Truck bed camper thoughts.

catbird7

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Alaskan makes a nice pop-up slide in truck camper.
Found some old pics of an Alaskan I looked at / considered buying. Certainly not as big or comfortable as many full size truck campers
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, however if you're concerned about weight and the constant load & cumbersome size, this would be another consideration...
 

notenuftime

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That's a pretty cool camper.
I think if I install air bags I'll be fine.
Sure is hard finding truck bed campers locally and when i do they go super quick.
 

catbird7

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That particular one was for sale a couple years ago and they were asking $1000.00
 

notenuftime

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I found a nice 1995 lance for 4500 I just need all my pennies in the right spot to act on it. Easier said then done lol.
 

catbird7

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While I've never owned one, Lance campers I've looked at were nice & well made. They have a great reputation!
 

G. Mann

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My advice:
Keep the truck [presume it's paid for].
Search Craigslist for a travel trailer that is 18 ft to 20 ft long, that has a bathroom, bed, and kitchen with a fridge. This time of year, should be able to get steal of a deal. Check the roof, if it has leaks, move on, find one with a tight roof, tires are not expensive, put a new set on the one you find that has not been lived in and doesnt leak. Bumper pull for a short trailer is OK. Load it with just what you need to live comfortable, leave the rest in a storage locker, pay the locker rent [or lose it all.

With the trailer, you park, unhook, drive your truck to your new job [if you find one]. Truck is free to use when ever you want to use it. Find a cheap park with sewer and electric hookup as you go "homeless'. Park fees will be much less than buying a van and converting it. Don't like where you are, back up, hook up, drive off.

Having a camper always on back of truck is a true pain in the ass.
Loading and unloading it is even more a pain in the ass. Short trailer will have a full size bed and a "decent shower". After a month in a truck camper, you will appreciate that.

One guy, 18 ft/20 ft.. plenty of room if you plan ahead. You'll be glad you did. BTDT.
 

typ4

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Owning an 89 big Lance that is now in dire need of Tie down area repairs, 4500 is too much for a 95 IMO.
Having packed it on a single wheel 4x4 many miles AND living in it on a jobsite for 2 yrs I can say its better than being homeless.LOL
My first recommendation is get some commercial grade tires, Bridgestone, Continental,Michelin. At least for the rears. Airbags are a must, as is rear swaybar, front ok but not a deal breaker if not there.
 

Gr8ful

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I bought a mint rustfree E350 '93 Ambulance with 88,000 miles, non turbo, Horton box. Best camper I've had. So much better than RVs, everything is power & works. It was the 2nd or spare at a small suberb fire dept. New tires, batteries & 250 amp alt & belt last fall.$2000. I'm so happy with it. The trick is to buy it from a fiehouse as it lives inside & firemen take care of their stuff. Where located as I know where a 2nd on is.
 

notenuftime

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I bought a mint rustfree E350 '93 Ambulance with 88,000 miles, non turbo, Horton box. Best camper I've had. So much better than RVs, everything is power & works. It was the 2nd or spare at a small suberb fire dept. New tires, batteries & 250 amp alt & belt last fall.$2000. I'm so happy with it. The trick is to buy it from a fiehouse as it lives inside & firemen take care of their stuff. Where located as I know where a 2nd on is.
Northwestern pennsylvania
 

nelstomlinson

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One guy, 18 ft/20 ft.. plenty of room if you plan ahead. You'll be glad you did. BTDT.

I lived in a small trailer like that a couple of times, for a total of over a year. It was chilly in an Alaska winter, but it worked OK. I'd hate to try to live in a slide in camper.
 

david85

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The ability to unhitch and drive into town is an advantage. Frontal area is something working against you with a slide in too. I used to haul 3' high stacks of railings on top of my truck for many years. After I started using a flatbed trailer, the savings on my back and damaged product was clear. And since it was all towed behind the truck, it also saved fuel. Something to think about if you only get a modest travel trailer.
 

gandalf

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I will agree strongly with Russ about the older Lance tie-down points. To put it very plainly, they suck the big one. Lance, in it's greater wisdom, used 1x3 for that bottom rail, the one they attached the tie-down eyebolt to. The 1x3 turned out true measurement 3/4 x 2 1/2. Then they drilled a 3/8th inch hole, 2 1/2 inches long, up through the 3/4 inch face. In doing that they took away exactly half the wood, at the weakest point in the rail. I had tie-downs fail on both sides of my '77 Lance model 500. When I saw what they'd done I said something that really wasn't very complimentary. I'll include two pictures, before and after repair. I made liberal use of Simpson Strong Ties. The pictures are both of the front tie-down, driver's side, under the water heater. I added a fishplate after the picture was taken, under the lock washer, to help distribute the load of the eyebolt.
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BTW, I sold the camper a week ago. It was time. It's found a new home, and another life, an hours or so south of here.
 
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notenuftime

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I will agree strongly with Russ about the older Lance tie-down points. To put it very plainly, they suck the big one. Lance, in it's greater wisdom, used 1x3 for that bottom rail, the one they attached the tie-down eyebolt to. The 1x3 turned out true measurement 3/4 x 2 1/2. Then they drilled a 3/8th inch hole, 2 1/2 inches long, up through the 3/4 inch face. In doing that they took away exactly half the wood, at the weakest point in the rail. I had tie-downs fail on both sides of my '77 Lance model 500. When I saw what they'd done I said something that really wasn't very complimentary. I'll include two pictures, before and after repair. I made liberal use of Simpson Strong Ties. The pictures are both of the front tie-down, driver's side, under the water heater. I added a fishplate after the picture was taken, under the lock washer, to help distribute the load of the eyebolt.
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BTW, I sold the camper a week ago. It was time. It's found a new home, and another life, an hours or so south of here.
When did lance start making frames from metal? Or what year did they fix this mistake if they ever did?.
 

mblaney

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I just saw this thread, out of town for work, so I haven't read all of the replies. I saw that you were considering a Promaster so had to post.

Do not buy until you drive!

In my opinion that thing is an abortion that lived.
If you are considering a van (over truck with rv) please look at a Transit or Sprinter.
 

notenuftime

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I just saw this thread, out of town for work, so I haven't read all of the replies. I saw that you were considering a Promaster so had to post.

Do not buy until you drive!

In my opinion that thing is an abortion that lived.
If you are considering a van (over truck with rv) please look at a Transit or Sprinter.
Think I'm over that after giving it some thought and looking at numbers $$$ lol.
Definitely going truck bed camper route.
 
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