Are there no ATC/FWC on the east coast?

[cabezon23]

I'm new here so I might be confused. But are there no ATC/FWC on the east coast? Maybe I am in the wrong site and should search for Wander the East?
I had a Sun-Lite camper for a few months, took it to Canada for a family vacation, and we had a great time. But 980lbs of dry weight is a little bit heavy for my Taco, even with the air springs. I actually busted the airbags twice on the trip.
The sun-lite is sold and I am looking now for an ATC or FWC. But I would really like to see one first.
How and where can I get in touch with an owner to have a look inside? I have to fit somehow 2 adults and 2 children in it. The short truck bed would fit only an FWC Eagle model.
Does anybody here has a family of 4 to sleep in the camper? What is your configuration / modification?

Please let me know.

 

[jimjxsn]

Welcome to the forum!

There are a couple of members on this forum from the east, they will probably chime in. I have a FWC Ranger which is a long bed small truck size. I have only slept 3 inside. For maximum sleeping capacity, you are probably looking at a shell model so you can outfit it as you like. Both FWC and ATC make a shell model in the size for the Taco.

Once you decide on one, make a road trip out west to pick it up. It'll be an adventure

I think CLynn85, warpathengineering and Mark_W._Ingalls are in the east...

Best of luck in your search.

 

[erod]

check here...http://www.usedfourwheelcampers.com/page12.html
couple (at least 1) out east.

i have a ranger II, 6.5 ft. long and would fit 4 pretty well i think, never tried though but it fits 2 people and 2...hundred lbs of dog pretty well.

welcome to the site , let us know what you find !

 

[John D]

I'm in Alabama. FWC/ATC campers might have trouble with an AC unit. It is hot and muggy here for some people. Right now, my camping partner and I are sleeping every night in our FWC in the Alabama weather. We have all the windows open. It is OK at night but it would be uncomfortable in the day time.

 

[HERR42]

wow....busted the airbags!
what brand? how did they break? Bolts give?

 

[DLN]

Welcome to the forum.

We've got a '06 Eagle but only sleep the two of us. The fold out bed could sleep 2 kids if they are small. Check out the FWC or ATC sites for more info.
Good Luck.

 

[WarpathEngineering]

Welcome!

I'm in KY and bought my Grandby used in VA. Sounds like John D is closest to you. Being a full sized camper on a full sized truck, I'd have no problem sleeping 4. Mine was pretty well equiped when I bought it but in bad shape. I've pretty much gutted it and am starting over. If I were in the market for a new one, I'd buy the shell model. Then you have every chance to make it your own and set it up as you see fit. Great way to be creative and a lot of guys here on the site love to see changes made. Good luck!

Rick

 

[cabezon23]

wow....busted the airbags!
what brand? how did they break? Bolts give?

I got the Air-Lift Ride Control. They are very simple and easy to mount, even the quality is great. But I should have followed the installation manual and mount the bump stop extensions. I just thought that they limit wheel travel too much, and with 100 PSI of pressure you shouldn't bottom out, right?
Think again! 980lbs of camper, 10 gal of water, supplies, gas, propane, 2 kids and two adults combined with the smooth and even roads of NY are a little too much.
The truck didn't really bottom out, at least not really hard. But with this weight the air bags expand sideways and make contact with the shocks. I think that the airbag expanded and at the same time the shock came down and the outer sleeve cut into the bag.
I tried to patch it with duct tape, but the pressure is just too high.
I have the Load Control with the pressure gauge up front. The compressor fills the bags up to 100 PSI, but on the road the needle goes far beyond the 100 PSI mark. I guess even up to 150PSI. Not something duct tape was designed to hold, I guess.
Right now I am on a business trip, but the replacement bags are ordered and should be there when I get back. It should be less than an hour to install them, this time WITH the bump stop extensions.
The system is just great and it makes a big difference in handling. Definitely worth doing.

 

[cabezon23]

Baby Crib on top of the fridge

This is a picture of the baby crib I installed on top of the fridge. The camper is my old Sun-Lite camper.
The bottom part, 1/2" ply board is held in place with velcro. The screen is stapled to the ply on the bottom, the top is held by cup hooks to the ceiling.
The little one was very happy in his monkey cage and could definitely not fall out at night. He had to crawl out of his cage and onto ours.
To put him to bed was simple, unhook the top of the screen, put him in and close the screen again.

 

[Tomas Tierra]

Welcome to the forum..

I have a ranger model on a T-100. My wife(all 5'4' of her), my seven year old daughter, and my 19 month old son sleep "upstairs" and I sleep in complete luxury in the "basement on the foldout". My buddy had a sunlite, you will love an atc or fwc. both superior products in many ways..

