'99 S & S camper on '02 Ford Superdty Longbed
Hi We are looking at buying our first truck camper and have been doing a lot of research about the fit issues with older campers and '99 through 2007 Ford trucks because of the tailgate opening and c...
Forum Discussion
You shouldn't have any tailgate width issues. They used to all be 65"... Chevy started tapering their boxes in 1988, narrowing the tailgate opening and the camper manufacturers started shaving a few inches at that time so they would fit. Dodge started tapering their boxes in 1994 and Ford in 1998.
By 1999 every camper maker had to have taken care of the width issue or they wouldn't fit anyone's new trucks.
Width fitment problems are primarily with 1987 and older campers - most of which have rotted away!
For height the easiest thing is to hit the nearest Home Depot and grab a sheet of 4x8 2" thick pink hard foam insulation. It's cheap, weighs nothing, isn't slippery, and doesn't crush because the load os spread out over the whole thing. Get two if one isn't enough.
You may notice I have a 1987 camper on a tapered, narrow-tailgate '99 truck. (which is why I know so much about this!)
I had to section the fiberglass wet-bath enclosure and 'glass it back together to shave 2" at the lower passenger side, but many campers only need some wood parts cut a little to gain a little clearance, sometimes it's quite easy to make them fit. It's only the part that is inside the box and behind the wheel well, there's no outside skin bodywork to do.
By 1999 every camper maker had to have taken care of the width issue or they wouldn't fit anyone's new trucks.
Width fitment problems are primarily with 1987 and older campers - most of which have rotted away!
For height the easiest thing is to hit the nearest Home Depot and grab a sheet of 4x8 2" thick pink hard foam insulation. It's cheap, weighs nothing, isn't slippery, and doesn't crush because the load os spread out over the whole thing. Get two if one isn't enough.
You may notice I have a 1987 camper on a tapered, narrow-tailgate '99 truck. (which is why I know so much about this!)
I had to section the fiberglass wet-bath enclosure and 'glass it back together to shave 2" at the lower passenger side, but many campers only need some wood parts cut a little to gain a little clearance, sometimes it's quite easy to make them fit. It's only the part that is inside the box and behind the wheel well, there's no outside skin bodywork to do.
