silvrzuki77
explorer
Nice Aliner! I couldnt find one that worked with 3 kids and me in a small size. More pics!
Why aren't popup's more popular?
- Thread starter jnelson4x4taco
- Start date
Petrolburner
Explorer
At first glance I thought that was identical paint to mine! How do you like it? What Timbren lift?
monark192
Observer
I used Timbren part # ASR2KHDS03 which is 4" lift, wide tires, 2000lb springs. Only been out once so far but like it a lot - big improvement. Seems to bounce less, obviously has much better clearance. Only minus is that I can no longer see over the top of it through the rear view mirror in my Xterra - given your choice of tow vehicle though, I imagine you are used to that 
Petrolburner
Explorer
I used Timbren part # ASR2KHDS03 which is 4" lift, wide tires, 2000lb springs. Only been out once so far but like it a lot - big improvement. Seems to bounce less, obviously has much better clearance. Only minus is that I can no longer see over the top of it through the rear view mirror in my Xterra - given your choice of tow vehicle though, I imagine you are used to that
It's a good and bad thing. I appreciate having the headlights of vehicles behind me blocked at night.
justbecause
perpetually lost
Love this discussion! :ylsmoke:
I love that pig.
kwill
Observer
Old, but good, thread. I like popups and have been camping with them since the 1960s. Construction and track width for many of them can be a problem if you are really taking them on rugged trails. Stapled particle board and tiny wheels don't hold up. But they are quick to set up and have lots of advantages compared to the expedition type trailer with RTT that is so "in" right now. I suspect that looks do have a lot to do with it, kind of like a Gobi rack vs. Thule or Yakima. If I can find a used one I want my next trailer to be one of these all aluminum, welded frame trailers: https://www.livinlite.com/bearcat8-overview.php.
Jeepinaaron
Adventurer
2006 Fleetwood Neon, slightly modified.
MandAtaco
Observer
My family grew up in popups, traveled all over in them. My wife and I did the tent camping thing for the first 9 years of our marriage, but right before our 3rd kid, we decided it was time for an "upgrade". We were both tired of stepping over little ones, around pack-N-plays, standing in puddles of water under the tent, etc. Our "needs" were a little different than most, we don't do the campground thing very often, usually FS and BLM land. We needed something that could go down a dirt road, sleep 5 of us, and haul 2 quads.
I started with a 91 Starcraft 8.5' box, I cut the tongue, suspension, and rear bumper off, and sat the entire thing on a 2x4" steel frame. It's got a 3500# Dexter axle with brakes on 15" wheels. The quad racks on the top come off in 5 pieces which allows the pop-up to function as normal. It weights 1900# with the rack installed, full propane bottle and the battery installed.
It pulls great and is SO MUCH nicer to camp in as a family.
Now, I'd never attempt to drag this thing across the Rubicon, it wasn't built for that. It was built for dirt roads/trails and it works great for that. All I'd really like to change at this point is to put some A/T tires on it.
I started with a 91 Starcraft 8.5' box, I cut the tongue, suspension, and rear bumper off, and sat the entire thing on a 2x4" steel frame. It's got a 3500# Dexter axle with brakes on 15" wheels. The quad racks on the top come off in 5 pieces which allows the pop-up to function as normal. It weights 1900# with the rack installed, full propane bottle and the battery installed.
It pulls great and is SO MUCH nicer to camp in as a family.
Now, I'd never attempt to drag this thing across the Rubicon, it wasn't built for that. It was built for dirt roads/trails and it works great for that. All I'd really like to change at this point is to put some A/T tires on it.
Longtallsally
Adventurer
My family grew up in popups, traveled all over in them. My wife and I did the tent camping thing for the first 9 years of our marriage, but right before our 3rd kid, we decided it was time for an "upgrade". We were both tired of stepping over little ones, around pack-N-plays, standing in puddles of water under the tent, etc. Our "needs" were a little different than most, we don't do the campground thing very often, usually FS and BLM land. We needed something that could go down a dirt road, sleep 5 of us, and haul 2 quads.
