We got one!

[CJ8Rockcrawler]

My wife and I found a used 2002 Hawk in really good shape and brought it home yesterday. It isn't exactly what I would have wanted had we ordered it, but I certainly can't complain since it was 2 hours away in Phoenix and WAY cheaper than buying new! I took Ben's list with me of items to check on a used camper and everything checked out. (thanks Ben!) There are a few piddly things to fix. One of the curtain straps needs to be replaced, I need to re-rivet one of the bungee straps used to pull the liner in when you collapse the top, and fix the leg brackets on the couch to fold it out into the bed.

The truck handles the weight really well... even blowing over speed humps. The only thing is I might get some airbags or custom valved race shocks in the back to help control the sway a bit. As a nice bonus, it fit in the garage! I love having 8ft garage doors.

I'm now the 3rd owner and have all of the original paperwork etc. from the first one. She had it for 5 years and the 2nd owner for only a year, but both parties took really good care of it. It has the screen door option, auxiliary battery system, 3 way refrigerator, deadbolt lock, furnace and front sliding window. It also had the electric water pump, but it looks like it failed and was replaced with the hand pump from what the previous owner said. I may take a look at it or just not worry about it.

My first thoughts on mods are that I would like to add an awning and the jack brackets/mechanical jacks. Any other mods that people have made that are recommended or suggestions on the awning/jacks?

A couple of pics to share. I'll post some more later as I work on it today.

 

[kcowyo]

Nice find Kyle. I'm so glad that worked out for you. I hope you two enjoy it.

Congratulations!

 

[chnlisle]

Kyle,
Great camper on a great ride. Now there are 2 Hawks on 2 Ram CTD's in The Old Pueblo.

 

[LAWNMOWERMAN]

Nice score on the new camper!I sent you a PM

 

[Marc]

Looks great !!! Congrats.

Marc

 

[pvstoy]

Congrats on your new to you camper....

You did right on posting a picture before we all begged

 

[Puffins]

Welcome to our world

Great find,

And you already have the upgrade list going. Now your are sucked in like the rest of us.

I've been happy with the Shady Boy awning I mounted a year ago. It packs small, is lite and simple, and didn't have to move any brackets to mount it.

 

[SunMan]

Congrats and welcome to the club. Such a bonus that it fits in the garage, I'm very envious!!

 

[pvstoy]

Congrats and welcome to the club. Such a bonus that it fits in the garage, I'm very envious!!

With my older Fleet FWC it had a flat metal vent. 7' door I cut out the trim area where the vent would clear. The new Ranger I had to bite-the-bullet and have a 8' door put in$$$. Next house will be 8' doors no questions about it.
Just wish the ceiling was taller to pop up all the way inside the garage.

 

[CJ8Rockcrawler]

Just wish the ceiling was taller to pop up all the way inside the garage.

That's what I was eyeing this morning. I have 9 foot 4 (or so) ceilings in the garage so I will have to figure out how high the extended height is. If the height is such that I think it will work, I need to move the Roof top tent that I used to use on the back of the truck and will keep for use on the Jeep.

I'll have to look into those awnings. I've been looking at the famia units as well as some of the eezi awn units. It would be nice to extend the living space out the back with one of the awnings that have side curtains etc. to enclose it. Shower and toilet right out the back of the camper would be nice.

 

[craig333]

Sorry, we don't believe in modifying them here

I'm jealous of your eight foot garage door. Maybe I should just get out my chainsaw and go to work.

 

[CJ8Rockcrawler]

Sorry, we don't believe in modifying them here

I'm jealous of your eight foot garage door. Maybe I should just get out my chainsaw and go to work.

If it makes you feel any better I just checked out popping it up in the garage and don't have the headroom for it... oh well. I can't have it all.

pvstoy, you mentioned that you can't pop yours up all the way inside the garage... do you pop it up partway some how? I see that we *should* store them extended, but is there a way that has been figured out that we can partially pop them or is that just a bad idea all the way around?

 

[pvstoy]

I can't pop mine all the way up. Even if I did not have double vents, the ceiling is not high enough. If I could pop it up then I would need to unplug the door opener.

I live in Nevada and a couple days parked outside with the windows open drys it right out coming back from wet conditions. In the garage I leave the pass through and side window open for a while after coming back from a dry trip.

I have proped up the front and back with a stick and low enough that the garage door would clear before to alow the liner to dry out.

P.S. I do love my 8' door. The old Fleet model w/ 7' door I put new leaf springs on all four corners of the truck....Well, I was too tall to get out of the garage I had to flaten the tires and put 400 pounds in the camper to get out. Wish I had the 8' back then.

 

[CJ8Rockcrawler]

P.S. I do love my 8' door. The old Fleet model w/ 7' door I put new leaf springs on all four corners of the truck....Well, I was too tall to get out of the garage I had to flaten the tires and put 400 pounds in the camper to get out. Wish I had the 8' back then.

LOL... I had the same thing happen when I was living in an apt. It had a VERY small garage that I stored my Jeep in. I put new suspension on the rear of it and it didn't clear the door! I was able to get it out just by putting the top down, but for a little bit there I was remember the the Shel Silverstein (sp?) story about the boy that built this wonderful sailboat... in his bedroom and couldn't get it out!

 

[DLN]

CJ8,

Congrats on the camper, excellent truck and camper combo. I also garage the truck and camper and can pop up half way with the truck under the garage door opener and all the way if I can center the truck. I've been looking into openers that mount above the door and don't extend into the garage. They are available and it looks like I can install one in the space above the door. When I designed our house 8' garage doors had become the standard due to the increased size of vehicles. I had to use 10'-3" walls in the garage to match the north roof line with the rest of the house and the garage roof framing is cathedral style inside because I wanted all the high storage. Little did I know how well it would work with a pop up camper. It is a great luxury to pop up for working inside and packing up for trips. Best of luck with your mods and keep us posted.