these enhancements are sweet-especially a much easier way to hook camper to truck power-should have thought of it soonerlinkypower coupling 6th item down-so simple7 way umbilical cord at rear of campervideo linklinky2

The problem with cord at the rear is then you have a bunch of extra cord to tie up so it stays out of harms way.And for people that tow, which probably is a good percentage of camper owners, then you have to buy some sort of Y adapter.

gerrym51 wrote:these enhancements are sweet-especially a much easier way to hook camper to truck power-should have thought of it soonerlinkypower coupling 6th item down-so simple7 way umbilical cord at rear of campervideo linklinky2IMHO the power cord change is a step backward. It should be a removable cord with a choice between the original spot and the rear. Many of us use our 7-way for trailers which is why we have campers in the first place! Truck manufacturers provide "camper wiring" harnesses to the front of the bed plus 5th wheel guys often install them up there and it's not like it's difficult to do.Also what little battery charging the factory wiring did will probably be gone by the time it goes all the way to the rear then back to the front of the camper where the batteries are (or should be).I love the windows, though. I saw that style on a 5th wheel this summer and was amazed at how good they look. Plus, no sealer to replace around them.

wnjj wrote:gerrym51 wrote:these enhancements are sweet-especially a much easier way to hook camper to truck power-should have thought of it soonerlinkypower coupling 6th item down-so simple7 way umbilical cord at rear of campervideo linklinky2IMHO the power cord change is a step backward. It should be a removable cord with a choice between the original spot and the rear. Many of us use our 7-way for trailers which is why we have campers in the first place! Truck manufacturers provide "camper wiring" harnesses to the front of the bed plus 5th wheel guys often install them up there and it's not like it's difficult to do.I tow and a Y would just be another thing I'd have to misplace/break. Plus a loop of cord running back and hanging down to the hitch is just another thing that can get snagged by brush on a double track dirt road. In the bed its protected.

My truck had no 7-way in the front of the bed. I used the "Y" for over nine years, with the TC cable in the front of the TC. I recently added a second 7-way on my rear bumper, toward the outside. For me, I find it easier to plug the TC into the truck. I have never had any issues, but it really would be no big deal either way. I added the second receptacle so I did not have to get under the truck to connect the cable to the "Y". It is a small thing, but if I needed to, I could load my TC on a different truck, and would only need to be concerned with tie-downs, the electrical is in place.Wayne

Windows are nice. I don't however know the motivation. 'Frameless' seems a visual-but I haven't pursued the advantages. Dual pane anything is desirable.Rear umbilical, I'd agree with others, I'm not sure. I know many folks do utilize the bumper plug for camper, for whatever reason don't add a dedicated bed plug. In that case it would save some wire lengths and the minimal cost to add bed plug. I simply see it, unless batteries (&weight)are toward rear just more unneeded wire. For those that tow would still require adding another plug or y adapter. Or worse running an extension to use existing bed plug. Id be rewiring the camper for front plug. For me getting under camper to plug in, the extra wire run, rear umbilical doesn't sound like an 'enhancement'.

enhancements | Good Sam Community

28 Replies

garryk6
Explorer
Sep 17, 2013
MTRhino wrote:
I tow with the camper and use a Y adapter that I made. Just put it with the tie downs when the camper is unloaded and it is always there when I need it. Way easier than drilling a hole in the box of my truck and splicing into the wires underneath the truck with the mud falling in my eyes.

X2

As for windows, I love my Jalousie windows for ventilation. I can even have them open in the pouring rain! As for warmth, I have precut insulation sheets that go over the windows when we camp in weather below 20 degrees F.

Just getting parts for 1966 windows is getting harder and harder.....

Garry in Kodiak, AK
iwon415
Explorer
Sep 17, 2013
x2 - pretty, but I want a window that opens!!
billtex
Explorer II
Sep 17, 2013
ck1 wrote:
billtex wrote:
ck1 wrote:
regarding the windows..they look great but you dont get much air going thru them...my buddy has them on his class A and it gets stuffy in there unless you have the fantastic fan running all the time and that only helps..looks great...works not so great
Cameron

Are these the new style thermal windows Eagle Cap shows in the above article?

yep...they dont open very far...if they could open them to a 90 degree then they would provide enough cross flow...go check them out and you will see what I am talking about..they are new to Eagle cap but been around for a few years now on class A's
Cameron

on edit*...there are other designs out there that do open farther but this design only opens as far as the picture shows...

That's what I was afraid of...I'll stick with the old school sliders...
ck1
Explorer
Sep 17, 2013
billtex wrote:
ck1 wrote:
regarding the windows..they look great but you dont get much air going thru them...my buddy has them on his class A and it gets stuffy in there unless you have the fantastic fan running all the time and that only helps..looks great...works not so great
Cameron

Are these the new style thermal windows Eagle Cap shows in the above article?

yep...they dont open very far...if they could open them to a 90 degree then they would provide enough cross flow...go check them out and you will see what I am talking about..they are new to Eagle cap but been around for a few years now on class A's
Cameron

on edit*...there are other designs out there that do open farther but this design only opens as far as the picture shows...
JumboJet
Explorer
Sep 17, 2013
My 2013 RAM 3500 (Complete with OEM tow setup)has the 7-pin receptacle in the bumper and another 7-pin receptacle along the driver's side bed wall towards the rear.

I used a 6' extension cable and connected with little to no problem.

I used the Torklift Y Cable and installed a 7 pin receptacle in the front driver's side bed wall on my 2008 (which I prefer over the current but will live with).
billtex
Explorer II
Sep 17, 2013
ck1 wrote:
regarding the windows..they look great but you dont get much air going thru them...my buddy has them on his class A and it gets stuffy in there unless you have the fantastic fan running all the time and that only helps..looks great...works not so great
Cameron

Are these the new style thermal windows Eagle Cap shows in the above article?
ck1
Explorer
Sep 17, 2013
regarding the windows..they look great but you dont get much air going thru them...my buddy has them on his class A and it gets stuffy in there unless you have the fantastic fan running all the time and that only helps..looks great...works not so great
Cameron
Butch50
Explorer
Sep 17, 2013
When I ordered my truck I had the 5th wheel prep installed. This puts a plug on the driver side rear fender wheel. I use this one. My camper has the plug and the cable is not attached to the camper so after I load I just reach into the rear wheel well and plug in the cord and then plug it into the camper at the front. My cord never has a chance to get under the camper as it fully loaded before the cord gets plugged in. I like keeping my rear plug open for the trailer and personally I don't want to use a Y plug as this is just something more hanging off the back of the truck.
gerrym51
Explorer II
Sep 17, 2013
bwanted wrote:
I wonder if the windows leak like my 2013 lance 1172?

that doesn't sound good
Bedlam
Moderator
Sep 17, 2013
I plug my cable into the rear of truck before loading the TC and leave it coiled on the hitch extension. Once the TC is loaded, I can tuck the cable down the side of the TC until I get to the front facing plug. I am not bending down more than hitch height.