MH or TC - Which is better to get into the Boonies?

[katet78]

MH or TC - Which has more versatility to get into the Boonies?

We currently have a 25' TT but are considering trading it for a 20'-24' MH or upgrading our truck and getting a TC. We are tired of campgrounds where it's a party/summer camp atmosphere, we want peace and quiet and we know to get that we have to get off the beaten path.

For those of you that have MH's or TC's, which do you find better for taking up a dirt forest service road and dry camping? I would imagine that TC's allow you to go a little further up roads that may not be nice smooth gravel as well as the convenience of dropping the TC and taking the truck if needed. However, MH's have the convenience of just get in and drive (and access to facilities en route) and slightly less setup/break down time than a TC. Does anyone currently have (or had) a MH and find that you wish you could go further with it because you have challenges finding a dry camp site on weekends?

[mlts22]

Phoenix Cruiser has the option of adding the Quigley 4x4 upfit to any rig they sell. That is pretty tempting to me, because it gives one very close to what a truck/TC can do, but a lot more space.

Of course, Tiger Motorhomes has the best solution... but their rigs are just priced through the stratosphere.

I do know that there is definitely a market niche available, so if some RV upfitter took Ford F-350s and F-450s cabs that had 4WD and two alternators, added a class "C" box to it, and sold it at a reasonable price, they would be a hit.

[profdant139]

Phil, that sounds very spartan -- no king size bed? No jacuzzi? That is really roughing it. 😉

[pnichols]

Here's some photos of where we have wound up in our 24' E450 Class C:

Our rig is the Class C right in the center parked in a lot off the "RV's Not Recommended" valley loop road in Monument Valley


Our rig is really-boondock camping just off a 4X4 road out in the middle of nowhere in Death Valley


Our rig is boondock camping because the campground in a NP was full


Same situation as above ... our rig is boondock camping because the campground in a NP was full


Here's the road out in the middle of nowhere in Utah that we had to use to get to a rockhound site


Our rig had to follow along an over-flowed river to get to a campsite at the wrong time of the year in California


P.S. Of course in those photos we had such things along with us as distributed air conditioning, distributed heating, a large refrigerator, two queen size beds, three burners, an oven, a 45 gallon fresh water tank, a 39 gallon waste water tank, a 29 gallon of grey water tank, an 18 gallon propane tank, two generators, and a full stand up shower. 😉

[RWDIII]

Didn't see many class Cs last time I was in the boonies at Anza Borrego,unless they where towing a jeep and at a camping area.

[Rubiranch]

comforts vs camping - there's a HUGE difference

campgrounds are not camping - they're nothing more than an outdoor apartment complex

if you want to get into he back woods buy a TC or a small TT and flip the axles

[CSG]

The Stabile-Lift is cool but interferes with off-road use. All things considered, a truck camper is probably most people's first choice for back country travel but a van conversion is a close second (or preferred by some). I have a 2 wheel drive pop top van that is done with a Ford Econoline van but has an interior like the old VW campers. It has a little over 8" of clearance with stock size tires and with its short wheelbase can go lots of places most rigs can't. However, it's a bit primative (no bath/shower or standing headroom unless the top is up). As I get older, I think about selling it and getting another slide in camper for my 4x4 pickup because I want a 4x4 rig but also want a proper bathroom on board.

If you have lots of money, a Sportsmobile van conversion on a 4X4 Sprinter would be nearly ideal. Road Trex has a $180k Sprinter 4x4 designed for boondocking. Then there are companies like EarthRoamer and Provan that make, essentially 4X4 Class C conversions as frame mounted truck campers using 1 ton or better trucks. These are serious rigs for serious money and if I could afford one, that's what I'd get.

[burningman]

profdant139 wrote:
But there is a counter-argument: it is not so easy to take the camper off a truck and put it back on. We almost never see campers sitting on a campsite on the legs, without the truck. So the real question is whether the truck camper (as a unit) can get you where you want to go.

That is one reason why we opted for a small trailer: we put the trailer into a reasonably remote "base camp" and then use the truck as our exploration vehicle.

There's a counter-counter argument: use a Stable-Lift on your camper.
That makes putting it on or off the truck ridiculously easy. No tie downs, no standing on spindly legs being scared it's going to crash. Takes all the hassle out of it.

The dogs are really the only sticking point here. There's no question a camper on the back of a good 4x4 pickup is far more capable of going anyplace compared to a motorhome. The couple of good examples of motorhomes in this thread that are as capable are pretty much the same thing, they're what used to be called chassis-mount campers that are on pickup cab&chassis. They are awesome but you can't take them off and use the truck for anything else, which is up to the owner to judge a deal-breaker or not.
I've had several motorhomes and campers. My choice is camper, but if I had two dogs... something's gotta give.

[bobman]

truck camper with two saint bernards ?

