slidein campers

[JohnMcIntyre]

Where there's a will......

<font color = blue> ... there's a way - no problem David!!



JMc

 

[Ramrod]

Slidein camper

www.s-scamper.com



This is a pic of my S & S along side Flathead lake, just 30 minutes south of Kalispell Mt. after I picked it up at the factory. Notice I had the front shrink wrapped. It was bad enough on the way out from Jersey cleaning all the bugs off, so I did not have to clean the front of the camper after I got home.



http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1500602&a=12966000&p=48705090&Sequence=0&res=high



We have used the camper and could not be happier with our choice. I actually stoped at a factory Cummins truck shop on the way home. The general manager came out to look at my rig. He was impressed with the truck. Loved the camper as well. We owns a 96 S & S. He was very complimentry of the S&S brand as well. Just my 2 cents.



Also note this. S&S campers have a long header running in the side tops of thier campers. This eliminates the need for those ugly over cab mounts. I also got the Tork lift frame mounts with the Superhitch extender bar for towing my racecar. I have not towed with it yet. I am instructing at a PCA event next week at Pocono, So I will see how it tows then.

 

[JTCHess]

Real-Lite 1200

I have a Elkhorn 11Z model matched up with my 93 D350 LE CC. Purchased used and have been happy with it. However, last week when we were camping I had the opportunity to tour a Real-Lite 1200 model. What a beautiful camper. My understanding is that it has an aluminum frame. The only thing the owner did not like about it was the rubber roof as he feels the aluminum roof of the Lance models is more durable and maintenance free. This is a side door model and it has a generator, something other side door campers do not allow. From my research in RVTrader, these go for about $20k new (loaded). Anyone have experience with Real-Lite campers?

 

[DUNE RACER]

I love my 95 Bigfoot, the build quality is excellent and these things are solid as rock. Lance, Alpenlite and Arctic Fox come to mind as other good brands, stay well away from Fleetwood.

 

[JRG]

The Artic Fox has large holding tanks (35-40gal)

Twin 7 gal propane, and full slide(which I think

is on the wrong side).

The other brand I like(and own a 98) is the Fleet-

wood. Smaller holding tanks(irrelevant if you camp

at full hookup) Twin 5 gal propane, and full slide

which I have yet to see the latest model.

The main thing I like about the Fleetwood, I have

looked at ALL the others more than once, was the

overall fit and finish. I do believe the new

Fleetwood has an alum. frame too.



JRG

 

[Cobra]

I have a coachman ranger. It is a 2000 model which I got in Jan 01. I like it so far but haven't had it long enough to say for sure. The one thing I can say for sure is that I will never buy from that dealer again. I purchased the camper in Delmont, Pa. C J Valero

Coachman dealer. I am thinking of trading mine for a Lance just so I can get my work done at a different dealer. I have had warranty problems and problems with the service dept. in general.

 

[Cobra]

I have a coachman ranger. It is a 2000 model which I got in Jan 01. I like it so far but haven't had it long enough to say for sure. The one thing I can say for sure is that I will never buy from that dealer again. I purchased the camper in Delmont, Pa. C J Valero

Coachman dealer. I am thinking of trading mine for a Lance just so I can get my work done at a different dealer. I have had warranty problems and problems with the service dept. in general.

 

[BillZ]

S&S Campers

Try for their web site http://www.s-scamper.com/. We have a 9. 5 S&S Camper with a slide-out. We bought it new and have had several initial problems - all of which S&S have fixed. The folks at S&S are just super - they have bent over backwards to help us. I think S&S is well worth your time to check out.



I do have a couple of other words of advise from our experiences:



1. If you buy new, buy from a local dealer - long distance warranty repairs are a pain in the behind.

2. Don't exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight - our camper weighs 3,500 dry - it's about 1,000 pounds over what the truck can handle. It's just too much camper for our 3/4 ton truck. Being over-loaded plus the camper sway it's just not comfortable to drive.

3. Rancho 9000 shocks are great!

4. Firestone Air bags work well.

5. If you buy a slide out - remember if the slide-out breaks - you can't get in the camper. And please know that you have to have the jacks down and be level before you can slide the slide out - something that's not always easy when using a camper.



If I had it to do all over again - I would look seriously at the Alaskan Camper - lower center of gravity - seems like good quality. I have this love/hate relationship with the slide out. If you are going to spend lots of time in the camper - the slide out is worth the pain - otherwise it's just too much trouble.





http://www.s-scamper.com/

 

[LMautone]

s&s weight

9. 5 s&s is 3500lbs dry. That is very heavy. the 9. 5 Lance slide-out is 2700lbs dry. The s&s may be nicer but that is alot of camper for ANY truck.



Also Billz I have to ask, what is your opinion of the S&S beside the weight. You said you would look at something else next time. Is that just because of the weight or are their other issues withe S&S. I'm looking at making a new purchase in the winter and i'm down to an S&S or Lance. Let us know!

