Question: For All Of You Slide-In Camper Owners..

So firstly, hello new poster, long time lurker (typical line right?).. No, but I stay busy AF and really..

Anyway, 3rd Tacoma here (don't ask), current model is a 23' double cab long bed. Being poor, I cannot afford ski lodging as much as I would like, and the resorts that I want to go to allow overnight hobo parking in the overflow lots. I have built/modded two other rolling camper into pretty decent little setups, and have a fabrication background from my earlier years turned to hobby in my later.

Being inspired by the Kimbos's, Scouts, and the like, I decided to build my own camper. Skeleton is done, either PolyCore AP OR ACM/ACP for the exterior upper, and bubble-x for the interior walls/ceiling, uber light weight. Coming in at around a projected 800-1k lbs dry depending on how brave I get with outfitting for storage/utility.. I've made a low boy camper creeper so that I can roll it into my garage, which it will stay outside of adv weekends or weeks if I'm lucky.. Generally, the camper has similar outside dimensions as a Kimbo or Scout.

I have been through the wringer in deciding how I want to outfit my truck to accept the camper (on a part-time basis, mind you). My "rock crawlin" days are behind me, forestry roads, light creek crossings, etc are all that this truck will see. I would like a decent daily driver (not too firm), but one that can handle a camper 9n the weekends. Not too tall, as to not raise my center of gravity, but with enough to confidently cruise down steep switchbacks, along with highway speeds.

I've been looking at 5100's paired with Deaver Stage II springs in the rear, ? up front, and maybe air bags or Sumo springs to help to support when loaded. I've driven a number of big trucks (non-CDL) through my life, but never a bulbous slide-in camper on a Tacoma. As you can imagine, I'm putting a bit of money down to make it happen prior to knowing how well it will work, so I have a bit of anxiety around the project. I feel like there are enough Taco owners out there running these style campers, where your feedback would be invaluable to me, especially with the part time situation between the camper and truck.

I know it's a lot to ask being a first post, but would any of you guys/gals be willing to share your experience on driving with one of these slide-in campers on your Tacoma? Also, if you're gracious enough to share a bit of knowledge, what you suggest I might start with? What I described above is a max budget example with the Deaver springs and all.. If that is overkill for a truck that will only have the camper on 20% of the time max, I would especially like to hear your thoughts.

Two pics so you know I'm not just a dreamer or data miner bot.. Steel tubing yes, but 16ga walls, relatively light if you go uber on your skins/outfitting, sittingnat a little over 400lbs as she sits. Central VA, semi-decent in Fusion 360, with small scale CNC plasma and hobby-fab shop for any like minded folks in the area..

Anybody? Experiences/Advice? High cross-wind gust seat-of-pants experiences especially welcome!

-NDA

 

Short/Curly, any advice on how I should outfit my Tacoma suspension to accommodate this style camper for a part time use basis?

 

For someone only having the camper mounted 20% of the time, I'd definitely go airbags. super budget friendly, too. Just use a nice bicycle pump to air up the bags. Make sure to plumb the bags separately, so can be adjusted separately left/right.

I'm running Deaver Stage III with Bilstein 6112s up front and 5160s in the back. To note, my truck is stupid heavy. But since yours is stock it seems, I would JUST do airbags to start. Also, I'd suggest getting some E-Load tires for the added piece of mind. Helps keep the truck from wallowing around as much with the stiffer sidewalls.

 

Hey @YF_Ryan, thanks for the reply! I've read a number of your experiences with your Tacoma/Scout/Trailer/SxS combo, very much confidence inspiring!

Thanks man, and that's what I'm thinking/wondering. Just start with air bags (non balanced/dual input) or Sumo's to start and see how she goes? Admittedly, I can overkill a project in a NY minute and not opposed to spending a few bucks where I "believe" it is needed. Conversely, I don't want to end up with a stiff ride the other 80% of the time when it's not loaded, so throwing $ at it doesn't necessarily help either..

E rated AT tires and some sort of overload support absolute no doubt. It is a TRD sport with the 4xxx Bilstein's (yellow) I believe, so was thinking that I might add some 5100's to the lineup for all around better stability. But on the flip side, the 4xxx's are brand new so maybe just give them a shot and see how they do, eh? Lort knows, just the jacks for this camper are like 1k, mind you the rec-pro windows/door.. I'm trying to get by safely (save yer buy another truck comments ) but not trying to incur any more expenses than necessary . I hope to be finished by this riding season, but the tire/suspension combo will be the last thing that I do, so still time left to obsess over it!

 

Nice work on the camper frame. Sub'd and interested. I've spec'd out a similar mid-size camper (using all aluminum) without a bottom (uses the truck bed as a floor) and ran into capacity (weight) challenges. Unsure how you're going to pull this off with steel unless your OK with running way over GVWR.

16 gauge is 80 lbs per 4'x8' and you need how many of them?

 

Ah, no the tubing gage of the skeleton is 16ga. It's @ about 410lbs currently based on the steel that I've used. Uber light weight skin ACM or Polycore AP, 40GA Aluminum coil roof, bubble-x on interior walls/ceiling.. skins will be uber as compared to the frame.

-NDA

 

Air bags aired down to their minimum shouldn't be too rough on you when the truck's unloaded. But the E-loads will definitely be rougher unloaded.

With my Deavers, it's pretty damn uncomfortable unloaded, it's like I hardly have any suspension in the back. I'd be worried if you're running Stage 2s on an otherwise empty truck 80% of the time, you'll be beat half to death.

 

Gotcha, and thanks for saving me from myself lol. That makes sense. I did have E rated tires on my last truck/tow camper combo, so expecting some added firmness from them, but that's a necessity has to be done considering the load so meh, I'm good w/that.