FWC Project M Project

You’d have to check with FWC to know for sure. If I recall correctly, you had to order the prewire option in order to get the powered vent. At the time the powered vent was a fantastic fan. It operates like a traditional RV vents and is not one you’d use in the rain. That is why I went with he maxxair vent and swapped out the non powered dometic vent the topper came with. When I picked up my topper, they mentioned that they where considering the maxxair as an option so you should check with FWC to see if they have started using it.

I highly recommend the maxxair deluxe 10 speed fan.
https://www.airxcel.com/rv/maxxair/products/fans/maxxfan-deluxe
We just got back from a 6 day trip and we used it a bunch. The fan reverse feature is great. It turns it into a ceiling fan, blowing air down instead of out. We were out in the desert, 80F temps. I was not able to install the awning before the trip so one day we opened up the topper, side and back doors and sat inside to get out of the sun. There wasn’t much of a breeze so the fan worked great to move air around.

The install was fairly easy. If you are not a DIYer, any RV repair place could install it. Takes about an hour.

As far as the prewire option, I recommend you do it. Trying to wire the ceiling after the fact would be a huge pain. Normally, i would do it myself, but it was worth the $350 extra. The LED lights it comes with are decent and I have no complaints.

No I never got a reply from FWC and have not followed up.

The biggest issue I have is the back door. The mounting brackets for the lift supports are poorly done. The brackets have moved causing small scratching of the finish. There appears to be no internal structure to support the brackets.

Also the metal frame around the door is not sealed well and water can get inside the door and then leak on the inside.

The other thing that anyone purchasing a topper should understand is the Taco bed and tailgate are hard to seal up from dust and water. This is not a FWC issue. But you need to be prepared to spend some time sealing the bed and tailgate. I have almost no water intrusion but still get a little dust. It was the same way with my old ARE topper.

The other issue I had was they wired the third break-light wrong. It was wired to the running light not the break-light. That is inexcusable. But, I also did not verified it was correct when I picked it up. I took care of it when I got rid of the ridiculous connector they installed for the third break-light.

Overall I’d recommend the FWC topper. There will be minor issues no matter who you buy a topper from. My ARE had issues too. If you are a DIYer and like working on your truck, most of the issues are minor and easy to take care of.

The biggest complaint I have heard is water and dust in the bed. Again not really an issue with the topper but FWC isn’t really up front about it and doesn’t offer any solutions on sealing the factory bed and tailgate. Neither does ARE, Leer, Snugtop etc. All they provide is a bed lip seal where the topper meets the bed. In an earlier post I described how I sealed my bed and tailgate. All this needs to be done prior to the topper install.

 

We did a 6 day trip into NW Nevada last week. The topper and build worked extremely well. We were off-grid and on dirt for 4 days.



In my last post I talked about hanging out inside on a hot afternoon with no breeze. It worked out great using our backpacking chairs inside.

 

One of the options I went with was the side door. I liked having the side doors on my last shell but was unsure if I’d like one on the Project M. After our latest trip, we are completely sold on it. They do offer a smaller side door but we went with the large one. The biggest advantage was being able to open it for air flow during the afternoon. The temps were in the 80s with no shade. We also kept our bags next to the door so accessing cloths, toiletries etc with out having to crawl in the back was great. The door frame on the inside of the topper is metal so I plan on making a screen with magnets to hold it on. It would be nice to have a way to keep the bugs out.

The biggest issue and gripe I have with the door and reason I was unsure on how useful it was going to be is FWC does not put lift supports on the door. Without them the door is a pain to hold up while accessing your stuff.

After some research I found a company called Lift Supports Depot that was great to work with. I purchased several different lifters and sent back the ones I did not use. The install was fairly easy and the overall cost was $68. The lifters I ended up using work great although I probably could have gone with shorter ones. The ones I am using are 15” extended and 9.5 closed. They are 40lbs lifters. I may have been able to go with 30lbs. Below is the list of parts:
Liftsupportsdepot.com
Brackets
https://www.liftsupportsdepot.com/er-ball-stud-joint-10mm-3-8-3-bolt-l-bracket-s316-stainless/
https://www.liftsupportsdepot.com/es-ball-stud-joint-10mm-3-8-3-bolt-l-bracket-s316-stainless/
Lift support
https://www.liftsupportsdepot.com/lift-supports-depot-se150p40s10-gas-charged-lift-support/

The install was easy requiring a few holes to be drilled in the frame and door.





Due to the placement over the top of the latch plate on the frame, I had to use a piece of aluminum as a spacer. Shorter lifters may have worked better to avoid this. Although it was not a big deal to fabricate. I eventually cut down the screws and used nylon core lock nuts.




There is nothing behind the abs plastic and the screws seemed a bit loose so I used some high strength 3M double stick tape as well. No issues so far.

 

Nice build. I was looking for more info/pics on the Project M now that they have been out for a while and I definitely appreciate your pictures and review in your thread.

Funny enough I have a very similar setup to what you had with your ARE MX series. We are considering upgrading to the Project M within the next year or so. Hoping they have all the details worked out on them when we go to order.




