OP
OP
Nimbl Vehicles
Gandalf the Grey
Marc, Deck height with 35s, 37s and stock tires? John D
Deck height from where?
Deck height from where?
Flatbed Discussion
- Thread starter Nimbl Vehicles
- Start date
Above the ground. The ultimate flat bed off road truck is the US Army deuce and a half. That is intended as a complimentary statement about the XPCamper flat bed system. The duece and a half evolved to be large and robust due to the military application. A recreational off road multi-purpose truck probably had a "sweet spot" in size and cost quite a bit smaller than a military truck. That depends on the buyer's needs. It is difficult to enter that market when large companies have been working the problem for a century. It can be done. I believe the current market is evolving toward better fuel economy.
Attached is a picture of a truck made from duece and a half components. The bed is from a military trailer that is towed behind a deuce and a half. Truck enthusiasts in this forum will find this truck desirable. It is not practical because it goes too far in the direction of heavy duty. This truck gets about 15 miles per gallon.
Attached is a picture of a truck made from duece and a half components. The bed is from a military trailer that is towed behind a deuce and a half. Truck enthusiasts in this forum will find this truck desirable. It is not practical because it goes too far in the direction of heavy duty. This truck gets about 15 miles per gallon.
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OP
OP
Nimbl Vehicles
Gandalf the Grey
Above the ground. The ultimate flat bed off road truck is the US Army deuce and a half. That is intended as a complimentary statement about the XPCamper flat bed system. The duece and a half evolved to be large and robust due to the military application. A recreational off road multi-purpose truck probably had a "sweet spot" in size and cost quite a bit smaller than a military truck. That depends on the buyer's needs. It is difficult to enter that market when large companies have been working the problem for a century. It can be done. I believe the current market is evolving toward better fuel economy.
Attached is a picture of a truck made from duece and a half components. The bed is from a military trailer that is towed behind a deuce and a half. Truck enthusiasts in this forum will find this truck desirable. It is not practical because it goes too far in the direction of heavy duty. This truck gets about 15 miles per gallon.
15 MPG is pretty good for a truck that size. Let me know if you want me to built you a cabin for it
Actually my tires are 33's not 35's; my bad
The flatbed with that set up is just under 40" of the ground.
Attached is a picture of a truck made from duece and a half components. The bed is from a military trailer that is towed behind a deuce and a half. Truck enthusiasts in this forum will find this truck desirable. It is not practical because it goes too far in the direction of heavy duty. This truck gets about 15 miles per gallon.
15 MPG is pretty good for a truck that size. Let me know if you want me to built you a cabin for it
Actually my tires are 33's not 35's; my bad
The flatbed with that set up is just under 40" of the ground.
Overland Hadley
Contributors
Just talked to the guys at Ute Ltd.
They said the weight of a flatbed for a newer Tacoma would be 250lbs.
Now, how much does the factory bed weigh?
They said the weight of a flatbed for a newer Tacoma would be 250lbs.
Now, how much does the factory bed weigh?
Just talked to the guys at Ute Ltd.
They said the weight of a flatbed for a newer Tacoma would be 250lbs.
Now, how much does the factory bed weigh?
I'd be interested to know as well. With the tailgate it must be more than that. The nice thing about the flatbed is when you are using the camper, you remove the walls and don't use them, saving weight.
They said the weight of a flatbed for a newer Tacoma would be 250lbs.
Now, how much does the factory bed weigh?
I'd be interested to know as well. With the tailgate it must be more than that. The nice thing about the flatbed is when you are using the camper, you remove the walls and don't use them, saving weight.
The deck of this empty F-150 I have here is about 30 inches off the ground with 29 inch tires. It is like comparing apples and oranges next to the custom flat bed. Nevertheless, deck height does speak to center of gravity questions, ultimate height of a popped up camper with 6 feet of head room, access from the ground when climbing in the door, and other things.
The deck of this empty F-150 I have here is about 30 inches off the ground with 29 inch tires. It is like comparing apples and oranges next to the custom flat bed. Nevertheless, deck height does speak to center of gravity questions, ultimate height of a popped up camper with 6 feet of head room, access from the ground when climbing in the door, and other things.
The XPcamper solves some of these issues by simply having more travel in the roof as it raises. This allows plenty of headroom in the camper without requiring the camper be a lot taller in the closed position. Also in standard campers, some of the heavier components like the fridge are mounted higher, where as in the XP everything is mounted close to the floor. Also in the XP the water tank is in the floor where as in something like the FWC the tank sits at cabinet height. So essentially, while there are COG issues that are legitimate, they are not as simple as the measurement of the bed from the ground.
You are correct about the access from the ground though - no way around that.
