Thinking about buying the above model. I know Northstar's reputation is solid. Anyone have experience with this specific model?

Thanks,

STeve

I took my TC off the truck today. Lowered, leveled with the cab over slightly raised. We're expecting high winds tonight, which is not uncommon. Should I be concerned as to a gust of wind blowing the TC over? I did a Google search and couldn't find an answer as to how much wind it would take.

Thought I'd register. been reading along for a while now (lurking).

Been truck camping for at least 12 years now.  I own a Lance and just bought a Forest River Palomino SS15000 Backpack.

My Lance is too heavy and too high to access the off road spots I like to frequent.  I'm a boondocker and I don't like campgrounds as a rule so, I bought a Backpack pop up slide in.  Lots lighter, lower Cg and it lends itself much better to my off road camping.

I carry it in an 1997 Ford F350 SRW 4x4 Crew Cab with a 7.3 diesel.  The only suspension mods are a set of Firestone air bags.  The Truck is 6 over stock with lockers front and rear and 33 x 10.50 x 16 All Terrain tires E rated.  Goes anywhere I need to go.

I went with a SS1500 because my wife likes the convenience of a full inside shower and toilet.  Myself, a roll of TP and the woods is fine....

I installed a Carefree Bag Awning and an extra Fantastic Fan, Xantrex Pro Sine 3000 watt Inverter and a Champion 2000 watt gas genny that sits very nicely on the camper floor when travelling.  I also modified the side lower wall of the camper with a wheelhouse access door do I can keep my recovery tools (chainsaw, Lewis Winch, shovel, snatch straps and chainsaw gas can) between the camper and the truck body, outside.

Needed the Xantrex because I sleep with a CPAP machine.  Amazingly, the Group 24 deep cycle battery runs the CPAP (via the Xabtrex) all night no issue.

Because the truck sits so high, the camper is almost 2 feet off the ground, my inventive wife bought a telescoping ladder that not only allows us easy entrance and exit from the camper, it also allows me to latch and unlatch the top when the camper is on the truck (pretty hard to reach the latches when the are 7 feet off the ground...

I've used the SS1500 4 times this year, all off road trips with no issue.  Everything works as it should, the Dometic 3 way fridge stays plenty cold, the Suburban 6 gallon water heater makes plenty of hot water, the Reico-Titan roof lift system works flawlessly and the manual jacks go up and down effortlessly with the help of the drill adapter and my DeWalt 24 volt cordless drill.

The cabover bunk is comfortable and with the windows all open it's like sleeping outside, minus the bugs.  It holds 22 gallons of fresh water and carries 2 20 pound propane bottles (I think one is actually sufficient) but a spare is nice.

Nice thing and the main reason I bought it (besides the much lower height which allows access to remote campsites) is the weight difference between the Lance and the SS 1500.  My Lance weighs 2500 pounds.  The Backpack weighs 1800 and the Cg is much lower (a big thing when off roading).

So I have 2.  The hotel like Lance and the camper like Backpack.  I think you know which I prefer.

Anyway, I have a ton of experience with Truck Campers and will be nosing around the threads, interjecting my words of wisdom and hopefully assisting others.

Not sure what 'breakover angle' is and if it pertains to hauling a truck camper on seasonal roads like I do.

Sounds like a rock crawling term and rock crawling with a TC, I don't believe would be to shall I say, safe to do.

I have a Palomino as well, but a new SS1500 with the one piece rear door...and wet bath.  The new 'Broncos' are very nice inside and outside.

I've seen a number of pickup trucks where the cab with 4 doors is longer than the bed.  Don't see the point myself, either.

I think it's a 'status' thing, having a non useable pickup truck to go grocery shopping with.

Certainly not a work truck configuration

Northstar just introduced a 7 foot self contained pop up TC for 1/2 ton short bed trucks.

TCM did a review with lots of pictures here:  http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/camper-...r-650sc-review/

Nice unit, well within the capacity of a 1/2 ton truck.

MSRP is $21,000.00 but like most units, expect to pay considerably less.  I'd say one can be had for 16-17 fully optioned out.

Take a look, nice, quality unit with everything needed for off road camping plus a low Cg.

Have no idea what a Northstar weighs but I bet the Palomino's weigh a lot less.  I think the 550 weighs about 1200 dry and 1700 wet.  I know my SS1500 weighs 1650 dry and 1900 wet.

My Lance weighs 2450 dry and 2900 wet.  It's a tank.

I tell everyone the same thing.  Weigh your truck empty then put on the camper, fill the FW tank and bottles and go weigh it again.  add another 500 pounds for food and junk and subtract the unladen weight from the gross weight and then look at the sticker on your door jamb and see..how overloaded  (or underloaded) you really are.  You could be shocked or surprised depending.

