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I don't have a truck, camper or idea...help me out


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#1 No longer here

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Posted 19 September 2018 - 11:47 AM

Well, I do have an idea.

 

I want a FWC flatbed fleet. I initially was going to get a Tacoma 2nd gen and discovered a 1st Gen Tundra would be better if I had my heart set on Toyotas.

 

This will be a full time rig, you might think it's too small, but I'll qualify that my wife and I have been living full time in our 1996 Landcruiser for the past three years and have traveled all over north America sleeping in our roof top tent, just getting back from AK and the Yukon/NWT, (found the Territories far better than AK if you are curious., less people, lower prices) .

 

I work on the road in the overland logistics industry and travel between both overland expos annually.

 

So my questions;

 

I know a Hawk is the typical camper for the Tundra, but the Fleet is lighter. Is there any issue with putting a narrower camper on a wider bed? I would actually want to put it off to the passenger side to be able to mount stuff to the right.

 

Best flatbed for the money? Ute beds seem the cheapest, XP Camper and Norweld beds are nice but $$$$$ Other options.

 

If anyone has a 05/06 Tundra for sale that is rust free let me know, even better if it was MT. :)

 

Oh, about us and our travels

www.nextgenoverland.com

 

 

 

 


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#2 Durango1

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Posted 19 September 2018 - 04:20 PM



Best flatbed for the money? Ute beds seem the cheapest, XP Camper and Norweld beds are nice but $$$$$ Other options.

I've had Largo Tank in Farmington, NM do two custom aluminum beds for me. Excellent customer service, totally customized to the truck and camper and very fair prices. If you call ask for Adam and tell him 'Durango Steve' referred his services to you! 

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20151022_090239.jpg

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#3 Beach

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Posted 19 September 2018 - 05:31 PM

If your decision is based on weight of the camper,I would take a closer look at the weight of the Hawk vs Fleet, you might be surprised to find there is only about 100lbs or less difference. If your going full time the added room in the Hawk might be nice. the biggest difference in weight comes from the options/add ons.


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#4 klahanie

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Posted 20 September 2018 - 10:40 PM


 

I know a Hawk is the typical camper for the Tundra, but the Fleet is lighter. Is there any issue with putting a narrower camper on a wider bed? I would actually want to put it off to the passenger side to be able to mount stuff to the right.

 

Best flatbed for the money? Ute beds seem the cheapest, XP Camper and Norweld beds are nice but $$$$$ Other options.

 

 

Welcome, The Raven !

 

80 vs 75". wide. Well the Fleet would match the first gen width better but you want to mount it offset. I guess the issue might be remembering (conceptualising?) your clearances because the camper is not centered, say driving through a bushing-in road, and weight distribution. IDK if that weight up high could make handling a bit funky at times ? What were you thinking of mounting on that curbside 5" ? would it be constant weight or variable like Jerry cans ?

 

It's been a long time since I priced out beds so my info is dated but I remember Ute being, what turned out to be, comparatively, very inexpensive.

 

The big benefit with flat deck, IMO, is the increased storage potential. Not with the camper but the deck. I've seen quite a few decks online with no under deck boxes, understandable for weight and cost considerations but missing the big benefit of the design. So I'd consider that ability and added cost with the Ute or whichever.

 

Another idea for storage - not to harp on it - is a slide in model on a flat deck with below and above deck storage. Quite a few examples of this online, usually hardsides. Doesn't make rear wall storage easy but excepting that, even with a 78 or 80" deck it might give you enough side storage with that nice, narrower camper centered.

 

PS I know you wrote FB FWC but also "beds are nice but $$$" the ~ $8K difference between base Fleet slide in vs FB  could pay for deck and some boxes? my .02

 

EDIT to add quotes and PS


Edited by klahanie, 20 September 2018 - 11:39 PM.

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#5 No longer here

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Posted 20 September 2018 - 11:47 PM

Loving the replys.