I think one of the biggest flaws with the Project M right now is that it doesn't come with a pass thru slider option into the cab. Did you have this option with your ARE? We use this quite a lot. It would be nice to retain this option. Not sure if it would get as much use though considering the extra space the FWC provides.

 

I did have the pass through on the ARE. We really didn’t use it much but it was useful when needed.

Indeed the space difference is huge. It’s like a palace inside the FWC compared to the coffin like feeling of the ARE MX. It’s nice to be able to get out of the weather and be comfortable.

I like your set up. Nice how the stove tucks away. Will you carry over your current set up to the Project M?

 

Ya I'm hoping a pass thru front window becomes an option eventually.

I also hope they add more options for the side doors with a potential door/sliding/screened window similar to the MX series.

Im not really sure how I'd build out the back of it yet. Id like to retain the stove/drawer slideout, but the other half if the platform would get modified to provide full height standing room. I wasn't really sold on the shelfs the FWC has but seeing how you modified yours I'm liking the idea a bit more.
I still want to see one of these toppers in person. Was hoping to go to the BC Overland Rally in Whistler, BC again this summer but with Covid it got canceled. FWC has ran a booth there for the last 3 years.

 

I don’t think any of their slide in campers have a pass through so I doubt they will do it for the Project M.

I completely agree. We loved the side window/doors on the MX. That is why I went with the big side door. Since I have added the lift supports, we are using the door the same way. A window with screen would be nice. I’m planning on sewing up a screen with magnets to put up so we can leave the door open for ventilation. I think that will be a good alternative to the MX.

I didn’t like the shelves either at first, but I made it work. We really like being able to cook outside most of the time so having the drawer with cook and prep area is nice to have. I may build a small cabinet and counter top inside so we can stand and cook if we need to be inside cause of weather or bugs. This would also be good for storage and space management.

I checked out the prototype a couple times before I ordered mine. I spent several hours at a factory show measuring and planning before ordering.

 

Hey, I'm about to order a Project M and I am hoping you can give me a little feedback on the options you picked. I am choosing between adding a small window or a large door (like yours) on the passenger's side. Any thoughts on that? I'd prefer the window aesthetically and for the light, but I could see the back being packed in such a way that it might be difficult to access the far end of the bed without pulling a bunch of other stuff out. Also, it looks like you have a vent/fan over the sleeping area. Assuming that's the case, is the fan loud/bothersome when you're sleeping under it? I'm going to get a fan, I just dont know whether to put it over the truck bed or the sleeping bed. Any other thoughts on options based on your experience? Thanks!

 

I am totally sold on the side door. See my post above on retrofitting it with lifters. Getting the lifters is key. We use the side door all the time to access gear etc. There is plenty of light inside so no need for the extra window for that purpose.


As far as the vent, I went with the non powered vent over the back, not the sleeping area. Then I swapped it out for a maxxair vent. At the time FWC did not offer the maxxair. See my post above. I could sleep with it on low but if you are a light sleeper it would probably be to loud. We don’t leave it on though. With the windows open, in the areas we camp there is enough cross ventilation. We have used it during the day as a ceiling fan though and it worked well. We hung out inside with all the windows and doors open to get out of the sun. The maxxair has a reverse function which is nice.

 

Just ordered a Project M for my 2nd Gen. Now I wait and obsess.

 

What is the wait time? I heard it is quite long now.

What options did you go with?

 

It's about 31 weeks. I have an access cab with long bed. I went with black diamond plate exterior, small window on driver's side (which is standard), large door on passenger's side, roof vent with fan, wiring option (comes with 4 lights and pre-wiring for rear spot lights and rooftop solar), 80/20 rail on both sides of the exterior, yakima rails so I can add my current roof rack, and thermal pack prep (they add all the attachment points for the thermal pack, but not the pack it self, so you can buy or make one later). I did not get the mattress option because I plan to use/store two paco pads in the roof/popup area (apparently there's 6 inches of room, so I'll fold them in half). I plan to add water rotopax to the exterior 80/20 rails. I currently have a platform with storage drawers/compartments, which I plan to keep in there. Should be nice.

 

Dang. 31 weeks! That’s crazy. I got mine in 3 months. Times have changed.

The LED lights they use are nice. No lack of light on the interior. Although, the wiring to one of mine has shorted out somewhere in the roof wiring between the junction box and light. I was able to isolate it so I have three lights right now which hasn’t been a big deal. When troubleshooting that I found the positive wire for the solar had wire sticking out one of the butt connector. Thankfully I noticed it and taped it up before it made contact with the metal frame. I need to call them about this. Not sure how they can fix the shorted out wire without tearing out the roof liner.

Also, the rear light wiring was problematic. Almost impossible to access the wiring and it did not appear to be in the wall. At least I could not find it. I ended up running my own wire for the rear lights. Much easier.

I don’t remember that being an option. Must be new. Mine came with the Velcro sewn into the top of the side walls. I will need to add my own Velcro to the bottom which isn’t a big deal. I plan on making my own thermo pack this fall.