I started with a 91 Starcraft 8.5' box, I cut the tongue, suspension, and rear bumper off, and sat the entire thing on a 2x4" steel frame. It's got a 3500# Dexter axle with brakes on 15" wheels. The quad racks on the top come off in 5 pieces which allows the pop-up to function as normal. It weights 1900# with the rack installed, full propane bottle and the battery installed.
It pulls great and is SO MUCH nicer to camp in as a family.
Now, I'd never attempt to drag this thing across the Rubicon, it wasn't built for that. It was built for dirt roads/trails and it works great for that. All I'd really like to change at this point is to put some A/T tires on it.
You are the first person I've seen do what I had thought about with a pop up; put a real rack to carry other toys on it. Then I discovered the Evo series and we were done.
This is cool to hear others' thoughts and experiences. Our Evo 1 is either of ours first camper experience. After many years of motocamping, it is is a 5 star resort. And now I get to take my dirt bike and ride the hardest trails, come "home" to a cold beer, shower, and queen sized bed? With heat and BBQ too? And it was less than half what any new camper or off road tear drop, or about the same or less than half the silly "expo" simple utility trailers? Not to mention the boss likes the comfort and can take care of the kids easily with the water and such? No brainer.
Admittedly I use it solo about as often as when we do family trips, but I enjoy being comfy while not having a care about a broken bike now that I just can't see going back.
Now ours is a good bit heavier than many of these, but it also has more space, more beef, and everything but AC already there. The profile is lower than the top on the Jeep so it also is the same hit that a rack and RTT would be on economy. Again, no brainer. Only downside is we're limited to 55mph in Kalifornistan.
Enough babbling, eye candy:
Rack has to be on there with a FULL setup: mom, baby, 2 Rhodesian Ridgebacks, dirt bike, fuel, and all the accompanying paraphernalia.
Only bummer with ours is that we can only do 1 bike. There is the Evo 2 or 3, but that gets outside the towing capacity of the Jeep.
And like someone else mentioned, a hardside would rock as time is very limited for me as well as I could pull over and crawl in the back sleep. But finances just won't allow for that luxury right now.
While my pop-up is only maintained with required fixes, I have a generalized idea of 'what' will eventually be done. We will not upgrade in any fashion, beyond modifications...
But we do not take our camper to hard-to-reach spots.
It is relatively old and needs some changes. It is more for my wife and I, than our kids. We prefer not to take kids or kick them outside in a tent.
It can be easily pulled behind our van or Jeep.
To replace it would cost more than I want to spend....
Truck+Camper+trailer=pull Mustang or Jeep.
or...
Pop-up behind Jeep.
The first night in our PUP was the 'official': I will never camp in a tent again. Crazy storm and I woke up dry in the morning.
But we do not take our camper to hard-to-reach spots.
It is relatively old and needs some changes. It is more for my wife and I, than our kids. We prefer not to take kids or kick them outside in a tent.
It can be easily pulled behind our van or Jeep.
To replace it would cost more than I want to spend....
Truck+Camper+trailer=pull Mustang or Jeep.
or...
Pop-up behind Jeep.
The first night in our PUP was the 'official': I will never camp in a tent again. Crazy storm and I woke up dry in the morning.
Desert Rat 1
Adventurer
Great thread! I see an expo trailer/rtt set up for longer trips, expedition type of travel, but with family and shorter overland trips; a pop-up it's a great choice. They're relatively cheap and can be easily modified and reinforced to be used on rougher off-road trails and tons of upgrades are possible to satisfy your various needs. I can set up mine in less than 10 minutes without having to unhook it from my jeep (I made a longer hitch tongue) and everything is pretty much there already.
Yeah, got our pop up all geared up for travel now. Over this winter I am collecting pieces to do the lift, new tires and wheels, plus re connect the brakes. I was under it awhile ago and noticed that one brake is unplugged. I was also looking at going with LED all through out for lighting and adding a new solar power system and battery.
