Truck-camper recommendations for long-distance treks up North?

Ironduff

Observer

You beat me to it.... ;) It's a great place to get such info.

To the OP, you'll get a lot of 'buy what I've got' responses there, but the valid ones will tell you why. Browsing old posts will be very informative, too. Some, maybe even most, of those guys aren't your normal "RV'er type", and really use their 4WD.

I'd say look at the Tiger CX www.tigermotorhomes.com, but sounds like you need a removable camper for hauling with the truck. The one thing I'll point out in favor of the Tiger is that you can go from bed to driver's seat without going outside... enables you to drive off easily from trouble, or in bad weather. That's what sold me, but I spend a lot of nights in rest areas, truck stops, and the like.... even the occasional city street.

Good luck in deciding.

Jim H.

'06 Tiger CX on a Silverado, 8.1 & Allison 6-spd
 

rstl99

Adventurer
Ok I'll try to respond to most of your threads if I can, and thank you.

I think one important feature you should look for in a camper is good insulation for the interior and the water supply.
Thanks! Although I don't plan to go Up North in the winter, Spring and Fall can be cool!

Bigfoot on a Cummins would be my choice for a truck & camper.... But a Tiger Provan might be an even better choice.
I have an inherent fondness for Cummins, admittedly...

Seems that these decisions often come down to making tradeoffs between competing requirements. (...)
So the first step is probably to spend some time thinking about what you want to do with the new rig, and based on that what's important to you and what's not so important. (...) I recommend picking the camper first and the truck second. (...) A diesel engine truck is ideal for carrying a camper IMO. Nothing wrong with the Dodge Cummins, but I also like the older Ford 7.3L Powerstrokes (we have a '99 F350 Powerstroke).

We ended up with a Bigfoot C2500 10.6, (...) comfort is more important to us when we are on the type of trip where we use the camper. Those were some of our key requirements, but they may not be yours.
Thanks, very sage advice. Would indeed help me to spend time browsing at an RV show (should be one coming up!), and analyse my present and future needs more completely.

From someone who spent a few years with a slide-in on the back of a SRW Powerstroke - and drove on dirt roads a lot:

You've never experienced pucker-factor until you've experienced a blowout (...) even very mild, off-camber conditions become very dramatic as again, that tall load leans waayyyyy over. Even when encountering on-coming traffic on a narrow dirt road where both vehicles have to take to the ditch to get around each other. (...) The slide-in makes the truck useless for anything else. (...) Personally, I have found a small camp trailer much easier to live with. (...) As far as the truck underneath the camper - any 7.3 Powerstroke or 5.9 Cummins is fine - with manual tranny for ultimate reliability and fuel mileage.
Thanks for sharing all that real-world experience living with a TC! One option I am considering is indeed pulling a small trailer (which in that case, could make me want to keep my 4x4 for a while, and try that out).

I agree with others comments that you aren't going to do anything off road much beyond a well graded dirt road with a big camper, but that's just another reason why it's important to assess what your needs are before you jump in.
Again, thanks. I suppose when I get up North, I may be tempted to explore more marginal side roads, which sounds like would be an "interesting" experience with a TC.

It's a great place to get such info. (RV.NET)

To the OP, you'll get a lot of 'buy what I've got' responses there, but the valid ones will tell you why. Browsing old posts will be very informative, too. Some, maybe even most, of those guys aren't your normal "RV'er type", and really use their 4WD.

I'd say look at the Tiger CX www.tigermotorhomes.com, but sounds like you need a removable camper for hauling with the truck.
Good luck in deciding.
Thanks I have browsed RV.NET in the past, and will do so again. I'm just trying to get different experience-based perspectives to help me in my decision to (1) keep my 4x4 diesel Cruiser and tow a small trailer or (2) sell the Cruiser, buy a pickup and fit it with a camper. As was indicated here, all comes down to needs and expected uses, and you've given me great food for thought to ponder on this further.

I should add that since I bought a getaway country place last year (with house and access to nearby secondary roads and trails), I can't afford to invest a lot in a travel rig. Part of the reason is I'll be spending a bunch of my spare time at the country place. But there is also this calling I have to go explore some remote roads, and ideally I'd like to do both. Maybe when I'm retired and have more cash, I can decide to invest in a newer/fancier travel rig, spend part of the winters down south kind of thing (if I take a liking to that kind of travel/lifestyle).