We have a 4” mattress that we had from out last build. We generally leave sleeping bags/bedding and pillows up there when we close the top. It squished down just fine. We have about six inches of space on either side of the mattress which is nice for storing stuff.

I thought waiting three months sucked. Eight months is a long time to dream about your build.

 

I finally got around to installing awning mounts. I had a six foot ARB awning from our last build and I figured I’d reuse it. My last build I had mounts on the back and side. When traveling the awning would be on the side. Once at camp depending on the sun I could move it to the back if needed. Initially I considered a Bat Wing awning for the new build until I saw the price and weight. Plus the ARB has a nice awning room if I ever wanted to upgrade.

Whilst designing awning brackets, I came across IronMan4x4, an Australian company, that makes removable awning brackets. They allow you to move the awning easily and take it off when not needed. The basic set was $90. Additional mounts were $32.
https://ironman4x4america.com/awning-quick-release-mounting-brackets/

https://ironman4x4america.com/awning-quick-release-extra-hooks-kit/








I ended up putting mounts on the passenger side and rear. At some point I might consider putting mounts on the driver side as well. Taking the awning on and off is super simple now.

The side mounts where easy to install. Two holes drilled for each mount all the way through the wall. I fabricated a stylish aluminum plate on the inside for the bolts to go through.




The rear mounts where problematic because of the rear door lifters and the roof lifters, I had to fabricate a step out for the mounts. I used left over 2” 80/20 and some aluminum flat plate. Since I will never be traveling with the awning on the back, I didn’t drill all the way through the side. I used rivnuts instead.






I forgot to take pictures of the awning on the side. Next time we have it out I will take some pics and add them to the thread.

Overall it seems to work well when I remember it to bring the awning. Forgot it last weekend.

 

The removable awning mounts are plastic?

 

Yes. But it’s Australian plastic...

 

Hah, in that case I'm sold. Australians do know how to make stuff rugged.

 

AverageGuyTaco thanks for sharing all this, im on the fence of the same setup you have vs the fleet, what's your overall take on it now that you've had this for awhile? Would you change any of the setup you have with the side door etc...?
I'm thinking of this over the fleet for the customizing of floor space and more gear room, but really curious how well insulated it might be or if you think installing a Webasto would totally do the trick for winter use with some minor insulation mods?

 

We are still really enjoying the set up. We have 23 nights in it so far and a week long trip coming up. If I did it again, I would keep all the options I ordered. The side door is extremely useful. Adding the lifters is important though and a fairly cheap mod. Swapping out the ceiling vent with the Maxxair powered vent was worthwhile as well.

Hard to say on the insulation. Our plan is to use it in the winter. The topper itself is insulated as good as FWC slide in campers. The truck bed is the real issue. I installed a Chinese Webasto knock off to test out the diesel heater option. It has not been cold enough to really test it out. Although it pumps out some serious heat. I was planning on doing a write up about it once I could really test it out. I think it will do the trick. My brother has a Webasto in his Sprinter Van and it works quite well.

I looked at the fleet shell as an option and really considered it. The biggest issue is the weight. The Taco just doesn’t have a lot of carrying capacity especially the crew cab long bed. Just a Fleet Shell model will put you over weight. With the project m you get more flexibility. But even then if you have a lot of mods like bumpers, skids etc, plus people and gear you still are pushing the weight. I ended up adding airbags. My Icon leaf packs were just at max and I had the taco lean going. The airbags fixed he lean and give relief to the springs. They are fairly inexpensive and not hard to install. I also swapped out front springs to the stronger icons, 14” 700lbs springs. And I was having transmission heat issues in 4lo so I installed a bigger trans cooler and fan. This past weekend we did a trip with 100+miles of dirt. The ride was super nice and comfortable and the truck ride height was great. The transmission stayed cool as well. Regardless of what you get, expect to put some $ in for suspension mods if you haven’t already and possibly a transmission cooler if you do a lot of slow 4lo travel or a lot of hilly driving. After I realized I was having a heat issue, I found that driving in the mountains my transmission temps were +250F. I over heated once while in 4lo.

But, one thing about the slide in camper is it is easish to remove. The project m cam be removed as well, but getting it on and aligned would be a pain. Plus my build is integrated into the topper so to remove the topper would required me to take a lot apart.

All said and done, I like the Taco and the set up we have, but if I were to do it different, I think I would have gone with a Tundra or Ram truck instead just cause of the weight issue. I’m in it for the long haul now though.

I was planning on doing a follow up write up in a few weeks after I get back from my next trip. If you have any specific questions let me know.

 

AverageGuyTaco thank you for all that!

I do have upgraded suspension and the icon aal in the rear since I already have a camper and load/gear, figured i could skate by with the extra few pounds from a traditional cap to the model m seeing that its not over the top heavy....

Would love to know more about the heating install you did when the time comes for a proper test or review. Thinking of doing that setup and curious how the install was on the tacoma, assuming you went with the petrol version to tap into your tank?

Side note, found out today that they're 54 weeks out... light math and thats about 1 year and 2 weeks order time.... holy #@$t