Off-roading these campers

[Paul B.]

I've begun building an overland style camper on an F-350 4x4. Thinking of the All Terrain Campers v. Four Wheel Camper. Question is.....which one will hold up to Saline Valley off roading trips. Saline is washboard, washboard, washboard. 50 miles each way. Which camper will hold up to shaking, rattling, (hopefully not rolling!), abuse of repeated Saline excursions?

We do other trips also. But Saline is the reason for the rig.

 

[craig333]

They'll both make it in to Saline just fine. Oddly enough I have misplaced my Saline pics.

 

[pvstoy]

Over time everything will have its limits being used. Limit the vibration frequency by lowering your air pressure and drive sensible will prolong the possible weak links or flaws in the welds and frame construction. If I was buying I would look at ATC, they put a little more strength in their frame construction.

Paul B welcome to the site........

 

[Lighthawk]

Patrick makes excellent points. We're happy campers using our FWC/Tundra to visit Saline V.

Okay! Craig333 got me looking at my SV photos:

 

[Smokecreek1]

Yep-learning how to drive properly in the back country sure makes any rig last longer . Mother nature does win in the end ,no matter what type of camper you get !

Smoke

 

[Paul B.]

Is that Steel Pass? So in your Saline excursions nothing severe has happened to the FWC? How many trips has it endured?

 

[Mr. Vertical]

If I owned a F350 , Top of my list would be Alaskan or a Hallmark, someday will be Hitting in the Big League!

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

I'm no engineer, but we would be more that happy for a side frame comparison if anyone is interested in comparing the 2 frames.



We have been slowing improving and strenghting our camper frames every year.

Both manufacturers build a good camper.

Over time everything will have its limits being used. Limit the vibration frequency by lowering your air pressure and drive sensible will prolong the possible weak links or flaws in the welds and frame construction. If I was buying I would look at ATC, they put a little more strength in their frame construction.

Paul B welcome to the site........

 

[Ramblinman]

Has anyone heard of an FWC or ATC frame coming apart?

I lurk the web frequently for anything FWC related and have yet to hear about structural issues in either companies frame.

 

[ntsqd]

Is that Steel Pass? So in your Saline excursions nothing severe has happened to the FWC? How many trips has it endured?

Looks like the narrows below Steele Pass to me.

Do you mean like this?

 

[camelracer]

Has anyone heard of an FWC or ATC frame coming apart?

I lurk the web frequently for anything FWC related and have yet to hear about structural issues in either companies frame.

FWC has had to repair my rear wall twice. There were cracks at the corners of the door. Seems to be ok now.

 

[K6ON]

FWC has had to repair my rear wall twice. There were cracks at the corners of the door. Seems to be ok now.

I also had cracks appearing at the corners of the door on my Grandby. I had the guys at ATC pull the rear skin and check the cause. They repaired two broken welds in the rear wall and did some reinforcing so it shouldn't happen again, re-skinned it and good as new..

 

[takesiteasy]

It seems most of the reports I have read of people stripping their campers down to the frame for remodeling include reports of finding broken welds. It seem inevitable to me if you are flexing the truck in an extreme fashion without relieving the tension on the turnbuckles. You will likely pull a turnbuckle anchor out and/or break some welds. Of course you won't see the broken welds until you pull the siding or they show up in cracks in the siding as has been mentioned.

 

[craig333]

I found my Saline pics.

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

I have seen many of the older FWC's come in for service and notice small frame cracks either above the rear door, or at the top corners of the front window. Not super common but could happen from time to time, and did.

The camper frames have been completly redesigned, beefed up, and in any ares we can we are welding both inner sides of each wall tubing.

We are always working on new techniques & new designs.





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[Paul B.]

Thanks for all the positive feedback. Can I ask some other questions?

The F-350 I bought currently has a heavy duty steel flat bed with heavy duty lift gate. I want to remove that bed and lift, replace with aluminum flat bed and camper. (I considered a chassis mount, but those units seem very pricy, no?)

Which bed to choose? I'm assuming we will bolt the camper to the bed. What are the ramifications of the flat bed install with respect to twisting, flexing, breaking mounts, etc? Special bed mounting for camper use? I would likely never need to remove the camper from the truck, especially if an off roadable mount is of a more permanent style.

I'm continuing to research this stuff online, but it's a jungle. Any advice on where to look is greatly appreciated.

 

[ntsqd]

I'd suggest starting a new thread on the flat-beds topic, or reviving a previous such thread. That way future searchers can find the info that comes up.

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

My experience with our FWC Eagle has been everything we expected it to be.
I have been going to the springs for 28 years. All I have seen is FWC. Benn there in 75 mph winds that blow tents flat. Checking with owners after the blow all report no problems.

Last month we had one night when wind blew 35mph with gusts of 50+ ( Lizard Lee report). We were cross- wise to the wind. Little bit of rocking. Unit handled it all well.

All camping vehicles will be impacted by wash board roads. 50 miles of shaking affect all of them. After each trip I check all screwed cabinets for looseness and beef up weak areas inside.

Would I buy another one ? YES

 

[Paul B.]

Jim, that's a solid endorsement. I'm definitely leaning towars FWC. Going to their distributor in Southern California this weekend.

 

[lqhikers]

biggest problem that seems to come up when driving wash board is
the weak tie down points (turn buckles) .

if you are planing on truly using your rig "off road" you should consider a more secure
mounting system.

after tearing my eagle loose from tacoma (following baja 1000 course) i went to a 2nd
tie down using frame mounted happijac turnbuckles hooked to camper jack brackets also added blocks between camper and
sides to help keep camper from shifting.

as i always kept my camper mounted i was not concerned about removing camper.

in my opinion trip into saline is a road trip not a off road adventure

Les,lqhikers