[jefe_4x4]

Dan is correct; there is no perfect answer. I'm looking at the larger picture of a boon docking and traveling mobile domicile. It's the travel/touring part I like about a TC. We can park our 20 foot rig in a regular parking place with impunity in the city or on the road and even stealth camp (layover) when the conditions are right since the TC does not change shape or look like someone is camping. When it's time to move you simply fold up the steps, close the door and drive off. And, BTW, we never take the jacks when on the road: just a reminder that I am the King of the Jacks-Off. They are left at home so there is no chance or need to off-load the camper. Our concept is much closer to a narrow, short, a bit too tall, 4WD Class C as the camper part rarely comes off. I've always thought Dan's boon docking trailer solution was a good one with a lot of options to take it or leave it.
jefe

[profdant139]

As a trailer guy who routinely takes his trailer into some fairly rough places, there is no doubt that a truck camper can get into places that I can't reach with the trailer.

But there is a counter-argument: it is not so easy to take the camper off a truck and put it back on. We almost never see campers sitting on a campsite on the legs, without the truck. So the real question is whether the truck camper (as a unit) can get you where you want to go.

That is one reason why we opted for a small trailer: we put the trailer into a reasonably remote "base camp" and then use the truck as our exploration vehicle. We take the truck to really rough trailheads, places that most TCs would not go -- too narrow, too slanty, too many overhanging branches. (Jefe is an exception -- there is no place he can't reach.)

Bottom line -- there is no unquestionably-right answer to the OP's question. The answer depends on what you intend to do once you arrive at your campsite.

[jefe_4x4]

Yes, Nichols, stuff hanging down underneath gets in the way when you are taking that two-track down to the trees near the river's edge. Here is a rare pic of my Truck (1/2 of a Truck Camper) sans the Camper part showing my new high load rated steel wheels and new 315/75R16, 35", 3860 pound rated AT3 tires. The rear 10"wide wheels are custom made by Stockton Wheel with a stupid high load rating (the wheel hub is 1/2" plate) and keep the rear axle weight on a wider track during those annoying side hills.


The truck has a nominal 3" lift, front and rear. Anyway, the only things hanging down under there are a pair of pigs and Jeanie's step. Also, with the camper part on, the truck sits more or less level.
This setup is still not recommended with two humans and two large dogs, but it will get you down and back up the two-track.

[pnichols]

woodhog wrote:
Don't forget to look under your choice of vehicles....

Most motorhomes, class C and B have a mess of pipes, tanks, valves etc
jammed up in under the chassis in all sorts of manner and positions.

Image yourself mired up to the axle or in a rockpile with all that stuff
buried and being ripped off as you either get towed or winch yourself out...

The above is outstanding advice!

Also...for most reliable off-highway boondock exploring and camping:

First, look all along the outside bottom edge of the exterior sidewalls of any Class B or C you're considering to see how high they appear above the ground - you want this wall ground clearance as high as possible. However, this ground clearance can be increased after you buy the rig by installing taller than stock tires all around (include replacing the spare along with the larger diameter running tires).

Second, bend down slightly and again look all along the bottom edge of the coach's exterior sidewalls of a Class B or C you're considering to make sure that you don't see any coach components hanging lower than the edge of these walls. No plumbing, tanks, tank valves, battery boxes, built-in generators, etc., should be visible below the edges of these walls. This condition may be difficult to meet, but it's very important that the coach be built this way.

Our 24 foot Class C meets these requirements "by pure luck on our part", because I wasn't aware of what to look for when we bought it. I later changed to tires that are taller than stock. We take our Class C off highway to boondock explore and camp, but do so picking our way along very carefully, very slowly, and of course only in dry weather.

There's no comparison to camping way out under the stars among nature with all the comforts of home along! (This opinion is coming from an ex backpacker. 🙂 )

[woodhog]

Don't forget to look under your choice of vehicles....

Most motorhomes, class C and B have a mess of pipes, tanks, valves etc
jammed up in under the chassis in all sorts of manner and positions.

Image yourself mired up to the axle or in a rockpile with all that stuff
buried and being ripped off as you either get towed or winch yourself out...

[dave17352]

The best would be a something like a s-10 4x4 with a small pop up camper. You could go almost anyplace. But I wouldn't have enough room or comforts for what would work for me. Now 40 years ago. Perfect!

[pnichols]

I vote for a low profile small "Class C type" 4X4 rig - such as a 4X4 Tiger on a SRW (not a dually) 1-ton chassis with no lift above what's needed to clear larger than stock diameter tires.

TC's have too high of a center of gravity when taking into account the placement of their heavy items such as batteries and tanks. A Tiger has a lower center of gravity, as it's heavy items are mounted down closer to the truck's frame. To make matters worse, some 4X4 TC's are even put onto unnecessarily high lifted trucks. Gross frame lift is not necessary - large tire diameters are what's necessary so as to gain suspension/drive system clearance while at the same time keeping living area weight center of gravity tucked down low as possible.

Also, twisting of the living area structure is a no-no. The living area should be isolated from any truck frame twist so that the living area floor is maintained in a plane. Some Tiger models offer this isolation and some don't.

Note that some Earthroamer models are mighty tall rigs ..., with a lot of heavy construction up there in the air.