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Cabover Camper Chat
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If the 2500 frame is boxed over the axle, you will have similar difficulties. If not, it is a piece of cake.
Follow the instructions provided. They have the most important information for mounting. You will have to jack the truck up and get under it. Remove the spare tire for better access. USE JACK STANDS!! Measure twice and drill once. I mounted my fill valves on the rear bumper, but with a big Lance you won't be able to. If possible, route the lines inside the frame and out of harms way.
One other issue with the big campers: You will have to either remove the lock for the spare, or find some other way to get to it with the camper on. When you drop the spare, you will see why. The camper blocks access to the spare lock and winch.
You will like the AirLifts for keeping your truck level with a load. And you can do minor leveling of the rig with the built in air pump. Just don't forget to reset the pressure before you drive off.
Mike
I'm not sure what you mean about the spare tire mechanism because I've never seen it. My camper doesn't hang over the bumper much so maybe it won't be a problem for me? I'll see what you mean in a few weeks I hope.
Mike, did you feel isolated in a bad way? I mean if you broke down or something is there anyone around? I'd feel much better going with a second vehicle - interested grizzly??? Ha.
Thanks.
Randy
Thanks.
The good news is that since sb trucks are so popular now there are very nice campers made to fit that truck. Do you have the camper now or will you be buying one? If so then new or used? Popup or hard side?
I thought of one grizzly forgot, how about fuel availability and cost in Alaska?
I made my own grill guard. The commercial ones are too expensive and only stop trees, not rocks. I welded a bracket that fit into the tow hook mounts on the frame and formed a guard out of copper pipe. Then covered the thing in 1/4" wire mesh and painted it black. It worked.
All kinds of RV's. We saw more popups on this trip than we had seen forever. But the ones that really stood out were the monsters! It is hard to believe that some people would consider driving something that is larger than a bus, and still need a trailer. We think camping is to get away, not to bring it all with us.
To take to Alaska: Weather is variable. The highs were mostly in the high 60's. Quite warm. We never saw darkness in 3 weeks. So I can't say what the nights are like. The coldest was 27 and snowing. It snowed (blizzard, 50' visibility) over the Top of the World Highway. Snowed again up at Deadhorse. Be prepared for the cold, and remove layers as needed. Most of the time, jeans and long sleeve shirt.
Maps are OK, but don't even think about going unless you have a copy of the Milepost. http://www.alaskaone.com/milepost/
There is more information in this one book than in any other 3 books. It lists all the highways to and from Alaska, mile by mile. Tells what is around the corner. Even when to speed up for the upcoming 12% grade. And even if you have access to one, buy a current version before you go. It is updated annually.
Mosquitos were really bad in about 3 places, and tolerable elsewhere. A guy in Hope told us they were miserable until the 16th of May when the Swallows came back and started to eat them. Black flies were also bad in some places. Once we stopped the truck on the road and were completely surrounded by black flies in 30 seconds. So many that when we drove off we could see the cloud in the mirror 1/4 mile later.
Vince, I don't know for sure how they calculate it, but gas is heavy and it does add into GVWR. We take about 200lbs of gas and I don't think it is accounted for when figuring max payload. I think the factory numbers are for an empty tank. I weighed everything but the empty truck (I have the shipping weight) and that is how it adds up.
Fuel in Alaska was cheaper than in Santa Clara. We were paying about $1.10. In Santa Clara we pay $1.59 down from a summer high of $1.89. Our gas is the highest in the country for reasons we don't understand. I don't remember what it cost in Canada, but it was about the same as home. Plenty of stations in both places. Generally a station every 50-100 miles or less. Only one place it was 250 miles between stations and we have a 500 mile range, so no problem.
Our truck was new (3000 miles) when we left, and 16000 miles when we returned. We didn't even have plates yet. Coming back into the US, the customs agent couldn't believe the truck was new. The grill guard was covered in bugs and debris, the truck was mud brown from the windows down and you couldn't tell it had aluminum wheels. No sense washing it until you are done with the dirt/gravel roads.
Later,
Mike
Thanks.
Gary-
We had no problems with Canadian customs. They are only concerned if you have any firearms or drugs. As long as you have a reasonable vehicle and appear self supporting, all is OK. As usual, the US is the hardest country to get into. The customs agent had a hard time with our new truck, no plates, and the truck looked old. We had the bill of sale, etc. but she still took about 15 minutes trying to convince herself that we weren't trying to get around some customs duties on the truck. She never even though to ask about the camper?? It wasn't a big deal.
We took a camera and about 400 pictures, which are now in an album. The pictures all have comments beside them and are in the sequence in which they were taken.
