Lighthawk's New Truck For Their FWC Hawk

[Lighthawk]

Today we pulled the Hawk from our trusty first gen Tundra and very carefully placed it in the bed of our new 2021 RAM 3500.
The camper is currently tied down at each corner and around the back, as I have no eyebolts.

The '08 Hawk fits the 2021 RAM better with it's higher cab and taller bed rails. I was concerned I might need jack extensions, but the tires were the widest point at 79" and the Reico jacks are 83" apart.

Suspension is stock, but 11k GVWR. I'll probably add a sway bar and review my options. We've only had the truck for two weeks, and it rides a bit stiff with nothing in the back. I'm looking forward to how it drives with the weight of the camper in the back.

Tomorrow we caravan over Donner Summit to take the new truck/older camper to sixguntwelvevolt in Reno to have a DC-DC Victron charger and upgraded camper wiring installed. I'm looking forward to meeing WTW member kpawley, who is the owner. We would also be installing AMP powersteps, but they are scarce at the moment.

Note: Camper is 93" and garage header trim is 94", until the Maxxaire and solar panels.
We're thinking of raising the garage header to make it work.



Air dam is coming off soon.

The Hawk has a decade of stories to tell this new truck.

 

[Ronin]

Congrats on your new 3500! I'll be looking out for it when I'm in town. Happy adventures!!

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Andy, that Dodge and Hawk combo makes a great looking rig!

 

[buckland]

Lighthawk ...That just plain looks right! Congrats! I also pulled off my air dam ...just not practical. And I too have the 2-3" problem with the garage door height. The header is 12" ... way overkill and I have been thinking of doing same but wonder how to deal with the garage door and motor....after cutting out say 3".......I suppose raising the whole door track setup and then adding a PT 2x4 to the bottom? Or do you have a better plan?

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Looks nice Andy.That 1st gen Tundra gave you a great service.
Frank

 

[Lighthawk]

And I too have the 2-3" problem with the garage door height. The header is 12" ... way overkill and I have been thinking of doing same but wonder how to deal with the garage door and motor....after cutting out say 3".......I suppose raising the whole door track setup and then adding a PT 2x4 to the bottom? Or do you have a better plan?

I'm putting on my thinking cap, Buckland! I've already tweaked my current door to lift up a few inches to clear by previous truck/camper. I'm a contractor, so raising the header isn't a big deal, but typically the ceiling joists need to be 12" higher than the door opening to accommodate the motor & track. In my case, I would need to modify roof trusses (24' span, 60# snow load) to lift the ceiling back about ten feet. That requires and engineer/architect to calc out a structural solution.

I'm planning on getting a garage door guy to come talk to me about this. There are garage door kits for reduced headroom clearance, as I recall. Maybe I'll bite the bullet and get a new garage door opener and possibly a new door, if I can make it work.
I'll keep you posted, as this might run on into the fall. I really don't want our 2008 Hawk sitting out in the winter rains, assuming we still get winter rains!

 

[Lighthawk]

Looks nice Andy.That 1st gen Tundra gave you a great service.
Frank

I love that little truck! It's a gem and it's going to be fun to run around without 1200+ pounds on the back.

 

[fish more]

Great looking rig Andy!

 

[buckland]

My doors are 7 feet but the ceiling joists are 10 feet (16" OC). Maybe could add a panel.... we'd both have to redo the header though.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

I have a neighbor who needed to make the garage door taller.
He has a sectional door.He raised the header to add another section to the door.

The header on my door is a 4x16 with at least another 16"to the trusses.
I don't have snow load to deal with so couldn't you use an 6x12 for the strength
and raise the header enough to fit another section to the door?

The track for my door opener is attached about 4" from the bottom of the header
and the track is about 18"from the bottom of the trusses.
Hope something works out for you.
Frank

 

[buckland]

Thanks Frank... it is all in the numbers...I was just googling if they made half panels as my door panels are 22.5" and that gets too high to move the header up... wouldn't't be pretty but a 12" panel would be enough.
It is always something that snags the idea into a bigger than expected job!

 

[CraggyMan]

I'm putting on my thinking cap, Buckland! I've already tweaked my current door to lift up a few inches to clear by previous truck/camper. I'm a contractor, so raising the header isn't a big deal, but typically the ceiling joists need to be 12" higher than the door opening to accommodate the motor & track. In my case, I would need to modify roof trusses (24' span, 60# snow load) to lift the ceiling back about ten feet. That requires and engineer/architect to calc out a structural solution.

I'm planning on getting a garage door guy to come talk to me about this. There are garage door kits for reduced headroom clearance, as I recall. Maybe I'll bite the bullet and get a new garage door opener and possibly a new door, if I can make it work.
I'll keep you posted, as this might run on into the fall. I really don't want our 2008 Hawk sitting out in the winter rains, assuming we still get winter rains!

I'm sure you have considered the options but on our big remodel in 2018 I considered a commercial type roll-up door to avoid the issue of clearance for track and motor. Figured in a pinch I could recess the roll-up door into the joist space above the door but the one big issue with the roll-up is it is un-insulated. In the end I had just enough space to squeeze the low clearance track/motor in (9' door height) and I can still pop the camper in the garage...until I up-size the rig which will happen at some point. In that case still hoping I can at least pop the back of the camper.

 

[buckland]

I've been `passing through the garage with the tape measure a few times today with different thoughts... after looking online the garage door panels are 22.5 inches which nixes that idea as there would not be enough room to do it even with 9.5" joist height. The funny thing is all I need is 2 1/2" Max ...I might be able to do 1 1/2" ... So ... I'm thinking I'll do a surgical removal of 3" out of the 12" header (in an arch cut) and make a pop out front trim piece to make it look like a regular door height for the garage door to seal up to.
I will have the camper/truck out of the garage all the time except when we get snow which in New England is weekly ... just need to pop it in before storm... snowblow... then it can come back out. It being my only transport in winter (motorcycle and ebike are in mothballs).
My Taco and Eagle could squeeze in but not this Colorado set up.
Still open to brilliant ideas though!!!

 

[ski3pin]

Congrats on your new big truck!

 

[Lighthawk]

I considered a commercial type roll-up door to avoid the issue of clearance for track and motor. Figured in a pinch I could recess the roll-up door into the joist space above the door but the one big issue with the roll-up is it is un-insulated.

That is another way to get the job done. Thanks from one contractor to another.
I hadn't considered a rollup door. I still hope I'll be able to fit a low-clearance motor and likely a new door, and keep the trusses intact.

 

[Lighthawk]

I've been `passing through the garage with the tape measure a few times today with different thoughts... after looking online the garage door panels are 22.5 inches which nixes that idea as there would not be enough room to do it even with 9.5" joist height. The funny thing is all I need is 2 1/2" Max ...I

Call up a garage door specialist and let them offer you options. You might be surprised.

 

[Lighthawk]

Congrats on your new big truck!

SR told me a long time ago. "Don't buy a big a** truck, Andy!"
Well, it only took me ten years to change her mind.

Honestly, we love our current '06 Tundra, but wanted more payload, a back seat, (much) better brakes and a bigger gas tank in a newer vehicle. Our plan is to get this done in our last couple years while we are both working full time.