Pushing It Off Road with a 3-4000 lb Hardtop
I've been boondocking with a 1-ton van with a limited-slip for quite a while and I've pushed it - been stuck many times - and have usually been able to get out.
A truck camper is very different, though. It'll have 4-wheel drive but is considerably heavier and taller vehicle (3-4000 lb camper -Lance, Northern-lite, Cirrus, ?). (That is I think it will be heavier. A recent weight check clocked in our van - loaded to the gills and with 500 W solar on top) at 9300 lbs. - which I couldn't believe. In fact, I wonder if I did something wrong. I will recheck.)
If we could do this every now and then that would be great.
Trails in this category (5) will be long, rough, and remote. High clearance and 4-wheel drive required. More aggressive vehicles favorable. Stock vehicles can make it with careful driving but expect pin-stripping and possible scrapes underneath. Trails are often narrow and rutted, where backing short distances may be required to pass other vehicles. Expect steep hills with drop-offs. Water crossings possible which could make trail impassable after rain
https://azoffroad.net/trail-ratings
Ideas thus far on making the rig off-road capable enough.
Keeping the Camper stable on rocky roads
• Bed mat
• Torklift fastguns - springloaded turnbuckles; don't overtighten turnbuckles
• Rubber bumpers mounted to front of the camper - limit forward movement of the camper -Torklift front bumper kit if the camper does not come with one.
• Bump stops mounted in front of and behind the wheel wells
Use camper guides - metal triangles bolted to the bed to keep the camper from moving side to side, reducing strain on it and the tie-downs
Reducing Sway
Helliweg Sway Bar
Bilstein shocks
Airbags?
(Current springs/coils OK with 3-4000 lb camper?)
Clearance
Mild lift (2") - would it enhance tippiness?
Ditching the air conditioner and adding more solar might save a little weight on top. Partner wants to keep air conditioner - which I think we would rarely use; If we kept it we would have to keep the generator - which I would also like to ditch (as well as the microwave) and get a bit more storage. We'll see how that goes...
Suggestions would be great!
A truck camper is very different, though. It'll have 4-wheel drive but is considerably heavier and taller vehicle (3-4000 lb camper -Lance, Northern-lite, Cirrus, ?). (That is I think it will be heavier. A recent weight check clocked in our van - loaded to the gills and with 500 W solar on top) at 9300 lbs. - which I couldn't believe. In fact, I wonder if I did something wrong. I will recheck.)
If we could do this every now and then that would be great.
Trails in this category (5) will be long, rough, and remote. High clearance and 4-wheel drive required. More aggressive vehicles favorable. Stock vehicles can make it with careful driving but expect pin-stripping and possible scrapes underneath. Trails are often narrow and rutted, where backing short distances may be required to pass other vehicles. Expect steep hills with drop-offs. Water crossings possible which could make trail impassable after rain
https://azoffroad.net/trail-ratings
Ideas thus far on making the rig off-road capable enough.
Keeping the Camper stable on rocky roads
• Bed mat
• Torklift fastguns - springloaded turnbuckles; don't overtighten turnbuckles
• Rubber bumpers mounted to front of the camper - limit forward movement of the camper -Torklift front bumper kit if the camper does not come with one.
• Bump stops mounted in front of and behind the wheel wells
Use camper guides - metal triangles bolted to the bed to keep the camper from moving side to side, reducing strain on it and the tie-downs
Reducing Sway
Helliweg Sway Bar
Bilstein shocks
Airbags?
(Current springs/coils OK with 3-4000 lb camper?)
Clearance
Mild lift (2") - would it enhance tippiness?
Ditching the air conditioner and adding more solar might save a little weight on top. Partner wants to keep air conditioner - which I think we would rarely use; If we kept it we would have to keep the generator - which I would also like to ditch (as well as the microwave) and get a bit more storage. We'll see how that goes...
Suggestions would be great!
