Clattertruck
Centennial Colorado
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Joined: 06/19/2003
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Blue Foam problem
I tried the Dow rigid foam as a riser to gain cab clearance after reading posts that claimed it was the hot ticket. I have used wood on previous TCs. I now have 16,000 miles of experience with foam and it does not survive very well. When I unloaded the camper after our BC-YT-Alaska trip I found that the rough roads tend to smash the foam on the outside edges where the weight is concentrated with a “basement” camper.
The foam may work better with a non-basement camper. I have now replaced the foam with plywood. The increased weight is only a minor factor when one has a 14,000 lbs. rig.
Clattertruck
2008 SD F450 PSD 6.4L CC 4X4 DRW, Lariat Auto trans 4.30 LS, 2008 Snowriver 108 truck camper. Jeep Unlimited Rubicon as toad.
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spkncarl
Southwest Desert
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Joined: 01/04/2007
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yep, we took ours out last year after Bigfoot told me I didn't need it. The only time I tapped the cab was going over a speed bump in a neighborhood by my house. Otherwise so far so good.
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Spott
48197
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Joined: 12/03/2003
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I'm surprised to see so much compression, I don't know the difference between the Blue foam and the Pink foam but after 3 years we have no compression with the Pink.
Maybe the blue is a bit softer?
Me - Kim - Spot
2006 F-350 4x4 DRW V10 - 2005 Northern Lite 10-2000CD
2005 204 ssi on the water - TCM article
What's behind the name? Screen name that is.
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fuelhauler
Southern Oregon
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Joined: 07/25/2006
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I've had the blue foam under mine for a year. The only compresion I get is in the back corners were the tc has a little convex to it.
2005 Dodge q/c 4x4 dually six speed pac brake
2006 bigfoot 10.6
2003 Everest 32' 5vr
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t/c hobo
RHODE ISLAND
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Joined: 02/29/2004
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the blue foam works great if the camper is on the bed firm
with no movement
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Paoli
Quesnel BC
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Joined: 10/29/2005
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I use a rubber sheet under my camper.
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xtreemnoise
Thousand Oaks, CA
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Joined: 03/01/2007
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Have a 1" sheet stacked on a 2" sheet of yellow rigid insulation foam (foil backed) with rubber mat on top. My foam boards do look a bit different than yours. Purchased the 4' x 8' sheets at Home Depot near the insulation building materials area ( around $40.00?). The sheets have conformed to the ribs of the bed a bit over the past two years otherwise they've worked fine . Nice and light for removal as well. My loaded camper probably doesn't exceed 3,500 lbs thou.
06 F350 XLT 6.0PSD CC DRW Tow Boss 4x4 95 Lance Squire 8000
72 Pinzgauer 710 K Swiss Army radio truck
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silversand
Montreal
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Joined: 09/12/2004
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Quote:I found that the rough roads tend to smash the foam on the outside edges where the weight is concentrated with a “basement”
...sorry to side-track this a bit, but there was a series of posts about just where truck campers apply their weight to the bed and the beds deforming, and your experiment is extremely interesting! Can you post a pic showing the entire width of the flattened blue foam board (that is, if you still have that flattened board!) ?
It appears that some campers indeed only apply their weight around the perimeter of their tubs (like a house's weight on perimeter foundation) transfered to the perimeter of their truck beds! And not evenly distributed across the tub's entire floor area.
Very interesting indeed...
Cheers,
Silver-
Silver
2004 Chevy Silverado 2500HD 4x4 6.0L Ext/LB Tow Package 4L80E Michelin AT2s| Outfitter Caribou
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cm
Dillon, CO USA
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Joined: 08/01/2002
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If you used the standard Styrofoam brand extruded polystyrene from Dow Chemical it is rated at 25 psi. Dow also makes Styrofoam extruded polystyrene in 40 psi, 60 psi and 100 psi. The 100 psi is hard to find.
You can find the 40 psi and 60 psi at Eagle Rock Supply CO. 2645 E 74 Ave Denver, CO. 303-289-4151
Also build a small frame of wood along the points where it is compressing the Styrofoam and then cut the Styrofoam to fit inside this wood frame. This will still give you the insulating value of the extruded polystyrene which is R-5 per inch.
As far as the pink insulation. If it is extruded polystyrene all the pink color means is that is manufactured by Owens Corning. Pink is their marketing color. Dow chemical uses blue for their Styrofoam brand. The regular Owens Corning extruded polystyrene is also 25 psi.
The foil back insulation mentioned is probably polyisocyanurate. Dow Chemical also produces polyiso insulation and it is most likely labeled as Tuff-R. If exposed to moisture and sunlight the Styrofoam brand of extruded polystyrene will usually stand up better than polyiso.
The flatness and design of different brands and models of campers will make a difference on how much the compression effects the foam.
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Don87401
Farmington NM 87401
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Joined: 06/08/2003
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Here is how I did mine mixed wood with foam.
http://s254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/don87401/bed%20riser/
Don and Sarah
'03 F350 6.0 auto DRW 4X4
2003 A990S Arctic Fox
Stablelift, superhitch to tow toys.
Jeeps (one or the other, 1957 CJ6, 1983 CJ8, 2006 LJ Rubicon) on a trailer.
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