 

[WyoJim]

S&S

We have a 9 1/2 ft. S&S with out a slide. We use it for my wife to potty in instead of going inside the rest stop slop pits. We also grab our lunch in it when we travel. I think a slide out might be a pain.

We bought it new and picked it up at the factory. It has never been back and nothing has ever malfunctioned.

It is tagged to weigh 2630 wet. It and my dodge weigh 9770 and I don't have air bags, Rancho's or none of that nonsense. It don't sway either and jumps around in traffic like a corvette.

The only thing I wish it had are electric jacks.

 

[LMautone]

I'll be taking the wife this week to look at the Lance and S&S. It's kinda a day trip since dealers are so far. My only concern at this point is my wife will like the slide-in that weighs and costs the most. i'll let you all know how it goes.

 

[BillZ]

S&S Campers

I think S&S makes a good camper - we encountered two problems.



First we bought it from Dave Smith Motors in Kellogg, Idaho and they did nothing to prep the camper. Most dealer go through a check out procedure before they sell the camper - not Dave Smith. And Dave Smith has no one on staff that works on or fixes campers - so all the work that has been done was either us driving back to the factory in Montana (we live in WA) or our local S&S Dealer (A-1 RV - who was not exactly happy but did fix it).



Second, I think what we experienced was very unusual - we had over 30 things on our punch list. Everyone that we have talked to says this is very unusual for S&S. Everything from big problems like the water heater fitting not tight, to cabinet doors not closing. The furnace went out our first night in Kellogg (this is when we found out Dave Smith couldn't fix campers), the slide out motor burned up (this is when we discovered the manual slide out is so hard to use that it's almost worthless).



Would we buy another S&S? Yes, and I'll tell you why - because everyone has a lemon once in awhile - it's what the manufacturer does to stand behind their product that's important. S&S could have lost us forever but they didn't because they took care of us and our problems.



Would we buy another slide-out in a camper? ONLY if we planned to do much winter camping where we had to spend lots of time in the camper.

 

[dewdo]

Thought I would toss in another 2 cents worth on the slide outs campers are now coming out with.



I bought the Arctic Fox last year and from the very start I had problems with the slide out. I had it back to the dealer four or five times to re-adjust the motor on the slide. Seems they positioned the motor too far from the gears that drive the slide. They ended up installing a metal plate to mount the motor on which has solved the problem so far.



Since slide out's are new in pickup campers and I think they will have problems with them for a while.



I too had some problems with my camper which also involved doors that wouldn't latch properly. I sat down and wrote a long list of items that I considered poorly engineered or installed and mailed it to the factory. I stopped by the dealer recently to look at the newer units and noticed they had made changes in some of the defects I had listed.



Good luck



Dewdo in the other Washington

 

[dewdo]

Mataune:

I noticed in your signature you had a bed liner installed. DON'T install your camper on the bed liner. Go to a feed store or any place where they sell supplies for horses and buy a 1/2 thick rubber stall pad and put in the bed of your truck. (after you have removed the plastic liner) TYhis will keep your camper from sliding around which can cause majopr problems.



Another more expensive solution would be to have the "Rhino Liner" spray in bed liner applied. It is a softer material than some of the other liners and will keep your camper in place. (it's permanent though)



Dewdo in the other Washington

 

[Cobra]

Dewdo



I just read your thread. I have a bed liner in my truck and you are correct about the camper sliding. My question to you now is this, can I leave the liner in my truck and put the rubber pad on top of the liner. I really don't want to take the liner out for many reasons.

 

[dresslered]

Nope.



Remove the bedliner. If you want a permanent one, you should look into the spray-ons.

 

[BillZ]

Remove Bedliner when using Camper

I agree with David - remove the bedliner when you want to use the camper.



I have a Penta Liner and it's really pretty easy to pull it out. I also have the Mopar rubber bed mat - it's very nice and the price wasn't that much out of line. The Mopar mat fits perfectly, sets the camper on something with a little give - when the camper is on that mat you know it's not going to slip around AND it has DODGE embossed in the mat - what more could you ask.



My fear in leaving the bedliner is actually threefold:



1. The camper is so heavy it might just damage the bedliner.

2. The bedliner adds another inch to the height - you'll want to minimize height to minimize sway.

3. Even with the mat on the bedliner - I would think it might slip around.



Just my 2-cents,



BillZ

 

[LandShark]

I use a rubber bed mat on top of the Dodge removeable liner and have never noticed any problem with the camper sliding around.

 

[dewdo]

You can go to just about any feed and tak store and buy a 1/2 " rubber mat for about $35. 00. They use them in horse stalls. Lot cheaper than going to an automotive place and they are a lot more durable.



Dewdo in the other Washington