sunlite pop up tc or similar on a first gen tacoma?

[potterjon]

Does anyone on here have this combination or one similar like a Jayco or Starcraft on a first gen Tacoma?
I am a noob and have been lurking and reading for about 6 months. I have a 1998 4 cyl, 4wd ext cab Tacoma 5 spd . The truck with me sitting in it weighs 3600 lbs and the payload is 5100 lbs, leaving a 1500 lb difference. I have been searching wide and far for something under 1100 lbs if possible and simply can't afford a fwc or other aluminum framed camper. I realize that they say 500 lbs of "stuff" is the average. That leaves only a few campers out there that suit my needs. The Sunlite Skyhawk, Jayco Sportster 7, Skamper 060s, or Palomino 600, from what I can tell. These are each companies smallest and lightest models. Oh yeah, I forgot about the Shadow Cruisers. I believe some of them measure 37" between the wheel wells and that would work. I don't really want to raise the camper up to get it to fit my truck for some of the obvious reasons, but mostly because of the weight. If I could stay under my gwvr and do that I probably would consider it.
Anyhoo, this evening I called about one that was about a 13 hr trip from me. I have no problem driving a good distance to get one if it suits my needs, but I am getting mixed reviews about this kind of set up. One guy says it was great when he did it with a 1996 4wd 5 spd taco and another says it was much less then desirable in his 2002 6 cyl tacoma. Said he got about 9 mpg with it on.
I am sure this set up is not "ideal" by anyones standards, and I am sure it will be cumbersome and not get great gas mileage, but I love my taco and dont plan on upgrading at all.
I am not planning on doing any serious four wheeling or anything. I just want to get to the beach (about 4 hrs away) and go fishing, and an occasional trip to the woods with my wife and dogs and some kayaks.
I have alot of other questions, of course, as I am looking into air lifts vs leaf springs , etc. But before I pull the trigger on anything I would at least like to hear other peoples experience with a first generation tacoma and a pop up truck camper. This is my daily driver and I haul alot of stuff in it all the time. So I really need to be able to take it on and off the truck. I have no doubt that my truck can carry more than the gwvr says it can, but I want to keep it legal too.

 

[dauntless225]

remember if you go over the gvwr you are not legal.. no matter what tires you put on it, air bags or leaf springs....

I used to have a 06 taco with a v6 and for me a camper on it would be painfull especially on the long drives.... but depending on your acceptance of going slow up hills and wearing out your truck quicker due to overloading it. if you want to do it go for it! and enjoy the camping experience....

 

[potterjon]

gotcha! I am wondering why they say 500 lbs of gear is the average that people carry when they do the math on the weight. If I am lucky I will have just about 500 lbs to spare for gear but still. What do people take that is so heavy?

 

[dauntless225]

I think what gets you is the liquid, water, drinks then food, clothes. it adds up faster then you think. pots and pans. if you bring a cooler full of drinks and ice that's another 40-50 pounds..

also did you weigh your truck with a full tank of fuel? depending on the size of tank, gas at 6+ pounds per gallon adds up. if a friend goes with you, your 500 pounds is really not much room to stay under your rating.

most people with campers are over there GVWR which is why they add air bags, additional leaf springs ect... if your not over GVWR you do not need these things especially on a truck built in the last 20 years...

 

[jha6av8r]

My Chevy has a payload of 4,200 lbs verfied by putting it on a scale. It's rated by Chevy for a 3,100# camper. Me, my wife, & son come it at 400#. 600# of gear puts us as GVWR with a 3,100# camper.

 

[potterjon]

So am I incorrect in thinking that the manufacturers tag that displays the total weight does not include propane and water, etc? I understand your point about gwvr and I would like to keep it legal as stated in the beginning.

 

[dauntless225]

I'm not sure if the camper tag includes propane and water.. the tag should say one way or the other? but if your that close to the GWVR then I would think about a different truck or camper....

 

[potterjon]

ok thx!

 

[whizbang]

I have the 7 foot Jayco Sportster. I've been to the scales at least 6 times.

My empty truck weighs between 5900 and 6000 depending on how full the gas tank is.

With the camper loaded and full of gear (jacks off, tail gate off, no more than 1/2 tank gas ever), it scales out at 7600-7700 pounds, or about 1600-1700 for the camper and gear.

 

[potterjon]

Wow that jayco is heavier than I thought.

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

Adding to that ..........our fwc shell with improvements weighs 1000 pounds. The 2013 Tacoma adds 4200 pounds. All up weight for 7 days off the grid (food, water, gear, clothes for one, bike, rack, model airplanes) = 5960 pounds plus me for a total 6200 pounds !!! My springs were upgraded to an 4 leaf pack + LT tires.

I had this camper on a '99 Tacoma X-cab 4 cyl, 5-speed 4WD. Added a 5 leaf pack (to carry 1500 pounds) and LT tires. Truck had no problem carrying the weight....however there was MARGINAL performance over 60 mph. Freeway hills in right lane at 50 mph in 3rd gear with emergency flashers blinking so you don't get "run over".

FWC or ATC are the lightest. Everything else is too heavy.

See pic of my '99 and Eagle on a 4 days trip near Bishop, Ca. Camper sits level.

Keep looking in the Gear Exchange for a used ATC Bobcat or Eagle Shell. They are out there.

 

[whizbang]

The Jayco itself may not be too bad.

It isnt tall enough to fit my 2010 F150. So, I had to build a spacer platform underneath with 2x4's, 1x4's and 2 sheets of plywood. I also prefer Torklift tiedowns which are quite heavy, both the part that bolts under the truck as well as the arms that slip in.

The weight I posted includes a porta-potti full of water, the Jayco 6 gal. full water tank, and 3 more gallons of water. Also, full propane, food and clothes for several days and fishing gear.

If you went with Happijac tiedowns and no platform, and less stuff, you could probably drop 200 pounds or more.

12 years ago, I had a FWC Fleet model on a 4 cyl. Ranger. With air bags, shocks, and LT tires it carried the load ok. But acceleration and braking were very poor. Couldn't do more than 50 on any kind of grade.

Bottom line is that campers end up weighing more than you think they will, and, even a small camper puts a heck of a load on a truck.

 

[desert-trails]

With what you want to do I wouldn't hesitate to find a used popup, wood-framed Skamper, Sunlite or whatever, and put it on my Tacoma 4 cylinder if that's what I had. Been there and done it many times. We started out years ago with a brand-new 1983 Skamper 070S on a 1981 Datsun 4 cylinder 4x4. We've owned 4 popup campers over the years on various Nissan, Ford, Toyota, and Chevy trucks. (The best small truck/pop up camper combo we had was a 1995 Toyota 6 cylinder, 5 speed 4x4 with a Skamper 060S. Yeah, I had to row up-hill sometimes but that was a great setup that got us all over the West).

Suggestion: Get a used camper and install it on the Toyota. Add some overloads or airbags, get good tires then head to the beach. Throw the kayaks on top and head to the lake. Just don't drive like you're in a porsche. Remember, those small campers were made to go on small trucks.
Cliff

 

[potterjon]

Well, I felt like I should update this thread for anyone that is interested. I ended up buying a 1989 sun lite sky hawk and everything has worked out just fine. The truck really has no problem carrying it. It was much better after I got new tires and added a helper spring on each side of the rear suspension. I have had three people ask me if I wanted to sell it on the side of the road. My little 4 cylinder Tacoma gets great gas mileage and I feel like I can go anywhere with this thing. The truck can do 75 on the interstate with no problems at all.