Truck camper?

[Elkins45]

I recently retired and am looking forward to doing some fishing. For years I would pull my boat and then tent camp, but I’m not quite as tolerant of cold/heat/sleeping in a tent as I used to be. I still need to pull the boat and I just bought a new truck, so I’m thinking about a slide in truck camper. What I’m finding out is that a lot of them really are too heavy for the typical 1/2 ton truck

I’m giving some thought to making my own. Compared to tent living even a very minimalist camper with a heater, AC and a fridge would be a big improvement.

Anybody have any truck camper experience or advice they would like to share?

[starmac]

Most homebuilt slide ins that I have seen wind up being much heavier than factory units. What I have seen is a shell then a home built insert that slips in the bed. I have seen a couple different versions of these that were pretty nice, they didn't have all the amenities of a normal slide in.

You might also look at the cache camper. I do not know what they weigh, but are basically a slide in with nothing in the interior.

[jmort]

Here is the direction I am going
Oriented to to Cowboys, but can keep you warm or cool. Most places I have RV'd to have decent bathroom/showers so the camper is a hideout. Might have to spend a day or two in Texas for install

http://capricamper.com

213389

213390

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I had one built for a 1/2 ton truck that had over-load springs on it and it looked much like the one pictured. Since my wife and I are short we had it built to match our height. We crossed the US several times and kept for many years. It worked out great.

[Petrol & Powder]

That CapriCamper looks like a winner! Lightweight, simple and you can still tow a boat.

[NSB]

You can tow a boat with any of them. You can get a back-up camera from many places that allow you to back your trailer up with the boat on the back. I had two truck campers and I'm going to be getting another one now that I'm retired. I got more use out of my truck campers than any of the other campers I've owned.

[M-96 Hunter]

Your best bet would be to look for a used pop up type like a SunLite. My 8' one is 30 years old and still works fine. (I store it in a barn). Light enough to go on a 1/2 ton truck.

[Nines&Twos]

I think I would look for a tiny pull camper. Bed campers can be nice but when things go wrong loading and unloading them.....they can go VERY wrong.
Were you to devote a truck specially to it, it might not be that bad.

Not cracking age jokes here but I have seen one of these fall and it would/could be really bad on a retired fella with a couple of winters under his belt. You might be in better shape than anyone but think of the risk taking it in and out.

Personally I wouldn’t.

[725]

That capri looks sweet! My answer to this has been to build a platform - side to side - in the bed of the truck (using those indentations for lumber molded into the side wall of the bed). The platform is as long as I need to stretch out for sleeping, sits atop the wheel protrudences, and is carpeted. This allows me to sit up, on the platform with my feet out over the edge, but still inside the bed of the truck for dressing / shoes. I'm a fat guy but it's even easy for me. The area under the platform provides lots of storage and the area from the edge of the platform to the end of the bed serves to hold coolers and all that miscellaneous junk that accumulates. Add an air mattress and I'm good to go. My cap is a normal cap which is the same height as the roof of the truck. That capri looks like a Cadillac to me, but if you want to go cheap, my little thing is comfortable, dry and off the ground.

[merlin101]

A slide in pop up would be ideal for you, some of them extend over the cab and for a total length of about 11 or 12ft. I'm not sure about A/C in one, I believe I saw one with a window type unit installed in the back wall but that brings up the power problem.
A 1/2 ton truck with any full size slide in and a boat would be overloaded, please keep that in mind when shopping.

[Elkins45]

Here is the direction I am going
Oriented to to Cowboys, but can keep you warm or cool. Most places I have RV'd to have decent bathroom/showers so the camper is a hideout. Might have to spend a day or two in Texas for install

http://capricamper.com

213389

213390

I’m definitely going under the assumption I will have access to a restroom and shower. I’m used to boondocking with a tent and no facilities, so campgrounds are a step up. This is only for fishing trips and most lakeside campgrounds have electricity and water. Thanks for the link.