We have the bathroom/shower enclosure and going to make a road shower system for hot water on the roof rack of the camper as well.
We have the bathroom/shower enclosure and going to make a road shower system for hot water on the roof rack of the camper as well.
Itsavanman
Adventurer
much like small tear drop trailers aren't very popular either, the general Joe camper basically wants all the creature comforts of home, like microwaves, TV's etc etc.. trailer camping used to be a working mans pastime, where the point was to g.t.f.o. and away from "civilization" and reconnect with friends and family. Nowadays it seems that they all cater to folks with huge disposable income, who can drop 50k on a tow rig and 100k on a 38' 5th wheel and "camp" in a campground with a rec room and wifi internet, and avoid actual interaction.. that being said, smallish trailers that offer only shelter and few creature comforts have gone the way of the dodo..
Curtis in Texas
Adventurer
I've read through all 11 pages and enjoyed your discussion and I have a suggestion.
Some of you guys have mentioned not being able to see over your Pop Up Trailers when towing because of heigth. I have rigged up several vehicles that I tow behind my Motorcoach with wireless back up cameras on their back bumpers. Don't see why a simular setup won't work with a Pop Up trailer.
For example, I bought a back up camera, like I said, with a wireless rear camera.
The monitor and camera are supposed to be wired into the back up light circuits.
I wired mine with a switch on the towed and the Motorhome. The MH already has a back up camera to watch over the towed, so this rear view monitor is another small tv monitor on the dash of the coach.
My Towed has a battery circuit from the Coach, so running down the Towed Battery is not a problem. Comes in handy for monitoring traffic that I'm passing, or backing up in crowded fueling stations or restaurant parking lots. (Yea, I know I can't back up a towed far, but sometime all I need is 4 or 5 feet.)
If it were me, I would mount a wireless backup camera, with an on /off switch, on the back of my Pop Up Trailer above the spare tire and under the bed slide. Wire it into the battery, OR maybe use a solar panel to keep the trailer battery full.
Put the wireless back up monitor on the dash and turn it on when towing. This way you'd have a high tech, low amperage draw, rear view mirror for towing and backing up.
(I've owned several pop up trailers before the Class A and the wife and I are in the market for another pop up.
I will use this rear camera idea on my Pop Up because I want to tow it behind my 4X4 Rodeo.)
Heck, if a guy needed to, he could add multiple back up cameras on the trucks roof rack to eliminate the blind spots down the sides of the truck and camper too!
Just thinking outside the box here!
Some of you guys have mentioned not being able to see over your Pop Up Trailers when towing because of heigth. I have rigged up several vehicles that I tow behind my Motorcoach with wireless back up cameras on their back bumpers. Don't see why a simular setup won't work with a Pop Up trailer.
For example, I bought a back up camera, like I said, with a wireless rear camera.
The monitor and camera are supposed to be wired into the back up light circuits.
I wired mine with a switch on the towed and the Motorhome. The MH already has a back up camera to watch over the towed, so this rear view monitor is another small tv monitor on the dash of the coach.
My Towed has a battery circuit from the Coach, so running down the Towed Battery is not a problem. Comes in handy for monitoring traffic that I'm passing, or backing up in crowded fueling stations or restaurant parking lots. (Yea, I know I can't back up a towed far, but sometime all I need is 4 or 5 feet.)
If it were me, I would mount a wireless backup camera, with an on /off switch, on the back of my Pop Up Trailer above the spare tire and under the bed slide. Wire it into the battery, OR maybe use a solar panel to keep the trailer battery full.
Put the wireless back up monitor on the dash and turn it on when towing. This way you'd have a high tech, low amperage draw, rear view mirror for towing and backing up.
(I've owned several pop up trailers before the Class A and the wife and I are in the market for another pop up.
I will use this rear camera idea on my Pop Up because I want to tow it behind my 4X4 Rodeo.)
Heck, if a guy needed to, he could add multiple back up cameras on the trucks roof rack to eliminate the blind spots down the sides of the truck and camper too!
Just thinking outside the box here!