Short bed truck camper with real shower?

Much appreciated and obviously informed advice. I think that I now know that a shower capability that is not only for looks is possible and that an F150 is not the best vehicle. Thanks again. I've never failed to get solid advice from the forums on this site. Good camping.
Bob

billtex wrote:
SB-yes
1/2 ton-no

X3

Bob,
Your phrase, "lends itself to taking a shower" is a loaded one. We use our shower when boondocking, but prefer using the showers at a campground when staying there. I'm 6 feet, 235 pounds, and I swedge myself in there when I have to, but saying it lends itself to taking a shower is a stretch. Again, it's your pain and suffering threshold that is under scrutiny here. Many times when boobdocking, we will use the outside shower (if we're alone) and it's warm out, standing on our astro turf door mat and maybe inside our pop up outside shower tent. If you are never alone, this would not be a good choice. Speaking of choices, it sounds like you are up in age but still in the fight to camp. Be sure to tryout the:
1. steps or stairs leading up into the box before you jump into a contract.
2. climb the very tall pair of steps leading to the bed. (hint: it's all about knees and strength and lack of ricketty)
3. sit on the pot in the bathroom going through every contortion you need to do when taking a shower, shaving, or xxxxx-ing.
Do not underestimate the value of finding this out beforehand.
I just barely fit and know there will come a time when I won't want to, or cannot do 1, 2,and 3 above with ease.
We bought our Lance 165-s, 17xx pounds, wet, from a guy that had it on a 1999 Dodge 1500, single cab, short bed, 2 wheel drive, with added air bags and upgraded E rated tires. He did not used it a lot, but said it presented no driving hazards. The only thing he mentioned was with the camper on, it used a LOT of gas. MPG down in the single digits with his Mopar V-8 of the era. Oh, and the rig swayed around a bit with the airbags @ 90 pounds.
We still have that 1998 Lance (and his old Firestone air bags are still stored in my garage) and are still planning a 16-week, September through New Years Day clockwise trip around the U.S. outer reaches in the fall. Which fall is the question. Jeanie's mother lives, assisted, near us. Despite her Macular degeneration she's in very good shape for someone born to a Kansas dirt farmer in 1916. Jeanie sees her almost every day. We simply cannot leave town in good conscience. With fuel prices as low as they currently are it would have cost about half for fuel if we were touring now.
For a still viable couple, ages 68 and 71, with good camping chops, still motational and not yet creaky, it is a great way to travel and tour. Small and compact. fits in almost any parking place. With my new front hub and 5" exhaust upgrades we got 15 mpg, on the flat during our trip to Yosemite and Sequoia a few months back: by design-not by default.
regards, as always, jefe

billtex wrote:
SB-yes
1/2 ton-no

IMO , X2

Im aware that some new model 150/1500 trucks have higher payloads and some people carry campers on 150's . You really have to do some honest research to understand what's involved .

The following link shows a nice SB camper on a 2500 type truck @ 1700+ dry wt.
Now add the options, so not to mislead people, this site shows the weight of the options . As you see it could be another 400# or so.
Now add your personal stuff plus people, dogs, etc. ( Heck , my fishing EQ and food is 200# )
By the time you add some water, propane, tools and lawn chairs, bikes etc , you can see how fast it adds up. That 1700# dry is really 2700-3000# added to your truck of which most all of that weight is on the rear axle.
By the time you beef up wheels, tires, springs, anti sway bars , air bags etc , it might be cost effective to upgrade the truck to a more H,D. model which would offer you a more stable foundation while using a stock truck.
Unlike driving a "B" which I have owned, the TC is taller and taxes the suspension more so.

This camper has a 7 ft width which helps keep weight lower.
You can google this model for more pictures that show the shower size better.
I think most pro football players would have to deflate themselves in order to use it but I think it would work for the average size person. ( to all my northest friends ..... just sports humor :) )
http://www.northstarcampers.com/online-catalog.php?view=item&parentId=15&catId=16&numId=54

"Look at as many truck campers as you can and determine for yourself if the facilities in there are what you expect them to be."

Many of the TC OEM's have options for short bed trucks. I'd suggest finding a list of TC dealers in your area and visiting them to see what might be offered.

As others have mentioned, the SB truck will be fairly easy to over come however whatever payload rating your F150 has will be much more difficult (to impossible) to over come.

Lastly, TC's are not for everybody - going from a larger RV (MH/TT/5W) to even one of the larger TC's might be to much of a compromise on overall living space to not bother with worrying about the size of the commode. :)

have a shower that lends itself to actually being used

What is a "real shower" to you?

We use the shower in our Outfitter every day when we are traveling. So, for us, it is very much real and usable. It is still a small shower in a wet bathroom, and it takes some time to get it all dried out afterwards.

As others have said, using an F150 limits your options to smallish campers. Which, in turn, have smallish showers or none at all.

Look at as many truck campers as you can and determine for yourself if the facilities in there are what you expect them to be.

Put a Host Aspen on there. Nice big shower. I bet the dealer would say it would be fine on a half ton. Lol

Host had a nice little Chinook 8.6 with a dry bath for a short bed but its pushing 3000 lbs. I know Ford is touting 3000 lb payloads with the reg cab aluminum F150 but I have yet to see anyone suicidal enough to put a huge multi slide camper on a half ton yet. See it all the time on 3/4 tons tho, lol


But, like others have said, going to be hard to nitpick with the shower on a half ton TC.

SB-yes
1/2 ton-no

We have an older Travelaire that weighs 1900lbs dry with a small shower. I'm 6' tall and weight 185, I can shower in there.......but it's not big.

I think you're hard pressed because of the short bed and 1/2 ton, not much out there with a decent sized bathroom.

If you're staying at an RV park, just use the facilities there to shower. I've lived in RV parks all over the country for two years full time, and most of them have clean showers.

My friend has a Lance 825 on a F150HD. His truck will handle this camper, but is at its maximum when he tows his 75-100 lb hitch weight trailer.

* I missed the the part about it being short bed. I have not seen anything that small with an inside shower for a 1/2t.