The XPcamper solves some of these issues by simply having more travel in the roof as it raises. This allows plenty of headroom in the camper without requiring the camper be a lot taller in the closed position. Also in standard campers, some of the heavier components like the fridge are mounted higher, where as in the XP everything is mounted close to the floor. Also in the XP the water tank is in the floor where as in something like the FWC the tank sits at cabinet height. So essentially, while there are COG issues that are legitimate, they are not as simple as the measurement of the bed from the ground.
You are correct about the access from the ground though - no way around that.
Overland Hadley
Contributors
You are correct about the access from the ground though - no way around that.
A ladder with an extra step.
A ladder with an extra step.
Flatbed - This is not rocket science. If the truck drives OK, there is no problem. In my opinion, the XPCamper falls into a class of industrial design called "Streamline Moderne". This is an art form with functionality. The reader should look up references on the subject. Streamline art began in the 1930s. The Airstream Trailer is considered an example of this art, along with the Chrysler Airflow and the Japanese Shinkansen Train. Streamline Moderne is often debatable as to whether or not it actually does anything. In this case, we have purely functional campers designed to fit streamlined trucks and a streamlined camper designed to fit a purely functional bed. Both work.
ntsqd
Custom User Title
The summer between my Jr. & Sr. HS years I worked on a custom hay farm in Powell Butte, OR (DD &/or Mark may even know the Bussett family). Sometimes we had to load bales by hand. The flat bed height of their 1935-50ish Chevy 2 ton truck made hoisting those bales a real chore. (at least early in the summer, by the end of the summer I was in much better shape!)
That comes back to me every time I consider building a flatbed. Some flat beds allow the rear tire travel to intrude into their structural space (some even have only a sheet of steel over the tires), but that only partly solves the problem. I keep ending up with a no-so-flat bed design that has wheel wells.
That comes back to me every time I consider building a flatbed. Some flat beds allow the rear tire travel to intrude into their structural space (some even have only a sheet of steel over the tires), but that only partly solves the problem. I keep ending up with a no-so-flat bed design that has wheel wells.
Overland Hadley
Contributors
I keep ending up with a no-so-flat bed design that has wheel wells.
Thom, you continue to amaze me.
Thom, you continue to amaze me.
OP
OP
Nimbl Vehicles
Gandalf the Grey
I keep ending up with a no-so-flat bed design that has wheel wells.
That was actually taking in consideration when I designed the XPCamper.
The problem is; that every truck has a different wheel base; so there fore every camper needs to be slightly different to fit.
My camper is like one fits all.
In the end I actually gained storage by going with the traditional route of a flatbed.
And; if you already have a flatbed; you can install the camper on that as well.
That was actually taking in consideration when I designed the XPCamper.
The problem is; that every truck has a different wheel base; so there fore every camper needs to be slightly different to fit.
My camper is like one fits all.
In the end I actually gained storage by going with the traditional route of a flatbed.
And; if you already have a flatbed; you can install the camper on that as well.
ntsqd
Custom User Title
Thom, you continue to amaze me.
Don't be too amazed. So far that design is only 'vaporware', it exists on my computer only. I borrowed a page from Mark's book and originally designed the not-flatbed and then the NCO pop-top that goes with it to replace the rapidly rusting bed on my '84 Xcab. It is a work in progress and far from ready to build. Which is a good thing because my projects list is backed up for the next 3-5 years.....
Mark, I hear you on trying to accommodate different wheel bases, or just different axle locations within the same bed size. A true flat bed makes the most sense there.
Don't be too amazed. So far that design is only 'vaporware', it exists on my computer only. I borrowed a page from Mark's book and originally designed the not-flatbed and then the NCO pop-top that goes with it to replace the rapidly rusting bed on my '84 Xcab. It is a work in progress and far from ready to build. Which is a good thing because my projects list is backed up for the next 3-5 years.....
Mark, I hear you on trying to accommodate different wheel bases, or just different axle locations within the same bed size. A true flat bed makes the most sense there.
Accrete
Senior Member
. . . And; if you already have a flatbed; you can install the camper on that as well.
Marc i have a question on the flat bed.
(i posted this over at another forum, but it seems more appropriate here?)
My wife and i will be purchasing a new 2011 Ford SuperDuty next spring. So far we are looking at a crew cab chassis cab F350 or above. I am assuming that you have specs to share as the super duty cabs require more room from flatbed to top-of-cab.
Do you have design parameters that you can share so i can pass this info onto a local builder of flatbeds? (Highway Producs of Medford Oregon). I'm in the planning stages of the purchase with a local ford fleet buyer and trying to coordinate the upfitment including the flat bed in the cost of the truck purchase for better financing. I would consider purchasing the XP flatbed mentioned at your site if they waived the taxes, though a quote from the oregon builder above comes in at ~$6500 for all aluminum construction with boxes below. I have purchased various vehicles in Nevada and California as an Oregon resident and never paid sales tax.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts/reply.
Thom
Marc i have a question on the flat bed.
