Another Newbie Joining

[K6ON]

Hi everyone. This is my first post, been lurking for a while during my search for a nice used
4 Wheel Camper. I found a very clean, albeit a bit bare, ‘96 Grandby that I placed a deposit on today. I need to remove an existing shell from my truck, and add the camper mounts in the bed.

I should have the mounts on by the weekend and will pick up the camper early next week. In the meantime, it’s missing two “must have” items. A screen door, and a heater. I already own a
small “Mr. Heater” I use in the cockpit of my boat, that I assume will be more then adequate
for the time being. I bought the camper for an upcoming trip to Alaska and don’t want to be carried away by the mosquitos once I arrive, so the need for a screen door. My big question is what’s involved in adding the screen door?? Quickly looking at the door & frame, it appears the
entire door/ frame assembly needs to be replaced with one including the screen. Is this the case, and if so is it an easy swap, or does it need to go to Woodland (which is close as I live in Sacramento) for a factory replacement?? Thanks for any assistance.

I know this group likes pictures, so here’s the truck as it sits today. When the Grandby is on next
week, I’ll post new pictures. I’m looking forward to participating in this group and hope eventually to be able to offer some advice and help myself.

 

[SunMan]

Deltarat,
Welcome! Nice rig, the Grandby should compliment it nicely. Look forward to the pics.

 

[the fisherman]

Screen Door

I added a screen door to my Granby, you change out the door and casing takes about an hour, you will find a roll of insulation tape will be helpful. I got my door from 4 Wheel Camper. Before you use that Mr. Heater, get a carbon mox. detector. Personally I would keep that heater in your boat, they use up a lot of ox. and are really not safe to use in your camper. While is was upgrading my camper I threw in a Suburban Heater, welcome to the site, hope this helps. IF YOU HAVE A BOAT, THAT MEANS YOU MUST FISH, THATS GOOD

 

[Ted]

Screen door

Welcome DeltaRat,

Good to have another local in the group. Though I'm partial to Toyotas, that is a good looking truck you have. Should be a good match for your camper.

You are correct that the screen is built in with the door and you need to swap it out. Ben and Stan have helped others with this and can get the door for you. Do a search on this site using "screen". You will find several threads about replacing the door. There are also some custom doors people have made you can check out.

Since you are local, another place you may want to check out is an rv dismantler near El Camino and Business 80: http://www.rvdoctorgeorge.com/
He has acres of new and used parts including the heaters parts used by FWC. I got parts from him to build a rear awning for our camper.

Good luck,

Ted

 

[AK Nomad]

welome drat-
I bought my Grandby going into winter, and can't wait to get it out now that temps just rose above freezing (still freezing at night). I'm hoping to mount it on the truck this weekend. I've got a matching canopy to remove also.

Nice looking truck. I'm partial to Cummins power, myself. I wonder how your side mirrors will work for you - will you see around the camper very well? You might consider upgrading to tow mirrors. The ole' cummins won't even know that lightweight FWC is sittin there, and I'm told you might see 2-3mpg drop.

You might also need to instal a plug in the bed for camper power. In case the camper doesn't come with all the parts, you can get the plug FWC uses at a West Marine store (trolling motor plug).

 

[chnlisle]

Welcome aboard RamRat,
Great truck and perfect color.

It doesnt take much to heat the inside of the camper. You could probably keep it warm with a lantern. I use a small Mr. Heater and it works great. Just keep a vent or window cracked. The screen door is a piece of cake to install. I did it in about a a half hour. I used, per Ben at ATC, double backed foam tape. Thats what was on the other door. Ben supplied me with the screws including a few over sized ones in case I stripped out a few. I did strip one but if your careful you will be fine.

Whats D2 costing in Sacto these days?

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

Hey Deltarat

Nice truck ! looks like a beast, but luxury at the same time.

Yes, you will need to swap the door out for one that has a screen door.

There have been some threads on the forum on how to build your own screen, so you can do a search if you want to go that way.

If you call our service dept. or stop by sometime (Mon - Fri., 8:00am - 3:00 is best for service hours) we might have a used door available that has a screen.

800-242-1442 (ask for Bobby or Chicali) and they can check for you.


I just thought of something else to watch out for too !

When I sold our 1992 / 1993 Grandby, the guy who bought it had a similar truck as yours.

We needed to add some 5/8" runners under the camper before setting it in his truck bed. You might not need this, but just lower the camper slowly on the truck and watch the clearance between the camper edges & bed rails, and also the camper cab-over and the top of your truck cab clearance.


Let us know if you have any other questions.

Enjoy the new camper !




.

 

[DLN]

Welcome aboard, others have covered your questions very well, but when in doubt, call Stan or Ben and they will take care of you. As to the heater, I installed the factory unit we should have bought with the camper after a few cold weather/high altitude trips. Would recommend you do the same, it's well worth it. Best of Luck.

 

[K6ON]

Than You..

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome and great information. doesn't look like the door/screen install will be an issue, and I'll investigate heating options.

