High wind and the truck camper

WyoBull wrote:
I live here in Wyoming where 30 mph winds are just considered a light breeze, especially during the winter months. I have driven with my camper on in a lot higher wind speeds and never was worried about being blown over. In my experience, the winds are not a big issue hauling a truck camper, but your gas mileage will take a hug hit!

To the OP, on my first trip with my camper I was driving home with a near 50 mph crosswind (South Dakota, not Wyoming). It never made me fear tipping over but it was a lot of work keeping it in the lane. After a few hours of this I decided to find a place to pull over and ride it out.

I have 2 campers and the basement models exceed 13' height. If there is significant difference in the wind, I yet have to experience it.
Fact it that our cross-country trip in 2017 was taken with "low profile" Lance, but then we have been zigzagging between Harvey and Irma hurricanes on our way, so not really quiet time of the year.
I know that each MY of truck can have different handling, but with my 2017 F350 dually I could follow semi-trailers at 75 mph and the 6000 lb camper did not give me any issues.
Funny observation, I usually was driving 60 mph to get close to 13 mpg, but on long stretches with not much scenery I followed in semi-trailers drag and 70-75 mph was still giving me 13 mpg.
The power of air ;)

Taller basement/cabover campers like my AF 860 have more sail area than non slide, non basement , lower cabover model like the Lance 845.
Been down this road and it made a difference to have a lower profile camper. Having 7" or 8" less height seemed to make a difference on windy days.

I live here in Wyoming where 30 mph winds are just considered a light breeze, especially during the winter months. I have driven with my camper on in a lot higher wind speeds and never was worried about being blown over. In my experience, the winds are not a big issue hauling a truck camper, but your gas mileage will take a hug hit!

dave17352 wrote:
No issue whatsoever if not driving. If you were driving I think you would still be fine. I know I am fine with my rig. For me gusts well over 40 while driving is when it starts to really be a noticeable problem. ...

I think you hit the nail on the head with "For me..." This entire discussion is subjective to too many variables to put a definitive answer out there. Size/weight/type/construction of the camper. SRW or DRW? Beefed up suspension or stock? Swaybars or not? And, of course, the biggest variable of them all...Driver skill and confidence.

Unless you are using the camper as a bug-out vehicle to escape some sort of encroaching catastrophe, just get off the road, climb in the camper and wait it out. That's what it is for. What is the worst thing that can happen?? You lose out on a pre-paid campsite and end up discovering a new area? Seems like a cheap trade-off when the risks get too high.

Just my $.02
-Eric

^ Ouch! Hope yer poop tank was empty!

The jack mount didn't fail, when I hit the ground the extension mount for the duallys got torn at the welds so it just looks like it failed, pretty easy fix once it was back up on its feet

Dave

That and the Livin Lite Jack mount failed.

djg wrote:
80 mph winds did this camper was at the lowest it could go just on jacks no a frames now I put it on blocks and use the jacks just touching the ground



Dave

Those Livin' Lite Aluminum Campers are MUCH lighter than our traditionally made campers. I am sure that lighter weight had a lot to do with it tipping over.

Ya I use both jacks and blocks but also usually kept indoors at the farm but I was away in Calgary Alberta when this happened so I couldn't go out to secure it that's life though

Dave