 

Just want to add that a slide in is not practical for us as full timers, we need the storage and room. Our schedules are opposite as well, I like to get up early and wife in bed while I make coffee would get frustrating. With the forward dinette it would a problem.

 

I also like the looks of the flatbeds vs the slideins too :)


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#6 Andy Douglass

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Posted 21 September 2018 - 03:01 AM

Loving the replys.

 

Just want to add that a slide in is not practical for us as full timers, we need the storage and room. Our schedules are opposite as well, I like to get up early and wife in bed while I make coffee would get frustrating. With the forward dinette it would a problem.

 

I also like the looks of the flatbeds vs the slideins too :)

Just food for thought...I am up sometimes hours before my wife. With the side dinette in our slide in, I can sit at the rear seat and read with my coffee while she sleeps. We have to leave the bed slide about 2 inches in when we go to bed so that I can use the sink in the morning, but it works. But if we were full timing it, I would want the flat bed too, although I would put it on a 3/4 ton. FWC on 1/2 ton is done by many, but you would be putting constant wear on the truck and likely need a little more pay load for full timing.


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#7 No longer here

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Posted 21 September 2018 - 11:12 PM

Just food for thought...I am up sometimes hours before my wife. With the side dinette in our slide in, I can sit at the rear seat and read with my coffee while she sleeps. We have to leave the bed slide about 2 inches in when we go to bed so that I can use the sink in the morning, but it works. But if we were full timing it, I would want the flat bed too, although I would put it on a 3/4 ton. FWC on 1/2 ton is done by many, but you would be putting constant wear on the truck and likely need a little more pay load for full timing.

 Yeah, I wish Toyota would bring their Utes or Heliux to the US so I could have a proper truck but for now the Tundra is the best option. I've had domestic and don't trust them. My old 06 Jeep broke down a LOT more than my rusty and formerly abused (by prior owner) Landcruiser 80 with 265k on the clock. My old Dodge Dakota transmission went out at 80k. Nope, never touching another domestic.

 

Big thing is I am VERY conservative driving, don't push my truck regardless of speed limit, more often downshift than use brakes, have active scangauge to monitor temps, best oil, rotation every 5k, excessive about maintenance, etc etc. Kind of have to be in the desert and most places out west. Sorry....not getting stranded in the middle of the Mojave ;P

 

It's funny though what you learn full timing, anything we buy, space followed by weight is always on our minds. We had a shower enclosure given to us.....it's great but OMG the space it takes!!!! arrrrgggg!! We have a bio-lite which is wonderful but I can never find a place to put it :/ 

 

I honestly think a person should live out of a small space first when first going full time as it would teach them what they really need. I knew a girl who went from an RV to a Ural.....yet took the RV worth of crap and put it on the Ural, including a bicycle and a kayak. The bike eventually imploded due to lack of cooling and abuse, which she blamed on the bike :(  She is in a Sprinter now....which I'm sure she will kill too...hope not for her sake, nice girl otherwise.


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#8 Andy Douglass

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Posted 22 September 2018 - 12:21 AM

I cannot understand why Toyota does not market an HD truck here. I think they would make a killing.


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#9 No longer here

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Posted 07 October 2018 - 03:16 PM

i jumped, got a fleet flatbed and looking now at an 06 tundra in tx with no rust in beautiful shape. Yeah, I know some of you folks think it’s a f350 or go home but for the last year I have been 1000lbs over gvwr on an old rusty landcruiser so not too worried about 500 or so on a tundra with a bigger engine and no rust to weaken things. lol. I don’t drive 75-80 the old Toyota Campers were all old v6s besides I go slow. :)
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#10 Advmoto18

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Posted 08 October 2018 - 12:46 AM

Having driven HiLux trucks all over eastern/western Asia, they will never make it to the US due to a laundry list of NHTSA regulatory reasons...and that is too bad.

 

For full time accommodations the flatbed Hawk is far superior to the Fleet.  Both are excellent campers.  Yet, the Hawk will feel far more spacious when the rain blows sideways or the snow accumulates.   


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South Carolina Low Country.  





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