Daily driver

[Eabmoto]

For those that leave their camper on their truck and use it for transportation, any issues with anything breakng down? I especially worry about having it in the weather /sunshine year round. Maybe the seams and around the windows need extra attention? I can take the camper off and leave it in my garage but it would be nice to always be ready to go, even if just to the beach for you the day. I also wonder about all the rattling that comes with daily driving. What kind of break down there could be. Anybody with experience?

 

[DavidGraves]

Howdy

We try to keep our Hawk on most of the year.....biggest headache is how dirty it gets from exposure....

Also, during the rainy Oregon winter there is lots of mildew that grows on the north side where I park it.

When it comes time for a trip it take s solid day to clean the outside.

I expect UV wear would be an issue farther south.

David Graves

 

[Eabmoto]

Thanks for the response. I’m up in Seattle so similar winter weather, lots of green on the vehicles.

 

[JaSAn]

I live in Minnesota and had my camper on for one winter. Road salt was very hard on all exposed metal parts. Compared to some of the severe washboard roads I sometimes travel, driving around on urban roads is pretty gentle. I didn't notice any damage to anything other than the exterior. The extra 1200+ lbs in the back was nice for traction.

 

[Eabmoto]

Luckily road salt is not a factor here in the NW. the previous owner kept it garaged when not being used and it looks new despite being 11 yrs old. I’d hate to have it start to deteriorate now. I guess it’ll be determined by how much I use it. I’m lucky I have a place to keep it.

 

[Roaming_Eagle]

After living out of my eagle on the road for 11 months the first thing to go is the paint on the cab over and forward bulkhead where its exposed behind the cab, this comes from being sandblasted from road grit and bugs. Secondly my front weather seal is cracking and should be replaced and the paint on the side window has fallen off. Other than that she is solid for being ten years old, regular use does take its toll but FWC and ATC make solid campers.

I just repainted the roof and front bulkhead so were ready for another ten years!

 

[Eabmoto]

That’s a great example of their durability. It feels good knowing it’ll be around for awhile.

 

[larryqp]

My 2014 FWC Eagle shell has been permanent on my Ranger for 2 years now, mostly in Texas in the winter, Colorado in the summer and Arkansas spring and fall. No road salt, so that's not an issue. After I drive on the beach I find the nearest car wash and rinse it. I also use Protectall on the aluminum siding twice a year. Used dryer sheets, make removing the bugs very easy, just wet them and rub.

There does not appear to be any wear and tear on the unit.

I am stuck in Houston, TX for this summer and am a little concerned about the extreme heat and humidity. My plan is to ventilate the unit with the roof vent and side window on sunny days and raise the roof every couple of weeks.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

If you have a place to store/park it under cover, I’d do it, even if it means taking the camper off. Once you’ve done it a couple of times, it doesn’t take that long to load or unload the camper. As you mentioned, there’s a lot of green on the vehicles in the PNW.

 

[BobM]

I've had my Raven on my truck as a daily driver since I got it new on Jan 2012. It's parked outside and I've had no problems either in or out except for a slight fade in the paint. No leaks or anything. Attached is a photo I took last month in Monument Valley. Regarding your point of being to take off at a moments noticed, this trip was exactly that. On a Monday morning I asked my wife if she felt like going to Monument Valley, we live in So cal. My truck needed service so I called to see if they could do that and they did so we took off the following day.

 

[Eabmoto]

it’ll probably be a little of both for me. Weeks with it left on and ready to go and stored away when I don’t anticipate using it.