Newbie with a Bijou camper on a Sierra 1500 HD

[elgy]

My girlfriend and I looked at renting an RV for our summer vacation and then realized a very basic rig wouldn’t cost much more than a 2 week rental.

We found even Class B motor homes a bit big for our needs and taking up space when we wouldn’t be using it seemed a waste. But having a pickup available is another story…

RV Net became my main reading at this point.

I started looking for a half-ton, as simple as possible, 2WD, standard cab, auto (Suzanne may have to drive it in a crunch) and a small V8 (no Rockies yet) and a small camper probably needing some maintenance. Can’t be much different from renovating the house.

I bought a 2002 Sierra 1500 HD standard cab with the 4.8 L V8 and auto tranny, more kilometers than I would have liked (225,000 or about 140,000 miles… hmmm sounds a lot better in miles!), but well taken care of and overall very clean. Brakes and wheel bearings replaced recently and almost new E rated tires.

We then found a 1989 Bijou camper (built here in Quebec) in need of some TLC at a reasonable price. It is about 7’2” long so fills up the 6.5’ box and just hangs a couple of inches over the tailgate.

Before setting off on the over 500 Km (300+ miles) round trip to pickup the camper I built “belly bars” front and rear to hold the camper on, with oversized nylon ratcheting tie down straps. I was a little nervous how all this would hold together, but made it home with no troubles and am quite happy with my setup.

The suspension accepted the extra weight with aplomb and the trip home was uneventful… the truck definitely feels like it has a load on it but was stable and handled well. Just under 17 mpg empty and just under 14 mpg coming back with the camper, that’s US mpgs.

I am now working on the camper. It needs strengthening of the front jack mounting points, and there is water damage in nose around the window. The structure looks intact but I have to replace the veneer paneling that is flaking off. The frame of the sky light was broken, next time it rains I will see if my repair has solved the problem.

I have no idea what all this weighs; I am trying to find a scale in my area where I can check the Sierra with and without the camper.

Costs? The Sierra was $2300 and the little Bijou was $1450, hopefully we will hit the road for our first test outing in the Spring with about $4500 “invested”. Meanwhile the project is keeping me busy and out of trouble.

[spacedoutbob]

Welcome to the forum, and Congratulations on being a Truck Camper owner for the first time. May you have many happy adventures with your Truck and Camper. Next year it will be 40 years for me with a Truck Camper.

Bob in Calif.

[jefe_4x4]

elgy,
This is going to be fun. Just run the wheels off of it and report back occasionally of your exploits. Every trip for us is a learning experience. I suspect with you it will just be a little steeper learning curve the first few times out. You need to find out what works and what doesn't. Every time you load the camper, double check your work.
Just today I went shopping for new fresh drinking/cooking/coffee making water jugs for our camper. We have a small, floor level cabinet at the rear near the door and try to keep 6, one gallon jugs in there on trips. Where we go it's a bumpy ride so many times one of the flimsy, commercial water jugs lets go and eventually dribbles down to the wood framing of the camper causing possible dry rot (if we didn't live in such a dry place it would matter). I had to go to several places to find just the right kind of high quality water containers that wouldn't split, crack, freeze and explode, or leak on our trips. They have great lids with lots of threads and a good seal. I now have six replacement jugs. Such is the never ending effort to 'get it right' on an XTC.
regards, as always, jefe

[JumboJet]

elgy wrote:
Here is our rig, now that I figured out how to post a picture, it's dirty as I said, will wash it when the temperature gets above freezing and enough snow melts to allow me to find my hose...

Until you get all that dirt, etc. washed off, the weight police on this forum may get all over you! 🙂

[elgy]

Here is our rig, now that I figured out how to post a picture, it's dirty as I said, will wash it when the temperature gets above freezing and enough snow melts to allow me to find my hose...

[DemingNM2009]

Hope to see you along the TransCanada. We frequently travel between Maine and northern NY in the summer via Quebec. Enjoy your camper and happy travels.

[elgy]

So I drove out to the most convenient public weight station, yesterday empty and today with the camper on board... and the oscar goes to... borderline.
With 3/4 of a tank of gas, driver no passenger I am just over the GVWR by 161 lbs.
Both axles are OK, although the rear is close (front GAWR 3150 I'm at 2756 rear GAWR 3686 I'm at 3505). The camper rating according to GM is 1333 and my camper is 1390. The tires are fine as they are rated at 3042 lb each.
So the plan is to buy food and load the water at the destination, keep all additional weight forward and only bring along 1 pair of underwear...

