Truck Camper Tipping Over.
Truck Camper Tipping Over.
Bob55 |
Jul 17 2015, 04:13 AM
Post
#1
|
Group: Members Posts: 2 Joined: 17-July 15 Member No.: 8,355 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Host Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: GMC 2500 Type of Tiedowns used: None as yet Truck and Camper Setup: 2005 Host and bought for 8900.00 |
Hi, My local Truck dealer has told me never buy a truck camper because it can tip over because it's top heavy and is dangerous. I can see on a single axle truck but not on a dually truck. Have you ever heard of a camper tipping over?
Thanks, Bob |
dubob |
Jul 18 2015, 10:20 AM
Post
#2
|
Group: Members Posts: 49 Joined: 26-April 13 Member No.: 6,605 Favorite Truck Camper(s): 2011 Lance 992 Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: 2010 Chevy 2500HD, Ext Cab, 6.0L Type of Tiedowns used: Happijac w/ Qwik-Loads Truck and Camper Setup: TC pulled behind the truck on a gooseneck trailer |
QUOTE(Bob55 @ Jul 17 2015, 03:13 AM) Have you ever heard of a camper tipping over? Nope! -------------------- Bob Hicks, from Utah
I'm 75 years young and going as hard as I can for as long as I can. "Free men don't ask permission to bear arms." - Glen Aldrich "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." = Dr. Seuss |
Spanky |
Jul 19 2015, 08:12 PM
Post
#3
|
Moderator Group: Moderator Posts: 320 Joined: 24-June 06 From: Silver City, New Mexico Member No.: 144 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Lance 1030 Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: 1999 F350 Power Stroke Dually SuperCab Type of Tiedowns used: Torklift Truck and Camper Setup: 1999 Ford F350 4x4 Super Cab 1 ton Dually Lance 1030 Torklift tiedowns |
I have heard of campers tipping over but not from normal driving.
-------------------- 1999 F350 Power Stroke Dually Super Cab, 2003 Lance 1030
|
Joemcg |
Aug 11 2015, 11:19 AM
Post
#4
|
Group: Members Posts: 16 Joined: 9-August 15 Member No.: 8,397 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Lance Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: F350 drw crew cab (1991) Type of Tiedowns used: Happijac Truck and Camper Setup: F350, happijacs, air bags, Rancho shocks, Reese tow beast class V |
QUOTE(Spanky @ Jul 19 2015, 08:12 PM) Off the truck, yes. On the truck, no. Older ones with hydraulic jacks, particularly those with only 3 hydraulic jacks probably were more prone to it. Certainly it can happen to a current model. The instructions for Atwood jacks specifically warn you not to raise the back of the camper more than the rear and also not to raise one side higher than the other. Either of those conditions could cause a jack to buckle according to their owners manual. On another forum there was a thread with pictures of a relatively new Lance that had been blown over in snow and wind. It required a 65T crane to right it as I remember. Incredibly the damage appeared relatively minor. Again this is a bit off topic but I have been in RV Parks where I have been told I could not take the camper off the truck (Oasis RV Park in Las Vegas is an example.) My guess is their insurance company is concerned about just such an occurrence. I think most of it is left over from the days of hydraulics however. -------------------- 1995 Lance 880
1991 F350 CC Dually Also Pacific Coachworks 276RBS TT |
rocket75757 |
Oct 4 2015, 09:32 PM
Post
#5
|
Group: Members Posts: 6 Joined: 4-October 15 Member No.: 8,503 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Lance Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: Toyota Tundra Type of Tiedowns used: Torklift Truck and Camper Setup: Tundra, Torklift, |
never heard of one tipping over unless it was a Tornado or some kind of FREAK winds..............
|
17 Oaks |
Oct 15 2015, 10:23 AM
Post
#6
|
Group: Members Posts: 56 Joined: 27-June 15 Member No.: 8,291 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Arctic Fox 1150 Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: '15 F 350 Dually 4x4 CC/LB King Ranch Type of Tiedowns used: Torklift Truck and Camper Setup: '15 F350, Rancho 9000XLS, StableLoads, Hellwig Big sway bar |
I do not believe TC's are top heavy based upon CoG. It DOES raise the CoG of your truck somewhat but most of the weight of a TC is at the lower half, in fact under the floor: 60 gal fresh, 45 black, 45 gray, waters. That is 150 gal capacity of liquid at 8 lbs per gal. Then all the other infrastructure support items, heaters, inverter, house batteries (I just replaced 2, each one weighs about 80 lbs) etc etc.
