Truck to Camper Boot

[DonTX]

On my list of things to do, is to fabricate a boot between the truck camper and the pickup. It used to be they were for sale everywhere, not nobody seems to sell them. We travel with a cat and dog, so my reason is to allow the cat and dog to have only one catbox as well as food and water.

Has anyone devised i good way to facilitate this?

 

[georgej]

I've heard of people using bicycle tubes between the cap and truck but I'm not sure if this would sand off the paint over time

 

[Maverick]

take a look at this Accordion Rubber Boot Replacement

 

[wcoomes]

I bought one from my Lance dealer in Terre Haute, IN for $70. It nothing more than a larrge piece of foam rubber. The side that faces the truck is angled with the wide side at the top. I attach it to the camper w/ some velcro to try to keep in place while I'm backing into position. I've read on some forums about inflatable ones rubbing off the paint.

 

[HBarlow]

I've had upholstery shops cut them out of vinyl upholstery material with a flange around the opening on each end. The shop installed snaps on the boot and matching snaps around the inside edge of the camper and the pickup cab.

A thick section of dense foam rubber placed in the gap and squeezed when you back to the camper will work as well but won't be pretty. I've also used this method. Once the foam is squeezed in place you can use an ordinary butcher knife to cut out the opening.

 

[Bob4x4]

If you value the paint on your truck,go the upholstry shop way. Even using the clear plastic protective coating on my truck paint was not enough to protect the paint from abrasion in the long run.

 

[HBarlow]

There's no need to have the foam block in contact with painted steel. Just cut it to fit against the cab's back window or even only a section of the window a little taller and a little wider than the camper opening.

 

[Bill Stockard]

I bought one from my Lance dealer in Terre Haute, IN for $70. It nothing more than a larrge piece of foam rubber. The side that faces the truck is angled with the wide side at the top. I attach it to the camper w/ some velcro to try to keep in place while I'm backing into position. I've read on some forums about inflatable ones rubbing off the paint.

In the mid 80s, I used an inflatable boot. It was useless since I traveled different elevations. It would get tight between the truck and camper when I traveled to higher elevations. When coming down from higher elevations, the boot would come loose. Returning from Colorado trip it came loose and blew out. I didn't bother to stop and retreive it.



In 2002, I bought the Lance foam boot that fits my Lance camper and have been using it since. It works very well if installed properly and hasn't rubbed off any paint after thousands of miles of travel. The only disadvantage is a bit more road noise comes in through the truck's back window.



With the boot in place and the truck and camper crawl through windows open, the truck's HVAC keeps the camper cool in the summer and warm in the winter while traveling. I have a MaxxAire cover over the bathroom vent and while traveling, I open the bathroom vent a little so the air will pass through from the truck to the camper which dries the shower and bath towels.



Bill