Slide-in campers/Part #2

[LMautone]

Well my wife and I went to look at some new campers today. And the winner is... . S&S hands down. First we looked at the Lance's. I fell in love with their 1030 with a dry bath. Must say I wasn't impressed with the Lance dealer at all. Soon as he found out I wasn't buying today he didn't talk much. He didn't explain anything other than "It's a great camper".

We left that dealer and stopped at Maiden Creek RV in Fleetwood, PA. I met the sales manager Jim and explained that I was their to look not purchase. Jim took my wife and I out to the lot and opened the door to a 9 1/2 ft, 2800#dry, S&S Camper. It was at that moment that I remembered the fuzzy feeling when i saw my first Dodge CTD. I was once again in love. This camper, hands down, is the Cadillac of campers. Jim explained, literally, every feature/option in the camper , right down to the last button. He even showed us how drain the tanks etc. . Needless to say three hours later we were still talking and my wife had to carry me out kicking and screaming. Unfortunatly he didn't have a dry bath model on the lot. That model is 11 feet and 200 more lbs. , but with a wife and two children thats important space. The dealer did say I would be pushing the limits of my 2500 with a 3000#(Dry) 11foot camper. He also said he would install either mount, happijac or frame type. (He strongly reccomended the frame type.

I want to thank fellow TDR members RamRod & BillZ for turning me onto S&S Campers. It is with out a doubt the nicest I've seen and the best kept secret in campers. (Not well known or advertised in the northeast).

So my first question, with many more to follow, is "Should I let my wife look at the 11foot model. My concern is is the 11 footer going to be difficult to drive/handle with my 2500? (I don't think 1 1/2 ft and 200 lbs extra is a big deal but i'll leave that up to you experts to tell me).

Sorry about the long post but I'm so excited and my wife has a headache already so I told her I talk to my TDR buddies.

P. S. I forgot to tell you, when I told my wife that the 11footer was $2000. 00 more she said "so what". What a babe!!

 

[klenger]

Campers are fun. Can't wait to get mine. Then I'm going to bomb it ... solar panels, stereo, CD player, TV, Satellite receiver, 1000 Watt inverter, Bike rack ...

 

[Archive]

Its nice to see you (or anyone) so excited about this. I think all campers are nice and as long as YOU enjoy it, congrats to you!



You will like it even more for the memories you will have of it... sharing those times with your family!

 

[LandShark]

You may need to upgrade the rear suspension (Airlifts or Timbren ?) and you will be running at near the max capacity for the rear tires (I assume they are load range E). I would think seriously about switching to Load range G tires (Rickson ?). Definately go with the frame mounts. I've had to do a bit of welding because of the overloaded HappiJacs and/or weak bed. Dry bath is the only way to go unless you only stay at commercial campgrounds.

 

[LMautone]

Forgot to say: Rancho 9000's and air bags will be installed prior to picking up the camper. Have Michelins load E. So should i go with the 9. 5sc at 17'6" and 2815# dry or can my 2500 and me handle the 11db at 18'10" and 3055# dry? I sure like that dry bath in the larger model.

 

[dewdo]

Congratulations! I think you will be happy with your camper no matter whose it is. I have had a few RV's in my time and some of our most memorable moments were in the pickup camper.



Last year I sprung for a 11. 5 Artic Fox with the larger slide out. My wife was wanting the dry bath, but when she saw how much kitchen counter space she sacraficed she opted for the wet bath. Don't know why since we cook outside mostly anyway.



We usually take the fiver down to Arizona in the winter, but this year I think we will use the pickup camper and just spend a couple weeks in Arizona and then head down the Gulf Coast over to Key West Florida and then back North around the northern tier of states. We made a trip similar in the fiver but I swore I would never do that again. Accidently got off the freeway a couple times and ended up in downtown Cincinatti, and Cleveland where the streets were designed for "A" Models. I think the lanes were 8' wide at the most.



Have fun in your new rig and take a lot of photo's. We still go back over ours once or twice a year recalling all the fun things we did with the campers. We also had two ATV's we took with us which added more fun to our trips. We sold the ATV's since there has been so many restrictions put on where and when you can ride them now.



