ATC Camper Width Pros and Cons

[willz]

I'm trying to fit my 2015 Tundra long bed with either a Cougar 84", or Puma 78", or Puma 72".

Pros: I like the profile of the Puma 72"...... it looks better!, balance, mirrors, and less wind resistance.

Cons: Less storage, tighter inside!

Any thoughts on going up to 84"

I'm thinking of going 78" that seems fine. Thanks -Will

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Welcome to the group.
You might PM Tuff Guy 62 I think he could give you some pointers.
Also check in with Marty at ATC.

I have a Bobcat of an 02 Tundra and like the 72" width as it doesn't hang over the bed rails.
Don't know just how much storage you would get.These campers don't have that much to start but I have found that with
using the rear seat of the AC cab we have more then enough.
Frank

 

[jimjxsn]

I have a Panther (84") on my short bed Tundra and love the extra room.

Wide ledge on window side. Cabinet is pushed back for a wide isle. My Yeti cooler fits width wise in isle.

These pics may help.

 

[Tuff Guy 62]

It's all about personal preference. Our 84" Panther is perfect for the wife and I. I'm 6'1" so we have plenty of room sleeping E-W without the bed slider pulled out which is a big plus IMO.

We went with a shell model with no built-ins (see interior pics here) w/the exception of the addition of the furnace. We do have a galley counter top on the drivers side and a simple full length 28-inch wide bench on the passenger side. Since we do expedition catering as a side gig, our design concept was to maximize stowage capability. Bed slider is also 28-inches so extra cushions can be used on the bench.

Our Panther sits full time on 17 year old 1/2 ton Chevy Silverado. I have not experienced any visibility issues with our standard mirrors or parking lot problems. We average about 15mpg on the highway.

No matter what you ultimately decide, you can't go wrong with ATC. Jeff and Marty will build exactly what you want and they'll treat you right long after your purchase.

 

[CougarCouple]

Hello willz

We have the cougar, and you are contemplating 6 inches more. Sounds like you are debating esthetics, so if you are going for looks I get it. We think ours looks good , and our opinion is you can't go wrong with a little more space.
Russ

 

[Atlin]

We have the 84" Cougar on an F150 and it is perfect. Extra room is always useful. Just got back from 5 days on the road at Dawson City and other locations in Yukon, and were very happy with our ATC. FYI, we bought a basic shell with furnace and stovetop and finished out the inside ourselves. Includes bar sink and cabinets, custom fold-down table, and sleeping arrangements N-S (so if anyone has to get up at night they don't have to crawl over the other).

But I also get the idea of a narrower camper for visibility and drag. The F150 has a tall enough bed that I can see under the camper using the standard mirrors. Typical fuel economy at 65 mph on our rig is about 15.5 mpg, which I consider reasonable.

 

[willz]

Thanks for all the responses, Great pictures look forward to Wandering this summer and Fall. Puma 79" looks good on my Tundra,

I don't think I could get smaller and clear the jacks. Just cut 4 some 6" x 13" , 1/4" steel plates, to add to corner jack mounts to give a few more inches of wiggle room so the jack legs don't splay when mounting the camper.

1) Any thoughts on over cab wind deflectors?

2) Any thoughts on resealing/painting some damage done by the previous owner on the underside the over cab panel where he caulked a plastic wind deflector, The super strong caulk pulled the weather seal off and I can see a little of the fiber board. Sand and Paint? Wood putty?



You can see in the photo at the end of the over cab panel he mounted a half PCV pipe on brackets for wind deflection.

 

[carld]

I have the 78" Ocelot on my 2002 Tundra AC and like it a lot. Through 2016 the Tundras are smaller, Type 1, and ATC took 2" out of the bed height so it fits the smaller tundra. They then added an extra 2" into the soft top so it max hight is still 6'4". I don't extend the bed which is 6'4" x 4') great for one person and a little crowed for two.

I think that the wider Panther in my case would be better. I think it looks better on the truck and the wind resistance and weight are minimal. The extra room would be nice.

Before I had a Palomino 800 Bronco truck camper on my Tundra. It was 84"wide and the width was fine. It had a full 80x60 inch bed which was also nice. Another nice thing is that the over cab part shaded the truck cab and the wider camper will shade the cab better.