FOUR WHEEL CAMPER (FWC) THREAD!!

Anyone still active on this thread? We are looking i to purchasing a fwc and cant really decide on must have options. We are on the east coast so there isnt as many relatively close to us. The Rocky Mountain camper dealer in Colorado has a couple 2019s left. One is a shell and other is a side dinette.

The only thing the side dinette doesnt have that we think we would want would be the hot water tank with outside shower hookup. Does anyone have this? How well does it work? And would a similar after market setup for hot water be relatively easy to install?

also we are considering the shell model. We like the idea of building out a floor plan ourselves. But kind of second guessing do to the no running water or sink. How hard would a simple water setup be to add to a shell? Also could we add shore power at some point if we felt the need to? The shell thats in stock in Colorado has a good bit of options for the money including a heater. and is about 7k cheaper then the side dinette model. The only difference that really matters to us is the running water. We could build our own side dinette.

there is a 2019 shell on the east coast that has some options but a heater isnt one of them. How well does the factory heater work? Or has anyone purchased a shell and installed a after market forced air heater?

Last question is how well does the fridge work? Im honestly not that big of a fan of a regular style fridge and if we were to do a shell or build one new we plan to opt out on the fridge and do a chest style.

 

I love the hot water heater with the six gallon tank and the outside shower set up. I can heat water in the morning and the insulated tank will keep it reasonably warm throughout the spring/fall day.

One important modification I made was to replace the OEM water heater thermostat with an Atwood

$56 Atwood 93105 Adjustable Electronic Thermostat

adjustable thermostat to dial in the water temperature. I have it on lowest setting which cuts off the heat at ~110 F. The OEM thermostat had a very high fixed cut off that WAY overheated the water.

The Atwood furnace has been solid in my travels. It seems over-engineered for the tiny front dinette Fleet model and heats the cabin up in a hurry. The cabin is also insulated with the FWC "Thermal Pack" which I recommend for cold weather camping.

I have 15 pounds (3.6 gallons) of propane (a 10# and a 5# tank). As a general guide using propane for the furnace, hot water heater and cooking, I get 12 weeks of backcountry usage in summer, 4+ weeks in Spring/Fall and 2 weeks in a Sierra Nevada winter before the tanks run dry.

Sorry I cannot comment on aftermarket additions of water/forced air/shower. I went with the FWC OEM equipment which is beautifully integrated in the camper.

I use the larger Isotherm CR85 2-way refrigerator that is more than adequate for the needs of two people several days in the woods. It is a low energy marine model that is supplied via DC from my solar system.

 

thanks for the Information. Im Surprised at how long the propane lasts running a heater and hot water. Thanks for the tip on the hot water thermostat will definitely keep that in mind. The salesman im dealing with at my more local dealer as definitely talked me into the thermal pack. The difference between the shell we have quoted and the side dinette full build is about 8,600. Trying to decide if its worth it and how much we would use the running water and hot water.

 

Hey Wyatt,
Fellow North Carolinian here, I'm near Chapel Hill and have a Fleet Front Dinette ordered with arrival in about a month. That said, I can't answer any of your questions but just thought I'd introduce myself and tell you you're welcome to see mine once it arrives.
James

 

Mainline overland on east coast builds great rigs with FWCs.

I have a shell, you can do as much to it as your imagination allows.

Adding water is not hard but you'll have to figure out space for water tank, and won't have plumbing for grey water. I use 5 gallon cans with spigots with gravity for my water but others build sinks, or have Jerry cans with electric pumps in them.

Adding shore power is easy there are lots of brands that sell equipment to do it (noco for example). Also allows you to add full time 110v sockets if you choose with inverter (factory sockets are not inverter just shore power).

Factory furnace is nice to have, unfortunately I'm on my second bad motor and second control board in less than 6 months, considering replacing with an aftermarket as there are lots of good furnaces out there now.

If you off road, be wary that the fridge is a RV fridge and can pop open...I really like my cooler style in the shell for that reason.

Hot water is a dream of mine for showering...

Happy to answer questions about shell, definitely get Arctic pack.

 

Keep in mind with those numbers I am not hot water showering (or showering at all) every day!

 

I’m running a 2019 fleet flatbed model with a inside and outside shower option. I also I have the medium sized fridge and the Insulated top. We elected to not go with the solar package and have installed 2 semi flexible PV panels totaling 320 watts charging a Battleborn 100 Ah lithium battery.

