Going from pop-up to hard side, big mistake?
I've got a Palomino Bronco pop-up TC on a 3500 SRW Dodge Diesel short box. It's only about 1200lbs empty and the truck pulls as if it's not even there. I've got stock suspension and air bags. I'm g...
Forum Discussion
There were 2 main reasons for us going from a hard side to a pop-up.
1. Height. Our previous TC had a basement and even without anA/C unit, was close to 11' high. We like to take our canoe along with us and this was almost impossible. Guess I could have gone with a trailer but where we like to camp, it is not practical. I had punctured the skin a few time rubbing into low hanging branches and damaged the skylights so for those of us who like to camp in more remote, bushy areas, a pop-up is nice.
2. Rock and roll. In the wind and on rough roads, the higher the TC, the more the rig rock and rolls no matter how many mods to your suspension/tires etc.
Where we lived in the north central part of BC, TC,s were very popular and for every pop-up there were 100 hard sides and that was because of the cooler, wet weather.
Now we live in the south of BC and we tend to camp where the weather is dryer and warmer.
Regarding lifting the roof, when we pull in for lunch, it takes 30 seconds with the remote to raise the top enough so we can stand without hitting our heads on something so with the legs and the top all electric and controlled by the remote, the top for us is a non issue.
I could live with a narrow, non-basement, small east/west bed, light hard side for the camping we are doing.
The only cons that I have found re: the pop-up is a little less quiet, a little cooler and when the wind blows hard on the desert, sand will find it,s way into the inside through the upper windows no matter how well the Velcro is done up.
Dave
1. Height. Our previous TC had a basement and even without anA/C unit, was close to 11' high. We like to take our canoe along with us and this was almost impossible. Guess I could have gone with a trailer but where we like to camp, it is not practical. I had punctured the skin a few time rubbing into low hanging branches and damaged the skylights so for those of us who like to camp in more remote, bushy areas, a pop-up is nice.
2. Rock and roll. In the wind and on rough roads, the higher the TC, the more the rig rock and rolls no matter how many mods to your suspension/tires etc.
Where we lived in the north central part of BC, TC,s were very popular and for every pop-up there were 100 hard sides and that was because of the cooler, wet weather.
Now we live in the south of BC and we tend to camp where the weather is dryer and warmer.
Regarding lifting the roof, when we pull in for lunch, it takes 30 seconds with the remote to raise the top enough so we can stand without hitting our heads on something so with the legs and the top all electric and controlled by the remote, the top for us is a non issue.
I could live with a narrow, non-basement, small east/west bed, light hard side for the camping we are doing.
The only cons that I have found re: the pop-up is a little less quiet, a little cooler and when the wind blows hard on the desert, sand will find it,s way into the inside through the upper windows no matter how well the Velcro is done up.
Dave
