I don't have a truck, camper or idea...help me out

[No longer here]

Well, I do have an idea.

I want a FWC flatbed fleet. I initially was going to get a Tacoma 2nd gen and discovered a 1st Gen Tundra would be better if I had my heart set on Toyotas.

This will be a full time rig, you might think it's too small, but I'll qualify that my wife and I have been living full time in our 1996 Landcruiser for the past three years and have traveled all over north America sleeping in our roof top tent, just getting back from AK and the Yukon/NWT, (found the Territories far better than AK if you are curious., less people, lower prices) .

I work on the road in the overland logistics industry and travel between both overland expos annually.

So my questions;

I know a Hawk is the typical camper for the Tundra, but the Fleet is lighter. Is there any issue with putting a narrower camper on a wider bed? I would actually want to put it off to the passenger side to be able to mount stuff to the right.

Best flatbed for the money? Ute beds seem the cheapest, XP Camper and Norweld beds are nice but $$$$$ Other options.

If anyone has a 05/06 Tundra for sale that is rust free let me know, even better if it was MT.

Oh, about us and our travels
www.nextgenoverland.com

 

[Durango1]

Best flatbed for the money? Ute beds seem the cheapest, XP Camper and Norweld beds are nice but $$$$$ Other options.

I've had Largo Tank in Farmington, NM do two custom aluminum beds for me. Excellent customer service, totally customized to the truck and camper and very fair prices. If you call ask for Adam and tell him 'Durango Steve' referred his services to you!
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[Beach]

If your decision is based on weight of the camper,I would take a closer look at the weight of the Hawk vs Fleet, you might be surprised to find there is only about 100lbs or less difference. If your going full time the added room in the Hawk might be nice. the biggest difference in weight comes from the options/add ons.

 

[klahanie]

I know a Hawk is the typical camper for the Tundra, but the Fleet is lighter. Is there any issue with putting a narrower camper on a wider bed? I would actually want to put it off to the passenger side to be able to mount stuff to the right.

Best flatbed for the money? Ute beds seem the cheapest, XP Camper and Norweld beds are nice but $$$$$ Other options.

Welcome, The Raven !

80 vs 75". wide. Well the Fleet would match the first gen width better but you want to mount it offset. I guess the issue might be remembering (conceptualising?) your clearances because the camper is not centered, say driving through a bushing-in road, and weight distribution. IDK if that weight up high could make handling a bit funky at times ? What were you thinking of mounting on that curbside 5" ? would it be constant weight or variable like Jerry cans ?

It's been a long time since I priced out beds so my info is dated but I remember Ute being, what turned out to be, comparatively, very inexpensive.

The big benefit with flat deck, IMO, is the increased storage potential. Not with the camper but the deck. I've seen quite a few decks online with no under deck boxes, understandable for weight and cost considerations but missing the big benefit of the design. So I'd consider that ability and added cost with the Ute or whichever.

Another idea for storage - not to harp on it - is a slide in model on a flat deck with below and above deck storage. Quite a few examples of this online, usually hardsides. Doesn't make rear wall storage easy but excepting that, even with a 78 or 80" deck it might give you enough side storage with that nice, narrower camper centered.

PS I know you wrote FB FWC but also "beds are nice but $$$" the ~ $8K difference between base Fleet slide in vs FB could pay for deck and some boxes? my .02

EDIT to add quotes and PS

 

[No longer here]

Loving the replys.

Just want to add that a slide in is not practical for us as full timers, we need the storage and room. Our schedules are opposite as well, I like to get up early and wife in bed while I make coffee would get frustrating. With the forward dinette it would a problem.

I also like the looks of the flatbeds vs the slideins too

 

[Andy Douglass]

Loving the replys.

Just want to add that a slide in is not practical for us as full timers, we need the storage and room. Our schedules are opposite as well, I like to get up early and wife in bed while I make coffee would get frustrating. With the forward dinette it would a problem.

I also like the looks of the flatbeds vs the slideins too

Just food for thought...I am up sometimes hours before my wife. With the side dinette in our slide in, I can sit at the rear seat and read with my coffee while she sleeps. We have to leave the bed slide about 2 inches in when we go to bed so that I can use the sink in the morning, but it works. But if we were full timing it, I would want the flat bed too, although I would put it on a 3/4 ton. FWC on 1/2 ton is done by many, but you would be putting constant wear on the truck and likely need a little more pay load for full timing.

 

[No longer here]

Just food for thought...I am up sometimes hours before my wife. With the side dinette in our slide in, I can sit at the rear seat and read with my coffee while she sleeps. We have to leave the bed slide about 2 inches in when we go to bed so that I can use the sink in the morning, but it works. But if we were full timing it, I would want the flat bed too, although I would put it on a 3/4 ton. FWC on 1/2 ton is done by many, but you would be putting constant wear on the truck and likely need a little more pay load for full timing.

Yeah, I wish Toyota would bring their Utes or Heliux to the US so I could have a proper truck but for now the Tundra is the best option. I've had domestic and don't trust them. My old 06 Jeep broke down a LOT more than my rusty and formerly abused (by prior owner) Landcruiser 80 with 265k on the clock. My old Dodge Dakota transmission went out at 80k. Nope, never touching another domestic.

