Just ordered my FWC Fleet! Have couple questions for y'all.

I believe you will love your camper!
I have had mine for almost a year and head out all the time!
Because of work the camper is on and off the truck...easy to do with one other person helping me back into place!I have the outside shower and a little tent for showering I picked up from Cabelas. Works great, easy to set up and drys real fast!
I use the bags and a 5 gallon bucket with the toilet seat lid. Works out fine when I have to use it!!
I went with air bags and have been on some pretty rough roads with no issues! I have the ARB front bumper and a Body Armor rear bumper...been very happy with them. Always have a winch...seems like I am by myself a lot and want the insurance!
Happy Camping!!!
 
Hoyden,

Leaving it on full time is the way to go. Our "Eagle" is bolted down to the frame. We have over 25,000 miles on this setup. Check the nuts every 3 months, more frequently for off road and never had a problem.

We don't have OME springs. We went to the local spring shop and had them make up a 4-leaf custom set ( $625.00 installed) to support 1500 pounds.

Do you know leafs come in different thicknesses? I didn't. Ride is firm and sits level when rig weighs 5900 pounds for a week in the desert. In empty shell mode, rear is slightly higher than the front. Rides well in cross-winds either way.

Your going to love the Fleet/Tacoma combo. Welcome to the "family".
 
Thanks Stalking Light! I just looked up Trasheroo. Neat!

I'm super excited, Mic. Hm. Maybe I need to research the airbags more. I think FWC recommends the Firestone RideRite are recommended.

Body Armor rear bumper? I'm going to look that up too!
 
RC Pilot Jim said:
Hoyden,

Leaving it on full time is the way to go. Our "Eagle" is bolted down to the frame. We have over 25,000 miles on this setup. Check the nuts every 3 months, more frequently for off road and never had a problem.

We don't have OME springs. We went to the local spring shop and had them make up a 4-leaf custom set ( $625.00 installed) to support 1500 pounds.

Do you know leafs come in different thicknesses? I didn't. Ride is firm and sits level when rig weighs 5900 pounds for a week in the desert. In empty shell mode, rear is slightly higher than the front. Rides well in cross-winds either way.

Your going to love the Fleet/Tacoma combo. Welcome to the "family".
Click to expand...
I didn't know that leafs come in different thicknesses. Makes sense tho. You didn't do shocks or any other suspension changes?

This waiting thing is going to be painful! 12 weeks! REALLY hoping for 9-10wks so I can take it home for Thanksgiving!
 
I have Firestone bags in addition to the OME lift. I started out with just bags but wasn't getting the kind of ride I wanted and even with the TRD shocks the damping wasn't that great. I still use the airbags to tweak the rear height, but the ride is much improved with the OME kit. I had OME on my FJ Cruiser before I got the truck and the OME ride was much better than stock even then.

I bought my truck just for the camper and have over 30k miles on the rig and it's not even a year old. The joys of retirement. :)
 
Stalking Light said:
I have Firestone bags in addition to the OME lift. I started out with just bags but wasn't getting the kind of ride I wanted and even with the TRD shocks the damping wasn't that great. I still use the airbags to tweak the rear height, but the ride is much improved with the OME kit. I had OME on my FJ Cruiser before I got the truck and the OME ride was much better than stock even then.

I bought my truck just for the camper and have over 30k miles on the rig and it's not even a year old. The joys of retirement. :)
Click to expand...
Did you get this kit?

11909710_10206528283840180_1719403700_n.jpg
 
Actually, Adventure Trailers ordered the kit for me, but I believe that's the one. I got the heavy springs front and rear since I also added a winch bumper and winch at the same time. I'd suggest heavy in the rear and medium up front if you don't add the front bumper. The guys at AT could give you more detailed information on what they used on my truck.
 
Stalking Light said:
Actually, Adventure Trailers ordered the kit for me, but I believe that's the one. I got the heavy springs front and rear since I also added a winch bumper and winch at the same time. I'd suggest heavy in the rear and medium up front if you don't add the front bumper. The guys at AT could give you more detailed information on what they used on my truck.
Click to expand...
Okay, cool! I talked with Martyn *briefly* about suspension but it was the Open House and ordering... I figured I didn't need to decide right then. That is good advice and I'll refer back to them! Yay!
 