I think I would look for a tiny pull camper. Bed campers can be nice but when things go wrong loading and unloading them.....they can go VERY wrong.
Were you to devote a truck specially to it, it might not be that bad.

Not cracking age jokes here but I have seen one of these fall and it would/could be really bad on a retired fella with a couple of winters under his belt. You might be in better shape than anyone but think of the risk taking it in and out.

Personally I wouldn’t.

I can’t pull a travel trailer because of the boat. Camping is secondary to fishing.


A slide in pop up would be ideal for you, some of them extend over the cab and for a total length of about 11 or 12ft. I'm not sure about A/C in one, I believe I saw one with a window type unit installed in the back wall but that brings up the power problem.
A 1/2 ton truck with any full size slide in and a boat would be overloaded, please keep that in mind when shopping.

I am most definitely watching the weight. My truck has a payload capacity of 1600 pounds and is rated to tow 7300. The boat is a 17 foot aluminum. I’m going to need to verify, but I think it only weighs around 1100. I figure it should be no problem to construct something that comes in at under 1000 pounds, since it would essentially just be a shell with a bed and heater/AC. I have seen some pretty well thought out units that people have posted to the web.

If I do decide to go home built my biggest decision will be whether to frame with wood or 1” square steel tubing.

[Plate plinker]

Just buy a tall truck cap and go from there. My dad did it that way as well as a older friend who is 70 and still going strong. Lee pulls a trailer with his ATV and Kayak all over the place. Not sure how to do AC in that setup but you could probably acquire some tiny unit a fabricoble it together.

[country gent]

Springs are only part of the trailer / load capacity. While springs keep the vehicle from sagging they do nothing for the axle rim strength and bearing load or even more importantly the added braking needed with more weight. Also remember that the boats trailer weight needs to be included with the boat. A tall fiberglass or aluminum truck cap would be a start. A heater and or Ac should be available from a RV shop that will work. The draw back of the tall cap will be in the sun it will get hot inside it. For other than sleeping a Awning on the side would provide shade and a place to cook and sit out of the sun. Something to consider.

[Artful]

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[popper]

Had a topper on a truck years ago, then a pop up Coleman, I've seen a couple pop up truck tent types that look good with a solid locking hardtop deck. Worst time for me was on top of a van in the summer nite in the ramp parking lot.

[M-96 Hunter]

Artful has it correct and that's only a 6' footer. My Sunlite weighs 1000 pounds and I had a Ford 1/2 ton with a straight 6. No problem or drama with it and towing a 16' Smoker craft all the way from NY to Fl and back for 5 years.

[popper]

As you are retired (and didn't state how many in your fishing party) I'd first rent what i thought I'd like and try it. You can't get the cabover or tall topper everywhere, lots to maneuver around town at the walmart, etc. Without a proper heater system, those cold nights will be very wet from condensation ( been there). Years ago on trips with my father-in-law, found it was much easier/cheaper/restful to use sleeping bags at the flea bag motels around the lakes.

[M-96 Hunter]

Great idea, IF you like bed bugs.

[rking22]

Guess I'm the odd one, I had a pop-up slide in and hated the thing. Pain to put in and takeout to free up the truck to go somewhere without breaking down camp to take it along. Got rid of it and put on a topper with wood bed shelf for sleeping with storage underneath, worked well for me. Now I simply keep a Hennessey hammock and day pack of camping essentials in the vehicle all the time. Camp anywhere anytime and I sleep better in the hammock than any bed I ever tried! Cheap simple and effective for me. I'm 59 and a bit "well fed" , I plan on this system thru retirement.

[M-96 Hunter]

I agree any camper can be a PIA UNLESS you buy one of these.

Not cheap, but you can off load your camper and still used it while being able to take your truck where you want.

http://stablelift.com

I love mine !

[Elkins45]

I discovered these guys through a post on Craigslist. Turns out they're just a few hours away so I'm thinking of checking them out. This looks similar to what I would build for myself if I go that route. They say the base model is under $5K and about 700 pounds. For my minimal needs this might be enough.

https://www.eurekacamper.com/camper-models/slideinn-truck-camper/

https://www.eurekacamper.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/slideinn1.jpg

[rking22]

I thought that looked familiar, built right here in home town. If you would like I can go by and get some specific pictures or info for you. Been Considering a stop to check them out anyhow!