(i posted this over at another forum, but it seems more appropriate here?)
My wife and i will be purchasing a new 2011 Ford SuperDuty next spring. So far we are looking at a crew cab chassis cab F350 or above. I am assuming that you have specs to share as the super duty cabs require more room from flatbed to top-of-cab.
Do you have design parameters that you can share so i can pass this info onto a local builder of flatbeds? (Highway Producs of Medford Oregon). I'm in the planning stages of the purchase with a local ford fleet buyer and trying to coordinate the upfitment including the flat bed in the cost of the truck purchase for better financing. I would consider purchasing the XP flatbed mentioned at your site if they waived the taxes, though a quote from the oregon builder above comes in at ~$6500 for all aluminum construction with boxes below. I have purchased various vehicles in Nevada and California as an Oregon resident and never paid sales tax.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts/reply.
Thom
Marc i have a question on the flat bed.
(i posted this over at another forum, but it seems more appropriate here?)
My wife and i will be purchasing a new 2011 Ford SuperDuty next spring. So far we are looking at a crew cab chassis cab F350 or above. I am assuming that you have specs to share as the super duty cabs require more room from flatbed to top-of-cab.
Do you have design parameters that you can share so i can pass this info onto a local builder of flatbeds? (Highway Producs of Medford Oregon). I'm in the planning stages of the purchase with a local ford fleet buyer and trying to coordinate the upfitment including the flat bed in the cost of the truck purchase for better financing. I would consider purchasing the XP flatbed mentioned at your site if they waived the taxes, though a quote from the oregon builder above comes in at ~$6500 for all aluminum construction with boxes below. I have purchased various vehicles in Nevada and California as an Oregon resident and never paid sales tax.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts/reply.
Thom
Hey Thom,
Welcome to the board! I'm an Oregonian as well and I would prefer to buy a local product. Looking at the page you linked, I would be concerned that the extra width on that flatbed is going to mean that the camper is not going to be flush with the flatbed. I'd be interested to know if they built a narrower version with square corners to better accommodate a camper.
Ute delivers to dealers in Oregon so I don't think there is any tax involved. Ute is primarily a distributor and I don't think they do installations themselves at all.
Regarding the cab height - the XPcamper has a frame between the composite part of the camper and the flatbed. I would assume that the frame is fabricated to whatever specifications needed to fit your truck - IE if your cab is taller then the frame is built to be a bit taller.
Marc should be along to give you some real answers. I've been drooling over the XP for a while now and thought I'd pass along the info I have learned over the last few months.
(i posted this over at another forum, but it seems more appropriate here?)
My wife and i will be purchasing a new 2011 Ford SuperDuty next spring. So far we are looking at a crew cab chassis cab F350 or above. I am assuming that you have specs to share as the super duty cabs require more room from flatbed to top-of-cab.
Do you have design parameters that you can share so i can pass this info onto a local builder of flatbeds? (Highway Producs of Medford Oregon). I'm in the planning stages of the purchase with a local ford fleet buyer and trying to coordinate the upfitment including the flat bed in the cost of the truck purchase for better financing. I would consider purchasing the XP flatbed mentioned at your site if they waived the taxes, though a quote from the oregon builder above comes in at ~$6500 for all aluminum construction with boxes below. I have purchased various vehicles in Nevada and California as an Oregon resident and never paid sales tax.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts/reply.
Thom
Hey Thom,
Welcome to the board! I'm an Oregonian as well and I would prefer to buy a local product. Looking at the page you linked, I would be concerned that the extra width on that flatbed is going to mean that the camper is not going to be flush with the flatbed. I'd be interested to know if they built a narrower version with square corners to better accommodate a camper.
Ute delivers to dealers in Oregon so I don't think there is any tax involved. Ute is primarily a distributor and I don't think they do installations themselves at all.
Regarding the cab height - the XPcamper has a frame between the composite part of the camper and the flatbed. I would assume that the frame is fabricated to whatever specifications needed to fit your truck - IE if your cab is taller then the frame is built to be a bit taller.
Marc should be along to give you some real answers. I've been drooling over the XP for a while now and thought I'd pass along the info I have learned over the last few months.
Accrete
Senior Member
Thank you for the kind welcome DD. I've read alot of your posts over the last couple days here...i thought you were an XPCameper spokesperson : )
My wife is the one who is really chomping at the bit for the XPC as this will be her daily driver. We just sold her tricked out 07 tacoma and off road trailer because we wanted to go big. I do like all that i see, and we would be going with the shell for now. We have learned the hard way that our style of camping dosn't fit with the typical layouts. So having the shell as a blank slate will be a great foundation. We are also fortunate enought here in the Astoria area to have at least a dozen custom boat fabrication shops that are very willing to finish the interior when we are ready to settle down to something more permanent.
