Wedge campers and off roading

I was wondering if anyone can chime in on if the addition of a wedge camper (GFC, Super Pacific, etc.) creates any issues off roading. I know they don't weigh that much, but the extra weight higher up will raise the center of gravity and the overhand over the cab seems like it could catch tree branches.

I'm not a serious off roader (whatever that means) but I frequently explore roads that end up being rather narrow, overhung with trees, rocky, etc.

Thanks.

 

I have not had any problems, I don't have sway bars, expect a bit more body roll, no branches give me problems on tighter trails.Do expect some pin stripes on the camper tho.

 

Thanks. That's good to hear. Hopefully a few more chime in for more consensus.

 

Do you commonly find yourself driving somewhere with only 6” of clearance above your roof before you hit rocks or large branches? If the answer is no, then you’ll be fine.

 

Based on my experience wheeling with people who have campers, the real questions are "how often am I driving through off-camber sections of trail, how do I drive through them now, and how will I be with the better part of a 250 to 450-pound camper (depending on model) being up above my head and way up above my center of gravity?"

 

I don’t know. I noticed next to no difference in off-camber stability with my GFC. It was on the lighter end to be fair.

 

I'm considering several campers to replace my 250lb cab-height RTT/tonneau setup, and even though it may be less feature and convenience-rich compared to others (the Lone Peak, in particular), the significantly lighter weight of the GFC (over 100lbs less in most cases) has it at the front of the list for me. I've spotted enough guys with 400+ lb campers and similar (or even better) suspension setups through off-camber sections that I didn't even really consider obstacles with a lower COG and/or have told me that they kind that it's a cause for concern for me.

edit: Not to say that I won't go the 400lb-ish route, because the Super Pacific and Lone Peak really do offer a lot of practical advantages over the GFC.

 

I still rally with my setup (super pacific) only tho so far has been mounts listening that shone the camper so you have some more things to worry about but didn’t notice much in terms of how it handles on trails.

 

Kind of. I guess it doesn't happen that often, but sometimes there are trees close in on the sides so branches are extending over the trail and I'm envisioning them getting pulled into the gap. Small branches probably only get leaves stripped or branches torn off, but if a larger one snagged it might create some issues. I might get a roof rack to help act as a deflector for that.

 

Most of my off camber driving is just uneven ruts or sloped trails as I don't really do Moab-type stuff. Most aren't too bad, but a few times it's been enough to cause a little ass pucker and start wondering where the tipping point is. How much the camper affects this is the big question.

 

To answer your question, yes, you will feel it in those pucker moments.

That feeling goes up the heavier the top section of the camper is. Campers like a GFC, Topo Mesa, Super Pacific, etc. aren’t much weight, so you will be fine there. I wheeled all of Moab with a Vagabond strapped to the back of my truck and multiple people have done the Rubicon with one on their truck.

The biggest improvement you can do is have proper suspension and more articulation. This makes the pucker factor come in at a much higher angle.

All that being said, I drive my truck like a bat out of hell sometimes with a 450# camper bolted down to it and am 100% confident I will be fine.

 

Ive hit up all the ohv spots in California with my taco and gfc, haven’t had any trail give me any more cause for concern than if i didnt. Only time i worried was with overhanging branches, which would be the same if it were to contact the roof of the truck

 

Ive got a wedge style RTT mounted on a cab height rack. Probably 3-4 inch gap between the top of the cab and the bottom of the RTT. Just enough for the shark fin. I tend to avoid trails that are super overgrown and low hanging, but still happens from time to time. Id say this isnt a big concern.

A set of nice big spot mirrors can help a lot keeping an eye on the leading edge of the wedge from the drivers seat. (spot mirrors are great in general for wheeling IMO)

The bigger concern for me has always been the higher CoG. But how much of an issue is that.. who knows

 

Thanks. Where are you mounting the mirrors to watch the top of the cab area/wedge overhang?

 

If you're not doing anything all that offcamber very often, I'm sure it's perfectly fine.

I feel like most of the issues are really more "what if I flip here because I didn't do the pro walk and self-spot or get spotted" than "I'm going to flip here because I didn't do that." I do think a lot of it really does simply boil down to the driver's knowledge and their comfort level with their setup.

 

I don't mount mirrors to watch the overhang on my GFC

 

How much do those GFCs weigh?

 

I think mine is about 275lbs

 

That's insanely light for the space you get