I live in Wilsonville. Southern suburb of Portland...DamageWagon wrote:We are moving from Southern California up to Portland and are planning a 3-4 month off-road trip throughout the US before we move. We also camp almost every weekend normally. I like to move quick off road and use my truck for its purpose every chance I can. She is getting some Thuren suspension treatment soon
About a month ago after a lot of deliberation we purchased our CVT tent. We had gone to their facility in Bend and checked out all our options, and asked a few people with RTT's for their opinions. Long story short I built a rack and we were super excited about it until the GTG in Big Bear last weekend. I found out the hard way that these tents in the wind give the worst sleep I have ever experienced (ear plugs help) and that our tent apparently missed the water resistance treating. After speaking with Bobby and Crystal at CVT their finding was that it wasn't treated. They offered to ship me a new one free of charge and hinted at possibly a refund.
Here is my question: what is your method of choice for a long duration trip like this where you are expecting a lot of off road? We are open to buying something for the trip and selling it when we finish. We CAN do a ground tent but it needs to be a nice one that is roomy. This is at the bottom of the list though, too much setup time. We can also just take a replacement RTT. I was thinking of a camper shell but that really limits space in the bed and I have heard that shells hit the cab when you go fast off-road. Pop-up camper is an option but makes us too heavy and we have a budget of only about 1500-2000 and would like to be even lower than that.
Ideas?
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Camping Options/ Shell?
Re: Camping Options/ Shell?
2016 Granite Crystal Metallic Power Wagon Laramie, graphics delete, debadged, Thuren front and rear coils, Thuren rear swaybar links, Thuren front and rear trackbars, Traxada rear 1 inch spacers, King 3.0 (Stage 4) front and 2.5 (Stage 3) rear shocks, Boogie front bump stops, Cooper STT Pro 37x13.50R17 on XD Machette 17x9 +18 wheels, Centramatics, 5.13 gears, DOR steering brace, Thuren truss, Thuren King Steering Damper, Synergy Steering Kit, Thuren PW front bumper, Thuren rear bumper, White Knuckle rock sliders, Dethloff skid plate, Dethloff rear sway bar spacers, Purple Cranium Half Spider front and rear diff guards, Airlift 5000 Ultimate airbags with Daystar cradles, Bakflip Revolver X2 tonneau, Factor55 Ultrahook with 100ft 7/16 A.R.E. Spidersilk synthetic winch line, Zroadz Grill with slim 20 inch light bar, DDM Tuning LEDs/HIDs, Rigid Side Shooter ditch lights, KC rock lights, Rigid fog lights, Baja Designs rear lights, Magnaflow 19200 modified with upgraded resonator and after axle dump, tinted front windows 35%.
Re: Camping Options/ Shell?
I would do this ( I had a similar setup when I used to go boating a ton).TwinStick wrote:I absolutely LOVE our ARE MX series cap. X 2 on the carpet & LED lighting. I also got the Yakima roof rack. That extra 5-6" REALLY makes a difference (that's what she says,). I think it was only on the truck 2 days, before I had to put something back there that made me wonder if it is going to fit. It did fit but I also am sure it would not have, if we had gotten a cab height cap. I made my own bed slide that works friggin awesome. Every single time i use it at a store, loading something, someone always asks where i bought it.
Made it off this video i found. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd1Sx_tldHs
I made mine 3- 2x4's high for the bottom compartment, instead of 2. I also have it secured to the bed, to the front 2 tie downs, with J hooks & turn buckles, so it WILL NOT tip. I also used a larger piece of 3/4" plywood for the top rollers, & used 4 on each side, instead of 1. Storage underneath & on top.
Then I would add an offroad trailer for gear, maybe with a plumbed in stove and water tank. I think a traditional camper makes you too heavy for offroad and a big trailer would be out for obvious reasons. But a single axle big wheeled offroad trailer you could drag anywhere.
2016 Granite Crystal Metallic Power Wagon Laramie, graphics delete, debadged, Thuren front and rear coils, Thuren rear swaybar links, Thuren front and rear trackbars, Traxada rear 1 inch spacers, King 3.0 (Stage 4) front and 2.5 (Stage 3) rear shocks, Boogie front bump stops, Cooper STT Pro 37x13.50R17 on XD Machette 17x9 +18 wheels, Centramatics, 5.13 gears, DOR steering brace, Thuren truss, Thuren King Steering Damper, Synergy Steering Kit, Thuren PW front bumper, Thuren rear bumper, White Knuckle rock sliders, Dethloff skid plate, Dethloff rear sway bar spacers, Purple Cranium Half Spider front and rear diff guards, Airlift 5000 Ultimate airbags with Daystar cradles, Bakflip Revolver X2 tonneau, Factor55 Ultrahook with 100ft 7/16 A.R.E. Spidersilk synthetic winch line, Zroadz Grill with slim 20 inch light bar, DDM Tuning LEDs/HIDs, Rigid Side Shooter ditch lights, KC rock lights, Rigid fog lights, Baja Designs rear lights, Magnaflow 19200 modified with upgraded resonator and after axle dump, tinted front windows 35%.
