DiscoChicken wrote: I've thought of this idea too. A flat bed raises the base of a tc above the wheel well, thus making it too high IMO. Resting the tc on the frame OR building a flat bed on the frame with wheel wells is the best of both worlds.
That would be perfect for hauling a common pickup-type truck camper. I like how the truck camper in the background has the above-deck storage boxes integrated under the camper side wings, so the storage area stays with the camper when camper is off loaded from truck. Would be good for storing extra batteries, propane bottles, water tank, waste tank, generator, etc. Stuff that one would want to stay with the camper rather than with the truck.
As far as the needed deck height of flat beds is concerned, it depends a lot on the suspension height of the truck, diameter of the tires, suspension stiffness and how much tire clearance is needed during axle articulation. A soft sprung truck with low suspension height and tall tires will need the bed mounted much higher above the frame than a stiff sprung truck with tall suspension and shorter tires.
My dually flat bed has such stiff suspension and high 4wd suspension height but relatively short 31.5" tires that I could easily mount my flat bed a good 4 inches lower than it is now and still not hit the bottom of the bed with the tires. I also don't do any rock crawling or other extreme 4-wheeling with the truck, obviously, so maximum axle articulation and tire clearance is not a concern.
Obviously it would require some stuctural design on the PU camper but I've wondered about setting up a quick disconnect for the PU bed. When you want to use the camper, you simply disconnect and leave it in your driveway (maybe add light duty corner jacks so you can do it solo).
Then you drive under and mount the camper using the same quick connect fittings. If you use jacks that will lift it high enough you could mount storage and tanks below the frame level.
You have to sort out the electics and fuel fill so it can be quickly disconnected and reconnected but that shouldn't be too hard.
Esentially you wind up with a class C motorhome with the ability to haul a load of gravel and you can have the brand of truck you think is best.
400lbs of extra load capacity is a nice bump for lighter duty trucks.
Probably not worth it as a one off but it seems like a nice niche for a manufacturer.
Tammy Mike & the Bilge Rat (AKA: Diego)
Ford F250 7.3L
1997 Sunnybrook 27' 5er
1995 Gemini Sail Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and 5er
Thanks all for the thoughtful responses,
I guess what I need is something like the link to Xtreme Campers with the frame as low as possible and wheel cutouts.
I still have trouble understanding why the stock pickup bed works so well. Perhaps its something like the origami effect where you fold a dollar bill so it can support a coffee cup.
I see some aluminum framed flatbeds, perhaps this would save some weight.
Mike
valhalla360 wrote: Obviously it would require some stuctural design on the PU camper but I've wondered about setting up a quick disconnect for the PU bed. When you want to use the camper, you simply disconnect and leave it in your driveway (maybe add light duty corner jacks so you can do it solo).
Then you drive under and mount the camper using the same quick connect fittings. If you use jacks that will lift it high enough you could mount storage and tanks below the frame level.
You have to sort out the electics and fuel fill so it can be quickly disconnected and reconnected but that shouldn't be too hard.
Esentially you wind up with a class C motorhome with the ability to haul a load of gravel and you can have the brand of truck you think is best.
400lbs of extra load capacity is a nice bump for lighter duty trucks.
Probably not worth it as a one off but it seems like a nice niche for a manufacturer.
I really don't understand what yiou are trying to accomplish with this idea. The truck camper is already designed for quick unloading and loading. Undo the tie downs unplug the camper, put down the 4 corner jacks raise the camper and drive out from under it. Now the bed of your truck is availabe for whatever.
Butch
2011 F350 KR 4X4 CC LB SRW
2012 Northern Lite 10 2 CDSE
2008 Custom Weld 17' Boat
2010 Can-Am 650XT Outlander Max
2012 Harley Tri Glide
My TC is mounted to the frame of my truck. I have the Stable Lift. It does not rely on the truck bed in any way, for tie down.
Personally, if I were concerned with the weight, I would go with a light weight flat bed, but there are several trade offs. I do not think you would save as much weight as a lot of people think. I have had both bed types.
DiscoChicken wrote: I've thought of this idea too. A flat bed raises the base of a tc above the wheel well, thus making it too high IMO. Resting the tc on the frame OR building a flat bed on the frame with wheel wells is the best of both worlds.
