[Hard Side] Camper options for Toyota Tundra 2006 AC SR5 TRD?

[bumblebus]

I think the lightest option may be a cab over canopy, made by Cache Camper, from my home state of Alaska. Admittedly not as nice as a full camper, but must be light...
http://www.cachecamper.com/photo-gallery/cab-over-canopies/
I plan to visit the manufacturer to see what one of these weighs.

So weird.. I *just* yesterday found their site as well. Looks very intriguing for Gen 1 Tundras:

Edit: Bigger photo from their Facebook page:

Please, please do let us know everything you find out about them.

It seems that everyone's needs are clearly a little different. I don't envy manufacturers having to cater to the most common denominators. Seems that a savvy manufacturer would create a base template and allow for infinite customizations... more or less what the pop-toppers are doing like FWC etc. with their shells that you can start with, but in a hard side. I know my wife and I require hard sides for weather, bear (I know.. silly fear, but we are in the heart of Montana bear country after all) protection, full size door, minimum 6'4" internal height (I'm also 6'2"), north/south bed is a much and at least an internal Thetford-type toilet, but we cook 95% outside, can shower outside (if at all... rivers/lakes work great) etc. etc. so don't need a 'kitchen' or 'bathroom' per se.

Maybe Cache can accommodate these specific needs... who knows. Like I said keep us posted. I'm about to the point of researching how to build an uber-lightweight Gen 1 Tundra specific camper myself. LOL.

 

[19mile]

I plan to visit Cache Camper in a couple weeks when I get back home, and see what their products offer, and also what they weigh. I'll certainly post anything I see.

Here's an interesting thread about pushing the limits of the Tundra...
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/...-vs-34-ton-my-story-to-help-others/?hl=tundra

 

[ripperj]

Those are cool looking campers, I had never heard of them. The shell on the Brute looks awesome.

Re being over weight, tons of opinions. There's overweight(say 1000# over on a F250) and then there is what I think is unsafe( 1000# over on a Tacoma)
You can get a HD truck with payloads from 2000#-6800# and the only difference is the badging, the sticker on the door jamb and the springs.
At the end of the day it's a matter of how you drive and what you are comfortable with. A heavy load on a small truck is definitely harder on the drive train and is more unstable.



Sent from my Passport using Tapatalk 2

 

[bumblebus]

Re being over weight, tons of opinions.

One of our issues is that we're looking at this from a 'daily driver' point of view moving forward as well. I work at a ski resort so more or less need either a truck or subaru etc., but also want to non-tent camp spring/summer/fall and I don't want to clutter my yard with a bunch of vehicles for each different task... like an eco-commuter and a Sprinter/ProMaster or whatever. I also don't want like a dualie F350 diesel getting 8mpg climbing the mountain either though that would be ideal for the slide in camper weight issue. We recently borrowed the in-laws '72 Chinook on a dualie F350 flatbed and that's what got this whole slide in obsession started. It was nice.



Our '72 VW bus was actually a pretty perfect camping machine (very high ground clearance, engine over the rear wheels for great traction/torque use etc) for billy goating around forest service roads... except when we'd break down 3x in 15 miles (seriously... that was our record and we broke down at least once every camping trip... thankfully you can fix most anything on a '72 bus with spare parts, duct tape, super glue and gum). I also had an '89 VW Westy and that was pretty nice, but also wasn't nearly reliable enough as a daily driver.

After so much research it seems our perfect weekend getaway/daily driver hybrid is a '1/2' ton with the lightest weight hard side we can find/build. Maybe. LOL.

 

[hayduke]

Try out a northern lite 6'10" or an older bigfoot for import trucks, blue board insulated, carpet inside... kijiji in canada has a bunch.. just don't mention at the border that you picked up a new camper...

 

[bumblebus]

Took a look at a sweet 1986 Six Pac 8' yesterday, but, sadly, will not fit into the bed of a Gen-1 Tundra (well maybe with the tailgate down as it would have to be anyways for an 8' camper in a 6' bed). Self contained, 6'4" interior etc. So nice. So cheap. Measured a friend's Gen-1 bed and it was 58" wide on the inner rail whilst this camper's rear was just over 64". Close, but no cigar. The sellers are having trouble selling because people aren't finding the bed width. "Wet" weight 1,775lbs. Hmm. There must be a way. I need to measure the wide back part and see if it would fully rest on a dropped tailgate. The inner bottom part is 48" and would fit the wheelwell Gen-1 width just fine.

http://kalispell.craigslist.org/rvs/5261301090.html

 

[turbothrush]

The Northern Lite 6' 10" fits nice on a Gen 1 tundra..weighs 1020 lbs dry (certified scale) I would not put much stock in what manufacturer says for any of them.