Good luck!

Tom

 

[Brian]

Air bags...

I had airbags on an RV I owned some time ago and made the mistake of taking it to Mexico. The "topes" or speed bumps just about killed the suspension. In the case of this rig they were a bandaid type fix for a very poor stock rear suspension....it was actually a small camper built on a Chevy Astrovan chassis. Great idea...they just needed to use something more than the stock composition springs! Anyway, what I am getting at is that we developed leaks in the airbags and had to stop every 100 miles on the way home and air them up. I later discovered that if I injected some fix-a-flat into the bags through the valve stems it held great. I mention this not as a permanent fix of course but as a bandaid to get a guy back to the barn.
Brian

 

[ecorider]

Two for sale in New Hampsire

You can see the two I have forsale in South Eastern NH look under the 06 Grandby back a week or so, If you are in the area feel free to call me and drop by to look at the two I have 603 318 1012
thnx
Mark J
I didn't read that far into your post the two I have are for full size trucks I sold the Eagle I had just a week ago but still if you want to look at one you'r more than welcome too

 

[DLN]

cabezon,

Thanks for the details on your air bag problems. I will be very careful installing them on my Tacoma when I get around to it. Did you add a leaf to your springs or are they stock?

 

[cabezon23]

Stock suspension

cabezon,

Thanks for the details on your air bag problems. I will be very careful installing them on my Tacoma when I get around to it. Did you add a leaf to your springs or are they stock?

My suspension is still stock and usually works pretty good with the air bags. In the future I will change the rear springs to something smoother. I had many years ago Northwest Offroad Springs on a Hilux truck. The change from the standard springs to NWOR made for a completely new driving experience.
So, that's going to be one of the next projects.
The standard springs are just too stiff for bad roads with an empty truck. Not that I mind the bouncing, but the rest of the family just doesn't have the same definition of fun.

 

[benburnett]

ATC in the east

I just delivered a camper to a customer who lives in GA. That would be the closest customer that I have to you. If you would like to talk to him, just let me know.

 

[DLN]

cabezon,

I absolutely hear you about the unloaded truck. Driving to FWC to have the camper installed with the added spring was so rough it was comical. I had even let some air out of the tires and it was still bad.

 

[cabezon23]

Please let me know

I just delivered a camper to a customer who lives in GA. That would be the closest customer that I have to you. If you would like to talk to him, just let me know.

Hi Ben,

I am definitely interested in contacting this customer. Please send me his contact info, or ask him to contact me at martinjcosta@gmail.com.

Thank you very much.

 

[OffRoadJoe]

have you check out www.usedfourwheelcampers.com ?

there are 2 eagle models for sale right now on the east coast ...

you can check those out for sure



1998 Ranger II Model (this model is now called the Eagle Model)

CAMPER IS LOCATED IN FREDERICKBURG, VA (EAST COAST)

It has the usual options plus upgrades like the 3-way fridge,
Sliding front window, All appliances work,
Interior and Canvas in great condition -- Asking $6000 OBO

Contact me by e-mail at = cslynn@vt.edu

===============================================


2002 EAGLE (Located on the East Coast)

$ 9880 or best
Extra Camper battery charging from your car or from installed battery
charger
Automatic forced Air Heater
12 volt compressor refrigerator , can be run on solar energy
Electric water pump
Water tank
Stainless steel sink
Two burner stove
Aluminum propane Bottle
Built in AC DC converter Transforms 110 or 220 to 12 v
Front sliding window to cab
Screen Door
Custom Curtains and upholstery in Ultra Sued
Arctic Pack
Dead Bolt
Free standing Camper Jacks
Complete Cover
Mosquito enclosure
Inside is Built with Honey Comp High performance Material for minimum
Weight.
this Camper is very light ,
you can take this camper and go to Europa it is set up for 110 v and
220 volt
This camper is always stored in a garage and is in excellent condition
and is 99% NEW
see pictures at http://homepage.mac.com/rasti/PhotoAlbum3.html

Charleston South Carolina
rasti@mac.com
843-744-8991phone
843-7448992 fax

 

[erod]

that eagle is sweet...a little out of my range but very nice. that seems like a pretty good site but don't forget the classifieds in and around your area...good luck and let us know what happens!

 

[benburnett]

cabezon

Sent your mail address to him. Let me know if you don't hear from him in a couple of days. I know he is not out camping right now. He had a leak in the back door window and was unable to get it fixed in a timely manner where he lives. He sent the window to us and is waiting for it to arrive here and have us send it back to him. Other than that glitch, I think he is really happy over all with the camper and how it has performed on his truck.