WOW, I have been watching this forum for many years, especially interested in campers on flatbeds, (the other trucks are not much good for anything except car type applications).My present tin box is beat to pieces trying to make money for TC fuel purchases..
Its all here for the flatbed gang.. speechless!!!Thats the way to do it for a TC...
Moderator please attach to University flatbed info.....
valhalla360 wrote: Obviously it would require some stuctural design on the PU camper but I've wondered about setting up a quick disconnect for the PU bed. When you want to use the camper, you simply disconnect and leave it in your driveway (maybe add light duty corner jacks so you can do it solo).
Then you drive under and mount the camper using the same quick connect fittings. If you use jacks that will lift it high enough you could mount storage and tanks below the frame level.
You have to sort out the electics and fuel fill so it can be quickly disconnected and reconnected but that shouldn't be too hard.
Esentially you wind up with a class C motorhome with the ability to haul a load of gravel and you can have the brand of truck you think is best.
400lbs of extra load capacity is a nice bump for lighter duty trucks.
Probably not worth it as a one off but it seems like a nice niche for a manufacturer.
I really don't understand what yiou are trying to accomplish with this idea. The truck camper is already designed for quick unloading and loading. Undo the tie downs unplug the camper, put down the 4 corner jacks raise the camper and drive out from under it. Now the bed of your truck is availabe for whatever.
The problem is a truck campers greatest advantage is also it's greatest weakness.
The units are limited to what can fit in the truck bed. The floor space tends to be narrow. The tanks and other heavy equipement is mounted above the level of the bed making it top heavy. Getting in and out requires 3 or more steps because the floor is above the truck bed (This also pushes the overall height even higher.)Storage is limited where the unit must fit over the truck bed rails.
You could go with a small Class C and negate most of these issues, but then you generally lose 4x4 capability, you are limited to the brand the manufacturer choose and you can't use it for hauling and if the drive train fails, you are replacing the whole rig.
What I'm suggesting would largely eliminate the weaknesses while still maintaining the flexibility.
Personally, I would not want to go down the road with the camper supported by any less than ALL of the points where it would contact the truck bed.
I think if you go pounding down the road with the camper supported by a rail across the front, a rail across the back, and wherever it happens to make contact with the truck frame, you will be in for a rude surprise at your destination. "Sway-backed mare" comes to mind.
At the very least, you need a 4'x8' (or 4'x6.5' for short bed) platform for the camper to rest on.
Making a platform that is lighter enough to be worthwhile will be a tall order. It would have to be made from aluminum.
I would also have my doubts about hanging storage compartments under the wings. The camper surely wasn't designed for that, just as it wasn't designed to support its own weight during transport.
To that end, a full-width commercial flatbed would make the most practical sense if your purpose is to add storage space under the wings.
2002 Chevy 3500 DRW 8.1L/Allison
2000 Palomino B1500
...and the reason why I need a DRW to haul a Palomino:
2004 United 7x14 tandem axle enclosed toy trailer
2011 PJ 8x20 7-ton deckover equipment trailer
Reinforce the frame by boxing it in. On Powerblock, they reinforced a vehicle frame that way. Basically, adding some flat metal to the open end of the frame members, and cutting out holes of the metal added to reduce some of the weight. They demonstrated the flex difference, and it was significant. Based on the one slide show image 33, there seems to be a significant amount of gain you could make.
I think you just need to make the floor relatively flat with some raised areas to prevent the camper from sliding side to side and forward, but you could use almost any material for that. You might have an issue clearing the cab if you make the floor too flat.
If you are concerned with center of gravity, I'd probably start with a GM that is quite a bit lower.
'06 F350 Lariat Supercab SRW, 6.0 PSD 4x4 Long Bed, Intake Elbow, Walker Big Truck Muffler. '06 Host Rainer 950 Double Slide, Fastguns. Firestone Air Bags, Rancho 9000s, Vision 19.5s with Hankook DH-01 245s, Energy Suspension bump stops.
mkirsch wrote: Personally, I would not want to go down the road with the camper supported by any less than ALL of the points where it would contact the truck bed.
I think if you go pounding down the road with the camper supported by a rail across the front, a rail across the back, and wherever it happens to make contact with the truck frame, you will be in for a rude surprise at your destination.
If cross members are added every couple of feet, how would it differ from a TT, 5er, Class A or C? Are they not basically a TC, sitting on a frame with crossmembers?
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