Off Road Abilities Of Atc / Fwc Type Campers

[Kodachrome]

Hi folks,

I just got back from doing a few off road jaunts in neighborhood. Montezuma Basin and Lincoln Creek Road to Ruby Mine. We followed an Earthroamer-F350 heading up to a camp spot along Lincoln Creek, crazy big rig for a trail. I have a Snugtop shell on my 05 Tacoma which has a bit of a lift and a great set of suspension upgrades, roads as tough as the South side of Taylor Pass and Montezuma have not been an issue. This guy's posts will give you a good idea of what I encounter when I hit these trails....lets just say I think a 05+ Tacoma is too big for Schofield Pass..

http://mycolorado.org/trails.html

So as I got my O/R fix today, I started thinking about taking the adventures down a notch in terms of what trails I hit with my Bobcat coming in a few weeks. In all honesty, I can see doing Lincoln Creek to Ruby, Imogene, Ophir and trails like that but not the more gnarly ones that leave a rear wheel hanging in the air like the post-riverbed section of Taylor Pass.

What are your experiences with an ATC / FWC type camper in terms of off road travel and what can I expect to accomplish? By the way, my truck is also blown with the TRD S/C so it has copious amounts of bottom end making the finessing of trails a lot easier / smoother.

A self portrait of me from last nights jaunt up to Ruby using binoculars, easily one the darkest skies I have ever seen:

 

[Barko1]

I just came back from Silverton with my F250 extended cab long bed with a Granby. Stayed on the easy side of Ophir, did Clear Lake, Cty 825 up past US Basin (excellent), and then over Stony Pass and all the way to Rio Grande Reservoir and Creede. Dam rough, narrows, whoops, with Jeeps, ATV's, motos, and not one other big truck! My stock little mirrors got pushed in and I had leaves stuck on the side of the camper when I finished. Scraped a bit over the bumps, had to back up and try again on the tight switchbacks, and knocked the hell out of stuff inside from all the rockin and rollin but I don't think I even got too close to being too stuck. This is a crappy picture but it shows the narrowness. I had to stop trying to take pictures to keep both hands on tight and eyes focused on where the heck I was going. I don't recommend the last 20 miles.
http://barko1.smugmug.com/photos/619752373_AZhvf-M.jpg

 

[SunMan]

I probably haven't done anything over the 5 rating on the Colorado 10 scale, but one thing i have noticed is that the extra weight in the back really helps with traction on rocky surfaces. I'd say you are limited more by what your vehicle can do (lift/suspension) than by the camper. I'm quite certain the camper can tolerate much worse than most of us dish out.

 

[Kodachrome]

Yeah, that is what I gather too. But one thing I am concerned with is rear downward travel when the air bags are on. As it stands right now, the rear has lots of downward travel making it awesome for off road. The trail in the photo is about as rough as I get into.

 

[DirtyDog]

Well that photo should be the topic of some good discussion My initial thoughts on that are "no thanks, I'll pass".

Another thing to consider is that the cabinet doors really aren't built to stay closed under that kind of bouncing (which is a shortcoming IMO). Some kind of cabinet lock would be essential. Has anyone here done something like that?

 

[Kodachrome]

Well that photo should be the topic of some good discussion My initial thoughts on that are "no thanks, I'll pass".

Another thing to consider is that the cabinet doors really aren't built to stay closed under that kind of bouncing (which is a shortcoming IMO). Some kind of cabinet lock would be essential. Has anyone here done something like that?


Probably won't be running that one with the ATC on, my sliders earned their keep that day, but I scraped the heck out of my rear wheel..

I think all the cabinets slide open / closed, it should not be too hard to figure something out. I thought I read about someone using velcro to do it.

 

[DirtyDog]

Yeah thats right the ATC has sliding cabinets, probably a better idea. What exactly are sliders? I need to look a bit into underside protection as I have an extra large fuel tank.

 

[pvstoy]

Hi folks,
....lets just say I think a 05+ Tacoma is too big for Schofield Pass..




I have done Schofield Pass with a older Fleet FWC and with my 83 Toyota long bed. That was a lot before what the truck is and what it can do now. I have done roads like you have a picture of. Pictures don't really show the lines and contours.

It is what you feel you can do and how the truck is set up to do...Then driver experience plays the majority part.



The camper can handle it…….Research TURNBUCKLES…weak link to four wheeling.

 

[Kodachrome]

Yeah thats right the ATC has sliding cabinets, probably a better idea. What exactly are sliders? I need to look a bit into underside protection as I have an extra large fuel tank.


Aside from being those tiny burgers at Chili's, they are heavy duty metal tubes that either bolt on or weld onto the frame under the rocker panels of your truck. They *might* help with the tank, that sounds more like a skid plate or other trail amour need. Here is a typical slider:

http://www.demello-offroad.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=27_21&products_id=44

 

[Kodachrome]

I have done Schofield Pass with a older Fleet FWC and with my 83 Toyota long bed. That was a lot before what the truck is and what it can do now. I have done roads like you have a picture of. Pictures don't really show the lines and contours.

It is what you feel you can do and how the truck is set up to do...Then driver experience plays the majority part.

The camper can handle it…….Research TURNBUCKLES…weak link to four wheeling.


That 83 is more like my old 89 4-Runner, I would do Schofield in that for sure. I think the main point I have to remember in my case is that this ATC add on is primarily for my 18 month, live in my truck photo project at first, future projects afterward. A road like Schofield or even the South side of Taylor is going to be a small return on my time, effort and risk investment compared to what I am ultimately trying to accomplish.

