Using pickup for work

Question

I'm contemplating selling my cube van and buying a fiberglass capsule for my 2009 2500HD CC SB. The capsule is removeable fully loaded with four HD camper jacks and basically treated just like a camper.

http://www.vankiller.com/options.htm

I normally keep my popup camper in my garage on a trolley so it would be a bit of a pain to swap the camper for the capsule and vice versa but then I don't have an extra vehicle to insure and take up space on my driveway.

Anyone else use a removeable Maranda or Spacekap capsule for work during the weekdays and swap on the camper for the camping trips? My job as a mobile mechanic means that trying to keep the truck cab clean will be an issue, especially the drivers seat belt but I can't help but think there's something else I'm missing that may be a big con to my plan.

Any thoughts and ideas would be appreciated.

kd4upl · Answer

I use a metal removable work body from Fleetwest. I think they call them transferable truck bodies. It works well for me. It has 4 removable jacks. I added some brackets so I could use the same happi-jack turnbuckles the TC uses to hold it in place. I can remove the tool body and have the camper on the truck and ready to go in less than 1 hour. I think that's pretty good.

sleepywheel · Answer

Sounds exactly like what I want to do. I may convert to electric jacks to save a bit of time raising and lowering the work box from truck height to almost ground level. I really like the idea of using the camper tiedowns to hold it in place, going to have to think about that.

Guess I'm going to need a lot of practice to be able to swap the work box to the camper in an hour though.

garryk6 · Answer

If you get a small trailer or dolly to keep the one not in service on, it would make storing and moving we pen needed easier... Just a thought.Garry

billtex · Answer

Friend of mine-electrician-used one of these and it was pretty nice. However he had a 5er...not a TC to swap.

I think I would get tired of swapping back/forth.
A utility trailer would be easier for me to live with.
Then you could leave the TC on if you wanted...

My .02

B

sleepywheel · Answer

One of my fears is that I would get tired of swapping the work box and the camper around. A trailer would work but I go to several different locations a day and it would be a real pain to have to move around. That, and with the commercial vehicle laws here, the weight of the trailer, camper, and truck would have to be added together and be under the registered GVW. Wouldn't work for me.

Probably go with electric jacks and adapt them to work on both box and camper, fab up another trolley, and finally, get myself an battery powered walkie to move the units around with. Having the driveway on a slight incline is a problem since I'm not heavy enough to stop a loaded trolley from rolling into the garage door. Ask me how I know.......

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Using pickup for work

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