So that means that in the short term, I'd be looking at a used rig probably in the neighbourhood of $10-15K (what I figure I can get for the 4x4 if I put it up for sale). That introduces all kinds of other issues about buying used, inspecting, maintenance and repairs, etc., but it's something I've done a few times with used vehicles so is less of a concern than getting something I can use and feel confident heading out with. Sometimes the devil you know is better than the one you don't. :)

Thanks again for all your thoughts, I really appreciate it!!!
 

Rhode Trip

Adventurer
My understanding is you are not supposed to occupy a camper when it's on jacks with the front jacks swung out.

Hmmm. Never heard that before, either, but different campers are different. Mine has been on the jacks- swung out- since January while its undergoing extensive repairs/renovations. Guess I better be careful.

I do agree about the electric jacks, however. I don't normally take the camper off as I have 440 amp hours- 250 lbs- of golf cart batteries in the bed supplying the house power, but I always use the jacks to level the camper since the chances of finding a level camping spot outside a "campgound" is pretty slim. Here is a pic of mine at the Pipestone River in northern Ontario. You can see the jacks are down to level it.
DSC05134.jpg


To the original poster (Robert): I got your email but figured I would reply here rather than on RVnet. As you noted I've driven alot of those roads. http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41606
I can tell you my thoughts in ending up with my truck set up the way it is, but a lot of what you end up with depends on what is available to you.

Going front to back on the photo above: 1) the Buckstop bumper is the first line of defense against kamikaze moose. They are not afraid of your truck, and they don't mind jumping in front of you to prove it. Likewise the overcab lights: the outside pair are aimed along the roadsides to hopefully give some warning that those crazy moose are there. Deer are bad; but moose will kill you, or at least total the truck a long way from anywhere.
2) 5.9L Cummins engine. Pretty much anywhere in the world, if they have boats, buses, or mines, they will have spare parts and mechanics experienced with this engine. In Labrador it is fishing boats. In China, Dong Feng builds the same engine under license. I would have been happy with a standard shift, but since the automatic was all I was finding available lightly used, I settled for the 48re and not the trouble prone 47re transmission. Unfortunately, the Cummins is in a Dodge truck. Its OK but I think it is more prone to rust. I added a steering stabilizer to tighten up the front end and gauges to keep an eye on things. Bilstein shocks and AFE airfilter and larger exhaust but otherwise it is stock. I like the Ford trucks too, and I notice that in Northern Canada that GMC seems to be used by the power companies so those would be easy to get fixed as well. In my mind, the quad cab is a necessity for the added space it provides for backpacks, tools,etc.
3) I wanted only either a Bigfoot or a Northern Lite because water infiltration is the number 1 problem with any camper and I am somewhat familiar with fiberglass boats...and live in Rhode Island where boat building and repair is a major industry. They still can leak around the cut-outs, though.
The hardest thing on your rig on those roads is the washboard...hundreds of miles of it will test every joint and connection, and there are fewer of those with the clamshell style construction. No slide for this reason either.
Since it is either cold,wet, and rainy or swarming with bugs where we tend to go we spend a lot of time inside the camper, as opposed to, say, Arizona where you can hang outside most of the time. Combine this with the added insulation, and a hard side made more sense to me. (plus fewer moving parts, see above.) I prefer my Northern Lite 10-2000cd over the comparable Bigfoot (10-6 2500 series I would say)because it has more storage space, and the wet bath is fine with me, but I really bought it because I found it used and there are not many campers of this type available in New England. The slightly smaller 9-6 model Northern Lite is the one I would go for if I bought new, I think, but then its only about 8" shorter anyway.
Since the camper is 8 feet wide, why not put it on a dually. You have that much more margin and the vehicle will perform better the less overloaded it is. If I did it again I would consider a 1500 series Bigfoot or comparable Northern Lite on a SRW truck, but the only drawback to the DRW I have experienced is that it is a pain to air down when I go on the beach or in other soft sand.