May favorite shot is taken in the truck mirror while rolling up the Dalton Highway. There is so much dust you almost loose sight of the back of the truck, and you can see nothing else!! The dust was that thick!
We changed the oil once, when the oil minder came on. It was actually in Canada. The cost was about what you would pay here, except here I would change my own for 1/3 the cost. But the service station was in the campground we stayed at, so it was very convenient.
Vince,
I must have gotten my order in earlier (ordered late Aug) cause I got my sway bar Monday. And my front Bilsteins showed up yesterday. Guess what I'm doing this weekend.
Guys,
Stop by the house and check out the photo album. But wear something over your face, cause I don't want you drooling on the pictures!
Mike
Hey Vince, I'm running out of questions for Mike on Alaska. HELP! Need to keep the saga going. Maybe I can come up with a couple of more.
Gary-
You, the truck & the sway bar have a good week end. Let us know how it went.
Gary-
I talked with popup owner in a campground and he loved his camper but he said they kept getting mold on the canvas part. Do you have that problem? How about heating the camper, does it loose a lot of heat from the flexible part?
We drove about 65 up the Dalton highway. The road is pretty smooth, well graded and maintained. Keep your eyes open for soft spots. They can be 6-8' ft wide and a foot deep. Just the thing to send you upside down.
As long as you pull over and slow down (we stopped) for all traffic you meet, you won't have rock damage. We talked to a lot of people with broken windsheilds and they were all moving when hit. It seems the rocks are thrown up by traffic and then you drive into them. When stopped, they don't seem to hit you. We also noticed that if you don't slow down, the trucks don't slow down. If you slow down, the trucks also slow down. We got a few rock chips, probably from rocks we threw. The bottom of the truck took a much bigger beating. The shocks are pretty well blasted clean of paint on the leading edges.
My wife kept a logbook of all the places we stayed. The one that was most memorable was in Minto, Yukon Territory. We stopped in Whitehorse at the visitor center to ask about and the guy said they just got word the week before that they were open for the season. And he said it was a wonderful place and we would really like it. Just outside Whitehorse, the forest had been burned. And the forests were burned out for the next 200 miles. We were overwhelmed by the devastation. And when we reached the turn off for the campground, the campground sign was charcoal on the back and side. And all around was burned. The guy at the visitor center said they were open, so we drove in. About 1/2 mile back the forest turned green. The place was beautiful! Right alongside the Yukon River. An absolutely gorgeous place, and we were the only campers! And we would not have stopped except we heard they were open for the season. The owners had stayed there through the fire. The fire had come roaring up the canyon, the wind shifted at the last minute and the fire went around them. Then the wind shifted back. These people must live right! The certainly live in a wonderful place.
Another place that stands out was the Liard Hot Springs in far northern BC. When we stopped it was a cold (mid 50's) rainy day. Walk back about 3/4 mile on a boardwalk to the hot springs. Change to your bthing suit in the changing rooms and head for the hot springs. Walk in up to your knees, stop, get out, walk to the cooler section and get in. Slowly work your way up to the warmer section. Observe that no one gets to the hot section. Man, does that water feel good on a cold, rainy day. It is so warm there that tropical ferns grow year round. Must be something to see in the snow.
We have a Phoenix popup camper. We haven't yet seen mold, bet we live in a dry climate and we like to leave the camper 1/2 open when stored. The flexible part on ours is 3 parts, a nylon sealed canvas, 3/16" foam insulation, more nylon sealed canvas. So we stay quite warm. The camper seals up quite well. It should, I spent 3 weekends making sure it was sealed so mosquitos couldn't get in. I found about 25-30 openings and sealed them all. We did not have a single mosquito get in except through the door.
Our camper is not self contained. We have 11 gallons of fresh water storage and no holding tanks.
Overall, the one thing that really stood out was the Dalton Highway. The other highlight would have to be camping out on the Homer spit, at the far end of it, right on the water.
If you go, I hope you like seafood. There is plenty of it and it is fresh! I found the halibut particularly good. I'm not fond of salmon. My wife enjoyed the crabs.
Off to work.
Later,
Mike
-Randy
Dealer received a VIN number for my truck so it's really built. She said about 2 more weeks for delivery. How's this for frustration, after all this waiting it is due to arrive just as I'm heading to Washington DC for a week. So my new truck sits at the dealer or hopefully in my driveway.
I just got back from a weekend in my camper. We went down to Big Sur. Of course the state park was full but Kirk Creek is a nice little Forest Service campground between hwy 1 and the ocean that had plenty of space. There were fire trucks everywhere and you could smell smoke sometimes but not too strong. Well enough for tonight.