Stalking Light said:
I've been dealing with the guys at AT since before they started making trailers and were just importing them from SA, must be almost 15 years now. They will set you up right.
Click to expand...
They've been great so far. Very responsive and answering my questions. Super nice.

How in the world do you all deal with this wait!?!? The order will officially be in tomorrow and I'm already on pins and needles. :-D
 
longhorn1 said:
NOT EASY!!

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Wander The West mobile app
Click to expand...
Ha!
I'm focusing on suspension now to give my brain something to worry on but that won't last 11-12 weeks!
 
hoyden said:
They've been great so far. Very responsive and answering my questions. Super nice.

How in the world do you all deal with this wait!?!? The order will officially be in tomorrow and I'm already on pins and needles. :-D
Click to expand...
The wait was 4-6 weeks when I ordered mine last fall and it still seemed like forever. I had a surgery and recovery period during that time which kept my mind off it a little, but I don't recommend that as a way of passing the time. ;)

I had AT add a couple of 12v plugs by the side dinette as well. They come in handing when I'm processing photos on my MacBook.
 
Stalking Light said:
The wait was 4-6 weeks when I ordered mine last fall and it still seemed like forever. I had a surgery and recovery period during that time which kept my mind off it a little, but I don't recommend that as a way of passing the time. ;)

I had AT add a couple of 12v plugs by the side dinette as well. They come in handing when I'm processing photos on my MacBook.
Click to expand...
4-6 weeks?!? I'm so jealous! All I want is for it to be done in time for me to take it back to Illinois for Thanksgiving. My step-dad was the one who turned me on to FWC and I'd love for him to check it out!
They have a '60's Avion slide-in camper on the back of their big-ole-truck and go all over the place!

Oooh, I will have them add the 12v plugs there. Maybe a couple of USB for charging station too?
 
I thought about USB but just use the USB plugs in the 12v outlets. It's easier to install them before the put the camper on the truck, though, so that's probably not a bad idea. You don't have to decide on those things until they actually have the camper at AT.
 
hoyden said:
Ha!
I'm focusing on suspension now to give my brain something to worry on but that won't last 11-12 weeks!
Click to expand...
Start thinking about what you going to keep in the camper. Then consider how much each thing weighs and room it takes up and if you really need it. Then revise the list. And Repeat.

That has kept my brain occupied for the last 3 years.
 
Kolockum said:
Start thinking about what you going to keep in the camper. Then consider how much each thing weighs and room it takes up and if you really need it. Then revise the list. And Repeat.

That has kept my brain occupied for the last 3 years.
Click to expand...
Been working on that too, but keep feeling like I can't really decide til I have it and can move stuff in and out of it. I have been trying to research what things I'll need - actually use - in the kitchen. I am fairly minimal in general anyway (except for my garage and library I tend to haul around with me). I'll have to do a lot of short trips to work out my actual use and how I move inside the camper. And research!
Man,oh,man, I can't wait.

What have you come up with?! What items have you found are indispensable, and what are things you thought you'd need, but didn't? Is there already a thread on this? If not, I should make a thread for just this question!
 
longhorn1 said:
Hoyden,

What is your inside set-up and what options did you get? jd
Click to expand...
ALL OF THEM!
ha! okay, maybe not all, but my wallet thinks so.
I figured if I'm going to do this, might as well do it right from the start.

- Side dinette
- Flush mount sink and stove.
- 8' side awning
- 160w solar panel w/controller
- mechanical jacks
- furnace w/thermostat
- outside shower + water heater and pump
- two fan-tas-tic fans (one is free cuz I ordered during Open House)
- Yakima "tracks only" on roof
- Rear wall steps (for roof maintenance etc)
- Thermal pack
- Camper battery system + 2nd deep cycle battery
- side dinette w/swivel table
- Gas strut roof assists (exterior)
[SIZE=12.8px]- Dovetail Greystone Fabric option "dogbone" [/SIZE]
 
Sounds about like my setup except I only got 100w (I have a 60w foldable that I plug into the back but wish I had 160w on the roof) and I only orered one fan but later upgraded the other vent too. My setup came 30# gas struts but I found that wasn't enough and I had them upgraded to 40#.
 
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