Cabover Tips

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

I don’t own one but have always liked them. Quick question re: the cabover portion. How long does it take to secure the sides/front around the cabover once raised? I ask because it seems to be problematic in wind with dust (we frequent the desert), during a snowstorm (we ski quite a bit), or in mosquito territory (I have dreams of Alaska). Any tips or tricks?

 

[Vic Harder]

I have the same question!

 

[wcj]

Haven't timed it with a stopwatch, but probably three minutes from starting the hydraulic pump to being weather tight. I have done it in all the conditions you describe plus thunder storms. Never been a problem.

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

Thanks for your reply!

 

[SER]

Same here not a problem during storms or wind. You might wipe the mattress down very little when there is some side ways hard rain or snow. But we have been in a bunch of weather and not bad at all. You will be wetter getting out of the truck more than the inside of the camper. We timed our raise and it takes about 2 minutes up and yep a minute or less to be weather tight. So nice to be dry and warm inside.

What we did raising in mosquito land: Travelled through alot of mosquitos heading to Tuk (Arctic Ocean). When we parked to camp overnight before we raised the top we lit about 4 mosquito coils around the truck. Waited a couple minutes, and it brought down the numbers of mosquitos significantly!! then raised the top and closed up the sides etc. Let the coils burn through the eve. By morning it was always a bit cooler and they weren't out.

When we went in for the evening there would only be a few of them inside and easy to rid. When it wasn't breezy and the little buggers were really thick we would use blue masking tape to seal all the little openings on the inside. That went fast, there were only a few by the double doors and the cab over area. I also filled many with some foam insulating sticky back strip(the cheap kind like what you put under a shell on the truck bed rails) The gray strips are not seen and don't interfere with the raise up/down and are permanent on the camper now.

Then a nice quiet sleep.

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

 

[wcj]

My son lives in Alaska, had my non cab over for a while. He swore if you ran the fantastic fan blowing into the camper it created enough pressure differential it kept them from coming in the cracks. I haven't had to try it, but he used it enough to know.

 

[SER]

Great idea on the positive pressure pushing air out. Your son is correct, you reminded me we tried that at times and it does work ok but there sure was a pile up of critters at the fan screen entrance. All in all just have to deal with them and it is worth it to be "way up north"

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

Thanks for all the replies!