Something I've been thinking about?

[Squatch]

I have a 2012 Eagle that's like new. I carry it in a very low mileage 2006 Tundra double cab. These trucks have a much wider bed than the mini trucks my camper was made for. They also have a 20" deep bed vs the 17" deep bed the Eagle was made for.

So I have a platform to set the camper on. I built it strong but light. However it still has some real weight to it.

There is a lot of wasted bed space outside the camper base.

I keep thinking about making a new base for my Camper that fits the bed of the truck. I see these advantages:
Getting a lot more floor space.

The extra inside height might allow me to actually sit on the couch with the top down. That would be huge when raising and lowering the top.

It would move the rollover couch back and out of the door opening.

More storage space inside.

The extra weight of the slightly larger base would probably weigh less than the platform.

I think this could be done with just plywood so that the upper part of the camper could be reinstalled onto the old base if needed down the road. (new truck ect)

This is not something I'll be doing real soon. but the idea intrigues me enough to start taking some measurements and maybe working up some drawings.

I love how tightly the Eagle upper body fits my truck. Almost as tight as a truck cap. No overhang on the side at all.

I think what I'm thinking is probably best described as putting the aluminum part of my Eagle on the plywood base of a Hawk.

Has anyone here done something similar!

 

[Vic Harder]

Squatch,

Do you have your camper on full time? Why not build something like a flatdeck... or maybe what I'm thinking is more like a utility bed. So you leave the camper untouched, but build up around it in a way that maximizes storage?

 

[rando]

I like your train of thought. However, if you have the opportunity, go look at one of the flatbed models. We never previously seriously considered a slide in truck camper, specifically for the reasons you mention - the galley layout, the lack of storage, and cramped space for two. I think flat bed Fleet on a Tundra would give you what you are looking for and much more. You would get part of the way there by rebuilding the lower half of your Eagle, but the key to real useable space is the side door, rear dinette and exterior storage with under bed tool boxes and drawers.

The other think to consider is what your current Eagle is worth? As soon as you modify it becomes a bit of a unicorn and would be much harder to sell and/or loose a lot of value. While the flatbed models certainly are pricey, the cost to trade up would largely be recoverable if you ever were to sell the flatbed Fleet. If you were stating with a much older Eagle, I think the rebuild option would be more attractive, but cutting up a newer model seems harder to justify.

While we have our flatbed fleet mounted full time - I don't think that would necessarily be a requirement. Flatbeds are actually really practical and are the standard of Hilux's in much of the rest of the world. The mounting system (just 4 bolts) could be engineered with easy removal in mind.

 

[Wallowa]

I have a 2012 Eagle that's like new. I carry it in a very low mileage 2006 Tundra double cab. These trucks have a much wider bed than the mini trucks my camper was made for. They also have a 20" deep bed vs the 17" deep bed the Eagle was made for.

So I have a platform to set the camper on. I built it strong but light. However it still has some real weight to it.

There is a lot of wasted bed space outside the camper base.

I keep thinking about making a new base for my Camper that fits the bed of the truck. I see these advantages:
Getting a lot more floor space.

The extra inside height might allow me to actually sit on the couch with the top down. That would be huge when raising and lowering the top.

It would move the rollover couch back and out of the door opening.

More storage space inside.

The extra weight of the slightly larger base would probably weigh less than the platform.

I think this could be done with just plywood so that the upper part of the camper could be reinstalled onto the old base if needed down the road. (new truck ect)

This is not something I'll be doing real soon. but the idea intrigues me enough to start taking some measurements and maybe working up some drawings.

I love how tightly the Eagle upper body fits my truck. Almost as tight as a truck cap. No overhang on the side at all.

I think what I'm thinking is probably best described as putting the aluminum part of my Eagle on the plywood base of a Hawk.

Has anyone here done something similar!


Honestly don't know the difference in bed dimensions between your '06 Double Cab and my '05 Access Cab...However, my Hawk has perhaps 1/4" clearance on either side of the camper "box" from the wheel wells inside the Tundra bed.....so the side to side fit and front to back fit is damn near perfect with the Hawk...raising any camper up raises the CG...trying to fit a 17" high box in a 20 " high bed [if I correctly understood that..] is going the wrong way.... and of course you don't want the overhang resting on or coming in contact with the bed as it flexes; hence a spacer is needed.

I can sit at the dinette table with the top down and the 'wasted bed space' you have is great storage space in the Hawk through the tie down doors...my Hawk does not overhang [width] the bed sides but the '05 Access bed height [I believe it is 17"] is perhaps 3" below the Hawk overhang...I velcroed in 2 " vertical solid foam insulation sheet strips against the floor box and under the overhang to add box insulation and to limit rain/dirt from dropping down into the bed...did same at front of box..

Guess where I am going is to recommend a Hawk to replace the Eagle if the bed of your Tundra will allow that...lots of advantages in my mind to a Hawk...but that depends on your use and needs..our FWC hits the mark for our off roading.

