FOUR WHEEL CAMPER (FWC) THREAD!!

That is so cool. You even pinged your location, and I think I've found it here.

 

Nice! Do you have cell service? We’re always looking for it as we’re still working

 

Further up the road..
43.52597, -110.59359

Yep 2bars LTE sprint, have been able to stream Netflix/Prime w phone facing right way

 

It's the same spot as here.

 

keep going up sheep crk rd

 

Wait I think you got it!!

 

When I retire, or take an extended vacation, I'll be hitting you up for all these cool spots. #SteelheadTacoFTW

 

Hi all, I'm curious to hear people's suspension woes. I currently have airbags and the TSB springs with tired 4600 stock shocks at ~90kmiles. I know I need new shocks, but I'm thinking I should probably also do the rear leafs as well. The airbags seem to buck more than I would like. I'm not sure if shocks would square that away or if I really need the heavy duty leaf springs. Airbags seem to be nice and level at 50-60psi (I have 5100s up front at the highest setting with stock coils)

Also, I'm trying to decide whether the reservoirs with adjusters are really the way to go in the rear as well. Anybody gone twin tube, monotube and then full adjusters that can speak to the differences with a camper on and off the truck and support a recommendation?

If I have the camper on 50% of the time how terrible will the other 50% be with heavy duty springs (currently thinking Dobinsons, Deavers or Boise Spring Works custom) and nothing in the bed? Or maybe the OME heavy + airbags is the best of both worlds?

Has anyone considered boxing their frames for the extra weight? I weighed in at 5800lbs which is 500lbs over payload even though it's 200 over on the rear axle and about 200 under on the front. That was with an empty water tank and what I thought was a fairly lightly packed camper for a long weekend with no recreational equipment beyond a hammock and 2 chairs.

 

If you are going to have the camper on only 50% of the time I would recommend heavy duty springs in addition to airbags, but set at around 20 psi. 50 psi on your airbags sounds like a lot to me, it puts a lot of stress on one point of your axle. At work, in our fleet of 1 ton logging pickups using that amount of psi we have broken an axle. This way when you take the camper off, you’re relying only on the rear leaf springs no need for air in the airbags thus your ride will be better.

our situation is more extreme, we’re 1,000 lbs heavier. our flatbed fleet is mounted with no intention of being taken off. Thus we have a custom set of rear leaf springs from Deaver, they were roughly $400, we’re not using airbags.

 

Very True or you could haul with a 2500 HD like it do! Four wheel camper is about 990 lbs. Don't even know its on the truck! But I bought my 2500 HD years ago!

 

Oh man this thread is awesome! I really want to get a FWC its even one of the reasons I picked up an access cab to have the longer bed to fit a fleet or similar model

 

They are light and bad to the bone. But do your research many were made (for the year they were constructed) to match that year of truck bed production. As an example the one I bought for my 2003 2500HD Will not fit the bed of a full size 2500 hd in today's models because of the bed size. Cut once measure twice. Buyer beware.

 

There's some solid info in this this post!

 

you must have been the truck that passed me doing 80 while I was struggling at 50! But seriously a full size is better equipped for this amount of weight. But when it comes to turning around on narrow forest roads I’m the one who’s smiling

 

definitely. FWC made different mid-size models before the Fleet. I believe it was the Eagle

 

I don't really understand how you break an axle by too much air in the bags. the leaf spring connects to the axle at one point (per side) just like the airbags do. The undue stress I would think would come from either the weight of the load itself or the frame mount (leaf pack distributes the load to two points)

Also....$400 for custom Deavers????? Sign me up. Their current expedition pack is like $900. How'd you score that deal and how long ago was it?

 

It's been a big problem in Australia with modern trucks getting overloaded in the back, and some quote the airbags as adding too much stress, and the frames end up bending. Looks like Nissan Navara and Mitsubishi Tritons don't have the strongest frame.

Check out all the photos: https://www.google.com/search?q=ben...uA4&bih=625&biw=1366&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS863US865

I think the main thing the other guy was saying is that with the right springs, you shouldn't need to run so much pressure in your bags, as it could lead to failure points elsewhere.

 

ughhh I keep seeing these relentless bumpers with the tail light guards and I want one so bad... too bad they dont do that anymore

also I see yours has the swing out mount, if you wanna sell it and get one that doesnt have the swing out attachment, im in the market

 

How are you finding the FWC on the DCLB? A bit too long? Or no problems?