[jmort]

Looks useful
I like it

[MaryB]

Nice and light design!

[dverna]

Good thread. With hotel rooms getting very expensive, it is hard to justify attending many of the shoots I used to go to regularly. Most are 4-6 days and decent rooms are $100-150 a night. I RV'd with a 5th wheel for 5 years but looking for something smaller that does not need a large truck to haul safely. So something like this or a pop up. Nice thing with a truck camper is I could still pull a trailer with my SxS.

[Elkins45]

I went and looked at the Eureka camper. They had an 8 foot non-cabover on the lot. With AC and a set of jacks it would have been $6100. The guy was extremely nice and gave me a tour of the shop where they were building them. They appeared to be well built and are indeed built on welded aluminum frames.

That said, $6100 is a lot of money for a box to sleep in and my truck has a 6.5 foot bed, so buying this one would necessitate sitting it on the tailgate and then using a hitch extension to hook up my boat.

So, like a fool I have decided to build my own very minimalist non-cabover that doesn’t overhang my bed. I spent the last couple of afternoons playing around with some drawings and buying materials. Today I began construction on the frame. I will post some pictures as it progresses.

So far the most expensive thing has been the corner jacks to lift it off the truck. I could always just load it at home using my tractor loader, but I want to be able to drop it at a campsite if I need extra clearance to launch my boat or other such stuff.

[leadman]

I built a slide in camper for my '88 Dodge Dakota 4X4 many years ago. I used a wood frame, foam insulation, aluminum skin on luan on the outside. Bought 3 windows from Home Depot and a roof vent with fan from an RV store. I was given an old set of the side lifts with winch and cable that were positioned on either side at the balance point. My truck had a v6 with a manual trans so power was low, but it worked. I also took it down some pretty nasty dirt trails when hunting. Would take it off when we got to our camp site.
Had a table that made into a bed, built in ice box, 9 gal. water system with pump and sink, small refillable propane tank, and cabinets. A single mantle propane lantern was enough heat to keep it warm even when overnight temps went to freezing.
Building this was my first experience with Gorilla Glue and when I laid out the bottom pieces and screwed/glued them together on my garage floor they would not move the next morning! Took awhile with a hammer and putty knife to get it loose.
We did take it on several long trips and it worked good. Wife wanted more room so after several different rvs we are now in a 35' motorhome.
We also previous to this build had a Ford long bed with a bolt on shell with rear door that I could just stand up in. I made a bed in in but should had made a slide in unit for the bed because that exposed steel was either cold or hot most of the time.

If I wanted one vehicle to pull my boat and also camp in some I would buy a van and build in what I wanted. I had 2 different VW camper vans and 2 Dodge vans I did this with. I used these as daily drivers also.

[Elkins45]

The van idea doesn't work for me right now for a couple of reasons. First, I just bought a new truck in December so no more vehicles for me for a few years. Second, there have been times on wet, steep or muddy boat ramps where I have needed 4WD to pull the boat out of the water. Do they even make 4WD vans?

[MaryB]

YUP!

https://sportsmobile.com/sportsmobile-4x4/

Conversion place http://advanced4x4vans.com/4x4-van/ford-4x4-van-conversion/

and many more!

I used to have a 1979 Ford 4wd van. Thing was a tank and I took it down some jeep trails they said it would never fit down!


The van idea doesn't work for me right now for a couple of reasons. First, I just bought a new truck in December so no more vehicles for me for a few years. Second, there have been times on wet, steep or muddy boat ramps where I have needed 4WD to pull the boat out of the water. Do they even make 4WD vans?

[Artful]

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[Elkins45]

YUP!

https://sportsmobile.com/sportsmobile-4x4/

Conversion place http://advanced4x4vans.com/4x4-van/ford-4x4-van-conversion/

and many more!

