Davlin Campers

[ccblank]

Hi all,
I have been obsessing over truck campers for a couple of months right now as I try to figure out what is going to work for me. I had almost resigned myself to the pop-up TC, when I saw this available not far from me:
https://lasvegas.craigslist.org/rvs/d/cab-over-camper-small-truck/6356517804.html
I can't really find anything online about Davlin Campers. Any information on them?
Is it really possible to put a hard-side camper on a Ford Ranger or other small truck?

Thank you for any information!

[Bumpyroad]

Kayteg1 wrote:

SidecarFlip wrote:
. Weight impacts braking ability adversely no matter how good you 'think your bakes are.

Strange statement coming from former semitruck driver.
Would I take it seriously, I should dump the Mercedes as too heavy for braking and drive Fiat500.
I did own Fiat 126 and the brakes on 600 kg car suck big time.
But poor brakes had nothing to do with the weight.

I'd say it would be a better test to load the fiat up with about 1000 more kg weight and see if that affects stopping distance.
bumpy

[Kayteg1]

SidecarFlip wrote:
. Weight impacts braking ability adversely no matter how good you 'think your bakes are.

Strange statement coming from former semitruck driver.
Would I take it seriously, I should dump the Mercedes as too heavy for braking and drive Fiat500.
I did own Fiat 126 and the brakes on 600 kg car suck big time.
But poor brakes had nothing to do with the weight.

[SidecarFlip]

The main topic is an old camper and weight. Weight impacts braking ability adversely no matter how good you 'think your bakes are.

[Kayteg1]

Bumpyroad wrote:


are you saying that vehicle weight does not affect stopping distance.
bumpy

Not theoretically.
2000 lb Lotus stops on the same distance what 6000lb Bentley (with small variations).
More weight gives you more traction as you might experience on bicycle where in hard braking the rear brake is basically useless.
Obviously on truck the brakes are not always design for maximum performance, but that it beside the physics.
We went long way from Ranger campers, didn't we?
But that is normal on the forum when main topic dried out.

[Travels_with_Yo]

Kayteg1 wrote:
Are you talking dry, or loaded?
My Fleetwood was rated at 3800 lb. I pick it up winterized and went straight to CAT scales to record 4200lb.
Than loaded it come to 6500lb.

I'm talking the weight of the camper coming home from the dealer after picking it up. No gear inside, empty tanks just as it comes off the lot. The dealer did provide a 20 lb propane bottle fill. The manufacturer's explanation was that the advertised weight was for a "base model" and any added extras would add weight but not be included in the base weight. This camper was a bare bones base model with the exception of the stereo. No remote jacks or even a TV.

[Bumpyroad]

Kayteg1 wrote:
Braking force is result of friction and applied weight, so assuming your vehicle has adequate brakes, the braking distance should not change with weight on dry pavement.

are you saying that vehicle weight does not affect stopping distance.
bumpy

[SidecarFlip]

Kayteg1 wrote:
Braking force is result of friction and applied weight, so assuming your vehicle has adequate brakes, the braking distance should not change with weight on dry pavement.
When my camper moved 1/2" to the rear, I did couple of low speed brakes punches.
Truck dove, but camper did not move. I am pretty confident my truck will stop well in straight lane, but again, braking on turn might be quite different story.

Fair statement with one caveat and that is, are the brakes capable of overcoming the weight/applied load?

[Kayteg1]

Braking force is result of friction and applied weight, so assuming your vehicle has adequate brakes, the braking distance should not change with weight on dry pavement.
When my camper moved 1/2" to the rear, I did couple of low speed brakes punches.
Truck dove, but camper did not move. I am pretty confident my truck will stop well in straight lane, but again, braking on turn might be quite different story.

[SidecarFlip]

Exactly. Not just that but emergency stopping. If you are hauling a barge on the back, your stopping distance increases dramatically.