OK. I have to do some work now but may post more as I think of it. My question for you is 'what is "Freedom 55" and how do I get in on that?'
 

rstl99

Adventurer
Hi "R T" and thanks for chiming in, much appreciated.
I'll get back to your points later, which are all very practical (especially flies and moose, when one talks about northern roads!!!!).:elkgrin:

I thought it might help folks here in the truck-camper section visualize the other vehicle option I'm considering (one of many of course, but in part dictated because this is the truck I presently own).

First of all, my truck: 1992 Toyota Land Cruiser 5 speed with 6 cyl diesel engine, permanent AWD. Large cargo area in the back (removed back seat) that could provide sleeping platform and storage underneath. Lot of people put roof racks and roof-top-tent (RTT) on them for overland travel, but at my age the frequent needs to pee in the night make that impractical. Lot of other guys tow "expedition" or 4x4 trailers, an example attached (rugged trailers, fitted with gear and kits, with sleeping platform and RTT on top). Commonly used in off-road trekking or other expeditions "in the wild". Pros and cons with that, one con is that these trailers, when bought commercially, are VERY expensive ($5-15K). Other 4x4 guys buy the small canadian military surplus trailers (M101), haul the stuff inside and put a platform for RTT on top. I can get one of those already fitted with a lid for about $1500, but this would have none of the fancy bells and whistles of the commercial "expedition trailers".

Anyway, you can see what I am toying with option-wise. I figure that for the northern roads, washboard, etc., a regular tent trailer would not last, hence am looking at something more rugged. But I'm not an avid off-roader who needs to take a truck and trailer/camper down ravines and through rivers, hence the ruggedness of the expedition or military trailers would likely be overkill for me.

I must admit that spending time in a comfortable truck camper when stuck in rain and fly-infested weather sounds a lot more appealing than being in a RTT on a trailer, or inside my truck!!! :) As you say, the North is not Arizona (or Africa).

I notice that in addition to your TC, you also pull a trailer for bikes and other stuff, so there may be advantages to the trailer solution for my truck, who knows...

More later, on your truck and camper-related advice.

Oh yeah, Freedom 55? The payoff for spending 30 years in mind-numbing government jobs!!!

Cheers!
--Robert
 

Attachments

  • my80.jpg
    my80.jpg
    41.8 KB · Views: 12
  • chasertrailer.jpg
    chasertrailer.jpg
    55.8 KB · Views: 20
  • m101_trailer.jpg
    m101_trailer.jpg
    40.6 KB · Views: 15

rstl99

Adventurer
1) the Buckstop bumper is the first line of defense against kamikaze moose. They are not afraid of your truck, and they don't mind jumping in front of you to prove it. Likewise the overcab lights: the outside pair are aimed along the roadsides to hopefully give some warning that those crazy moose are there. Deer are bad; but moose will kill you, or at least total the truck a long way from anywhere.

Thanks for sharing all this.
Moose will indeed kill you or your truck if given a chance, and are a source of concern on many Canadian roads! Very good safety design on your truck.

2) 5.9L Cummins engine. Pretty much anywhere in the world, if they have boats, buses, or mines, they will have spare parts and mechanics experienced with this engine. I settled for the 48re and not the trouble prone 47re transmission. I like the Ford trucks too, and I notice that in Northern Canada that GMC seems to be used by the power companies so those would be easy to get fixed as well. In my mind, the quad cab is a necessity for the added space it provides for backpacks, tools,etc.

Toyota LandCruisers are generally regarded as being very reliable and overbuilt but my truck is 18 years old and has 220,000 kms on it, hence my concern about being stranded somewhere with something broken. Definitely an advantage to be driving a N-A truck for ease of parts/repairs, in my opinion. Indeed the Dodge Cummins drivetrain is outstanding, but the rest of the truck not so much. Can't have everything I suppose. Trick is finding a good used one, which as you say is not always easy. Especially ones that have lived their life in the rust belt... Good point about quad cab. I could keep an eye out for the Ford diesel too.

3)The hardest thing on your rig on those roads is the washboard...hundreds of miles of it will test every joint and connection, and there are fewer of those with the clamshell style construction. No slide for this reason either.
Since it is either cold,wet, and rainy or swarming with bugs where we tend to go we spend a lot of time inside the camper, as opposed to, say, Arizona where you can hang outside most of the time. Combine this with the added insulation, and a hard side made more sense to me.