My main concern now though is the limits the air bags are going to place on my rear suspension when I take the camper off and try to hit trails like we are talking about.

Also, even though people seem fairly happy with looking after the turnbuckles, I am very much considering adding a set of Torklift tie downs on the front for extra insurance. I just need to figure out if I can have an attachment point welded to the rear of the sliders since they are in the way of where that might attach. I might make a clamp on bracket or I might just cut two lengths of 10mm Dynamic climbing rope and keep them handy as I could tie them off to the slider if I was feeling uneasy.

....Sometimes I feel like I am building the Mayflower...

 

[Marc]

Well that photo should be the topic of some good discussion My initial thoughts on that are "no thanks, I'll pass".

Another thing to consider is that the cabinet doors really aren't built to stay closed under that kind of bouncing (which is a shortcoming IMO). Some kind of cabinet lock would be essential. Has anyone here done something like that?



Velcro strips work great for keeping cabinets closed.

 

[craig333]

DD, sliders are what you get after you've ripped off the running boards.

 

[Sam]

The Firestone airbag manual specifically states to not let the axle hang by the bags. They are referring to jacking up the vehicle, but I'm sure the same would apply for 4-wheeling. FYI, when I get my tires rotated, the axles hang, I used to worry about it, now I don't and I have had no troubles. Maybe I've been lucky? I am only guessing that they are worried about the clamp that holds the top of the bag, probably not designed to hold lots of weight downward.

 

[pods8]

Some kind of cabinet lock would be essential. Has anyone here done something like that?


Those push button latches Mark used on his rebuild seem to work well for the drawers I've build in mine.

 

[kcowyo]

What are your experiences with an ATC / FWC type camper in terms of off road travel and what can I expect to accomplish?


In my experience, the camper has yet to limit where I've wanted to go. I purchased the camper with the intention of taking it up & over some of the most scenic trails in the west. But as was once said to me, "The most challenging trails in Colorado, are often not the most scenic."

The site you linked to, My Colorado, is owned by a good friend of mine who I've been fortunate enough to do a couple of trips with. Our most epic by far was a 7 day off-road jaunt through 3 districts of Canyonlands NP in Utah, including; the Maze & Dollhouse, the Needles & Elephant Hill and the White Rim Trail. The camper survived with no issues other than a few screws in the galley faceplate vibrating loose after miles of washboards.

In addition, it has survived 3 trips into the backcountry of Death Valley, up the Cerro Gordo Road, Hunter Mountain, Lippencot, Mengel Pass, Saline Valley, the Old Mexico Trail, Goler Wash, Butte Valley, etc. My shocks suffered the brunt of those trails with no effect on the camper.

We can add numerous trips into southeast Utah on trails like the Burr Trail, Smoky Mountain Road, Cottonwood Canyon, Muley Point, Eye of the Whale, Potash Road, Long Canyon, Monument Valley, etc. The camper never limited me in any way nor suffered any issues.

Thinking about it even more, in Colorado, it has survived Engineer & Cinammon Passes 3 or 4 times, Yankee Boy Basin, La Plata Canyon above Durango, Glacier Ridge, Red Cone & Middle Fork above Leadville, Hoosier Pass, Weston Pass and Cottonwood Pass, as well as Medano Pass in the Sangre de Cristos.

Before this is taken as boasting, let me say I'm just making a point. These campers are damn tough and with a built truck, they can go the distance. And I haven't even mentioned yet the Magruder Corridor in Idaho, or the 4th of July trail in ID, or the entire Continental Divide trail in Montana, or the north shore of Lake Mead in NV, or Kofa Wildlife Preserve, Crown King, Bloody Basin and the Bradshaw Mtns in Arizona, or Greys River, Grassy Lake Rd, Flaming Gorge and the Red Desert in Wyoming....

Am I being redundant or reassuring?

Fear not hopeful new owner. You've built the right truck and you've ordered a quality camper. In all of those adventures I have yet to experience any failures with the camper. And it has not limited me in any way or hampered the vehicles off-road performance. Some screws have vibrated loose, I forgot to charge the battery once, ran short on propane once and the turnbuckles always vibrate loose, and I had to clear some fallen trees over the trail to squeeze by, but that's about it. I have had zero problems with the airbags as well.

Hope this helps. It was fun for me to recall at least....

.

 

[pvstoy]

In my experience, the camper has yet to limit where I've wanted to go. ......

....Fear not hopeful new owner. You've built the right truck and you've ordered a quality camper. In all of those adventures I have yet to experience any failures with the camper. And it has not limited me in any way or hampered the vehicles off-road performance. Some screws have vibrated loose, I forgot to charge the battery once, ran short on propane once and the turnbuckles always vibrate loose, and I had to clear some fallen trees over the trail to squeeze by, but that's about it. I have had zero problems with the airbags as well.

Hope this helps. It was fun for me to recall at least....

.



Very, well said..........

 

[Kodachrome]

KCOWYO,

Thanks for the reference, this is really good for a lot of people to read. When I post something, I try to do it in a way in that a lot more people than just my self can gain insight from. If you can imagine a blog like Ara's but with a pop-up camper, that is what is going to happen and it will be really good PR / advertising for ATC and the whole Pop-Up Camper genre.

I have ordered air bags, new front brake pads and rotors, an air compressor and tonight I am at my buddies so tomorrow morning we can take off my existing shell and do a full head to toe inspection of the truck's frame, motor mounts, etc. I used to work on and inspect aircraft in the navy, I am going to put some of that to good use and get this sucker ready.

I am sure I have made the right choice, this is going to be an incredibly able vehicle when I am done with it.

Thanks everyone and get your Pop on!