I've actually spiked the brakes on my old 97 with drums in the back and discs in the front and with my camper, I can lock all 4 wheels up, no problem. I'm sure it takes a longer slide to stop it but I can, can you? Of course I don't run, run of the mill pads or shoes. Drilled and slotted rotors in the front with ceramic pads and high friction shoes in the back. I know what I have under the wheels, I installed them.

Don't want to be running Granny Zog over if I can help it...or a deer or an elk that might pop out in the road in front of me.

Because my Cg is low, I can actually swerve without rolling the truck, another reason I like a pop up.

[Kayteg1]

I would not worry much about straight braking, unless you have short camper (like the one we are talking about) and braking force can push the cabover on the cab.
But avoidance maneuver with big camper? Forgetaboutit.

[SidecarFlip]

No, they aren't. It's the just buy a larger truck to haul the barge around. I would suspect that pull behind units are the same falsely applied sticker weights as well.

There really needs to be some policing of some sort concerning actual weights versus fantasy weights because while you might be able to 'haul' it sown the road, all your mechanical parts are suffering because they are overloaded as far as the truck builders specs are concerned....and, my big issue is...

In an emergency or evasive situation, does your vehicle have enough brakes to stop it and the camper? Questionable at best and that especially holds true with the smaller trucks hauling a heavier than specified load.

At least with a pull behind, you have another set of brakes. Not so with a TC. With a TC you have 2 axles and 4 brake assemblies and thats it.

The industry appears to be incapable of policing itself concerning actual weights (not all but most all), I know Four Wheel Campers and Capri weigh individual units and place that weight (dry) on each unit... I say dry, not wet. Wet is another animal but, the rest are all fantasy numbers, most likely obtained by weighing a bare bones camper minus an appliances or convenience features and applying that 'fantasy weight' to every camper built, irregardless of how they are optioned.

Sad situation that really sucks

[mkirsch]

Not much truth in advertising with most any TC manufacturer, now or ever.

These campers that are supposedly for "1/2 ton" trucks always end up weighing hundreds of pounds more than advertised, and they're generally pushing the payload limits for the trucks they're supposedly "designed" for at their advertised weights...

All that before you put a single pair of socks in the sock drawer, let alone anything else you need for basic day-to-day living... It's a crock, but nobody ever holds them accountable, and the "jam a chunk of well casing between the axle and frame, it'll be fine" crowd isn't helping things.

[SidecarFlip]

Travels with Yoly wrote:

SidecarFlip wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:
Here is new one with 1000lb weight

If that would be with OP budget, looks like good deal.

No way it weighs 1000 pounds. More like 1500 dry.

Build quality on a Trevel Lite is suspect anyway, but then it's relatively new so at least it's not a winter project... at least not this winter...lol

Could be the OP is on a budget and don't want to spend 8500.

I've owned two Travel-Lites for a week each. The 770R was advertised as 1,385 lbs but in fact tipped the Cat scales at just over 1,900 lbs. The little Razr FK advertised at 860 lbs turned out to be about 1,300 lbs. There are videos on our channel of both experiences.

WOW, the Razr weighed 1300?? What was it made from, water logged wood? Thats only 1/2 a camper.

Not much 'truth in advertising ' with that outfit....

[Kayteg1]

Are you talking dry, or loaded?
My Fleetwood was rated at 3800 lb. I pick it up winterized and went straight to CAT scales to record 4200lb.
Than loaded it come to 6500lb.

[Travels_with_Yo]

SidecarFlip wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:
Here is new one with 1000lb weight

If that would be with OP budget, looks like good deal.

No way it weighs 1000 pounds. More like 1500 dry.

Build quality on a Trevel Lite is suspect anyway, but then it's relatively new so at least it's not a winter project... at least not this winter...lol

Could be the OP is on a budget and don't want to spend 8500.

I've owned two Travel-Lites for a week each. The 770R was advertised as 1,385 lbs but in fact tipped the Cat scales at just over 1,900 lbs. The little Razr FK advertised at 860 lbs turned out to be about 1,300 lbs. There are videos on our channel of both experiences.