Australian Truck Campers are dramatically growing

[RobertRyan]

On my last count there were 15 manufacturers. Overall the RV industry is booming here.
From the Expedition Like

to the conventional

Larger conventional

[3_tons]

Love the post!!…BTW, do you still have your Eagle Cap and Ram, and how does your rig fair compared to other rigs per popular opinion??

3 tons

[RobertRyan]

Camper_Jeff_&_Kelli wrote:
I do enjoy your periodic posts showing the Australian version of truck camper.

Truck Campers or Slideons here have grown but then again the whole RV industry in Australia has gone ballistic.

[Camper_Jeff___K]

I do enjoy your periodic posts showing the Australian version of truck camper.

[Grit_dog]

^But a Hilux is not a HD truck. Not even close. It’s more like a Tacoma with Tundra axles and a heavy duty suspension.
Not sure I’ve ever even seen an actual heavy duty Toyota pickup.

[RobertRyan]

jimh425 wrote:
I think the reason why Toyota etc don’t try to compete in the medium and heavy duty trucks is that the US trucks are pretty good. They waited far too late get in the market. I know some people like Tundras, but the only trucks they actually win with are the Tacomas.

There have been rumors that Toyota was going to produce a 3/4 and/or 1 ton for years. I get it why invest in building here when you have a very uphill battle to take market share.

I think Toyota was not interested in giving the US HD Pickup Trucks. Toyota makes a lot of profit from the Tacoma and to a lesser extent the Tundra. This is dominating the market in the Tacoma's case and being profitable with the Tundra
Here is an older Toyota Hilux with a Truck Camper

[RobertRyan]

rjstractor wrote:
^^^ I don't think anyone here is so naive as to think that the Japanese don't make medium and heavy duty trucks. We just don't see many here since it's hard for them to compete due to import taxes. Japanese cabovers up to about 19K GVWR are very popular, and up until 10 years ago or so, Isuzu imported trucks up to 50K GVWR. I've driven a couple of 24 foot Isuzu box trucks and they drive very nicely.

Also they are Cabovers as well. Isuzu's you have driven would be classified as a Light Medium Truck here with the small 5.2 litre Diesel. Isuzu's go up to 15litres in capacity. 4x4 Isuzu's are the basis for some Truck Camper and Expedition Vehicles..Isuzu's are the equivalent of Freightliner and Volvo in the US as regards heavy Trucks

[jimh406]

I think the reason why Toyota etc don’t try to compete in the medium and heavy duty trucks is that the US trucks are pretty good. They waited far too late get in the market. I know some people like Tundras, but the only trucks they actually win with are the Tacomas.

There have been rumors that Toyota was going to produce a 3/4 and/or 1 ton for years. I get it why invest in building here when you have a very uphill battle to take market share.

[rjstractor]

^^^ I don't think anyone here is so naive as to think that the Japanese don't make medium and heavy duty trucks. We just don't see many here since it's hard for them to compete due to import taxes. Japanese cabovers up to about 19K GVWR are very popular, and up until 10 years ago or so, Isuzu imported trucks up to 50K GVWR. I've driven a couple of 24 foot Isuzu box trucks and they drive very nicely.

[RobertRyan]

Contrary to what people think in the US, Japanese Trucks can be quite large. These are not sold in the US, giving the impression that their vehicles are small


Japanese MDT

[RobertRyan]

notsobigjoe wrote:
The only one that looks like a truck camper is the second one down. The rest.... Maybe a class c?

All are Truck Campers, tops can be taken off and suspended on legs. Trying to find a photo for the last one, quite impressive how big it is. Also the Truck towing it is not Japanese. You have a real variety of vehicles used as TC's here, rarely US ones

[notsobigjoe]

The only one that looks like a truck camper is the second one down. The rest.... Maybe a class c?

[RobertRyan]

ticki2 wrote:
It’s amazing how some folk judge the quality of something from a picture on a web site without any first hand knowledge . There also never seems to be a price mentioned for these superior campers to know what or who would be a reasonable competitor.

Some Australian RV manufacturers like Kimberley Kampers have already started selling in the US. They also sponsored a 4x4camper Overland event

[ticki2]

It’s amazing how some folk judge the quality of something from a picture on a web site without any first hand knowledge . There also never seems to be a price mentioned for these superior campers to know what or who would be a reasonable competitor.

[Fisherman]

😞
Probably, but not any better than the American built quality RVs. 😉

Well that definitely wouldn't be hard to beat.

[Kayteg1]

They look more like expedition campers to me.
I watch Australian off road chanel on youtube.
They drive pickups, mostly Japanese (have not seen US made) and routinely cross 3-4 feet deep rivers, where water flowing over windshield is common. . I really admire how well organized their trucks are. They have freezers, who will slide out and lower with single lever pull, BBQ, sliding tables, often with sink, some have tents on the top, that set up with single ladder pull, some still use old-fashioned tents.
With all this camping gear, they still can carry spare U-joints and tools to replace them in the wild.