Platforms under your camper

[Ted]

As DD can attest, we have been talking about replacing our 2000 Tundra for over a year. Once again Toyota is oferring 0% financing + $3000 matching on the down. They broke through our resistance and the new camper mount is in tha garage. Stan tells me we need to raise our 2003 Hawk about two inches to fit the new bed. So my questions are for others that have had to do this. What was your design? Are you happy with it? In hindsight, would you change anything?
I'm not sure two inches gives us much play room, but if we could somehow work in storage or a collapsable slide in stair setup like the XP camper would certainly be a bonus.

 

[Steve Scearce]

I needed some additional clearance when we bought our Phoenix last year, so I got some pressure-treated 2x4s and built a base with three 2x4s on edge running lengthwise in the bed between the ribs of our Tundra bed with a 2x4 in the front running side to side and one in the back spanning the gap between the sides of the tailgate. The base boards are screwed together and are working great. I wish I could have used 2x6s to create addl. basement storage options, but I didn't want the cab-over two inches higher. The "ribs" in the bed stick up about an inch, so there's maybe 2.5" of usable depth under the camper. Not much will fit in that space.

 

[SunMan]

I thought the Hawk fit the newer Tundra's without a mod? Is the bed on the 2nd Gens deeper than the 1st Gen Double Cabs? I'm sure I will eventually upgrade to a newer Tundra and always thought it would fit perfectly. Doesn't mention anything unusual on the fit page here:

http://www.fourwheel.../camper_fit.htm

Congrats on the new rig Ted, and yes, we will expect pics once the camper is on!

 

[Chukar Hunter]

I needed to raise my Hawk in my truck because I have Fifthwheel hitch mounting rails in the bed of my truck. I got 2x6 and 2x12 pressure treated lumber and cut them to fit. It is kind of like a puzzle but it works very well. 2xlumber will not give you 2" but if you build a frame work and cover it with a sheet of 1/4" ply wood it should work very good.

 

[RJones]

Ted,

Congrats on the new truck. I used 2" x 3" and held together with deck screws. I needed less than 2” and turned the 2 x 3 on their side to keep the camper lower in the bed. I also drilled holes sideways throughout the spacer for weight reduction and ventilation. Finished it with gray paint, screwed the spacer to the bottom of the camper and still looking good after three years of use.

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

Yes, the Toyota Tundra trucks have had 3 different bed depths over the years.

Older Tundra trucks approx. 17" deep.

2004 - 2006 Double Cab Tundra trucks approx. 20" deep.

Newer 2007 - 2010 Tundra trucks approx. 22" deep.

Most customers can measure the depth of their camper base, measure the depth of their truck bed, and then add the correct sized platform.

On a normal Hawk Model we add 2" to the camper floor / camper base when it is going on a Newer Tundra. This is not something you will see or notice on a new camper. It blends in well and is painted, insulated, and skined off with the white aluminum.

On a used camper you might see it, depending on how the camper base was constructed.

(see sample picture below of a used camper that was here in our shop)






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[griz]

Another solution would be to sell me the 03 hawk and buy a new hawk that is a perfect fit.
Sounds good ??????? ha ha

 

[rich]

Hi Ted,

Congrats, I just bought a new to me '07 Tundra and am dealing with the same problem except on my old fleet I need to raise it 7" for the Tundra. I have 3 2"x6"'s on edge running the length of the camper with a 2"x" across the front at the cab tying them together. It has a sheet of 3/4" ply on the top and bottom and the tailgate end is left open right now. I will hopefully be finishing it this week with a door across the back which will give me 2 large storage areas and 2 small ones under the wings of the camper. I haven't tried it out yet, I think I'll be hap with the storage but I am not happy about the weight. It is heavy!!! I might look into having a local welder weld me the same thing out of aluminum to make it lighter after I try the configuration out a few times.

The other thing I am not happy about is that with the geometry of the Fleet once I get it above my 22" bed rails on the tundra with another 1" of clearance for drains etc... I will have 5" clearance above the cab. I am going to have to put an air dam of some kind up there to try and cut the drag.

I will post some pics once it's finished.

Good luck with your project.

Rich

 

[Ted]

Thanks all for your help and the good wishes. I plan to build a design much like Durango Steve and RJones describe (Thanks guys. The drawing was helpful too.). I like the idea of holes for venting and will copy that as well. Chukar Hunter, a word of warning. My original thought was to top the platform with plywood as well, but FWC does not recommend that. They said it is easier for moisture to get trapped under the camper that way - leading to rot. So if you do that, be sure to drill some holes for drainage and air flow.

