Just got a 2000 10.11 Bigfoot and boy does it move up and down. First I have learned it is very heavy in the rear and it seems the front floor of camper is lifting off bed of truck a bit on bumps and rolls. I was thinking of using my Lance cabove Struts, but have been advised there is nothing structural to anchor the campoer end bracket to. Thought of drilling completely through as my roof rack idea and backing up, however I do not want to have damage to camper down the road from stress cracks or whatever. I am even wondering if the front cap would begin to separate from the main body of camper after years. Realy trying to reduce the campeer movement. The Struts helped alot on our LAnce 980. ANy ideas? ANyone done it? Or any thoughts on tying this beast into bed better. We have the happijac box and bumper mount system.
I had a 2001 3000 series and inquired about struts when this forum had a long disscusion about them and posible damage . Their / Bigfoots reply was do not use !!!!! would eventually cause damage.
* This post was
edited 08/25/09 08:40am by 54suds *
Harvwong, camper is a 3000 series and on a 2003 Chev 3500 (dually) 4 door 4x4 diesel. Truck sits level fully loaded and drives ok, although not as good as with the 93 Lance which was real close to same lentgh, but not as tall and aluminum sided. Driven it about 500 miles with no mods to truck. Suspension seems to handle it, however it seems I need a more vertical tie down in the front to keep camper from bouncing off truck box floor. I was told to add a tie down from the front jack bracket down to the anchor between box and cab. This would provide a very near vertical tie down. Planning on doing this incorporating a rubber cushion similar to a mountain bike front suspension fork for a little give. Also it would be nice to improve the pucker factor on twisty county roads. This thing seems top heavy. I plan on scaling it soon.
Who and how do I get a hold of Mark Holmes?
Anyone need a set of LAnce struts, 1 year old, used for 3 short trips?
Did you solve your bounce problem? The first thing I did was replace my shocks,then added timbren's all around,only odd movement is on some hwy expantion joints. I get a little wobble bounce at speed
2006 GMC 4X4 CC DM/A 6spd DRW Timbren's on all 4 corners, Rancho's Torklift's,superhitch/42" extn & Fastguns 2004 BigFoot 30.11SL
That is a heavy camper. I doubt it is bouncing around on your truck, it is more likely bouncing your truck around. Second vote for overload springs bumpers (I used Energy Suspension Bumpers, about $60 for all four), air bags, and be sure the shocks, etc. on the truck are all up to the load. I carried 4000 pounds on a Dodge 3500 dually and it handled 'just right' with only air bags and the spring bumpers. Without them it was a little more prone to sway and bucking. I don't know about Chevys suspension.
'05 Dodge Cummins 4x4 dually 3500 white quadcab auto long bed airbags overload springs bumpers
You may be pushing a box and bumper mount for such a big camper. Colorado can really work those tie-down mounts on the rough back roads and the steep grades. I would suspect flex in your bumper or metal shear in the box.
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