I'm not impressed. The bar has to be mounted off center to clear the driver side shock mount. And it has to mounted 1 1/2" forward for the same reason. Then I finally get the whole thing lined up and bolted up tight. I rock the truck side to side and it feels about the same as before. ??? So I rocked it while looking underneath the truck. This bar mounts with some pinch clamps that clamp onto the frame rails from the inside. Not a bad idea, but the frame rails flex as much as the bar does. So I took it all out a made a crossmember to go from side to side and tie the two pinch clamps together. No more flexing, and the anti-sway bar works the way it should.
If you want an antiw-sway bar, you might want to try a Hotchkiss or something else. I was not impressed with the Hellwig kit.
Mike
Could you give me some details on your fix please. It sounds like you fabricated a straight bar that goes from one frame rail to the other. How is it attached on the ends? Did you use a solid bar or maybe some galvinized pipe? What about running a short support straight up to the top of the C rail, in effect boxing the frame at that point? Maybe a short pipe with a flange screwed on the end to bolt to the upper edge of the frame? I haven't opened the Hellwig box yet so I don't know what the brackets look like. Maybe it's better to just junk the clamp-on brackets and buy/make a traditional screwed on bracket which could mount to the side of the frame rail? Thanks for you input.
This crossmember mounts on top of the two pinch clamps with the original bolts and ties them together. The notched ends prevent the clamps from rotating when the bolts are tightened.
I was suprised to see the frame and clamps moving the way they did. I would have thought the frame was much stronger than that, but it is rather thin.
The end links on the Hellwig are universal and must be adjusted to each fitment. The Hotchkiss parts are custom made for each application, not adjusted. But they are expensive.
Good Luck,
Mike
PS: this weekend we are heading up to Sequoia Natl Park. I'll have a better idea about the effectiveness of the bar and of the Bilsteins.
Mike- Thanx for the report on the Hellwig. I would have thought they would be made specifically for each type of truck. Not everyone would be able to modify like you did. Let us know how it performs.
Thanx also for all the info. on Alaska. I picked up an Alaskan map, so I could locate some of the places you mentioned. Looking at the map, it looks as if there are plenty of campgrounds. Sounds like that would be the ultimate camping trip.
Enjoy Sequoia.
Gary-
Anyway, when it comes time to install, I'll let you look at my crossmember if you want.
Sometimes it does help to have a machine shop in the garage.
Later,
Mike
The smallest they have is an 8'6", with all the amenities, shower, toilet, three burner stove,standard,OR extended cab over bed, & many other goodies. Dry weight, 2040 lbs. for the extended cab over, & of course less for the standard cabover. The URL I gave you has all the floor plains & details. This camper would be a breeze for your 3/4. Lance may not be in your area, but there web page has a great deal of info., which I think you'll find very useful. Good luck!
Gary-
Just to let you know we are currently looking into the problems with that kit
and are working on a solution.
Please call Robert Sayre in our Tech. and R & D department for any further questions
you may have.
Hellwig Products Co. Inc.
Customer Service Dept.
I saw the comments in the Silverado discussion. I thought he was saying the bar moves laterally on the axle and hits the shock mount. I guess I'll keep my eyes on it.
BTW, if you want to see a window sticker on that 3/4 ton at Anderson, go to GMBuyPower and search for a 3/4 ton std cab (1999). I use zip 95050 and picked Anderson Los Gatos and it was about the only 3/4 they had. I also found it on the 1800Anderson site, but you can't see the sticker, only the MSRP and Invoice prices.
Mike
We bought a Silverado 1500 xcab sb 5.3 2wd in July and look fwd to putting some kind of pop top on in a yr or two, so I really appreciate all the posts here, esp. regarding suspension mods; but darn, now I want to go to Alaska! If you're into DYI, FourWheel Campers of Woodland CA (very, very lightweight pop ups) will sell you a shell, which you can outfit yourself. I'm hoping some other manufacturers will offer the same choice.
The advantages of a hardside are:
Convenience - you can jump back there anytime and have full use without any setup. While on the road I often stop at a pretty spot and have lunch in back or need to go in for any number of other reasons.
Storage - You have cabinets all around the top. The fridge can be at eye level. The bed is a great place to carry big items out of your way. It's also a great place to throw stuff in general.
Security - keep thems bears out! No worries about bad weather or heating.
Full features - you get a real bathroom, with shower inside and out. You can carry people back there when driving which is nice for events like 4th of July parking lot BBQs. Since weight is not such a concern you can have bigger holding tanks and LP tanks.
Bla Bla Bla. I could go on. Basically a hardside is more luxurious and convenient but you pay for that with bad gas mileage, somewhat restricted access (mostly height), and worse handling. So it depends on what you're looking for and what type of use you expect. If you want to go off road more seriously than dirt roads then the popup is the only way to go. For road trips I really like the hardside better because I'm willing to put up with the negatives to pamper myself.
