Camper recommendation.

GoinThisAway wrote:
Truck tie downs/turn buckles - For a hardside 9' or 9.5' TC you'd most likely be looking at either HappiJac tie downs, Torklift tie downs, or a combination of the two. Some who are handy with a welder even fabricate their own.

If you are just handy with a welder, please don't DIY.

Truck tie downs/turn buckles - For a hardside 9' or 9.5' TC you'd most likely be looking at either HappiJac tie downs, Torklift tie downs, or a combination of the two. Some who are handy with a welder even fabricate their own.

Water capacity - You'll want to look not just at water capacity but also at the ratio of fresh water, grey water, and black water tank capacity. The size of tanks you need will depend on the number of people, their water usage, and how long you'd like to go between fills/dumps.

Propane - Propane storage is usually one or two 20 lb or 30 lb bottles. The 20 lb size is upright and you can either refill them or swap them out at a propane exchange center (although you'll only get 15 lb of propane that way). The 30 lb size is horizontal and you'll need to refill.

Air Conditioning - Most manufacturers install a 13k BTU unit which is generally overkill for the small space in a TC. Smaller 9k BTU units are available. A low profile unit will knock several inches off the height of the rig. You won't be able to run a 13k BTU unit with a portable 2k generator unless it is upgraded with a soft-start device.

Heater - Nearly all TC come with a propane furnace. They aren't particularly quiet or efficient but get the job done. For camping where electric is available you can easily heat a TC with a small electric heater. Some who camp a lot in cold weather with no electric hookup install a more efficient propane heater.

Fridge/Freezer (would like Lg. freezer) - Fridge/freezer in pop-ups tend to be small so if you want to larger size you'd need to look at hardside TCs. Even then the largest freezer is nowhere near as large as that in a residential unit. You could consider carrying a portable chest freezer for additional capacity if needed.

Electric jacks - If you plan to load/unload the TC from the truck with any frequency you'll appreciate these! There are two major brands: Reico Titan and HappiJac. Either brand will do. You can purchase the motors and legs for each brand separately but they are not interchangeable.

Outside shower - Unless you get an older unit whatever you buy will likely have this. Even if you don't actually shower outside, an outside shower feature is handy for rinsing off your feet, washing a dog, etc.

Maybe this will help. As others have stated, do some searching on this site and take a look at threads in the TC University sticky. More specific questions and some description of how you plan to use your TC would help the folks here help you. Happy TC hunting!

Kayteg1 wrote:
Let's just start that for camper with large freezer and outside shower you will need dually truck.

Seriously... Think not .. What you going to post next just add hockey pucks....

Third after, figuring the max all loaded up weight your truck can take and your budget, is a list in order of importance, IMHO.
The "Must's", the "Would be Nice's" and the "Don't Need/Want's"
Some things are determined for you by weight capacity and budget.
And measure your truck bed and compare with the TC bottom that will be in there. If the TC don't fit, you must leave it! ( my 98 GMC's bed tapers narrower in the back giving just an inch on either side.....:E )
TC's seem to very much involve compromising the fantasy for reality.

Kayteg1 wrote:
Let's just start that for camper with large freezer and outside shower you will need dually truck.

HUH?
An outside shower adds no weight and is a common feature in many even small TCs.

Many TCs in the 2000# range have refrigerators and freezer that are quite large.

And there’s really only 3 tie downs. Tork lift, Happijac and home made.

Very broad scope of questions. Why not research the models yourself?
Theres like less than 10 popular brands and only a half dozen models each, so with your length req, you’re down to maybe 15-20 models total to look at.
Better than a forum reciting the specs of each of their personal campers.

Agree though, the 3 things we were looking for was most space, biggest fridge and biggest tanks. AF seemed like the best compromise of those for us.

Let's just start that for camper with large freezer and outside shower you will need dually truck.

Bontynyos wrote:
Am looking to buy a used camper in the future. Have owned an old one in the past so know a little. Would like advice on everything.

Truck tie downs/turn buckles
Water capacity
Propane
Air Conditioning
Heater
Fridge/Freezer (would like Lg. freezer)
Electric jacks
Outside shower

Looking for a 9ft to 9 1/2ft
Own a 2008 Ford F-350 diesel (with no camper tie downs)

When it comes to hauling campers around in the bed of your truck the first thing you'll need to do is figure out how much weight your willing (and able) to haul on your truck.

Once you have a number you can live with then simply subtract 500-1000lbs from that number. What you have left with is the approximate dry weight of a camper you can shop for.

Then it is simply a matter of shopping for campers that weigh as much or less than the number that you came up with.


- Mark0.

Welcome to the Truck Camper world! You will find that a TC is an optimization problem to be solved, more so than other types of RVs, due to size and weight (and budget) limitations. You need to find the right camper for _you_, depending on how many people want to travel where, when and for how long, what their personal preferences are during a typical day in the RV, if you want to take any type of gear or a trailer along with you, and a number of other aspects. There is no "best" TC out there for everyone, but there is a "best" TC for you that is the best fit for your needs and wants and possibilities.
Your question is a bit unspecific. What do you want to know about all the listed topics?

I know the search function here is not the best, but you might still try to see what was written about different topics in the past. There is also a buyers guide at the truck camper magazine website that may give you some helpful input.

As an example, you will find that there are just a few tiedown systems - Torklift makes a quality product that is not cheap. Happijac makes another one that is different in design and works well for many. Some people build their own version of the Torklift frame mounted system and are happy with that. All of them will work fine if installed and used correctly. There are a few more offerings out there.

The jacks these days come from Happijac or Rieco Titan. Used campers can have the discontinued Atwood jacks or an older version of the Happijac motors. All will work, all have potential to fail. Electric jacks are very convenient, especially if you take the camper off the truck frequently. If you just do this once a year, a good cordless electric drill may work well for you at 1/4 or less of the cost.