Dewdo in the other Washington

 

[BillZ]

Good news on the camper shopping. I'm assuming that you are looking at the S&S Ponderosa model of campers - since you did not mention a slide-out.



We really like the openness of the sleeping area - no other camper gives you that except an S&S. It doesn't feel like your sleeping in a box.



I would like to add one suggestion - get a Fantastic Fan - best $$ we ever spent - they work great. Since we dry camp alot - we don't have Air Conditioning - we just open the windows in the bed area, close all the other windows and run the Fantastic Fan - it really pulls a nice breeze across the bed - very comfortable.



Have fun,



BillZ

 

[Cobra]

LMautone



I don't think you have a worry about the weight. I have a 2500 and carry a Coachman (which I will never buy again) which weighs in at 3200#. I am over weight but the truck has no problem carrying the camper. It could honestly carry another 1000# with no trouble. I run the mountains here in western Pa. and pull most of the hills in 4th gear. Oh yeah, the 3200# is empty. With water, food, and clothes it is about 500# more.



I will say the Coachman and the dealer for them are second rate.

They don't stand behind the warranty very well. I'll be carrying a deffernet brand by next summer. Probably look at the S&S.

 

[LMautone]

i agree that the truck will probably do fine with either size. after much discusion my wife agreed to look at both sizes and whatever we like more well get. i plan on going with the torklift system at the reccomendation of the dealer and almost every TDR member. does anybody have a feeling on additional items like cabover stabilizers, camper guides, camper boot, etc. . your input is appreciated.

Louie M.

 

[dewdo]

I hear a lot of comments about cab-over stabilizers, but I have owned three pickup campers and one of them with a VERY LARGE cab-over, and I have yet to install stabilizers.



In my opinion all they do is make larger holes in your firewall. On my current camper I do not have the stabilizers and I have expierenced no problems at all and it is 11. 5 ft. with a large cab-over. I think if you have a good tie down system such as the "Tork Lift" you don't need them. Just my two cents worth.



Dewdo in the other Washington

 

[LMautone]

well Dewdo your in line with what the dealer is saying. He said that i will not need any cabover stabilizer with S&S. he said that with the proper tie down system the cabovers would only be making him more money.

do any of you use a camper boot between your truck and camper?

does it keep out the noise and water if it rains?

 

[dewdo]

To expound on the cab ocer brackets: On my last rig which was an 87 Western Wilderness (now Alpine or Alpinelet) which was mounted on a 1972 Ford. The distance between the top of the cab and the bottom of the cab-over was less than one inch. My daughter and her husband now have it and it has never once touched the top of the cab.



I had originally thought I had better put a camper cushion between the truck and camper but after talking to others who had used the cushions, they convinced me not to. They said it wore the paint off on both opposing surfaces. and was not worth it.



Just my nickels worth. (inflation you know)



Dewdo in the other Washington

 

[dewdo]

To expound a little further on this subject: Lance makes a guide system that center their units in the bed of the truck. I assume you can buy the system from a Lance dealership or if you are handy with wood you can probably make a guide. Mine seems to make a tight fit between the wheel wells and I haven't noticed it being off more than an a inch on either side. Once I get it between the wheel wells I just back it straight back.



Dewdo in the other Washington

 

[LMautone]

there are companies who make all the stuff Lance offers. found one place on the web who sold REICO cabover stabilizer for about $150. 00 and camper guides for about $30. 00. probably right though don't need any of them.

 

[drives mopars]

my 2 cents

go w/ the biggest camper you can get, yes you will be over loaded

but 200lbs willnot be noticed. best trk is dually for 10' plus campers, i have 1030 on stock 93 dually i mean stock suspension

that is ist gen dont need much help in hd dept. remimber

weight on camper plate is w/o opt. s and is dry

always add at least 1,000 lbs to it

 

[LMautone]

Does anyone know how many companies make frame mounted tie downs. i wonder if the dealer will use Torklift or some spin off of their tie down by some unknown company.