I used to have a 1979 Ford 4wd van. Thing was a tank and I took it down some jeep trails they said it would never fit down!

Those can't be cheap!

[jmort]

"Today I began construction on the frame. I will post some pictures as it progresses."

Will be most interested in your progress
Looking forward to some pictures

[mold maker]

I built 2 covers with 1 1/2" spruce and luan int. covered on the outside with diamond embossed aluminum. Everything glued and stapled or screwed. The glass weighed as much as the cover. You could load or onload from inside by lifting with your back and sliding 2X4s over barrels, under the cover.
Built in 68, and 1 still traveling in 2006.
We (wife and I) started in a pup tent, and as the family grew, we graduated to a dome tent, truck cover, 13' camper, 18' camper, and then combinations. We camped for over 29 years, and sold all but the tents. Sure do miss those times with the family. Now my roughing it is done in a recliner and king size feather soft with AC & Heat and NO cutting wood.

[MaryB]

Box on my truck is gone... I have been debating building a lightweight camper on the frame... well frame on frame with poly body bushings in between... My family holidays are a 350 mile round trip now and I can't drive that in a day(back issues with pain spikes down both legs) but I can tolerate up and stay overnight. If I build it right and insulate it will even be comfortable for Christmas use at -20f if needed.

[mold maker]

It can also provide quick and efficient emergency shelter.

[Elkins45]

So here’s where I am so far:

This is the basic frame. It’s sitting on a dolly I made so I can roll it into the barn when it’s off the truck. Also, I didn’t want to paint it white sitting in the bed of a black truck.

https://sites.google.com/site/elkinspix/page-3/0B97F3A0-B1B2-4871-A36D-8DD48AB55A01.jpeg?attredirects=0

Next step is to add the sides that extend past the bed rails. The ultimate plan is for a non-cabover unit that will take a twin mattress E-W but still be able to close the tailgate. Yes, it’s built out of much heavier stuff than the typical camper. I can still lift it as it is, and the upper section will be lighter. I wanted a good solid foundation so the wind forces would have somewhere to go. And I will happily sacrifice a little fuel economy for not having to worry about shaking itself apart at highway speeds. Every joint is screwed and also glued with Titebond III. I can only work when it’s above 45° because I want the glue to set properly. Glue adds a great deal of strength to mechanical joints without adding weight.


I’m going to create a web page to document the build, just in case someone might find it useful.

[Elkins45]

I found these guys today. This model looks useful, but they are in Arizona (and I’ve already started.)
Mine should comfortably cost half that, even including the four new camper jacks.

http://www.rockabyecampers.com/kiss_tallboy

[mold maker]

Didn't see what you'r using for frame material, but even thin gussets at frame joints will be a plus with very little added weight.

[reivertom]

I always thought these were a great idea. They are made for off road so they are really light weight and sturdy. You can get just a shell up to fully equipped. They make them for even the smallest trucks, too.
http://www.fourwh.com/

[reivertom]

I went and looked at the Eureka camper. They had an 8 foot non-cabover on the lot. With AC and a set of jacks it would have been $6100. The guy was extremely nice and gave me a tour of the shop where they were building them. They appeared to be well built and are indeed built on welded aluminum frames.


That said, $6100 is a lot of money for a box to sleep in and my truck has a 6.5 foot bed, so buying this one would necessitate sitting it on the tailgate and then using a hitch extension to hook up my boat.

So, like a fool I have decided to build my own very minimalist non-cabover that doesn’t overhang my bed. I spent the last couple of afternoons playing around with some drawings and buying materials. Today I began construction on the frame. I will post some pictures as it progresses.

So far the most expensive thing has been the corner jacks to lift it off the truck. I could always just load it at home using my tractor loader, but I want to be able to drop it at a campsite if I need extra clearance to launch my boat or other such stuff.

