20 replies to this topic

[paddlesurf.net]

Ordered my Hawk before the new pricing cutoff in December... and finally it's my turn!

 

I'm leaving San Diego for Prescott, AZ tomorrow and will be staying the night at The Motor Lodge (check it out if you need a place to stay in Prescott, it's pretty cool).  I've got an 8:30am appointment at AT to get my new toy bolted onto the flatbed. I'll go ahead and state the obvious: I'm pretty excited!

 

I don't think there's anything I'm forgetting (flatbed maker gave me extra aluminum plates with express instructions for installers to use them in addition to the FWC backing plates) but I just wondered if you guys have any tips or "wish I would haves" for me to do before the camper is attached (I won't be taking it off unless I sell it).

 

I purchased and will be installing a couple Victron items (BMV 712 and 100/30 MPPT )when I get back to San Diego - but I'm fairly certain all of that wiring will be internal in the camper. Kind of wanting to swap out the two 75aH house batteries for a bit more capacity (6v batts.) but am now kinda stuck with what I ordered.

 

Any advice or tips appreciated - will try to figure out how to post pics once I'm back (wish we could just drag and drop from the desktop).

 

 

 

 

[craig333]

Only thing I can think of is I wish I'd put in a bed mat. Not even sure about that though. Managed fourteen years without one.

[Smokecreek1]

 Same as Craig-however, once it's on and you have a chance, get a couple of more keys to the pop-up-two ain't enough , and better safe than locked out!

 

Smoke

[paddlesurf.net]

Thanks for the tips. I'm here in Prescott - air's thin here! I won't be able to get a bed mat but I will immediately make a bunch of spare keys. Looking forward to seeing the new camper.

[rando]

Foam board insulation under the camper.   The camper has some runners on the bottom side (maybe 3/4" thick) that space the camper of the flatbed deck.  I wish I had thought to pick up a sheet of 1/2" or 3/4" foam to fill the space between the runners.   This cost/weighs almost nothing and would keep the camper floor a little warmer.

[PackRat]

The purpose of the "runners" is to spread the weight around and...to keep moisture from rotting out the plywood floor. I don't know if your new rig has some kind of undercoating on it that is waterproof, but placing the foam sections BETWEEN the runner will, for one thing, allow the camper to crush them and to wick up moisture.

 

I know guys do that all the time, but is it worth it if your camping habits and destinations are to wet environments or your rig sits out in the weather all winter? Depending on the weather in your area, like Death Valley as opposed to Seattle...the amount of moisture may or may not be a factor in damaging the plywood floor.

 

My first Alaskan, my Lance and my new/old Alaskan all suffered from "cold floors" so I installed some cheap industrial-grade low pile carpet in each of them and that was enough for California weather...I didn't go snow camping, but each year I just bought another piece and tossed the old one if it looked a bit shabby but I could remove it in Summer and wash it off in the driveway if it got a bit funky. 

[Durango1]

 

Kind of wanting to swap out the two 75aH house batteries for a bit more capacity (6v batts.) but am now kinda stuck with what I ordered.

 

Any advice or tips appreciated - will try to figure out how to post pics once I'm back (wish we could just drag and drop from the desktop).

Sorry, I just saw this. I'm looking to swap out the standard batteries that come with my new Grandby flatbed model and Denny is taking the new ones that come with the camper and giving me credit so I can install what I want. If it isn't too late bring this up to the boys at AT.

 

BTW, congrats on the Hawk Flatbed. We loved ours!

Edited by Durango1, 19 March 2018 - 07:36 PM.

[paddlesurf.net]

Sorry, I just saw this. I'm looking to swap out the standard batteries that come with my new Grandby flatbed model and Denny is taking the new ones that come with the camper and giving me credit so I can install what I want. If it isn't too late bring this up to the boys at AT.

 

BTW, congrats on the Hawk Flatbed. We loved ours!

Thanks for the tip - but, again, too late!

 

I just drove mine home from Prescott (all the way back here to San Diego) - I know it's a cliche but I'm going to say it anyways: I didn't even feel it back there!

 

I had my foot in the ass of my F350 the whole way back through the windy stuff out of Prescott and then doing 80 on the sections of the 10 that are 75mph and, honestly, it felt like my truck rode BETTER with the camper on it.

 

I'm really VERY happy that I went with the Reg. cab one ton 8' bed (actually my bed was stretched out by XPCamper to 105" overall) - just by looking at the way the camper sits on the rig, it seems that most of the weight is just forward of the rear axle. The truck rides really nicely with the camper on it with just a touch of air in the air bags. And that's with a full tank of water (20 gallons).

 

One the down side, I wasn't prepared for the wind noise that comes from having a giant aluminum box a foot behind your head - it was pretty loud. But that was mostly when I was doing 80 - if I backed it down to 60-65mph it was not too noticeable.

 

And... I need to install a wide angle rear facing camera. Since backpack box of the flatbed sits right behind the cab, you get almost no side vision when backing out, you can't see cars coming from the right because the big box blocks your view.

 

Anybody have good recommendations for a rear facing camera? I don't want to say "back up camera" because I'd like for it to be on all the time - especially when I have a dirtbike on the bumper rack or am pulling a small trailer. I like being able to monitor the racked moto or see what's going on with the tires of the trailer - so if you have a brand or model or, even better, an installer recommendation for San Diego, please let me know.

[pvstoy]

You are on Expo that just had the flatbed made by Marc at XP-Camper?  Pictures looked good.

 

Wind noise one way to get rid of it is a wind deflector.  You may have to stop at a plastic place and buy a sheet.  You can cut it to a custom shape and can even bend shape it some with a heat gun.  Need to deflect wind from between the cab roof and camper and push some out from the sides where it hits the camper front side.  Great if you can ramp it up over the nose of the camper.

 

Congratulations on the truck and camper.  Many here can help you post pictures.

[rando]

This is kind of a moot point now, but I was suggesting foam that was thinner than the runners. On my fleet flatbed there is a double layer of 3/4" ply for the runners, so 1" thick foam could provide some insulation and still a 1/2" air gap. With a single layer of 3/4" ply, 1/2" foam would work well. EPS foam does not absorb water, so I don't think wicking would be a problem, and the new floor packs are made with a plastic laminate (used for docks) so I don't think water is such an issue.

Anyway, I wish I had done this, and if I ever pull the camper off again, I will add some foam.

The purpose of the "runners" is to spread the weight around and...to keep moisture from rotting out the plywood floor. I don't know if your new rig has some kind of undercoating on it that is waterproof, but placing the foam sections BETWEEN the runner will, for one thing, allow the camper to crush them and to wick up moisture.

I know guys do that all the time, but is it worth it if your camping habits and destinations are to wet environments or your rig sits out in the weather all winter? Depending on the weather in your area, like Death Valley as opposed to Seattle...the amount of moisture may or may not be a factor in damaging the plywood floor.

My first Alaskan, my Lance and my new/old Alaskan all suffered from "cold floors" so I installed some cheap industrial-grade low pile carpet in each of them and that was enough for California weather...I didn't go snow camping, but each year I just bought another piece and tossed the old one if it looked a bit shabby but I could remove it in Summer and wash it off in the driveway if it got a bit funky.

Edited by rando, 20 March 2018 - 06:04 PM.