Yes I have the air ride 1000 air bags. Took a couple long trips during hunting season towing the RZR with the camper. Very happy.

Never believe what the sticker says because that weight is based on a bare bones camper with no water. propane or gear aboard.  I bet you are over 2000 pounds
  Any truck (or car) when braking, transfers the weight to the front axle, that is dynamics plus 70% of your total braking capacity is on the front brakes.

The only accurate way to determine the actual weight is weigh the truck itself on a certified scale like a CAT scale, then put on the camper (with your gear, full propane bottles and FW tank full and weigh again and subtract the first (truck weigh) from the second weigh..  I bet you'll be amazed at just how much you really weigh.

My 2014 Palomino stickers at 1800.  It actually weighs 2200 ready to go camping and if I really load up the truck I can push 2500.

In my opinion, people buy too little truck and expect that truck to handle loads it wasn't designed for and component life suffers (shocks, brakes, tires, transmission and fuel mileage).

I would never haul ANY truck camper in anything less than a 3/4 yon truck and a optioned put camper needs a 1 ton and possibly a DRW pickup to be safe.

Always remember, it may go down the road fine, but in an emergency situation, like a forced panic stop, it's not gonna happen.  You'll either hi the person in front of you (assured clear distance) or kill a pedestrian, I don't want to do either.

I firmly believe in having too much truck versus not having enough. and in reality, most 1/2 tin trucks today are glorified  grocery pick up vehicles and not much else.  People but them with tiny beds but the have to have 4 doors.

I don'y get that.  I've never owned a truck with a bed under 8 feet and don'y want to.  The purposed of a truck is to haul cargo not he cool.

Go weigh it.  I bet you'll be amazed.

I used to have the same truck model and year.  I think the Max payload on that was only around 1000-1200 lbs. (GVWR is around 6500 if I recall and your truck probably weighs around 5000lbs.  That only leaves 1500lbs payload not including passengers, gear etc) 

Your Laredo (which is an awesome camper BTW)  is easily over 2000 lbs dry.  Probably more like 2500 when loaded up.  Your almost certainly way over spec for your truck. Assuming you don't want to buy a new truck I'd say get new shocks all the way around (Rancho 9000's are awesome)  and heavier capacity springs for the front at least.

Sounds to me like your for and aft center of gravity is too far forward.  Your north-south Cg needs to be just ahead of the centerline of the rear axle with the camper loaded in the truck and all gear on board and can be adjusted by moving heavy items around in the camper.

You may also be putting too much air in your bags causing the weight transfer to the front axle.  When the camper is loaded you want the bed rails to sit level and not have the rear end up, like an unloaded truck with no load in the bed.  Check it with a bubble level with the truck/camper sitting in a level spot like a concrete parking lot or driveway.

Hi there,new to the forum, always thought truck campers were a neat idea and recently traded in my ram 1500 to a ram 3500 short box srw and can now look for a camper to fit me as i am almost 6'7 and 300 lbs with my mustang survival suit on i take up alot of room. i have a few questions if someone could help me. as about 95% of my truck camper use will be during fall steel head fishing oct-dec the weather and temps will be nasty cold as its on the shores of georgianbay ontario. is it wise to purchase a truck camper with a slide out if the snow and ice might be a issue or maybe draft issues? or should i look at a hardside unit with out a slide. and my truck is stock other than the cummins and upgraded heavy duty trans what should i do to my truck for a safer ride with the camper on as ill want to go as close to my payload max without being illegal. thanx for your time. hope to have a camper by spring

Picked my camper up on Tuesday. Drove the 300 miles home. No problems truck handled it great!
Ill post a pick if I can figure it out!

If your hooked up to "city water" just turn on your faucet on the hot side and when all air is out it is full and should fill automatically, if you are dry camping turn on hot faucet and your water pump untill all air is out and as long as you have your pump on it should fill automatically.

Raztec.....I have owned several of both styles of truck campers. You will definitely notice a lot more sway or rock and roll with the hard side. I just recently purchased a new palomino 1000. It was supposed to weigh in slightly over 2400 lbs...but comes closer to 3000. I experience extreme sway on my 12 Dodge Ram Cummins 3500 single wheel 4wd. I added a Hellwig big wig sway bar and Timbren pads. These two mods totally corrected my problems. If I had it to do over...I would of bought the new 14 palomino SS1500 slide in pop up. They did a lot changes on the new model. They added an electric lift with I believe a one piece fiberglass roof. If you have not bought one yet...they are definitely worth looking at...and very competitively priced.

Turn that switch to ON and set the temp. Make sure gas is on.