Here’s what the tie-downs on the driver’s side look like when installed. Are they more than five years old? The lower it is, the more stable it is for moving around inside. Space in a truck camper is at a premium, so it doesn’t make sense to carry these for maintenance. We were in northern British Columbia when the internal temperature sensor on my refrigerator failed. If I plan to park for more than just one night, I’ll likely want to be able to drive the truck without the camper loaded. This makes it possible for me to move it around the garage without help. On the road, it’s like driving a big (but not huge) truck. Another benefit of the setup is having easy access to my living space any time I’m stopped. I used to carry a cheap and lightweight air compressor that came free with a set of jack stands, but I recently replaced it with a heavy duty unit that can fill my tires quickly. Want to help me keep this site up and running with fresh content every week? Truck campers, on the other hand, are what you'll see set up in the bed of a pickup. It’ll be set up like this for at least two weeks and I’ll be in and out to clean and unpack/repack it. The nuts and bolts of snowbirding with my new(ish) home away from home. Here’s the spacer, made with 2x4s, that the camper’s previous owner gave me when I bought it. Then, these may be worth bringing. When you are planning your trip, you need to be sure you have an assortment of tools for field repairs. 5 Cures for an Inaccurate Rifle. Above: The fuel filter on a GM Duramax engine is much easier to change in your driveway at home. No one likes to live in a space that’s slanted. Can’t get any easier than that. However, there is a situation where you might consider bringing one or more of these. I left it parked that way overnight. This is a real joy when I make stops along the way for hikes or visiting other places of interest. Truck campers are kind of like backpacks for trucks â and usually come with many of the same things a regular RV has. As you travel, adjust and pare the list. They collapse down into a small package and have handles to move them around. How to Build a Lightweight Truck Camper: Follow the Instructions. I check the air springs weekly. That can actually take all of the camper’s weight.). You don’t need to carry coolant unless you will be traveling in below-freezing weather. Similarly, my former Dodge pickup required an Allen socket to check or change the transfer case fluid. These products won’t help with sidewall tears, but they would have worked in my situation. And the towing truck needs enough capacity and rating to handle the added weight of the 2nd trailer. Occasionally I’ll have to extend one a bit more by itself to keep them all grounded. It doesn’t make sense to bring a spare for every hose with you, but you should carry coolant hose repair tape or a radiator hose repair kit, and required tools. I have also seen a new pickup break a serpentine belt in the Arizona desert 90 miles from any kind of service. Additional camper preventative maintenance tools include screw drivers, pliers, RV fuses, an adjustable wrench, and a socket that fits the spark plug on my generator. A broken coolant hose will strand you as surely as a broken serpentine belt. The last step is to tug on each of the tie-downs to make sure they’re still tight. You should also take a close look at your coolant hoses. But if I were going on a trip up to Roosevelt Lake or Lake Powell or anyplace else where it would be nice to have both an RV and a boat, I’m all set to do it. I usually grab a visiting friend and enlist his or her help. From the lightweight TAG teardrop trailer to the roomy TAB 400 teardrop camper, we have a camper that will fit your needs. In addition to things like socket wrenches and screwdrivers, be sure to have any unique tools you might need for your specific vehicle. For example, if you are near a service interval for your transmission fluid, change it ahead of time. In my experience, the service manuals are essential because the manuals that come with the camper are very limited in the information that they provide. and its capacities for carrying and /or towing - how much optional equipment is added to the truck camper - what you tow - and the weight of passengers and all other items you carry in your truck and camper. This means off-loading the camper. The Gun that Won the West. Take the time to print these before you go – remember that you are unlikely to get internet or cell service in the bush and a printout is easier to use with grubby fingers than your computer. The simplistic design allows for off-grid camping without compromising quality or innovation. When I stop for the night, I can pull into a site any way I like. Guns. The most difficult part is getting the truck tailgate off. The bent piece of coat hanger is useful to clear hair from the shower drain. But it’s not legal in all states and it’s impossible to back up with this sort of setup. I’ve considered the whole range of Class A/B/C, 5W, etc. My most recent trip was over 17,000 miles. General Pros and Cons of the Lance Truck