Re: Camping Options/ Shell?
Now I read the full thread. Really your only choice then is the collapsible top hard shell camper... soft side ground tent is a bad idea that I'd stay away from. The wind and rain make it suck, packing it wet sucks, and in bear country... your just a light snack...DamageWagon wrote:i already have one2011TXPowerWagon wrote:http://www.govplanet.com/jsp/s/auction. ... 0desc&mf=1
Grab one of those!!!I'm selling it because I HATE taking trailers off road.
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2016 Granite Crystal Metallic Power Wagon Laramie, graphics delete, debadged, Thuren front and rear coils, Thuren rear swaybar links, Thuren front and rear trackbars, Traxada rear 1 inch spacers, King 3.0 (Stage 4) front and 2.5 (Stage 3) rear shocks, Boogie front bump stops, Cooper STT Pro 37x13.50R17 on XD Machette 17x9 +18 wheels, Centramatics, 5.13 gears, DOR steering brace, Thuren truss, Thuren King Steering Damper, Synergy Steering Kit, Thuren PW front bumper, Thuren rear bumper, White Knuckle rock sliders, Dethloff skid plate, Dethloff rear sway bar spacers, Purple Cranium Half Spider front and rear diff guards, Airlift 5000 Ultimate airbags with Daystar cradles, Bakflip Revolver X2 tonneau, Factor55 Ultrahook with 100ft 7/16 A.R.E. Spidersilk synthetic winch line, Zroadz Grill with slim 20 inch light bar, DDM Tuning LEDs/HIDs, Rigid Side Shooter ditch lights, KC rock lights, Rigid fog lights, Baja Designs rear lights, Magnaflow 19200 modified with upgraded resonator and after axle dump, tinted front windows 35%.
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DamageWagon
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Re: Camping Options/ Shell?
Well we are getting closer. Got one of two versions pretty dialed in, the critical ideas like how to mount the camper, sealing surfaces, transit packaging, how to mount fabric, door mounting is all figured out. Need to design the internal reinforcements and try to keep the weight down. Someone asked for pics 
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PWRider
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Re: Camping Options/ Shell?
Seems like you are reinventing Four Wheel Camper/All Terrain Camper. I'd just get on with existing solution. Dialing in details, making one would take forever. How about flat-bed model. You can get a shell model without amenities for under $9k or even $8k + $2k for simple bed. I'm seriously thinking about this setup.DamageWagon wrote:Well we are getting closer. Got one of two versions pretty dialed in, the critical ideas like how to mount the camper, sealing surfaces, transit packaging, how to mount fabric, door mounting is all figured out. Need to design the internal reinforcements and try to keep the weight down.
http://truckcamperadventure.com/2016/02 ... k-flatbed/
Plain white 2008, 35" Duratracts, Bilstein 5160s.
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DamageWagon
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Camping Options/ Shell?
The reasons we are looking into doing this are
1. It is insanely cheaper. We are looking at just over $1,300 tops, completely built and furnished. I can also make it far more rigid than a FWC or Hallmark or Phoenix. I want to be able to go faster than I can with regular solutions and still have it in one piece.
3. I can make it lighter and with a lower center of gravity than these companies can. I also want a full size base for storage and interior room, but I don't want the width they normally make them. The interior space of the normal models is nice but it's too wide and tall and heavy, and horrible on fuel efficiency.
4. Even a used one in ok condition is way out of our price range. Buying a rooftop tent stretched out budget enough. We can't buy a $2500 heavy camper, and we don't want to buy an $800 ancient camper that is infested with rats and leaks and creaks everywhere.
It's a little far flung and I am not looking forward to the work to make it, but even in that case it will probably only take a few days to have the majority of the work done. It will all be sealed and riveted together with wiring channels and insulation built into the walls. This is still just a concept, we aren't set on anything but this seems like our best bet.
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1. It is insanely cheaper. We are looking at just over $1,300 tops, completely built and furnished. I can also make it far more rigid than a FWC or Hallmark or Phoenix. I want to be able to go faster than I can with regular solutions and still have it in one piece.
3. I can make it lighter and with a lower center of gravity than these companies can. I also want a full size base for storage and interior room, but I don't want the width they normally make them. The interior space of the normal models is nice but it's too wide and tall and heavy, and horrible on fuel efficiency.
4. Even a used one in ok condition is way out of our price range. Buying a rooftop tent stretched out budget enough. We can't buy a $2500 heavy camper, and we don't want to buy an $800 ancient camper that is infested with rats and leaks and creaks everywhere.
It's a little far flung and I am not looking forward to the work to make it, but even in that case it will probably only take a few days to have the majority of the work done. It will all be sealed and riveted together with wiring channels and insulation built into the walls. This is still just a concept, we aren't set on anything but this seems like our best bet.
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