Cushion between the cabover and Truck

we travel with animals and use a car tire tube because the windows don't line up . it works perfectly hole is bigger and it's thicker and less expensive than the boots sold at the dealer and it can conform to the odd shape between the cab and camper . just don't over inflate the tube . have not had any paint blemish either .
hope this helps
J.R.

I have used a doughnut around the window for 21 years on my rig and would not do without for the reasons mentioned and more. I have noticed that many new truck campers don't have suitable windows on the front but if yours does I would use it. That is one feature I would look for if buying a new camper. I also use a pad between the cabover and the cab of the truck. I started with a magnetic sheet I got from a sign shop and fotunately had access to a large amount of suitable foam that I glued to the magnetic sheet to fill the gap. The magnetic sheet does not slip on the truck so there is no abrasion to the paint. I have not noticed any wear on the fiberglass of the cab over. The main function of this was to reduce frame flex so I put is near the "A" post where the roof is sturdier but it does still oil can some. My truck is a '91 F250 Supercab and I have a 12' Caribou camper. Between the age and length of the truck and the weight and length of the camper I was getting enough frame flex to allow the front of the cabover to bob up and down an inch or two on big bumps. All of the new trucks have much stiffer frames and even my truck did not flex so much with the 10' camper I started with. The pad did reduce frame flex and improve the ride but I would not mess with it if I did not see a lot of movement between the cab and the camper. However, it does keep a lot of wind and rain away from the boot and open windows, making that work much better.

The best thing I did for the ride loaded and empty was to put on some Ranch 9000 adjustable shocks. I just wish that I had done that 20 years earlier.

Also bought ours from lance direct. Our lab rides in back, so I like to have the slider open.

I can't even put a coat of wax on the roof of my truck without pushing in the roof. That's only a few ounces of pressure.

If your camper is that close to the roof of your truck you need to raise the camper up on a platform of some sort.

I had a donut on a new '73 3/4 ton chevy with 9 1/2' Fields TC. After a while it squeaked constantly and wore the paint off the top of the cab and bottom of the over head. Trucks back then had enough metal on top to support doing so.

As suggested go camping and then see what you may need or want or what others are using.

We used a boot on our first camper for close to twelve years without any abrasion to our paint. Perhaps we were just lucky . . . Or had tough paint. We loved having the boot and were sure to buy another for our new truck and camper. So far, it's serving us well once again.

We bought the boot from our Lance dealer. I believe they keep them in stock.

Look them up on the Internet: Arizona Campers and Trailers

Jim and his team run a fine dealership.

rgr. copy all gentlemen. Thanks for the info. Sounds like they were gifts from the good idea fairy in their time and have no need to be reborn in this era.

Thanks again.

Like he said;
The 'doughnut' on the roof is going to oil-can the roof. Truck roofs are NOT strong. The camper does NOT need the support of the truck roof.

Between the camper and cab, your truck cap should have a slider window and the camper should have a removable or slider window. Open and close as needed. Meaning; while traveling and in motion, you have no need to 'pass through'. When parked leave the truck window unlocked. When you need something stored in the truck, open the camper and truck window and then close when done. Again, the boot isn't needed.
If you try to use a 'boot' between either the camper window and truck or the doughnut on the roof while driving. I can assure you that they will not stay in place and wind will eventually push them out.
Both these applications were bad ideas back in the 60's and remain a bad idea today.
I've seen boots between camper and truck that was a vinyl tube with snaps that connected the truck to the camper, but again, not necessary and eventually the product died out.

Just agreeing-roof of your truck wont support the camper,
'donut' would do more damage than good.
AS to the pass thru boot I havent seen one in years other than the inflatables. I havnt seen any one use one. Neither our camper or truck sliders wide enough to 'pass thru'. (Ebay link)

Driving with the pool toy on will grind off your paint.
Used to get vinyl upolstered ones that were nice but semi permanent installtions /window was removed (like for chassis mounts back in the day).
I also wouldnt recomend either. I use the front of our truck for putting stuff not being used.

Around here they used to refer to the pass through as a "Boot". I'd also recommend against the cabover cushion. I had a TC that I notched out the bottom to fit over a L-shaped aux gas tank. Took it on a 13,000 mile trip to Alaska and never gave a worry to hitting the top. A more interesting idea would be something for aerodynamics. Strap it down and hit the road.