Center of Gravity
Because CA often does not let you remove the camper from the truck and I like to go into nature, I thought I needed to look into a pop-up. But then I noticed that some hardsides have the same or simi...
Forum Discussion
jefe 4x4 wrote:
Interesting topic, one that I've contemplated for a long time. since I own a smallish Lance Lite, I have done everything in my purvey to keep the tipping angle at bay: and I know about tipping angle: I've slow rolled my jeep maybe 15 times:
Now that I have your attention, here's what I did to mitigate the roll-over potential.
1. Increased the rr wheel track width by 12" using super singles on 12" wide wheels with a 4.5" back spacing.
2. installed two sets of secondaries (overloads) and Stable Loads on the rr axle where all the additional weight resides.
3. Stayed with a slight suspension lift (a 3" equalizer lift on the front axle only) and 33" tires to keep it low.
4. Keep all the heavy interior goods in the TC down as low as possible.
5. Nothing on the roof. Nothing.
6. Avoid as much side hilling as possible.
7. installed Lance camper guides to keep the box from moving from side to side on side hills. Also I have the thinnest bed mat i could find that has lots of sticky traction further impeding any side to side motion.
I have found, as the European Expedition Vehicle people have found, that most of the weight of a hard side expedition rig is down low even if it looks top heavy. I have gotten way over to the side but with an eye to keeping the weight on the rear drivers which have that wide stance. Only Whazoo has gone farther in a tippy stance. (How did he do that?)
Above about half way up the side of my hardside, there is very little actual weight. It's mostly air, but a big tall white box 'looks' like it will tip over easier. With all the above set up, I don't have a lot of fear when it comes to sidehilling. I fear more the surface I'm on. If it's loose dirt or sand will the TC slide sideways? Not likely with these tires.
The Cummins with only a bell housing weighs 1020 pounds! That is a boat anchor over the front axle. The NV5600, all cast iron case weighs a measly 365 pounds. Yes, that' right, yet another boat anchor. What about that 15K winch and bumper stuff? Maybe another 250 pounds, all down about 3 feet from the ground. The TC tanks: all down low. The only thing i can think of that is actually weighty and resides up too high is the refrigerator. The center is maybe 6 to 7 feet from the ground.
So, to wrap it up, A hard side may look top heavy, but it is deceiving as most of that is lightweight air.
regards, as always, jefe
BTW, how big of a problem is the diesel been for you in soft terrain? That is always the beef about diesel offroad, you sink instead of swim.