[elgy]

mkirsch wrote:
Let's alleviate some confusion:

If you have a 1500HD, you do not have a 1/2 ton truck.

If you have a 4.8L, you do not have a 1500HD.

The GM 1500HD is a "light" 3/4 ton truck. 8-bolt hubs. 8600lb GVWR, same as a plain GM 2500. Semi-floating rear axle. Crew cab short box only. 6.0L engine only. Also has "HD" on the door.

With the MPG numbers you gave, and the fact that you mentioned 4.8L, you have a plain old GM 1500.

People use the term "heavy duty" to describe anything stronger than toilet paper, "Oh it's real heavy duty, it's got lots of power and can carry lots of weight." Lots, being a relative term, usually meaning anything above zero. Just because the guy that sold it to you called it "heavy duty" does not make it an HD.

You're right... I should have said 1500 hd or 1500 +. A previous owner beefed up the suspension and added the E rated tires. I don't have details on what was changed, but the fact that it sits higher than a normal 1/2 ton and that the rear end doesn't squat with the camper on it indicates that it is more than standard.

I just spent the day getting the camper off and I forgot to take pictures. Besides it is so dirty I am ashamed to show it off.

It took all day to off-load the camper because it was my first time so I took it easy and I ran into some "challenges", like 2 frozen jacks that I took off and brought into the house to thaw out, but of course a bolt was rusted solid on one of them, so had to saw it off and find a replacement.

jefe 4x4 wrote:
Welcome to the funny little band of TC-er's. You have come to the right place. There are more than a few wide ranging 'experts' on here who will freely offer their opinion. An entry level TC and truck is always a learning experience. It's good to do this while you are young.
....
JR

It is about 45 years too late for me to do this while I am young! Perhaps the reference to my "girlfriend" threw you off. Here in Quebec a lot of people of all ages are "living in sin"... and loving it. In French I call her "ma blonde" which is hard to translate...

[mkirsch]

Let's alleviate some confusion:

If you have a 1500HD, you do not have a 1/2 ton truck.

If you have a 4.8L, you do not have a 1500HD.

The GM 1500HD is a "light" 3/4 ton truck. 8-bolt hubs. 8600lb GVWR, same as a plain GM 2500. Semi-floating rear axle. Crew cab short box only. 6.0L engine only. Also has "HD" on the door.

With the MPG numbers you gave, and the fact that you mentioned 4.8L, you have a plain old GM 1500.

People use the term "heavy duty" to describe anything stronger than toilet paper, "Oh it's real heavy duty, it's got lots of power and can carry lots of weight." Lots, being a relative term, usually meaning anything above zero. Just because the guy that sold it to you called it "heavy duty" does not make it an HD.

[mooring_product]

Lets see some pictures...

(Originally from Magog Quebec)

[jefe_4x4]

Welcome to the funny little band of TC-er's. You have come to the right place. There are more than a few wide ranging 'experts' on here who will freely offer their opinion. An entry level TC and truck is always a learning experience. It's good to do this while you are young.
May you have many happy days and nights in 'the box', and run the wheels off your rig.
regards, as always, jefe
"We know what we know. We don't know what we don't we don't know. Alas, we don't know, that we don't know, what we don't know." JR

[cewillis]

You need a little 'give' in your tiedowns, in case you ever hit a bump. That's why Torklift uses spring loaded attachments. You could probably get just the basic springloads , and adapt your setup to use them.

[Bigfootchevy]

You should not have a problem finding a place to weight your rig in Quebec. With a half ton I also think you will be over but if it handles ok that's half the battle. Watch that your not overloading your rear tires.

Anyway I hope everything works out for you and you get to use it a lot over the summer.

Paul

[Dannyabear1]

1500hd comes with a 6.0 lt engine, not the 4.8; at least here in the states, and comes only in crew cab.and have a GVW of 8600#

[romore]

I strongly suggest getting weighed and and comparing the numbers with those on the door sticker, will be very surprised if you are not over weight.