 

[bumblebus]

Only problem I have with the NL 6'10" (aside from finding one and/or getting it to the states) is:

"Interior headroom (feet-inches) 5-11"

http://www.northern-lite.com/truck_camper_lite_610.php

Pushing 6' 3" tall that's a deal breaker for me unfortunately. :-(

 

[calicamper]

Guessing flatbed option isn't in the budget? Lots of FWC folks do cold weather with the soft side pop ups and seem to do Ok. Though they aren't living in them full time except this guy does off and on Www.Arestlesstransplant.com

Whats the Tacoma pay load 1200lbs? I think the new Colorado is 1400lbs of course with stock tires and suspension. I'm sure that is higher with higher load rated tires and upgrades to the springs. If size is a non issue then as mentioned bigger truck probably is a good idea. Www.Arestlesstransplant.com - points out he wanted a vehicle with a foot print that still allowed him to park in the city which case the Tacoma with the pop top works much better for that vs a full sized with hard sided camper.

 

[bumblebus]

Hi calicamper. Thanks for the link. I'll check out the restless transplant. My wife and I are more going for a reliable pickup than a new camper per se, which is why that 1986 Six-Pac is so tempting. I also kinda like an older camper that is in decent shape inside because if we're boondocking somewhere even remotely sketchy an older camper is more likely to be passed over than a shiny new camper for thievers etc.

I'll look into the Colorado. I have a co-worker that has a newer Colorado I think. Not set on a Tundra/Toyota, but all my friends that have them swear by them. I have quite a few local friends with Ford F-150s and, though they like them, they don't call them Fix Or Repair Daily for no reason.

My father-in-law with a Tundra '06 (the whole reason I want one) helped me measure a bunch of stuff yesterday and we're pretty convinced that with minimal modifications the 8' Six-Pac would fit on the bed with extended tailgate. With tailgate down the Tundra bed/gate length is *exactly* 96", which is perfect. We'd have to trim the back of the camper a few inches I think and add brake lights, but it all seems doable. It's gonna be hard to beat a self contained Six-Pac for that price and at that weight these days.

Who knows... maybe a build thread will be forthcoming. ;-)

 

[19mile]

That looks like a nice unit. Bet you could get it for a few hundred as he's asking $1000 and winter is coming on. I also suspect you could do some work and lighten it up a bit, just taking the cabinet doors off and replacing with mesh would be a start. I like it!

Glad to see you enjoying MT, I'm a Bobcat alum but lived in Missoula for 3 years. Miss it.

 

[bumblebus]

Heya 19mile. Also a Bobcat! I'm so stupid though I started a restaurant delivery business in Bozeman called the Grizzly Express in the mid-90s when I first moved there. Couldn't figure out why I was getting hate calls until I learned about the Cat-Griz rivalry. True story. LOL.

I ended up buying the local Six-Pac today!! I don't mind giving him $1,000 for it since it's so turn-key and every sub-system works well... amazingly. The seller turns out to be a friend of the in-laws and took really good care of it so it's a win-win. Cruising Craigslist nationally I feel like this is a good deal.

I measured a bunch of stuff on my father in-laws 2006 Tundra and with the tailgate down (and airbags/leafs etc) this unit should fit decently actually. I agree that I should be able to lighten it up a bit and also will likely travel with minimal water etc. I don't need 32 gallons/256lbs of water for a weekend trip. If that doesn't pan out I'll just get a bigger truck haha. I plan to borrow the father in-laws Gen 1 for testing once the camper has been given a good once over. We'll see how it goes.

Stay tuned.

 

[boxcar1]

Look around on craigs list . Search " small camper " They turn up often enough.
Parris Valley , Big foot , northern lite , Okanagan , Lance , are just a few of the manufacturers who used to build " Import " size campers. Most are under 1000 lbs dry.
I have owned a few.
Okanagan 7'6" sitting in a full size Dodge. Notice the pallets .
This one was for sale in BC last month $1700 . The guy pulled the add for winter.




Lance 7'6 in Caldwell Idaho $1100 currently on Craigslist.
Again , siting on a half tone full size truck but designed for an imports narrow fender clearance.






1976 Parris Valley 7'6" Sold in Oregon city last month for $850





Six pack 7' camper 1993 . Sold this month .





What you are looking for is out there. You just have to be looking all the time and MUST be willing to pull the trigger fast. They don't last long.
Good luck.

 

[bumblebus]

What you are looking for is out there. You just have to be looking all the time and MUST be willing to pull the trigger fast. They don't last long.
Good luck.

Hey boxcar1. I ended up pouncing on an '86 Six-Pac MC100SC in excellent, turn-key condition. Just need to pair it with a rig now haha.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/150039-1986-Six-Pac-MC-100SC-8

 

[boxcar1]

Cool. Congratulations on the new (to you ) camper. 6Pac's are a well built little unit.