Indeed, some of those roads can be nasty. I remember the Trans-Labrador highway was very rough in places when I crossed it in a Land-Rover several years ago. Oddly enough, I remember being passed by a sub-compact car at some point, so not everyone uses a rugged truck to negotiate those roads :)

OK. I have to do some work now but may post more as I think of it.

Great, would be interested in any words of experience you can share.
Cheers.
 

deserteagle56

Adventurer
Hmmm.
The hardest thing on your rig on those roads is the washboard...hundreds of miles of it will test every joint and connection, and there are fewer of those with the clamshell style construction. No slide for this reason either.
'
Hey, I forgot to mention that myself! Yup, miles of washboardy roads and you will be almost guaranteed to have water leaks, not to mention possible propane leaks. And they seem to occur in places it's almost impossible to get a wrench into. Once I even had the gray-water line from the sink drain split after a particularly nasty section of stutterbumps.

A trailer will have this same problem - but if it is a tandem-axle trailer, to a much smaller extent. The way the two axles articulate together, they really smooth out potholes and other road irregularities.
 

rstl99

Adventurer
Vehicle selection criteria

I decided that I need a more logical approach to choosing between various options for a "travel/expedition" vehicle (ie. 4x4, 4x4 with trailer, pickup, pickup with camper, etc.).

A few years ago, I had drawn up a list of what I felt were MY personal selection criteria, and used it to rank vehicles I had either owned or was contemplating, to help me figure out the one best suited to my needs. Sounds like it's time for me to revise the criteria (with age, one's priorities evolve), and compare different solutions available to me (I had not previously considered the truck/camper approach).

The insights I obtained in this forum about truck campers will allow me to consider and weigh that option against others, and make me more confident in my decision to either stick with my current vehicle and evolve it, or consider something altogether different.

Choosing the ultimate travel/expedition vehicle

Requirements/Factors - [M]andatory or [D]esirable:
1- Simple, strong, dependable design [M]
1a- Rust resistant, repairable body [M]
2- User-maintainable; well documented; internet support groups [M]
3- Readily-available parts, reasonably priced [M]
3a- Serviceable in remote garages [D]
4- Roomy enough for 2 adults and 2 teenagers [M]
5- Diesel engine [D]
5a- Fuel economy (20-25 mpg average) [M]
6- 4/5 speed synchromesh transmission [M]
7- Able to cruise comfortably (3000 rpm) at 55-60 mph [M]
8- Allows 5-6 hour per day comfortable highway driving (noise, seat, steering, suspension) [M]
9- Able to drive off-road [D]
10- Safe and secure (full frame, good brakes, locks) [M]
11- Large carrying capacity (for extended trips) [M]
12- Internal sleeping capability [D]
12a- Can pull tent trailer [M]
13- Portable refrigerator and stove [D]
14- Drinking water storage [D]
15- Good visibility (front, side, rear windows) [M]
16- Good ventilation [M]
16a- Air conditioning [D]
17- Dual-battery (isolated) [D]
18- Comprehensive instrumentation [M]
19- Reasonable purchase price [M]
20- Cost of ownership [M]
21- Good used specimens in Canada [D]
22- Longevity (Forever Vehicle) [M]
23- "Cool"ness factor [D]
23a- Pleasure factor (to drive, own, maintain) [M]
23b- Personal affinity with marque/lineage [D]
24- Versatility [M]
25- Fit in garage [D]
26- Value for money [M]
 

wild1

Adventurer
best all around camper

When I was getting ready to retire I looked at the full range of options for a vehicle that would accomplish the same purposes that you outline. I had narrowed my search to an Alaskan camper mounted on a utility bed or a Sportsmobile.I got extremely lucky and a ready built package fell into my hands for a price I couldn't say no to. The basic rig would be fairly easy to duplicate on the used market for a fraction of the new prices for the various pieces. Over the last four years we have used this rig for year round on trips ranging from overnight to three months in duration. In over 50,000 miles including a lot of dirt we have never had a problem.
 