This is not a cheap setup but we’re heading out for a multi year trip around the world starting this spring so we’re hoping to eventually get our moneys worth

 

If you can do basic carpentry, essentially just trim work, then get a shell and build it out yourself. FWCs designs are good, but are made for a wider audience. I have a 1999 hawk shell on my Tundra that I just added 2” of height while putting in a whole new floor pack. With a shell you can pull the interior wall panels to easily cut any access hatches or vents in the exterior siding so it lines up with the voids in the framing. Everything except for the cabinets are available on Amazon or any RV store. FWC cabinet delamination has always been a problem, so if you build your own and stain/poly you will be better off in the long term.

Just go to wanderthewest and check out all the shell builds.

 

Thanks for all the great information everyone. We actually searched around last night and found a brand new 2018 fleet shell that a place has. Has all the options we would order a new shell with and also a little more options including solar and the 160watt panel and the 2 deep cycle batteries. Has a furnace and stove. Aluminum jack brackets and the yakima roof rack tracks. With destination and shipping and install including the tacoma bed kit which was heavily discounted. Comes out to about 18,300. We are going to go this route were pretty sure. Some of the reasons mentioned above is definitely some things we like about the shell model. Also the base weight is extremely nice to be under the stock tacoma recommendation. And going this route we dont have to wait 20 weeks ( wife is extremely impatient ). Going to go check out some of the shell builds on the mentioned forum. Also what would you guys recommend for a porta potti or toilet option? Obviously would be for emergencies only and the wife to use if were in high traffic camping/hiking areas without facilities. What do yall use and how has it worked for you? Thanks!

 

Sounds perfect for you. Wait times are atrocious right now so side stepping is a plus. If weight concerns you, consider ditching the heavy deep cycle batteries for LiFePo4 and a decent charge controller. You can get the same or better capacity for 1/2 to 1/4 the weight and space (a single battleborn 100ah is like 30lb vs 200+ ah of AGM at like 100+ lb). Not cheap though.

 

probably will be doing some upgrades like this in the future and maybe adding some more solar on top if needed. Looking forward to messing around with the layout and making it ours. Hopefully the process of purchasing goes smoothly and we will have it within a few weeks.

 

Wanderthewest is very much like TacomaWorld: knowledgeable, helpful FWC owners and some top drawer tinkerers. The more time you spend on the site, the lighter your wallet becomes.

 

Wander the West is one of the best forums on the net. Very good info and very little bs going on from users or mods.

 

I can't stand the type of fridge they come with it. If you're ordering a new FWC and can get it without a fridge, I'd suggest to get a standard type chest style fridge, like a Dometic. All the cold doesn't come out as soon as you open it, and stuff can't fall out like it did everytime I used the standard upright fridge.

I rented a Swift model on a truck last year from MLO for a week and loved it. You're definitely paying a price for them, but the resale price is also really good too.

 

I'll recommend you don't get a dometic, they are incredibly loud in the small space. There are other quieter but maybe a bit more expensive coolers.

 

I definitely agree with you and it was a turn off for sure knowing you cant get a chest style as an option. However you cant order a new one with no fridge and storage in that spot unless you order a shell. Or At least thats what i was told.

we will definitely be looking to make a purchase on one if the deal with the in stock shell works out. What would you recommend? I was thinking of going with a national luna.

 

Great brand for sure

 

Yeah, they have a good reputation. I sell Dobinsons fridge/freezers and have had very positive feedback on them. They don't have all the fancy bluetooth/wifi and other gadgets that newer ones are putting out, but they are super efficient and quiet. I'm running a sale on them right now too (click on sale section of my site).

The best thing about a portable fridge is you can use it in your camper, or your truck or your whatever you want to use it in. It's better value for money than something that's permanently attached to the camper.

 

I saw your post and wanted to share some measurements from our new CFX3 line. Here is each model in the line along with the dB level when running:

CFX3 35 44 dB
CFX3 45 47 dB
CFX3 55IM 48 dB
CFX3 75DZ 50 dB
CFX3 95DZ 50 dB
CFX3 100 50 dB

To compare:

60 dB would be a conversation in restaurant, office, background music, or an air conditioning unit at 100 feet.

50 dB would be a quiet suburb, conversation at home or large electrical transformers at 100 feet.

40 dB would be a library, bird calls (44 dB), or the lowest limit of urban ambient sound

30 dB would be a quiet rural area

I'm sure everything can seem loud in a 4WC due to proximity but the coolers/fridges aren't as loud as you would expect. Definitely in the white noise category and will help mask the bears roaming around outside

DOMETIC
mobile living made easy
shop.dometic.com
Use promo code Expedition20 for $25 off your order of $75+

 

Sounds quiet to me. Be happy to demo the

$761 CFX3 35 Portable Refrigerator and Freezer - 36L - Powered by AC/DC or Solar Portable Refrigerator, Smokey Gray

CFX3 35 on our upcoming round the world trip starting in May. We’re looking for sponsors and are setting up our website now.