Stan, Thanks for the installation advice, I'll lower it slowly and watch the clearance. I'll be making a trip out to FWC this afternoon about 2:00 for mounting hardware, if you're there I'll say Hi.
chnlisle, When I filled the truck Saturday, #2 was $4.25 a gallon.. Arghhhh

AK Nomad I had already ordered the flip-over towing mirrors from Dodge, just have to install them on Saturday. At this stage, with the camper on the back, 2-3mpg drop in mileage can't hurt any more than it already does to fill it now.

Ted, Thanks for the info on the RV dismantler, I've driven up & down
El Camino hundreds of times and didn't know it was there.

fisherman, Yep, I do wet a line once in a while. Normally fish for sturgeon and striper's in the Delta (where Deltarat came from), and in the Bay. Occasionally fish for Salmon also, but not this year . Pics of the boat at: http//home.pacbell.net/w6jcw if interested.

Again THANK YOU all for the warm welcome and wealth of information. Looking forward to having a great time here and in the Grandby.

Bob (Deltarat)

 

[b team]

Welcome. Nice rig. Looking fwd to pics.

 

[craig333]

Welcome. Good to have another sacramentan here. Nice rig.

 

[K6ON]

Got it on..

Hi All,

Got the Grandby mounted late last week. A friend asked if I would help him “open the road” to
his cabin, which is on a private road, about ½ mile from “Chalk Bluff Road” off Hy 20 near Nevada City. We arrived at the locked gate, and just inside I could see the first of what would be six downed trees across the road. After winching three out of the road, and chain-sawing three more we made it to the cabin. As I was unloading the camper, I watched the rear tire of the truck go flat. On investigation we discovered a large chunk of wood stuck right through the sidewall on an almost new Toyo M/T tire. The truck looked kinda sad sitting on the jack, but’s that’s how I spent Friday night..First night in the Grandby and I slept like a log. Saturday morning we loaded the tire in Ted’s Jeep and headed to Les Schwab tire Grass Valley. They replaced the tire with a new one at no cost..way to go Les Schwab. Night two was also spent in the Grandby .All in all, a fun weekend, even having to do a lot of work Looks like I’ll be enjoying the camper
for quite some time.

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

hey deltarat


did you have to add any wood under the camper before setting it in the truck bed ?

looks like a really tight fit over the truck cab ?

has it touched the top of the truck cab yet ?



.

 

[John D]

Deltarat, Welcome to the forum. We don’t have a screen door on our camper and have not missed it. Our warmest camp last year was in Snow Canyon near St. George, Utah. It was about 80 degrees when we went to bed and there were lots of mosquitoes. Sleeping with our heads near the boot screens was unsettling, hearing them zinging away only a few inches away. The mosquitoes knew we were there and were determined to get us! Not a one made it inside, but is tested our nerves.

At that point, we were on our way to “Sweet Home Alabama” from Alaska where he had no mosquitoes at all, having arrived on “The Last Frontier” in the latter half of August. I’m no expert, but I think the mosquitoes diminish when it cools enough at night to kill them. Whatever the reason, we had no mosquitoes in Alaska or the Yukon. We found the weather almost perfect for touring and camping in late August and early September. The camp fires at night were nothing short of wonderful.

After returning to Alabama, we read a post on a forum by a person traveling the same Alaska Highway we had been over two weeks before under beautiful blue skies with shirt sleeve evenings, who experienced heavy snow on September 15. It soon melted. Be prepared to sit tight waiting out a storm if the season is late. At the Alaska – Yukon border, we met two camper trailer rigs heading north. Two couples convoying together had been up before during October and were expecting some nice days. The men were in their 70s, both experienced hunters, former road bull dozer driver construction men still wearing their kaki work uniforms … tough old birds … so, consider the source.

You will see other Four Wheel Campers in Alaska. Truck campers are the ticket. Dirt roads head off into “who knows where”. If exploring is your game, the ability to turn around in limited space is very important.

Deltarat, fuel prices in Canada were higher than in the US and it didn’t bother me a minute. -John D

 

[Tomas Tierra]

has it touched the top of the truck cab yet ?
QUOTE]

If it hasn't, it will!

Nice looking rig DR...Shoulda gotten the BFG's!! I've had the tripple sidewall on the BFG's bend a nail away before!

TT

 

[K6ON]

Not Yet..

hey deltarat


did you have to add any wood under the camper before setting it in the truck bed ?

looks like a really tight fit over the truck cab ?

has it touched the top of the truck cab yet ?



.

Hi Stan, I did as you suggested earlier and placed a chunk of 5/8 plywood under the camper. The front of the overhang clears the top by 1 1/2 inches. The camper has not hit the top, even on some rough 4X4 trails this weekend. Let me know what you think minimum clearance should be and I'll raise it some more.

By the way, thanks for taking a minute out of your busy day to say Hi on the 22nd, it was a pleasure meeting you.

Thomas Tierra: Those Toyo's are load range "E" 10 ply rated tires..I don't think any tire would have survived what happened to that one.