It is do-able, but you will have a hard time keeping the weight down using standard building materials. You might want to research light weight composite panels like they use when building homemade house boats. They make panels that are foam bonded to thin plywood that are stiff, but light. The aluminum frame would be great if you can weld. I had a friend who built a box similar to a camper on his older Chevy out of 2x4s and plywood. The older trucks were heavy duty compared to modern trucks and had heavier frames and springs. Even this plain box was heavy and on a modern truck it would have been sagging the springs.

[leadman]

Most of the newer RVs are made with those foam panels. Problem is they tend to delaminate if water should get to them. I currently have this issue with my motorhome.
If I build another truck camper or other similar item I will use the aluminum skin that is used on freight trailers.
For some reason the picture of your build are not visible when I click on the link. ?

[Elkins45]

Let me try to post a picture on the site. I used Google images and it should be showing, but who knows? Just another reason to be mad at Photobucket I guess. It’s not on the dolly in this photo, and you can see how wide it’s going to be minus the sheeting. It’s planned to me just a hair under 80” and have room for a twin mattress sideways.

214851

Yes, I realize I have to cut through the 2x6 in the back to make room for a door. I’m tentatively making it tall enough to stand up in, but it sure looks tall in the back of the truck so I might just trim it down a bit.

214852

[leadman]

When I built mine I used 2"X3" boards, notched to fit the side rails which were 2"X4", screwed and Gorilla glued. Saved some weight and proved to be strong enough to survive for about 20 years so far. I sold truck and camper to a friend, who sold it to his son who still has it.
I made mine with a small cab-over section to be used for storage. Came in handy for bedding and such. The bottom and sides in the truck box were plywood. Had runners down the length so the camper could slide without catching on the truck bed. Came in handy when unloading off road on uneven terrain.

[Elkins45]

I'm rethinking the idea of maybe adding a small cabover as much for aerodynamics as for space, but I doubt I will.

The really crazy idea I'm toying with (at some point far into the future) is creating some sort of hybrid camper and boat trailer using a 22 or 24 foot car hauler. The idea would be to build a three wall cabin in front that's open in the back with a hinged fourth wall that folds back. To travel you would winch the boat trailer onto it and strap it down. When you get to the destination, offload the boat trailer and then park the camper. Use the winch to lift and secure the back wall: instant camper! Then hook up the boat trailer and launch the boat. It's such a great idea I don't understand why someone hasn't done it already :D Or just go whole hog and get a 24 foot enclosed car hauler and install a winch in the front.

I also like the idea of a custom trailer that couples with the boat trailer to make a single unit. There would probably have to be a steerable axle like a farm wagon under the camper section because the boat trailer has a fixed axle. The back end of the camper trailer would have a V with a ball mount the the boat trailer would be locked into so the whole think towed as a single unit. This would have to be something totally custom, and it would probably be cheaper just to buy a commercial camper and be done with it...but what's the fun in that?

[jmort]

I think the cab-over will be problematic
I think a custom trailer with a boat and a kitichen and head and dining would be useful
A lot to think about

[Ickisrulz]

I'm rethinking the idea of maybe adding a small cabover as much for aerodynamics as for space, but I doubt I will.

The really crazy idea I'm toying with (at some point far into the future) is creating some sort of hybrid camper and boat trailer using a 22 or 24 foot car hauler. The idea would be to build a three wall cabin in front that's open in the back with a hinged fourth wall that folds back. To travel you would winch the boat trailer onto it and strap it down. When you get to the destination, offload the boat trailer and then park the camper. Use the winch to lift and secure the back wall: instant camper! Then hook up the boat trailer and launch the boat. It's such a great idea I don't understand why someone hasn't done it already :D Or just go whole hog and get a 24 foot enclosed car hauler and install a winch in the front.

I also like the idea of a custom trailer that couples with the boat trailer to make a single unit. There would probably have to be a steerable axle like a farm wagon under the camper section because the boat trailer has a fixed axle. The back end of the camper trailer would have a V with a ball mount the the boat trailer would be locked into so the whole think towed as a single unit. This would have to be something totally custom, and it would probably be cheaper just to buy a commercial camper and be done with it...but what's the fun in that?