I didn't get a chance to call Hellwig today. If they come out with a retrofit mount maybe you should ask for it. I'll let you know.
I was told to call back around the first of Nov. for an update.
Convenience - The top goes up in about 1 minute. Many times we have gone back there for a quick lunch. Everything but the stove and the bed are accessible with the top down.
Storage - We have plenty of room for two people on a six week trip. We do travel light, we travel to get away, not to take it all with us. Storage cabinets up high tend to put weight up high where it doesn't need to be.
Security - We moved up from tent camping and find the popup quite secure. Nothing will stop a bear who wants in, not even a heavy hardside. The flexible wall on our camper is insulated and we stay quite warm into the 20's. Maybe this winter we will get to try it in cold weather.
Full Features - Real bathroom and a shower are heavy items and a real problem for lighter weight trucks. LD 3/4 tons and 1/2 tons cannot carry these things. Outside showers on popups work well in warm weather.
Bla Bla Bla. A hardside is more luxurious. Without a doubt, but is is larger, heavier and less able to travel off the road. With the popup we can pass under an 8' barrier (like the tunnel tree in Sequoia NP last weekend), we can climb a hill and cut between two fallen trees to reach a campsite. We average over 15 mpg. Our new truck with 4wd, AC, PW, posi, PS, PB, and more cost $22K out the door. A good 3/4 ton will be $4-8K more. Our camper outfitted with all the accessories (except bathroom) cost $9K, a big Lance can cost over $20K. It starts to look like $30K vs $50K. If I wanted comfort, I would take the $20k and spend it on some very nice hotels. Or I could take the whole $50k and put it in the bank. 5% interest is $2500/year. Which will pay for 25 $100 rooms each year. Very nice and very comfortable. $50k will also but a nice, small motorhome that has all the advantages (and more) of a big pickup camper. Plus with the Motorhome you can go to the bathroom in the rain without getting wet. And you can have bigger parties, etc.
But not what I want, and not what you want.
I want simple, small, lightweight. I do miss tent camping and will probably do more of it in the future. I've done several 4-6 week trips on a motorcycle with a tent and a passenger. I've taken my daughters or my wife cross country with a tent, two sleeping bags, and two saddlebags. I really want my morning shower and stay in campgrounds with showers.
But, I go out to get away, and leave the stuff at home. I'll gladly give up some of the storage capacity of a hardside for the light weight and small profile of a popup.
Different strokes for different folks. Some people believe you need a motorhome larger than a city bus to go camping. I hope I never do.
Later,
Mike
Maybe I'll go look at popups sometime. I've never used one so I really don't know how they are to live with. Unfortunately they don't seem to be at the RV shows so I'll have to seek out a dealer I guess. Any ideas?
We do have a portapotti inside, but rarely use it. I guess it is for emergencies and nights. My wife even hates the thought of me emptying it.
I've only seen one popup at an RV show. I had to go to the manufacturer's websites or showrooms to look at the products.
http://www.fourwheelcampers.com/
http://phoenixcampers.com/index.html
http://www.alcancamper.com/
or the following manufacturers sites:
http://www.rvsite.com/rv/rv-man.htm
http://www.rvbg.com/search_qry.html
I also found many sources by doing websearchs for cabover camper, popup camper, pickup camper, etc. I think altavista had the best search results. I admit I spent 30-40 hours doing research on popups, but there are alot of choices out there.
Have fun shopping,
Mike
Gary-
The literature you get from Phoenix lists more options and details than the website does. You can also call and talk to them. One note of caution: workmanship is not the greatest in the RV industry and Phoenix does nothing to dispell that reputation. I had to do a lot of work to make my camper right. I believe 4 Wheel Campers has better workmanship. Drive up to Woodland and check out the 4 Wheel products. It is a little more money. When you add in taxes, etc. the 4 Wheel camper was $11K vs. $9K for the Phoenix. So I am not complaining about the workmanship that I had to fix, just warning you if you are not inclined to fix things.
We have had no trouble with our camper since the initial bugs were worked out. We have about 17K miles on it, and 2-3K miles are off the highway.
We have thoroughly enjoyed the camper and going where we want. So we have given up a couple of morning showers. The portapottie is adequate for the middle of the night emergencies. The two things we wouldn't want to give up are:
- the Refrigerator. Carrying milk and foodstuffs is much cheaper than always eating out.
- the Furnace. When that baby comes on and it is in the 20's outside it is very reassuring.
Since we got 4 manual jacks with the camper, we can unload in about 20-30 minutes. And about the same to reload. We are looking forward to doing that in Death Valley this winter. Spend a week. Leave the camper behind and explore the seldom seen parts of the Park.
Later,
Mike