Montana John
Member
Picked up the 2013 Grandby with our 2012 Tundra and camped a few nights during the 520-mile drive home. All told, everything seems to work well together.
Before leaving I bought new tires (10-ply) and removed a 95 lb. brush guard. In Boise I had the FWC dealer install the eye bolts and 3-wire plug, and they also added progressive helper springs on the rear axle. The Grandby slid in and covered all but 6" of the tailgate. For some reason, the front turnbuckles wouldn't reach from eye bolt to camper bracket (even when unscrewed into 3 pieces) and I had to add heavy-duty locking D rings on the front turnbuckles. Has anyone else had to use extenders when mounting your camper?
The roof has a 130w solar panel, and the wife can't lift either end to pop the top. I know the roof pistons don't last forever, but how can I tell if/when they need to be replaced? Her birthday is coming up — might get her one of the hand cranks like this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0833JLGM9?pf_rd_r=C72Z65CTE02DS4X82HAK&pf_rd_p=edaba0ee-c2fe-4124-9f5d-b31d6b1bfbee
Backup camera in the tailgate now faces down. Found a plug-and-play replacement that I could mount on the license plate or the camper, but it runs $200. Has anyone just removed the camera from the tailgate and mounted it elsewhere? Anyone else as cheap as I am? Anyone else feel like FWC should pay us to advertise for them? It's almost like they used their stickers to hold this camper together. I edited one of them with a sharpie.
And then there's the weight issue. With extra springs, the truck handles surprisingly well and doesn't squat or shimmy or bottom out at all. Weighed the Tundra before and after adding the Grandby. The camper weighs about 1,810 lbs "as is" (full propane, no water, 4 jacks). Tag on camper says dry weight of 950 lbs, so apparently the added options comprise the other 860 lbs? Truck and camper together top out at 7,900 lbs, which is 800 lbs over the truck's GVWR. But the front axle is 400 lbs below the GAWR while the rear axle is 150 lbs over GAWR.
I understand that helper springs don't change how much weight the truck is supposed to carry, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well the Tundra handles with the Grandby's load. Takes a little longer to start and stop, and it leans a little more around corners, but otherwise the Tundra seems to handle almost as well as without the camper. Now, if the bearings blow out or the axle breaks tomorrow, I'll be surprised but not pleasantly. Gas mileage without Grandby 15-18 mg, with the Grandby 13-15 mpg, driving 65-75 mph in mountainous terrain. (Can't drive a stock Tundra over 75 mph until they build gas stations closer together.)
Thoughts? Thanks!
Before leaving I bought new tires (10-ply) and removed a 95 lb. brush guard. In Boise I had the FWC dealer install the eye bolts and 3-wire plug, and they also added progressive helper springs on the rear axle. The Grandby slid in and covered all but 6" of the tailgate. For some reason, the front turnbuckles wouldn't reach from eye bolt to camper bracket (even when unscrewed into 3 pieces) and I had to add heavy-duty locking D rings on the front turnbuckles. Has anyone else had to use extenders when mounting your camper?
The roof has a 130w solar panel, and the wife can't lift either end to pop the top. I know the roof pistons don't last forever, but how can I tell if/when they need to be replaced? Her birthday is coming up — might get her one of the hand cranks like this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0833JLGM9?pf_rd_r=C72Z65CTE02DS4X82HAK&pf_rd_p=edaba0ee-c2fe-4124-9f5d-b31d6b1bfbee
Backup camera in the tailgate now faces down. Found a plug-and-play replacement that I could mount on the license plate or the camper, but it runs $200. Has anyone just removed the camera from the tailgate and mounted it elsewhere? Anyone else as cheap as I am? Anyone else feel like FWC should pay us to advertise for them? It's almost like they used their stickers to hold this camper together. I edited one of them with a sharpie.
And then there's the weight issue. With extra springs, the truck handles surprisingly well and doesn't squat or shimmy or bottom out at all. Weighed the Tundra before and after adding the Grandby. The camper weighs about 1,810 lbs "as is" (full propane, no water, 4 jacks). Tag on camper says dry weight of 950 lbs, so apparently the added options comprise the other 860 lbs? Truck and camper together top out at 7,900 lbs, which is 800 lbs over the truck's GVWR. But the front axle is 400 lbs below the GAWR while the rear axle is 150 lbs over GAWR.
I understand that helper springs don't change how much weight the truck is supposed to carry, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well the Tundra handles with the Grandby's load. Takes a little longer to start and stop, and it leans a little more around corners, but otherwise the Tundra seems to handle almost as well as without the camper. Now, if the bearings blow out or the axle breaks tomorrow, I'll be surprised but not pleasantly. Gas mileage without Grandby 15-18 mg, with the Grandby 13-15 mpg, driving 65-75 mph in mountainous terrain. (Can't drive a stock Tundra over 75 mph until they build gas stations closer together.)
Thoughts? Thanks!
