Anyone put a truck camper on a trailer?

[mlts22]

Well, the tech sector layoffs got me. Thankfully a previous boss of mine threw me a lifeline. Not as much money, but it is a very good place to work.

So, I'm looking at to buy a flat trailer I can put a truck camper on. Then when money permits, buy a 3/4 or 1 ton for the camper. Right now, I have a half ton, and any type of truck camper is going to overload it.

Are there any specific trailers which would be good for this such a thing? Ideally, one enough to ensure the COG is between the two axles.

Thanks much. This is a transitory thing, until I can actually get things back on the road.

[mkirsch]

I agree. Unless there is something wrong with the TT, given your current financial instability, the wise decision would be to stick with the travel trailer and keep a "swear jar" for your eventual upgrade.

To go to a TC, you are cutting your living space by half or more.

What you have now is basically a "TC on a trailer" already.

[valhalla360]

mlts22 wrote:
Right now, I have:

A 1/2 ton truck, and a 35' TT
No TC, or heavy duty vehicle.

I plan to keep the 1/2 ton truck because it is a decent daily driver, but am looking at a 3/4 to 1 ton just for the longer trips.

Until I can afford the 3/4 truck or 1 ton truck, I am looking at trading in the travel trailer, buying a TC, and sticking it on a trailer, as per pics earlier. Not a gooseneck, just a plain old bumper-pull for now. This is sort of allows me to have the TC in the interim time until I can get a truck for hauling it.

Hope I'm not being too confusing.

Thanks for the clarification.

Assuming you pull the current TT with the 1/2 ton, stick with that until you can afford to upgrade the truck and buy the truck camper...simplest and cheapest short term solution.

[mlts22]

Right now, I have:

A 1/2 ton truck, and a 35' TT
No TC, or heavy duty vehicle.

I plan to keep the 1/2 ton truck because it is a decent daily driver, but am looking at a 3/4 to 1 ton just for the longer trips.

Until I can afford the 3/4 truck or 1 ton truck, I am looking at trading in the travel trailer, buying a TC, and sticking it on a trailer, as per pics earlier. Not a gooseneck, just a plain old bumper-pull for now. This is sort of allows me to have the TC in the interim time until I can get a truck for hauling it.

Hope I'm not being too confusing.

[notsobigjoe]

https://images.app.goo.gl/LJC5XwjxhdPTaiw3A

[valhalla360]

Gooma wrote:

Suggestions to the OP to buy a TT or new truck are useless advice. Not everyone has unlimited resourses.
He already owns the TC. I'm sure he would like to buy new,but for economic reasons he is not able to at this time.

Does he own one? It's not clearly stated but my reading suggests he doesn't. It would be odd to have a truck camper but not the truck to carry it.

A 10yr old 20ft travel trailer will typically be the same or cheaper than a truck camper of similar age...before buying a flatbed to haul the truck camper. Heck a decent flatbed trailer will be as much as an older travel trailer.

As far as trucks, a 3/4 ton isn't much more than a half ton, so trading is viable if he intent on a truck camper.

[Geo_Boy]

mlts22 wrote:
Digressing, Nothing wrong with being "redneck". That means you know how to do stuff. I find that phrase a term of endearment, and it means someone who can get things fixed. It may not be pretty or even to code, but it will work.

What I might do is go for a Northstar 650SC, which should fit on the back of the F-150 I have, and not overload it, although I will probably have to beef up the suspension a bit. Either that, or a decent Lance or Arctic Fox TC, and just wait until I can afford a 3/4 ton for it.

If it needs a flatbed trailer, so be it One trailer I saw was what someone made where they could put their TC on it, drop all the jacks, then literally wheel it into the garage.

As for a small pull behind, the issue is storage, and storing a TC is a lot easier than a trailer, especially where I am.

If you get an Arctic Fox, plan on a dually truck, they are heavy.

[daily_double]

Nobody likes Rednecks until their car breaks down 🙂

[Gooma]

The first picture shows a truck camper on a trailer that is nicely done.
Suggestions to the OP to buy a TT or new truck are useless advice. Not everyone has unlimited resourses.
He already owns the TC. I'm sure he would like to buy new,but for economic reasons he is not able to at this time.
Whether on the back of a truck or trailer, if properly place and mounted, it would work fine.

[mlts22]

Digressing, Nothing wrong with being "redneck". That means you know how to do stuff. I find that phrase a term of endearment, and it means someone who can get things fixed. It may not be pretty or even to code, but it will work.

What I might do is go for a Northstar 650SC, which should fit on the back of the F-150 I have, and not overload it, although I will probably have to beef up the suspension a bit. Either that, or a decent Lance or Arctic Fox TC, and just wait until I can afford a 3/4 ton for it.

If it needs a flatbed trailer, so be it One trailer I saw was what someone made where they could put their TC on it, drop all the jacks, then literally wheel it into the garage.

As for a small pull behind, the issue is storage, and storing a TC is a lot easier than a trailer, especially where I am.

[LMHS]

I've lived in campgrounds and RV parks (monthly rent) that the only way they would allow a truck camper to be off loaded from a truck was for it to have a Stable Lift for the jacks OR to be on a flatbed trailer.

I do not know their reasoning for it and I never asked. But it is something to keep in mind.

I personally see no problem with a truck camper sitting on a flatbed trailer. But then I may be considered a "redneck". I do not consider that to that to be the insult most here think it is. Most of the bumper pull trailer mounted truck campers that I have seen had the camper sitting over the tires similar to how it would sit on a truck and storage boxes were tucked under the front of the camper. Gooseneck trailers tended to have the camper pushed up to the front with the bed overhang over the gooseneck section. Both of these positions left a nice "deck" out the rear of the camper It looked like a pretty good idea to me.

Our truck camper is on a Stabile Lift. But it is rarely removed from the truck.

[JimBollman]

Since one of the pictures above was my rig, I should comment. I used it to move and store the camper each Winter. Not sure I would have been comfortable going long distance with my rig but I did tow it about 10 miles to storage ever Fall and back in the Spring. This allowed me to store my camper and trailer inside for the Winter for the price of one spot. Would not have taken much more for me to feel comfortable going on long trips. I have since switched to a B van.

I agree with Valhalla above that unless you already gave the slide in a small pull behind would give you a lot more space.

[valhalla360]

Probably a lot simpler and cheaper to just pick up a used 20ft travel trailer. It will have a lot more room and your half ton should be fine pulling it.

I've seen a few but really redneck way of doing things. OK if you just need to move a camper you already own and you already have the flatbed.

I would do some calculations though...you don't want the COG over the axles. You want it far enough forward to get the trailer hitch weight up around 12-15%.

[notsobigjoe]

I don't know how you would get it on there but here's some pics. I guess the jacks are wider than the trailer, but on a gooseneck? I had a goose neck and it was really wide.

[dalej]

I have seen it done. Mostly with gooseneck trailers that also carry a jeep on the back. Just be sure the trailer has enough weight capacity and you truck has enough also. I imagine the trailer sales yards in your area can give you good advice. The one time I experienced putting a truck camper on a trailer it was really tricky.