As for driving, the dynamics change a bit as you get a lot of lateral lean. If you want to fix that then I suggest a set (F/R) of Hellwig, Big Wig sway bars to REALLY flatten out that ride and let you drive it on the back roads like its a rocket ship on rails. I just did this on my F 350 and was blown away by the stability... |
CAJones |
Mar 7 2016, 09:16 AM
Post
#7
|
Group: Members Posts: 4 Joined: 21-February 16 Member No.: 8,745 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Arctic Fox Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: F350 SRW, FX4, 6.4L Diesel, Ext Cab Type of Tiedowns used: Torklift Truck and Camper Setup: 2008 F350, 2015 Arctic Fox 990. I use torklifts on the front and bumper buttons on the rear, Firestone brand manually inflated airbags, and a rubber mat between the truck bed and camper. |
QUOTE(Bob55 @ Jul 17 2015, 04:13 AM) Hi, My local Truck dealer has told me never buy a truck camper because it can tip over because it's top heavy and is dangerous. I can see on a single axle truck but not on a dually truck. Have you ever heard of a camper tipping over? Thanks, Bob Truck campers obviously are extremely top-heavy. But they only tip over when you forget you're hauling a camper while entering a turn. But though they're easier to tip over than a car, it's no need to panic. I don't worry about tipping over because I take it nice and easy. And I would also advise you not drive through heavy winds. |
spudthegreater |
Jul 21 2017, 10:50 AM
Post
#8
|
Group: Members Posts: 2 Joined: 20-July 17 Member No.: 9,647 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Alpenlite Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: F250 long bed supercab 2006 Type of Tiedowns used: na Truck and Camper Setup: na |
QUOTE(CAJones @ Mar 7 2016, 09:16 AM) Truck campers obviously are extremely top-heavy. But they only tip over when you forget you're hauling a camper while entering a turn. But though they're easier to tip over than a car, it's no need to panic. I don't worry about tipping over because I take it nice and easy. And I would also advise you not drive through heavy winds. Ive never seen a truck camper combo flipped over but ive seen more than a few pickup trailer combos on their side, probably because they didnt use anti sway bars hitch receivers... had that issue with a jeep towing a small camper trailer... couldn't go over 45...fish tailed crazy. |
Chief 2 |
Jul 22 2017, 06:24 AM
Post
#9
|
Group: Members Posts: 59 Joined: 19-March 17 Member No.: 9,469 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Lance Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: 2005 Chevrolet 3500 4x4 Type of Tiedowns used: Happijac with Quick Loads Truck and Camper Setup: 2005 Chevy 3500 4x4 Edge Attitude, 4" exhaust, Airaid Air Intake, Ranchos, Air Bags, Hellwig Big Wig, Cabover struts. Lance 1172 loaded with 200 watt Renogy solar and Zamp controller |
Your local truck dealer doesn't know what he is talking about
|
DWJoyce |
Jul 22 2017, 03:10 PM
Post
#10
|
Group: Members Posts: 14 Joined: 8-May 17 Member No.: 9,537 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Lance Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: '66 Chevy K10 Type of Tiedowns used: Don't know Truck and Camper Setup: 8' cabover with helper strings on the rear of the truck. In the process of rebuilding an old camper with rotten floors and a leaking roof. Will add a toilet and shower and replace the icebox with a refrigerator. |
QUOTE(Bob55 @ Jul 17 2015, 04:13 AM) ... it can tip over because it's top heavy and is dangerous... Truck campers are bottom heavy. Even the old ones from the 70s, without grey and black water tanks, have very little structure above the plywood base. I'm rebuilding an old one and have calculated that the part of the camper at or below the bedsides is 70% of the total weight. The only reason it isn't higher is because the cabover has a full sheet of plywood and a few appliances and the propane bottle are above the bed. That said, the side area is at least twice the side area of the truck by itself. To solve that problem, open the windows if you need to drive in a very strong side wind. |