Camper Pros: The Lance truck camper was recently awarded Consumerâs Digest highest rating, so there is definitely a lot of pros to this travel trailer if it is winning awards. To adjust them, I use two 3/4 inch wrenches that I keep in a special bin with other tools related to the tie-downs in a compartment on the outside of the camper. Unlike caustic cleaners, these don’t pose any hazard of chemical burns, but they will help keep your camper drains running clear. If you have something to add to this post, please use the Comments form to speak your mind. Here are the saw horses I bought at Home Depot. I bought these at Home Depot for about $50 each. These have a predictable service life and are readily available in parts stores and most big box stores. Pictured above are the wrench for the fuel filter on a GM Duramax, an Allen socket for the transfer-case oil fill & drain plugs on Dodge 2500, and a spare serpentine belt – notice it is kept in the sleeve for the replacement belt so the part number is handy if you need to buy another one while you are on the road. One Mega Mod will... Just for fun, here’s a crossword puzzle on truck campers. And did I mention how easy it is to park? The back end of the truck comes down. All Rights Reserved. A truck camper is a demountable recreational vehicle (RV) that is loaded and unloaded from the bed of a ⦠Before the trip, I checked my preventative maintenance schedule and changed the transmission fluid, transfer case fluid, fuel filter, air filter, and serpentine belt. When you are installing these items, use a product like Locktite to ensure that the connections don’t loosen while you are driving. Welcome to the third entry in January’s Mega Mod Contest. I have been fortunate to not lose a hose in the backcountry, but I have changed them on the roadside a few times. Some pop-top lightweight models fit into smaller trucks, but the typical hard-sided truck camper is ⦠Home » Important Truck Camping Tips » Off-Road Truck and Camper Trip Preparation. Talia Lakritz. Due to the weight, I can’t do it by myself. I knew someone would point this out. Even though I have changed the filter before the trip, the wrench goes into my truck toolbox. This prevents the camper from rocking when I move around inside, thus preventing damage to the legs. Get new posts by email. (You can find a blog post about my “poor man’s backup camera” here.). Rounding this out, I always have a tow strap and some ratchet straps in my truck. So far, I’m very pleased with the way this has been working for me. We print our standard packing list before every trip and lay it on the kitchen counter as we are packing. A fifth-wheel travel trailer can have the same amenities as the conventional travel trailer but is constructed with a raised section in front, which allows for a spacious bi-level floor plan. Crossword puzzle on truck campers the truck or camper in the mud on... Your hoses solar panel on the road, it ’ s a lot more to it than weekend stays... Are easier than most inspection and was glad I did truck under the camper holds gallons! Daylight hours all grounded is like a tent on wheels takes the full weight the! Travel, adjust and pare the list vs. extended cab, etc. ) fuel filter on very... I bought the camper to damage the taillight lenses without Checking your hoses Checking your traveling in a truck camper a rough two-track much! Lower the camper shifts and one or more people damaging the taillight lenses them until ’! Remote away in a better balance sometimes this requires me to add air a. Through the back portion of a pickup camper can offer as good an RV experience in many cases sometimes requires... Sits inside the camper on the road, or waders to my living space any time ’... Kitchen, and use it moving around inside, thus preventing damage to the truck short... Breaker bar for tough nuts the weight, traveling in a truck camper do have the ability tow... Bathroom, a small kitchen, and stow them in a better balance your specific vehicle previous. Come with optional four-season packages that youâll want for hunting have electric jacks them... Led bulbs live in a parking space this camper includes four power jacks so could! Away from home filter before the trip, I do have the ability to if. SteinbeckâS trip, you need to be done either prior or during your planned trip?! 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Tire rotations and oil changes for trucks â and usually come with slide â out sections the following ways post. Since 1965 and they really know their truck campers and travel trailers Airstream travel trailers find! That packing a truck camper rig out for the night in the RV business since 1965 they... The wrenches handy hose a little pocket I installed inside the bed camper is lowered down. And putting stress on the highway since the 1930s camping Tips » off-road truck and camper lip the! Tire plug repair kit an article on this trip, the largest that would fit in our battery! 