Big thing is I am VERY conservative driving, don't push my truck regardless of speed limit, more often downshift than use brakes, have active scangauge to monitor temps, best oil, rotation every 5k, excessive about maintenance, etc etc. Kind of have to be in the desert and most places out west. Sorry....not getting stranded in the middle of the Mojave ;P

It's funny though what you learn full timing, anything we buy, space followed by weight is always on our minds. We had a shower enclosure given to us.....it's great but OMG the space it takes!!!! arrrrgggg!! We have a bio-lite which is wonderful but I can never find a place to put it :/

I honestly think a person should live out of a small space first when first going full time as it would teach them what they really need. I knew a girl who went from an RV to a Ural.....yet took the RV worth of crap and put it on the Ural, including a bicycle and a kayak. The bike eventually imploded due to lack of cooling and abuse, which she blamed on the bike She is in a Sprinter now....which I'm sure she will kill too...hope not for her sake, nice girl otherwise.

 

[Andy Douglass]

I cannot understand why Toyota does not market an HD truck here. I think they would make a killing.

 

[No longer here]

i jumped, got a fleet flatbed and looking now at an 06 tundra in tx with no rust in beautiful shape. Yeah, I know some of you folks think it’s a f350 or go home but for the last year I have been 1000lbs over gvwr on an old rusty landcruiser so not too worried about 500 or so on a tundra with a bigger engine and no rust to weaken things. lol. I don’t drive 75-80 the old Toyota Campers were all old v6s besides I go slow.

 

[Advmoto18]

Having driven HiLux trucks all over eastern/western Asia, they will never make it to the US due to a laundry list of NHTSA regulatory reasons...and that is too bad.

For full time accommodations the flatbed Hawk is far superior to the Fleet. Both are excellent campers. Yet, the Hawk will feel far more spacious when the rain blows sideways or the snow accumulates.

 

[klahanie]

TR congrats on the camper !

I can see the ~5" smaller width and height of the Fleet being a big advantage. Where we travel off highway, tree branches crowding the road are not uncommon. Guess it depends on where one travels. There would be less storage - perhaps the narrower under bed storage would matter to some. I've never seen a FB model inside but from the pics I'm not seeing much total storage available, esp with the shorter units.

Prob more important with the smaller camper is the stature of the users. For short folks like me and the missus the lower inside height and bed length (width?) wouldn't be an issue. As always, YMMV.

As for, "I know some of you folks think it’s a f350 or go home", as a F350 owner I don't share that conviction. Rather, I subscribe to the maxim, "at the end of the day you're on your tod (your own)". Taking others advice can be tricky if later something goes wrong or you become unsatisfied. Do what you want and you'll always have the man in the mirror nearby.

Would be interested in how the offset side storage works out for you. Keep us posted.

And good luck truck shopping !

 

[No longer here]

Hey Klahanie,

With the 1st gen tundra I have essentially a v8 Tacoma. Same weight/footprint but more power. I have a smaller flatbed too, but after sitting in the one at Mainline I found the room to be HUGE as opposed to the Hawk slidein with was cavelike to me. The big thing with storage is if you have it you use it and it adds weight. We have more storage now that when we did in the Landcruiser. I really don't want a ton of room because if I was too comfortable inside I would never go outside

For 3 years I lived out of a dufflebag so the underbed storage is 200% more room!!

Though I agree, in the end it's my decision. WTW is just that the west with 80mph speedlimits, long fast roads, very high passes that all require power to stay with the traffic. I tend to ignore that stuff. I'll do 60-65 in an 80 if I even get on a highway. I'm happy to make a pass over 45, i don't mind sitting behind a truck with 4ways

In any case I REALLY wanted a Woolwich edition, but the $ premium price for better cushions and weaker fiberglass siding was not worth the money. Instead I'm making my own special northern edition called the Hudson Bay edition. Stay tuned!!

 

[veryactivelife]

I’ve been following with some interest as I have a FB Hawk. Just a few comments and clarifications to add.

The FB models have a lot of storage inside and if you have outside under storage lockers it’s even more.

The Woolrich siding is flat aluminum, not the heavier fiberglass that has been used on some campers.

I wonder about the offset idea. If your camper will have a furnace option or water heater then storage on that side probably won’t be possible.

The only difference between Fleet and Hawk is 5” of width. Giving you a wider or longer bed, depending on which direction you sleep. A little larger table. More floor space and interior volume which gives a more open feeling. We looked at and sat in every floor plan, repeatedly over months prior to deciding. What finally sold us on a FB was counter height, the slide in models were just way to high for my wife.

Dean

 

[klahanie]

veryactivelife, I understood the Fleet FB to be shorter than the Hawk FB simply from the mfrs website (last slide pic, each model). Truth is, I can't vouch for the accuracy, current or otherwise. Should have qualified that.

