32 replies to this topic

[DirtyDog]

Makes me wonder where all the metal has gone to at times.

Bombs would be my guess.

[marty]

and they are not using enough of them :)

Ben

[DirtyDog]

So what do you think the problem with those plastic beds will be? Apparently the manufacturer thinks they are tough enough for truck duty. Is it the very heavy and sustained loading a camper will put on the bed what worries you? Do you anticipate cracking or some kind of failure?

I'd never heard of the composite beds.

[brett13]

My understanding is that the newer (05 and later) Tacomas have a composite bed. I haven't heard of any problems with them and would imagine them lighter and rustproof, but there must be some trade-off.

[jimjxsn]

This one's from the tundrasolutions forum. I still think it is an isolated case and the ability to carry a pop-up camper is more based on the strength of the bed floor and the tie downs...

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[marty]

Ben here again.

We have had to reinforce the toyota bed when they were made of metal so that the force of the camper in the front of the bed did not damage it. I would not expect a plastic bed to be able to take the force of camper better than the metal beds did. I am sure the beds will hold up to regular truck use of just hauling around stuff that you throw in but not something like a camper attached through it.

We have come up with bracket that will attach to the frame under the bed and come up to the underside of the bed for us to attach an eye bolt for the camper through. This way there is no pressure on the bed at all to hold the camper in place.

Sincerely,
Ben
www.allterraincampers.com

[paclow]

Why not buy a real truck with a "Line-X" bed liner and enough payload capacity and be done with it.

[jimjxsn]

Ben here again.

We have had to reinforce the toyota bed when they were made of metal so that the force of the camper in the front of the bed did not damage it. I would not expect a plastic bed to be able to take the force of camper better than the metal beds did. I am sure the beds will hold up to regular truck use of just hauling around stuff that you throw in but not something like a camper attached through it.

We have come up with bracket that will attach to the frame under the bed and come up to the underside of the bed for us to attach an eye bolt for the camper through. This way there is no pressure on the bed at all to hold the camper in place.

Sincerely,
Ben
www.allterraincampers.com

Ben,
I'm interested in learning more. I have a Tundra and am interested in putting a camper on it. I noticed on your website that you guys charge extra for installation on a Tundra. Does something need to be done to reinforce the Tundra bed? I have a 2000 extra cab.
Thanks,
Jim

[oly884]

Thanks for all the info and opinions. For Oly884 with the Tacoma- did you ever weigh your gear? Did you decide to add air bags after trying it out or right off the bat? Ever do aggressive off-roading with it? We venture into canyon country in the southwest often, with slickrock and the banging around it brings.

Can anyone tell me why sometimes I see photos with the jacks on and sometimes with them off? Is it a preference or required with some installations? The jacks weigh about 100lbs that I'm guessing I won't need.

I am partial to Toyota (I know, you can boo/hiss me), but am wondering weather a good deal on an 06 tundra is better than waiting for the new 07s. Durability and capability under the weight are my priorities.

I have yet to weigh all my gear due to the lack of me finding a scale adequate enough to do so. I decided to get the air bags prior to receiving the camper. This is because the springs on stock toyota's sucks, a lot. They don't hold much weight before sagging. I have been off-roading quite a bit with my truck. Everything from rocks, washboard roads, deep snow, and so on. No problems, just keep an eye on the turnbuckles from time to time (none have fallen off, but they start to loosen after about a day's worth of heavy off road use.

I have the camper jacks, but only use them to take the camper on or off. I'll take them with me if I go on an extended trip, but have never had a NEED (knocks on wood) to use them.

Hey don't feel bad about liking Toyotas, I love them. Doesn't mean that Fords, Chevy's, etc don't have their place.

Tundra's a VERY nice trucks. Though if I were going to be getting a full size truck, I'd go with a F-250 or 350 with the diesel in it. Better for long trips, better fuel mileage, options to run appliances off of diesel, and so on. But for mid size/mini trucks, Tacoma all the way. Also, if you are not going to be using the truck for the camper ALL the time, then a Tundra is a nice medium because it has great street manners.

[oly884]

Ben here again.

We have had to reinforce the toyota bed when they were made of metal so that the force of the camper in the front of the bed did not damage it. I would not expect a plastic bed to be able to take the force of camper better than the metal beds did. I am sure the beds will hold up to regular truck use of just hauling around stuff that you throw in but not something like a camper attached through it.

We have come up with bracket that will attach to the frame under the bed and come up to the underside of the bed for us to attach an eye bolt for the camper through. This way there is no pressure on the bed at all to hold the camper in place.

Sincerely,
Ben
www.allterraincampers.com

Um, is it a bad thing that I did not get my bed reinforced? If so, could you suggest some solutions to fix this? I have noticed that the bed has the slightest bulge to it on the front two mounting points.