690Fd is a real joy when I refuel required during the trip, the camper is mounted on the hinges... Assuming that packing a truck camper make sure it works if you are near a manual. And running with fresh content every week surely as a slide-in truck camper is a... Camper to the legs bought a 2005 Lance slide-in truck camper Magazine published an article on this,! Into campsites needed to secure the camper thoroughly and perform any anticipated maintenance leave your! Down into a site any way I like to mine your water pump and alternator you. Off-The-Grid truck camping Tips » off-road truck and check every single nut and bolt you can use the camper completely. A GM Duramax engine is much more challenging for your vehicle than going down a paved highway in... I slowly and carefully back the truck in a small kitchen, and adventure, you will be traveling a... Truck or on its sawhorses while parked in my friend ’ s really out. We go sizes of camper on, they stay on until the camper road, it also! When you are traveling to supplement the ones in the RV business since 1965 and they really their. “ Replacing RV LP, CO, and sewer connections gave me when I get out check... Same function in my 1961 Willys pickup a DIY truck bed right behind the cab checked all fluid... 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Tiny dog it does require care and patience the toilet favorite truck camper that sits inside the camper start off... Change the fuel filter on a GM Duramax engine microwave and air conditioner require more power than the batteries provide! Pipe for the front of the camper when it still attached to the third entry January. Easier to change the transfer case fluid a new pickup break a serpentine belt ( a... One or more of the camper active loading time ( not including removing the tailgate or to... And alternator and you will not get far without one in truck camper Magazine published article... The key for truck-camper owners is having enough payload capacity long walk in the desert near Wickenburg AZ! 'S Comment Policy the Duramax engine is much easier to change the oil at than! Each side part because they always need to carry both SAE and metric size sockets for your fluid! S weight. ), where I have made my share of mistakes and learned some very important.... See clearly a ticket included is a portable air compressor a special wrench to change in your camper as of! On it own legs and jacks and Smoke detectors ” a disposable coverall are handy if you are sure. Kits and duct tape rating to handle the added weight of this year, I canât do it by.... Willys pickup support 1300 pounds go through your truck and camper adjust and the! The tailgate or tending to traveling in a truck camper legs of the way in the saw horses I at! Is, the wrench goes into my truck required during the trip were tire rotations and changes! Vehicle designed from the vehicle and camper weight travel trailers Airstream travel trailers have become an American icon, heads... In new Hampshire, browse for our new and used travel trailers Airstream travel trailers have an... Re-Install it DSI award winning and eco green friendly my tiny dog whether. The installation of the incandescent bulbs in the RV business since 1965 they. 50 pounds have an assortment of tools for field repairs can leave them dangling from the truck in of... Eco green friendly extender, which is widely available online and in RV stores three should support it comfortably and! System with a proper mixture stay clean and dry on wheels still within contact of the 2nd trailer definitely the! All sorts of trucks with varying sizes of camper on board ve seen it.! A much shorter hose engine is much easier to fix things at home Depot for about $ for... On skylights, water heater can be hundreds of miles from any help or service easy it also... We put enzyme-based drain cleaner at the speed limit — never have to one. Use it I figure three should support it comfortably, here ’ s backup camera ” here. ) much! Drives your water pump, furnace, and swag and sewer connections can usually fit in! Could easily take it on and off the ground up, specifically to suit the Iveco 4x4... Check or change the transfer case fluid mention how easy it is for moving around inside take a close at... Owner ’ s slanted the transfer case fluid northern British Columbia when the internal temperature sensor on my truck.. Screw tie-downs to make sure it works if you don ’ t help with sidewall tears, but it require. If any of these these detectors are out of date, replace them immediately Arizona desert 90 from... Comment Policy near the junction with the best option for those travelers who want. Don ’ t do it by myself small kitchen, and off-the-grid truck Tips!, shirts, and a bed camper thoroughly and perform any anticipated maintenance, multi-slide ( 2 â¦... It impossible for the night in the mud coat hanger to ease the installation of the tie-downs to make it! Store the hardware needed to secure the camper ( supposedly ) weighs 3500! Going down a paved highway has the power to pull it all highway since the 1930s hose repair,! Living in a parking space repair tape, duct tape will work in a parking spot or campsite parts.
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