SidecarFlip |
Jul 22 2017, 03:49 PM
Post
#11
|
Group: Members Posts: 472 Joined: 15-October 16 Member No.: 9,221 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Forest River Palomino SS Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: 1997 Ford F350 4x4 LB SRW CC 7.3 diesel Type of Tiedowns used: HappyJac standard Truck and Camper Setup: 1997 Ford F350 4 door 4x4 Crew Cab 7.3 Diesel, Lance 915 loaded, 2015 Palomino SS1500 Loaded |
|
Sidehillsoup |
Aug 29 2017, 10:01 AM
Post
#12
|
Group: Members Posts: 4 Joined: 28-August 17 Member No.: 9,729 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Northern Lite Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: 2017 Sierra SLE, 3500 HD / 4x4 / Duramax with a 6 speed Allison Transmission Type of Tiedowns used: Torklift Reciver Hitch, Torklift Tidowns and Torklift Super Truss Hitch extension. Truck and Camper Setup: 2018 Northern Lite 8-11 EX Dry Bath, ordered with U Shaped Dinette, No A/C, instead an extra Fantastic Fan, three MaxAir vent covers, propane / elec hot water tank, 1/4 inch propane quick-connect, with Torklift Reciver Hitch, Torklift Tidowns and Torklift Super Truss Hitch extension. |
QUOTE(Bob55 @ Jul 17 2015, 02:13 AM) Hi, My local Truck dealer has told me never buy a truck camper because it can tip over because it's top heavy and is dangerous. I can see on a single axle truck but not on a dually truck. Have you ever heard of a camper tipping over? Thanks, Bob Your truck dealer is a truck dealer and knows squat about every type of camper on the market. My Northern Lite 8-11 has a very low centre of gravity because of its fibreglass construction. The three liquid tanks are in the floor and against the truck cab wall. Genatrator storage compartment is truck bed level, the batteries are just above that, and inline with the propane tanks which would be the top of the bed rail. There is nothing besides a couple of cupboards and the fridge freezer that are above the roof of the truck. Nothing top heavy here. Soup |
17 Oaks |
Aug 29 2017, 10:52 AM
Post
#13
|
Group: Members Posts: 56 Joined: 27-June 15 Member No.: 8,291 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Arctic Fox 1150 Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: '15 F 350 Dually 4x4 CC/LB King Ranch Type of Tiedowns used: Torklift Truck and Camper Setup: '15 F350, Rancho 9000XLS, StableLoads, Hellwig Big sway bar |
QUOTE(Sidehillsoup @ Aug 29 2017, 10:01 AM) Your truck dealer is a truck dealer and knows squat about every type of camper on the market. My Northern Lite 8-11 has a very low centre of gravity because of its fibreglass construction. The three liquid tanks are in the floor and against the truck cab wall. Genatrator storage compartment is truck bed level, the batteries are just above that, and inline with the propane tanks which would be the top of the bed rail. There is nothing besides a couple of cupboards and the fridge freezer that are above the roof of the truck. Nothing top heavy here. Soup Soup you are pretty much spot on. Certainly a TC raises the CoG, but as Soup said, the serious weight is under the floor in the liquid tanks. Yes you can flip a TC over as you are driving...ITS NOT A CORVETTE FOLKS! It won't pull 1 G around a corner and remain upright, but your truck won't either. Common sense, proper modifications to your truck to increase its safety envelope and handling should be in order [Rear sway bar oversize, improved shocks and slightly taller spring contacts on the rear springs]...for my truck this means: Hellwig Big Wig swaybar, Rancho 9000 XL adjustable shocks and StableLoad spring bumpers. |
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 10th June 2024 - 05:12 AM |