We there last summer and it looked like a great place for winter camping. It's about 6 miles off the main road - we hope the road to Hume Lake is maintained! Otherwise we may wind up near Grant Grove or in Sequoia Nat'l Park.

When we were at Racetrack in Death Valley, it was 34 in the morning when we woke up. That lightweight down comforter works great!! Reach over and turn the heater on and wait a while to get up.

I don't think the water system will freeze at 32. First, it is contained and any pressure will lower the freezing point - ice expands and the pipe wont let it expand. And that lowers the freezing point substantially. Second, the plumbing is all plastic and it doesn't conduct heat very well. It will freeze, but probably not until it has been 25 or less for several hours. Keeping the thermostat at 35 should work, and we know we can sleep at that temp.

I'm think seriously about waiting for the 2001's to come out. They may have some little improvements like the 2000's do (headlights switchable, programable door locks), and the new HD pickups should be available. Might reduce demand for 2500's. I actually like the sound of the new diesel engine, but the cost so much in $$ and weight. Ideally, the 5.3 with the HD 5-speed, but that is not available. So, 6.0 5-spd is my only real choice. My only real concern is with fuel economy.

But, I really like my current truck. Maybe, selling the camper (that we also like) and getting a 4 Wheel Camper that is lighter weight is the right solution.

mledtje · January 2000

The Optima had a list of $170 for the deep cycle marine battery. The same size is available in a conventional battery for $100. The deep cycle is the right battery for the camper.

http://www.optimabatteries.com/main.htm

Brutus · January 2000

My camper has insulated tanks, and the heat runs around the tanks. I haven't tested them yet. If you are concerned about water freezing in your fresh water tank at temps around freezing and you don't plan to take showers, you might consider bringing along some five gallon jugs of water and leaving the fresh water tank empty. Buy a gallon of antifreeze and dump some in your grey and black water tank which will insure they don't freeze. You will have use of everything but running water. You can fill the sink from the water jugs to do dishes or wash up or cook with it. Just a thought.

vince4 · January 2000

Mike, you want to buy a 3/4 ton so you are not at the max limit (and other reasons), but then you get a lighter camper to get better mileage? So you end up with a weight rating you don't need and still get bad mileage. Either get a new truck and keep the camper or get the lighter camper and keep the truck.

What you really need to do is pull that seat out and modify it so the middle folds down. You may even be able to make a hinged top for it. It would be a fun project for which you have the ability and equipment. Then you would be happier until 2001. Waiting is a good idea because this is still a new model so they continue to make small improvements.

vince4 · January 2000

OK, I dug out the books. I see Hume lake in my Lake book, it shows many campgrounds including Upper Ten Mile. I have a note that the Hume Lake campground was closed when I was there once in November. That campground is accessed via a different road than TM is though. That book doesn't give open dates but Tom's book does. (Did you buy Tom's book yet? You should, it is the most complete single resource I have.) Tom says TM is open May to October. There are others in the area, a little farther up the road is Landslide, it has the same open period. He says no piped water at either although the book is the '92-93 edition so who knows. One that is open year round is Lodgepole inside the park. But it's big, 260 sites. That appears to be the only year round campground in the area.

Are you interested in company next month?

vince4 · January 2000

Well Mike, I do believe you hit the mark. Their deep cycle battery is a group 34/78 and I'm guessing the only difference is side terminals. That means if I mount it upright it will use the factory hold down I hope. For the size they say:

Length: 10" 254 mm
Width: 6.8" 172.2 mm
Height: 7.8" 198.1 mm(height at the top of the terminals)
Minimum Weight: 43.8lb. 19.89kg
Terminal Configuration: SAE / BCI automotive and GM style side terminal (3/8" - 16 UNC - 2B, threaded nut).

Notice the height includes the terminals. I just measured my terminals and they are 3/4 inch so the battery is only 7" high! That will fit. I'll cut the terminals if I have to.