Good luck!

Phil

 

[shellback]

So do you have a shell model or completely built model, and how much of the interior would you have to mess with? Building a floor pac is a piece of cake. Installing it on a bare aluminum skeleton is just as easy. Now getting the old one off your rig with little collateral damage is the big question. I love to dive into projects, and I have a doozy going with the build of my 79 Grandby. But when I'm done it will be the way I want it. These things aren't rocket science. I read about a number of your projects, and I'm sure this would be easily accomplished by you.

 

[Squatch]

To answer some of the above. No my camper is not on full time. I have property and need a pickup often.

I'd love a flatbed but I'd do a bigger truck if I was going that route.

I'm retired and don't have the money to spend on a new camper. Especially when I have a fine one now.

Same deal with a Hawk. But also I like going back country. Here in the east that means tight trails. I don't want the overhang a Hawk would give me. Or the extra weight.

Wallowa The CG is NOT an issue with my setup. The camper is only raised 3.5". Being an Eagle it sits lower overall than a Hawk would in my truck.

I have an Eagle shell with: 2nd roof vent, rollover couch, stove,furnace combo in rear corner. Not much interior to mess with. I can have it all out in a couple of hours if I needed to.

The point of this idea is that it can be done at home. Main cost is just the plywood and some paint, glue ect. Cost would be a few hundred vs thousands for any of the other option brought up.

If I did this I would try to do it without changing the aluminum frame structure. That way I could just drop it back on the old base if I was selling or using it in a different truck. Not really a big deal to remove some screws and peel up some aluminum siding to get to mounting stuff inside the walls. Nothing too high tech about the way these things are put together.

3 or 4 sheets of 3/4" marine grade plywood is about all that's required to do this. That and maybe some floor covering of some sort.

I don't really need the features or the room of a bigger or flatbed camper. Just be nice to have a few more inches of floor space.

Thanks for the input folks.

 

[buckland]

Squatch... I have the 2011 Eagle. I too have a high rail on the Colorado. I have built up the base with cross members and insulation in between (why not?) .. I have had your same thoughts. I was thinking more of only dropping the area beneath the open floor. The aisle. All that would mean is cutting plywood and putting it back lower in a small space, The dinette floor area also... it actually would make the storage below seat bigger. No need to mess with where the water tank or beneath the counter space is.... we must be thinking the same thing. My nephew is 6' 4" and I would love to put 3" more on the height. Resale... not sure I will ever be able to sell it ....It works for me and I am no spring chicken.... i'll "use it up ..wear it out ...make it do or do without" old New England saying.

 

[Wallowa]

Love that New England saying: "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without".... neat thing about folks on this forum is that they truly personalize their gear to fit their needs and wants...very cool.

I would be scared to death cutting the bottom out of a camper, extending it and reconstructing the box...but I have zero wood working skills....good luck and keep us posted.

Phil

 

[craig333]

Pics. I'm having trouble picturing just how this works but then again I'm like Phil. Me and wood don't get along well

 

[rtpvibes]

I'm a contractor and this is my second fwc. I had a grandby and the pull out couch was had more room to walk by opened or closed . The hawk roll over takes up room . I'm going to be changing mine up. You just need basic tools to remodel floor pack. I say make it your own and enjoy the hell out of it . I'm sure it would still sell. I think front dinett is the best layout . If I could change mine to that I would but my hot water heater is in way. Make it your own

 

[ski3pin]

What I've been thinking about takes this a step further. I would like to change our All Terrain Camper from a "slide in" camper to a "drop in". Design the floor pack to perfectly fit the bed of the truck. It has advantages of utilizing all the available space and would require bolting through to the frame, thus eliminating turnbuckles.

Something I've been thinking about.........................................

 

[Happyjax]

Squatch,

That's a great idea if I understand it...lol

You want to take the wooden floor pack off and rebuild it to fit the specs of the truck, then reattach the aluminum top so you can gain a few inches height and width. Your camper is great but it does feel small with 2 people in it. I can see where those inches would make it more open and give more storage for just a few bucks and your pretty considerable talent

I can also see someone wanting it when you sell it because it would fit with no overhang. My biggest problem with the Alaskan I am interested in is the 88" width. Hangs over 4" each side.....

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

<snip>

My biggest problem with the Alaskan I am interested in is the 88" width. Hangs over 4" each side.....

It won't be long before you begin to really appreciate that extra 4" per side. That's my story, and I am sticking to it... For now...

 

[Squatch]

What I've been thinking about takes this a step further. I would like to change our All Terrain Camper from a "slide in" camper to a "drop in". Design the floor pack to perfectly fit the bed of the truck. It has advantages of utilizing all the available space and would require bolting through to the frame, thus eliminating turnbuckles.

Something I've been thinking about.........................................

This I like!

 

[Happyjax]

All you need is a spare crane or some really long jacks to get er in the truck...... I see potential issues but I like the concept