Don't worry Sunman, photos to come. We are putting new tires and air bags on the truck prior to the install, and plan on adding an OME levelling kit when the funds recover a bit. I looked back at your thread when you put on your new wheels and tires. Since the lift is yet to come, we'll be sticking with the 275's instead of going to 285's. We'll be on the north coast with the old truck this weekend, but will be in the new truck when we roll for T-day. So look for photos after that.

 

[Ted]

Another solution would be to sell me the 03 hawk and buy a new hawk that is a perfect fit.
Sounds good ??????? ha ha


Wish I could help you out, Griz. There are some nice features on the new campers that I wouldn't mind having. But the price on the new ones are a lot higher than we paid and replacing ours isn't likely. Maybe if FWC offers 0% financing and matches $3000 of the down payment like Toyota is doing, we can work something out. I'll let you know.

 

[DanoT]

When I talked to Marty at ATC a few months ago he suggested 6 legs to raise the camper was better than building a wood frame, but this would have been on a new build and not a retro fit.

 

[Ted]

When I talked to Marty at ATC a few months ago he suggested 6 legs to raise the camper was better than building a wood frame, but this would have been on a new build and not a retro fit.


I'm not sure I understand what you mean by six legs, Dano. I picture legs as something in a vertical position, not across the truck bed in a horizontal position. Can you clarify?

 

[rich]

a word of warning. My original thought was to top the platform with plywood as well, but FWC does not recommend that. They said it is easier for moisture to get trapped under the camper that way - leading to rot. So if you do that, be sure to drill some holes for drainage and air flow.


Hmm, hadn't thought of that, was planning to put the top sheet on my platform tomorrow. Mine has a door to access storage at the end I wonder if that will provide enough air flow or if I should vent it.

I don't plan on having it permanently attached to the camper either. I will attache it with latches so it can be removed, so I could let it air out that way too.

 

[griz]

Wish I could help you out, Griz. There are some nice features on the new campers that I wouldn't mind having. But the price on the new ones are a lot higher than we paid and replacing ours isn't likely. Maybe if FWC offers 0% financing and matches $3000 of the down payment like Toyota is doing, we can work something out. I'll let you know.

I will be waiting too hear from u. Oops gotta run the phone is ringing......

 

[ntsqd]

Rich,
I suspect that part of the problem lies in water wicking in between top sheet of the spacer and the bottom of the camper. I see two options, seal the spacer wood to waterproof and then seal the top of the spacer to the bottom of the camper; or use same width strips of the plywood on top of the stringers ("furring strips") to get the spacer thickness that you need without creating two very large surfaces in contact with each other.

Capillary action is great when it works for you, and down-right sucks when it works against you. This sounds like it is the latter......


HTH

 

[simimike]

Ted, Congratulations on the new truck. A new truck is near the top of lifes neat things.

mike

 

[Ted]

Thanks, Mike. I learned from our Warner Mountain trip when my truck looked like someone dragged a rake down it and everyone else's looked fine - went with white this time

Another platform question. As ntsqd mentioned, capillary action comes with wood. So what about using one of these fake decking boards? I understand they don't have as much structural strength as real wood and need more supports when used for decking. But since these would be sitting on a solid surface, would they work for this situation?

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

I would think a piece of painted plywood would be just fine ?

As long at the plywood and the camper base are not stuck together wet for months & years you should be fine.

Most people are taking the camper off the truck often enough that wood rot really doesn't seem to be a problem (my personal opinion).

Just inspect the bottom of the camper floor every once in a while when you are loading / unloading the camper.

Keep a fresh coast of paint on the camper base and the plywood spacer.

I think it will be just fine.

No need to over think it or make it too complicated.

Sometimes simple can be a good thing.





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[Ted]

Hi Stan. I'll be in next Friday having the install done. Pretty sure my final design is going to be a cross hatch, something like lattice at 90 degree angles. I'll try to explain.

As Terry in your service department explained to me, the base of the camper that sits on the truck bed is not flat. It is a number of runners that are attached to the plywood floor of the camper, like rafters or beams. I want the boards I am putting under the camper to align with those so the camper has equal support. But truck beds have ridges built into the beds. And those ridges likely won't be spaced the same as the camper beams, which could lead to a gap between some of the supports and the camper. So I will add cross beams every foot or so that will sit on top of the bed's ridges and give a level surface for the camper supports. This will allow for lots of air flow and drainage.

Because the mount for my Jerry Can holder is screwed to the bottom of the camper, I need to raise the camper a little higher than the 2" Stan told me. 2x3's are 1&1/2" thick, so the cross hatch platform should give me 3" of lift, which is just about right.

 

[RJones]

Ted,

Sounds well engineered and don't forget to put up pics of the new truck with camper.