Choices in non-basement truck campers?

[austinsailor]

I now have a Palamino Forest River Truck camper with one slide and a basement. This unit has a flat bottom to the back bumper, and would hang over a normal pickup bed 4’. I carry it on an F550 4x4 and custom bed. The bed supports it to the very back. I occasionally pull my boat weighing about 24k lbs, on the upper edge of things.

This brings me to today. I just bought a Peterbilt 3 axle road tractor and plan to put a truck camper on it. Much more suitable for the load. Here comes the complication. Height. I have a few ways to go. The truck I bought was built to a car hauler spec - dropped front axle, low profile tires, etc. With my Forrest River, with a basement, it’s still right on the limit on height with the rooftop air removed. I’m thinking of a non-basement camper to solve that. I can make s custom flat roof for the Pete, but it would be easier to get a camper that didn’t have the height issue. Storage isn’t an issue, my custom bed has boxes on the sides where a pickup bed would normally be.

Bottom line of all this is, what is out there today, new or fairly new, in that size range with no basement. A separate shower is desirable, a flat bottom with no tanks hanging down would be great.

Any leads to look at, new or used, would be welcomed.

[austinsailor]

There are a bunch of them for sale here:

https://www.legacysleepers.com/used-trucks

And we test drove this one:

https://www.legacysleepers.com/2018-Volvo-VNL64T300-D13-with-144-Inch-ARI-Legacy-II-RDFS---1619

Nice truck, no doubt. and $$$

[austinsailor]

We test drove one, she didn't like it. They are quality units, no doubt, unlike almost all RV units. It didn't have the room ours did and was very dark. I guess I could cut in some windows. She said she really liked ours. At triple the money, well.... You never know, down the road things may change but today this is the plan. We've got the Pete, it will work for now.

[BigSwick]

As this is probably going to be a permanent mount, why not get one of those giant azz sleeper rigs I see going down the road? probably would have a lot more room. You then would have access directly from the cab without running around to the back.
https://roadlesstraveledfinance.com/biggest-semi-truck-sleeper-cabs/#:~:text=Biggest%20Semi-Truck%20Sleeper%20Cabs%20%5B5%20Unbelievable%20Custom%20Builds%5D,this%20video%20on%20YouTube.%20...%206%20Conclusion%20

[austinsailor]

I was needing the distance from the bottom part of the part that goes over the cab to the roof. I’ll set the bed to whatever level gets about 3” clearance above the cab. The number he gave me got that is 42”. On my Palamino is 52”. 107 ground to cab top, 3” clearance, 42” camper, I can get a 9” tall air unit, gets me 1” below 13’6”.

If I had an easy way to post a couple pictures it might make more sense.

[srschang]

I just went out and measured my 12STC. It's 8'4" from the bottom of the camper to the highest point, which is one of the Maxxair fan covers. The A/C is about 2" lower. Is that about what the guy told you?

[austinsailor]

It’s not the bed height, but the roof height. The Northstar is 10” less than my Palamino with a basement. It can work. The truck, by the way, is 385 Peterbilt with a sleeper, not a pickup.

[srschang]

The 12STC on my 2022 Ram 3500 dually is 11'6" to the highest point, and the unloaded truck bed is 39" from the ground. Your truck bed must be 5' off the ground.

[austinsailor]

I've had the seller take some measurements. With a low profile rooftop air I make it under 13'6" - by 1"!

[Grit_dog]

Can’t help ya w camper selection but I wanna see the Pete with a TC on it when you’re done!

[StirCrazy]

I don't thing a non basment is going to help much as usaly all that means is a taller interior from what I have been seeing. the problem isnt the basment its the hight over the cab and most newer ones are pretty tall now. you need somthing like my 1991 slumber queen where you can't sit up in the bed haha....

do you have a AC on your camper? if so can you take it off and do with out it and get your overall hight down? I can totaly get it if you camp where you need AC, just somthing to think about.

[Geo_Boy]

Northstar truck camper, great camper.

[austinsailor]

Thanks. This looks like it could work. I've located one, I'll talk to them.

[srschang]

I have a Northstar 12STC. I think it’s the longest truck camper made, with a 12’ floor length. No basement, no slides, very well made. 3300# dry weight, ours is 4800# fully loaded ready to go camping.

[austinsailor]

A small travel trailer could, but the room gained from the over cab bed is a biggie. Our current rig with the F550 has worked well, but it is just too high. I previously had a Lance of the same size, no basement. Needed so much work we got the current one, but now, with the new truck it’s just going to be too high. I found a list of current truck camper manufacturers and after looking at each ones offerings, it appears there is nothing new offered in that size with no basement. I guess I’m limited to a decent used one.