Most states allow you to tow a boat behind a travel trailer.

[jmort]

I bet backing up a tandem is a blast

[dverna]

I bet backing up a tandem is a blast

Ever see guys driving tandem logging trucks? Some of those guys are incredible.

[jmort]

No, but hat’s off to them

[Elkins45]

I bet backing up a tandem is a blast

To quote Clint Eastwood as Harry Callihan, “A man’s got to know his limitations.”

The whole point of a fishing trip is to have fun. I can’t imagine much that would be less fun than trying to maneuver a dual trailer setup around. Pulling a 4K tractor/loader and mower on a car carrier is about all the load I ever want behind me. Besides, I like to bass fish in Florida and double trailers are illegal there.

[Ickisrulz]

To quote Clint Eastwood as Harry Callihan, “A man’s got to know his limitations.”

The whole point of a fishing trip is to have fun. I can’t imagine much that would be less fun than trying to maneuver a dual trailer setup around. Pulling a 4K tractor/loader and mower on a car carrier is about all the load I ever want behind me. Besides, I like to bass fish in Florida and double trailers are illegal there.

Pulling two trailers sounded easier to me than winching a boat trailer on and off another trailer.

But Florida doesn't allow it. So the option is no good for you.

[starmac]

Why winch the boat trailer up on op of the modified camper trailer, just back it on and unhook. the hitch can stick out behind the other trailer 4 feet, to save room. Easy Peasy, If that is what a guy wanted.

I had a friend that bought a damaged fifth wheel trailer and took it down to the bare frame, them mounted a cab over camper on front and built a big redwood front porch, deck kind of deal, it actually turned out pretty neat, and would have been easy to have backed a short boat trailer up on and took off.

[Elkins45]

Why winch the boat trailer up on op of the modified camper trailer, just back it on and unhook. the hitch can stick out behind the other trailer 4 feet, to save room. Easy Peasy, If that is what a guy wanted.

I had a friend that bought a damaged fifth wheel trailer and took it down to the bare frame, them mounted a cab over camper on front and built a big redwood front porch, deck kind of deal, it actually turned out pretty neat, and would have been easy to have backed a short boat trailer up on and took off.

That idea has a lot of merit, and has the advantage of making sure the majority of the weight is over or in front of the axle.

[sawinredneck]

Most guys don’t back tandems, they unhitch the boat and set up the camper then launch the boat hooked to the truck.
Best one I saw was a Ford excursion going down the road. Short bed 3/4 ton pickup bed trailer with a fifth wheel hitch, attached was a 30’ gooseneck camper and behind that was a 22’ boat on a trailer. I’m not sure how that was legal?

[MaryB]

Lengthen your trailer to the max allowed in your state and have the back part be the boat trailer with a camper cab on the front end of the trailer. Or go the really expensive route and get one of those houseboat campers! I ad just unloaded my boat and was waiting at the dock when this guy started backing a camper down the ramp, no boat behind. He kept right on backing until the water was up to the bottom of the front doors then I heard some latches unlock and the back of the camper floated off! They anchored around the islands all week and fished from a small 12' boat they had strapped on top.

[Elkins45]

I made a little progress today. I added the horizontal supports for the part that hangs over past the bed rails and the uprights at front and back.

215874

One thing you will quickly learn if you're trying to make something that's even remotely square is that the 2X2's you find at Lowes or Home Depot are garbage. I've decided to the really crucial parts like the roof joists and runners I'm going to buy some premium 2X4s and rip them on the table saw. Some of the 2x2s I saw in the stack were out of true in all three dimensions.

I haven't tallied up how much I've spent on everything so far, but I have been charging all the building materials on my Lowes card to get the 5% discount and the bill was $437 for this month.

[MaryB]

Even the so called premium 2x4's are junk at Menards... they take all the garbage and pile it back on top of the good stuff. Last time I was there I made them use the forklift to move the pile and open a new pallet. I wasn't buying everybody else's rejects!

[starmac]

That is the nice thing about having your own sawmill. lol