The construction method is impressive, I'm sold. Now to find the best price. By the way, if you are interested you could add one to your truck easily. Thanks for the idea.

jraske · January 2000

I ordered the Torx Lift camper mounts this week, I had to order from the factory since nobody around here could seem to figure out what I was talking about. Evrywere I went they had the Happy Jack style but not the frame mount.
To me the Torx lift is a better system.
Brutus, you never said what brand of frame mount you used. From your pics they look different then Torx lift.
Anybody else use the Torx lift brand? How do you like them?
Thanx John

mledtje · January 2000

Sorry if I mislead you. I'm considering one or the other not both. Wish I could afford both. But, the 4 Wheel Camper is $$$$$. If I sold my camper for $5000, it would cost another $6000 to get the 4 Wheel Camper, and I would loose my water heater and outside shower.

Base on dealer trade in value it would only cost about $8-9000 to move from a 99 1/2 ton Base model truck to a 00 3/4 ton LS. If I sold my truck for near Blue Book it would be about $4-5000 to make the move.

And it costs almost nothing to do nothing. I actually looked at a 00 1/2 ton LS. $3-4000 less than the 3/4 ton. (after looking at the 3/4 ton LS I realized there are a lot of features on the LS that are not on the base model)

You may not realize it, but you guys are acting as a sounding board as I try to make a decision. Thanks for being there and listening and offering advice.

Mike

mledtje · January 2000

Vince,

I don't mind company at all. Still don't know if we can get into the campground. Technically it is closed. But, I've talked to others who have camped there in the winter. As long as the road is passable and the gates aren't chained it should be OK. Lodgepole is a fallback.

I never thought we would have water at a snow camp. Even if it was there, it would be frozen. We use what we bring.

I had forgotten about Tom's book. I mean completely forgotten. Can you refresh my memory with the name? I would guess it is something you can buy at REI or ??

We are planning on going out on the 19th and returning on the 21st. That gives all day on the 19th to find a spot and get settled in. 20th is a play day. You know, wander around in the snow, get frostbite, retreat to the camper and indulge in some hot tea so you can repeat the frostbite. It has been so long since we have been in the snow, that we may not have as much fun as we expect.

Hopefully the weather cooperates that weekend, or we may wind up down in the central valley with the mountain roads impassable.

Mike

Brutus · January 2000

John, I apologize. I got lazy. I meant to get out and take a look at the mounts again and I spaced it and your post. I will try to see if I can find any indication of a brand name later today, but I have a feeling there may not be a brand. The dealer I bought the camper from is located in British Columbia. His dealership is only a few miles from the Bigfoot factory. Since Bigfoot campers are heavy and that is pretty much the only type of camper he installs, I suspect he may have had a custom design.

As far as the rear mounts, I'm pretty sure they are mounted to the frame and the bolt extends down through the hitch. I'll double check that for you also.

This dealer knew exactly what he was doing with the installation. They loaned me a car so I could go take a scenic drive up to the local ski resort and grab a bite to eat. The installation only took a couple of hours. That included construction of the platform for the bed, the wiring, and the frame mounts. I was pretty impressed.

The only thing that I was disappointed with concerning the installation was that he put on the wimpy stock turnbuckles. For those of you who do not know what I am talking about, I will take some pictures of the stock and new turnbuckles in the next few days and can e-mail them to anyone who is interested. I will also get the brand name. I just found out that our digital camera here at the office is getting sent out to a remote location with our Forester in a week or two.

As far as the website, I'm pushing for late March or early April. For starters, I have to get a digital camera or scanner. I will also be in a better position to update regularly if I wait until we get closer to the summer camping and fishing trip. The site will be very basic since I'm no web master, but it's something that I definitley plan to put together. Heck, it's free. Everybody should try to set one up. It's an inexpensive way to keep the relatives around the US up to date on what you're up to.

vince4 · January 2000

Brutus, I made mine in about 2-3 hours spread over a few days by just reading help screens and trying things. I haven't even figured out how to move links out of the left column but it's there!

Feel free to ask stupid questions when you get to it.

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