First trip with new FWC Fleet – review and lessons learned

[jeffreywanderson9]

Awesome post! Great info as I am picking up my Fleet this week. I will be traveling with my pup (60lb labradoodle) and was wondering if you had any tips or tricks that you have learned traveling with a dog. Mainly right now I am trying to figure out a good way for her to get in and out of the camper.

 

[buckland]

There are number of threads on dog ramps, from folding and light weight all the way to a piece of 1/2" ply wood. Our dog traveled with us for 5 years in our eagle and she was getting on in years so even getting into the back seat of the truck she used a 16" wide by 40" long 1/2 ply with carpet stapled to it. It is a flat item so really doesn't take up so much room. She needed it getting in and out. Softer on those old joints.

 

[EnviroProf]

Awesome post! Great info as I am picking up my Fleet this week. I will be traveling with my pup (60lb labradoodle) and was wondering if you had any tips or tricks that you have learned traveling with a dog. Mainly right now I am trying to figure out a good way for her to get in and out of the camper.

You are going to have a lot of fun with your new Fleet.
If your labradoodle isn't fairly old (mine is 10yrs old) I would suggest getting some sturdy steps like the List Giant steps we bought after reading about them on this forum. My old lab was able to get up the steps a couple of times, but when it was dark, she was really scared trying to use them and it was stressing her out too much. They are heavy, but each step is deep so you can walk up or down them just like a set of stairs. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Little-Giant-Ladder-Systems-3-ft-Safety-Aluminum-Step-Ladder-with-Bar-300-lb-Load-Capacity-Type-IA-Duty-Rating-10310BA/100430063
I think a younger dog would get used to them and you could still use them when the dog gets older.

My pup travels in the back seat of my Tacoma, which is pretty tall, so before I purchased the Fleet I bought folding dog steps for her.
http://www.petloader.com
These dog steps work great. We had a folding ramp that friends gave us, but I've had two dogs that hated ramps and refused to use them. I think they are either too slippery or flexible, but for whatever reason the ramp didn't work at all.

I think you will find the floor space pretty tight with you and your dog, depending on where the dog will sleep. For our first night I put her sleeping pad on half of the lower bed (the dinette area that drops down to a bed), and that worked great, freeing up the limited floor space. On the second night, however, she tried to jump up but missed and sort of crash landed. After that I just put her pad on the floor, which meant that I had step over her quite a bit.

With her on the floor I also adjusted the furnace vents so that the heated air wasn't hitting her directly and overheating her.

I'm sure you will settle into a system that works. My trips are sure more enjoyable when I travel with my lab.

 

[Timothy McGowen]

For those wanting to try, dogs have problems with depth perception and seeing through the steps. Just attach cardboard to the back of the steps and that should help. It will not instantly cure their fear but with your patient help they should over come it. Eventually you should be able to remove the backing.

 

[Squatch]

I have a couple of questions. Looks like 4WC has made some changes. My propane is accessed through a rear door from the outside.


How is your propane accessed? it looks like a side door in the rear. Can the tanks be removed with camper in the truck?

Also a comment. I think you will get used to the rear door. I'm an arthritic big guy but find once I got it figured out that the small door is a non issue. After i installed my Brophy 2 step receiver steps and the anti rattle clamp It's a piece of cake to enter and exit. I go in and out facing forward.

 

[EnviroProf]

I have a couple of questions. Looks like 4WC has made some changes. My propane is accessed through a rear door from the outside.

c08 (Small).JPG

How is your propane accessed? it looks like a side door in the rear. Can the tanks be removed with camper in the truck?

Also a comment. I think you will get used to the rear door. I'm an arthritic big guy but find once I got it figured out that the small door is a non issue. After i installed my Brophy 2 step receiver steps and the anti rattle clamp It's a piece of cake to enter and exit. I go in and out facing forward.

Squatch, you are correct. The propane door is now on the passenger side near the back. No problem removing the tanks when on the truck. Looking at the photo that you posted it looks like FWC has also changed the tiedowns for the tanks. My straps run vertically around the tank going through the handle.

As for exiting the camper, I'm pretty comfy backing through the door, but typically have hikers on, and the chunky soles tend to catch on the raised bottom of the door frame while I'm in a crouch. Maybe I'm just not as limber as everyone else. Perhaps practicing some duck walking would help . . .