Attachments

  • 032 Lake Alamo AZ.JPG
    032 Lake Alamo AZ.JPG
    676.4 KB · Views: 124

Photomike

White Turtle Adventures & Photography
Wild1, Nice looking set-up. The storage on the side is a great feature as it uses a lot of wasted space. I also like that the tie downs are hidden ~ gives a very clean look.
 
Last edited:

Christian P.

Expedition Leader
Staff member
It may be more than your budget but this is exactly what I had in mind for my next long journey - coupled with a Dodge Cummins 4x4:

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/rvs/1715361801.html

It's a 8.2 model, extremely rare. Fits short bed. Relatively light weight.
All the reviews seem to come to the same conclusion: best construction of all truck campers.

The only problem I am facing now is that it appears to be too wide to fit in a container.
 

Rhode Trip

Adventurer
Oh yeah, Freedom 55? The payoff for spending 30 years in mind-numbing government jobs!!!

Cheers!
--Robert

Lucky. I'm on the US private sector "work until you die" plan.

Personally, I sure would hate to part with the diesel Landcruiser. I have an 80 series myself (a '97 LX450) and it is just an awesome vehicle. Amazing capabilities and mine is pretty much stock. A diesel version would be even better.
My trailer is an Outlander Sherpa II, currently for sale: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41069
DSC03211.jpg

Add a roof top tent to the trailer and this combination will go places that my camper just would not fit, and if you are interested in "wheeling" a trailer is a much better option. The ability to drop the trailer and have a more compact vehicle is great. I am selling the Outlander, though, because the camper is my first choice for anything extended, and I don't need both. I bought it mainly to haul extra fuel without adding more weight to the truck itself. I am now working on upgrading a larger enclosed trailer because we have 2 dual sport bikes I would like to bring along instead of the Mtn bikes.
Anyway, it is all relative to time, money, and what you will put up with. Lynn and I spent 2 weeks in Iceland last August...cold and wet, but no bugs...in a much more basic set-up, and I'd do it again in an instant:
DSC06995.jpg

DSC07373.jpg

"Rhodetrip's Saga"
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/23225643.cfm
Well, minus the backpacking about 1 mile from the current volcano, anyway!
 
Last edited:

rstl99

Adventurer
When I was getting ready to retire I looked at the full range of options for a vehicle that would accomplish the same purposes that you outline. I had narrowed my search to an Alaskan camper mounted on a utility bed or a Sportsmobile.I got extremely lucky and a ready built package fell into my hands for a price I couldn't say no to. The basic rig would be fairly easy to duplicate on the used market for a fraction of the new prices for the various pieces. Over the last four years we have used this rig for year round on trips ranging from overnight to three months in duration. In over 50,000 miles including a lot of dirt we have never had a problem.

Hi Wild1. What kind of truck is that, and camper on top of it? Looks like some kind of utility-truck configuration? I see F350 on it, which I assume is a Ford? (I'm rusty in my truck-identification skills, haven't seriously looked at pickups in years). Gas or diesel? Is that 3/4 ton or 1 ton chassis? Neat looking setup anyway. Interesting to know that your going through a similar options analysis yielded that kind of vehicular solution. Thanks for sharing.
 

rstl99

Adventurer
It may be more than your budget but this is exactly what I had in mind for my next long journey - coupled with a Dodge Cummins 4x4:

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/rvs/1715361801.html

It's a 8.2 model, extremely rare. Fits short bed. Relatively light weight.
All the reviews seem to come to the same conclusion: best construction of all truck campers.

The only problem I am facing now is that it appears to be too wide to fit in a container.

Thanks for showing Christian. Yeah, those campers seem to have a very good reputation! I gather you're still considering international road trips hence need something that you can ship in a container. Too bad that sort of cramps your style, solution-wise. I suppose the folks who take Unimogs and other larger 4x4 trucks on cross-continental treks overseas must ship them differently than in a container (and probably more expensively!). Anyway, good luck in YOUR search too, looks like we're contemplating something along similar lines. :ylsmoke:
 

Forum statistics

Threads
185,533
Messages
2,875,607
Members
224,922
Latest member
Randy Towles
Top