21 replies to this topic

[Roger]

Looks nice! Have Fun!
I was told I was mad to put a ranger on a T100...

I have noticed more fun than madness...

Again, enjoy!

Roger

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[BurkeDroppings]

Hello again, I promised some photos. Don't have more than these snapshots right now (and I hope I'm uploading them properly).

BTW, that little Cajita roof is much heavier than I expected. And the low ceiling makes it kinda hard for my fat old body to get under and push. I'm sure I'll figure out a way to maximize leverage and get the job done with relative ease; but I was kinda expecting my "shorty" to be an easy lift...

[Alley-Kat]

Five words...

Roof Lifting Helper Shocks Thingys

Visit the above link and read on and on and on.

Not sure you'll need the 40 lb units that the cabover poptop campers are using.
Maybe give Stan a call to see if they have any idea of the right version for that little box.

This is a great addition to any popup truck camper.

And, it can be either DIY (pretty easy to do, screw and seal), or factory install... drive up to FWC, or talk to Marty in Sacramento at All Terrain Campers. (Jay, I beat you to it!)

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Central California, huh?

Valley or Coast?

Oh yeah, Welcome aboard.

[craig333]

Welcome and congrats on your camper. Looking forward to seeing some trip reports. Thank god you're a writer. Balance out all these photographers we have here

[Overland Hadley]

Five words...

Roof Lifting Helper Shocks Thingys

Visit the above link and read on and on and on.

My Link with all the part numbers in one place.

Roof Lifter Gas Springs

[clikrf8]

Welcome to our forum and the world of light weight pop up campers. We just bought our FWC Eagle and picked it up in August. I think your Cajita will serve you well. It is for a niche market not for everyone but I thought it a well-conceived design and am glad you are happy with it. Our Eagle sits on our 1999 Tacoma quite well and probably doesn't have that much more room than your Cajita. But, it serves us well and we are happy with it. It gets us where we want to be and fits in our Texmo pole building garage even with top up.

Do post images and since you are a writer, do write to us about your travels/experience. We are photographers but I have been lax about posting any as am busy still processing images from 2 music festivals and a couple of trips. WE seem to sleep better in our camper which is strange as the cushions are firmer and I like a soft bed. Maybe it is due to our being very active while camping on outings.

Enjoy.

[Gormley Green]

Looks awesome. I'd love to have a look in one of them sometime. Surprised to hear the roof is heavy, though perhaps not. I'm shocked sometimes at the weight of lifting the cabover when I attempt to do it with my lower back. It's awkward but not by any means impossible. Must install lifters!

[Desert Rancher]

A 1" piece of hard foam placed on top of your head helps with lifting.

Never wear a baseball cap with the button on top while doing that, unless you want that soft "baby" spot on top of your head to return.

[Overland Hadley]

Surprised to hear the roof is heavy, though perhaps not.

I was thinking that because it is sorter there would not be as much leverage, so you would be lifting the weight more straight up. So even though the roof weighs less, it is harder to do the lifting from the ends.

Does that make sense? Or have I spent too much time in the sun?

[BurkeDroppings]

Hey, thanks for the great welcome. I really appreciate the CONTENT on this forum. Not a lot of LOL and OMG nor flaming and one-upmanship. But lots of good (and specific) advice. How refreshing!

Thanks for your five words of wisdom, Kat. A less kind person would have substituted (Get yourself to the GYM!), but Shocks Thingys may prove more do-able (ha ha). Not thinking I'd have a problem (it looks so effortless in the videos), I didn't opt for the $250 factory installation. If I do go for thingys, I think I'll put them on the outside as several in the forum have done -- every cubic inch is precious inside.

And I'm in the Valley, not along the coast (more's the pity!). I came up here from the Southland to see what it looks like when a University of California opens for business in a community where one in five live below the poverty line, only one in eight have college degrees (less than half the state average) and just two-thirds of those aged 25 and older completed high school. Surprisingly, the university's impacts are pretty subtle (but important; and the long-term benefits will be substantial). My experience has been a bit more exciting than watching grass grow, but not quite at the level of paint drying (JK).

Hey, Rancher! Great advice on the baseball cap and foam rubber. I'm soft-headed enough without adding little dents thanks to my Cajita. I think when you owners of the "big" models see how low the ceiling is you'll be a bit shocked. I won't, for example be able to sit upright on the couch with the roof down. I hope the benefits outweigh that pretty significant drawback. I expected to do quite a bit of stealth camping; but I don't think I'm going to be happy spending much time with the drawbridge lowered. It's OK for sleeping, but not for writing...

And I think Nathanael may be on to somthing with the short-roof/less-leverage theory. I hadn't thought of that; but it makes sense. I've been discussing a new (cheap and simple) lifting aide with some engineers (found a great forum online and they're responding like folks here do). It it pans out, I'll share the idea with the group. In fact, if it works on my rig it should be even sweeter for you high-risers.

One other variable is the distance I have to extend my roof. Because I start from a lower point (or elevation) of origin, I have to raise mine farther (there's more fabric, as you may have noticed from the photos). That makes the contrast between "down" and "up" very dramatic -- feels like a ballroom when raised compared to the space under a bed when down. I should ask my engineer friends to factor that into the roof-raising study.

Well, I'm heading out on an errand. While out, I'm going to pop my roof up. I intend to keep doing it until I either decide I can handle it on my own or that I need the thingys or my new invention – or a strong wife.