Please understand my comment, "from the pics I'm not seeing much total storage available, esp with the shorter units" is coming from the perspective of me comparing what I see of them online to our existing, older Granby. I am not trying to denigrate the layout or build.

We have quite a bit of storage with our truck and camper setup and carry a lot of stuff. I like the layout (esp the dinette) and look of the FWC FBs but, as with any potential future camper for us, I have to consider just how we might carry the stuff we currently do - or most of it !

As I wrote, I've never seen inside of one. It would be great to know the storage would work for us. From what I see they have storage in the following areas: under bench seating, front curbside cabinet; galley and under berth.

We have a '97 Granby in the side bench style as was offered then. It's nothing special in the camper storage world. Certainly it's has less than some large hardsides.

I've just measured the inside storage area. Here's what I came up with, in cubic feet:
Under bench: 13.36 cf
Closet : 5.59
Galley: 4.42
total stock= 23.37
also have a cutlery drawer: 10.5x14.5x2.5"

I don't know how that compares to anyone's FWC FB ... I have only the pics online for guidance.

Our mods resulted in lost space for a large inverter and a gain by removing the water tank and also a gain with a new, front streetside "cupboard".
net gain: 6.08

Our camper is mounted on a flatdeck with folding sides. The space outside the lower camper body but inside the flatdeck sides (the elusive "lost space" with a PU bed) adds another 24.42 cf, less the space needed for batteries - they were outside the camper in that era - and turnbuckles. Naturally with a FB camper design this substantial amount of additional storage would be lost.

Of course the larger FB footprint allows for more aisle/floorspace and room for a nice dinette. That's great for people but I'm not seeing a lot of storage gained (LPG in there, rear wall slope). Again esp on the Hawk FB which is closest to our Granby in terms of length. And the FB has that under berth storage. I've read some say they use it for pillows, others find it less then ideal for access. Nonetheless it is storage. I guess we'd have to see that in person.

And agreed, outside under deck storage does adds more We also have that and we'd keep it anyway.

Anyhoo, that's how I see it. Others will see it differently.

 

[rando]

Having a Fleet flatbed and having used a slide in fleet, I can assure you that there is dramatically more storage in flatbed. There is ~10 cu feet of storage under EACH of the dinette seats (~2x2.5x2'), and another 12 (5'x6'x5") under the queen size bed so right there we are looking at around 32 cubic feet without looking into the other cabinets or considering under bed boxes and drawers.

Having borrowed a slide in Fleet for a shakedown, we were concerned about storage space and bought a double cab Tacoma primarily to use the cab for more storage. Now having used it for two years, we have never come close to maxing out the stroage room (even on trips with bikes and inflatable kayaks) and if I were to do it over I would get the access cab to shorten the wheel base by 11".

 

[klahanie]

^ Thank you for your comments. And for giving dimensions - most helpful.

I do believe I've been under-appreciating the overcab storage space.



Also, in fairness to the FB models, I forgot to include that there appears to be storage under the dinette floor, if not used for shower items.

This is all good. Maybe we'll head down and check one out someday.

 

[No longer here]

So I finally found my truck, an 05 Tundra with no rust and 33k miles in phantom grey. It will look great with the silver spur camper. My goodness is it BIG though. I could not imagine going any bigger lol Very comfortable truck though.

Now if FWC will STOP pushing my order back and I can get a delivery date I will be happy. It's gone from mid November to now late January.....

 

[Vic Harder]

Having a Fleet flatbed and having used a slide in fleet, I can assure you that there is dramatically more storage in flatbed. There is ~10 cu feet of storage under EACH of the dinette seats (~2x2.5x2'), and another 12 (5'x6'x5") under the queen size bed so right there we are looking at around 32 cubic feet without looking into the other cabinets or considering under bed boxes and drawers.

Having borrowed a slide in Fleet for a shakedown, we were concerned about storage space and bought a double cab Tacoma primarily to use the cab for more storage. Now having used it for two years, we have never come close to maxing out the stroage room (even on trips with bikes and inflatable kayaks) and if I were to do it over I would get the access cab to shorten the wheel base by 11".

Fleet flatbed on a Tacoma. So the original bed of that Tacoma was under 6'? If so, that would be similar to putting a Grandby flatbed on a full sized pickup with a 6.5' bed, no? I like the idea of keeping the wheelbase shorter, and also like the idea of more interior room in the camper!

 

[rando]

Fleet flatbed on a Tacoma. So the original bed of that Tacoma was under 6'? If so, that would be similar to putting a Grandby flatbed on a full sized pickup with a 6.5' bed, no? I like the idea of keeping the wheelbase shorter, and also like the idea of more interior room in the camper!

The original Tacoma bed was 6' as well.

 

[No longer here]

Hey Folks,
I don't really like leaving a thread unfinished so thought I would stop by and let you know that I finally got my flatbed. Wonderful combination. While probably over GVWR the acceleration, braking and handling is FAR better than my Landcruiser so I cannot complain. Even the MPG is better. Very happy with the setup.

I wrote an article about the process and will write a few more as I continue. Check it out here: Nextgen Overland blog

We are on Instagram too, link on page!!