On the flat bed company i mentioned, if you want a 5 ft wide 10 ft long flad bed they will make it. Each is custom designed for their customers. Thx for the Ute info, good to know. As long as it all makes financial sense (apples for apples & close to same price) i'll go with what Marc is offering in the package if it can work with the ford fleet buyer upfitment package.
happy trails,
Thom
My wife is the one who is really chomping at the bit for the XPC as this will be her daily driver. We just sold her tricked out 07 tacoma and off road trailer because we wanted to go big. I do like all that i see, and we would be going with the shell for now. We have learned the hard way that our style of camping dosn't fit with the typical layouts. So having the shell as a blank slate will be a great foundation. We are also fortunate enought here in the Astoria area to have at least a dozen custom boat fabrication shops that are very willing to finish the interior when we are ready to settle down to something more permanent.
On the flat bed company i mentioned, if you want a 5 ft wide 10 ft long flad bed they will make it. Each is custom designed for their customers. Thx for the Ute info, good to know. As long as it all makes financial sense (apples for apples & close to same price) i'll go with what Marc is offering in the package if it can work with the ford fleet buyer upfitment package.
happy trails,
Thom
I don't think there is an official flatbed supplier for XPCampers yet. The UTE flatbeds have been mentioned lately because they are reasonably priced and in stock. However, even the UTE is going to need some minor modifications to work with the XP. It may be that a custom builder like the one in Medford may be a great option.
If you wanted to see the XP in person, you are welcome to attend this event:
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/index.php?/topic/3674/
If you wanted to see the XP in person, you are welcome to attend this event:
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/index.php?/topic/3674/
OP
OP
Nimbl Vehicles
Gandalf the Grey
Hi Thom;
Yes you can use any flatbed provider you wish and I can supply you all the specs needed to fit the XPCamper.
I am building a camper for a customer who has an F350 on an UTE bed.
The camper was designed to fit on a variety of existing flatbed manufacturers with minimal changes.
There is a sub-frame which houses the slide out stairs and the quick disconnect system to remove the camper.
The sub-frame is attached to the cabin .
In order to compensate for the cab height the flatbed itself will be installed to the cabin parameter.
E mail me directly to discuss the possibilities
Marc at XPCamper dot com or feel free to call me at 415 672-1504
Thanks for your interest
Cheers
Marc
Yes you can use any flatbed provider you wish and I can supply you all the specs needed to fit the XPCamper.
I am building a camper for a customer who has an F350 on an UTE bed.
The camper was designed to fit on a variety of existing flatbed manufacturers with minimal changes.
There is a sub-frame which houses the slide out stairs and the quick disconnect system to remove the camper.
The sub-frame is attached to the cabin .
In order to compensate for the cab height the flatbed itself will be installed to the cabin parameter.
E mail me directly to discuss the possibilities
Marc at XPCamper dot com or feel free to call me at 415 672-1504
Thanks for your interest
Cheers
Marc
Accrete
Senior Member
...Yes you can use any flatbed provider you wish and I can supply you all the specs needed to fit the XPCamper.
I am building a camper for a customer who has an F350 on an UTE bed...
Thanks for your kind reply Marc. The F350/UTE sounds like a mirror of what my wife and i have in mind. Keep us posted as to the progress if the owner doesn't mind? I will also contact you via email. It will be interesting to see how we could time the UTE/Truck as the UTE plant is up the road from us on the coast as far as drop shipping them the truck, etc...then maybe we could drive it down your way since i grew up in the bay area and have family/friends there? time will tell.
Cheers,
Thom
I am building a camper for a customer who has an F350 on an UTE bed...
Thanks for your kind reply Marc. The F350/UTE sounds like a mirror of what my wife and i have in mind. Keep us posted as to the progress if the owner doesn't mind? I will also contact you via email. It will be interesting to see how we could time the UTE/Truck as the UTE plant is up the road from us on the coast as far as drop shipping them the truck, etc...then maybe we could drive it down your way since i grew up in the bay area and have family/friends there? time will tell.
Cheers,
Thom
Marc
Fire Proof
Thanks for your kind reply Marc. The F350/UTE sounds like a mirror of what my wife and i have in mind. Keep us posted as to the progress if the owner doesn't mind? I will also contact you via email. It will be interesting to see how we could time the UTE/Truck as the UTE plant is up the road from us on the coast as far as drop shipping them the truck, etc...then maybe we could drive it down your way since i grew up in the bay area and have family/friends there? time will tell.
Cheers,
Thom
Hi Thom,
I'm the one who is having the camper built for my 07 F350. I will be up to see Marc next week and will take some pics. Feel free to pm me if u have any questions.
marc
Cheers,
Thom
Hi Thom,
I'm the one who is having the camper built for my 07 F350. I will be up to see Marc next week and will take some pics. Feel free to pm me if u have any questions.
marc
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