STREGA'S 2016 Ram 3500 cab/chassis adventure truck build

[STREGA]

Sounds good. Hope it works out.
Stefan

I'am sending them a rough drawing of what I would like in a popup camper and they will let me know if they can do it. Not looking to do anything weird so should be able to come up with something that will work.

 

[STREGA]

Can you ship the truck up to ATC? So you don't have to take time off of work?

That is one solution. By the time we would be installing the camper the Ram will be our only vehicle so would have to either rent a car or buy a temporary POS vehicle to use. Also would like to be there for the install and they like to do a walk through with the new owner.

 

[Essiebessie]

Hi. I'm the person with the Alaskan on a flatbed that you saw in Grand Canyon. I'm also full time, and pull a two mule aluminum 4Star trailer, usually with one 800 lb mule in it. If you see this post soon you will probably find my truck in the same place until Sunday afternoon. I'd be happy to talk about the spare tire carrier. It came from XP Campers and has some drawbacks, but if you are a metal worker you could probably base a better design on it. I put it on the truck so I would have 2 spares. A friend put it on his truck so he could put an extra diesel tank under the bed where the original spare is. Both are good modifications.
The main problem with my carrier is that it has only one point of attachment, which is insufficient for an 80 lb. plus wheel. It can flex enough to impact the cab.

 

[Darwin]

@Essiebessie would love to see some pics of your alaskan.

 

[Clutch]

That is one solution. By the time we would be installing the camper the Ram will be our only vehicle so would have to either rent a car or buy a temporary POS vehicle to use. Also would like to be there for the install and they like to do a walk through with the new owner.

Was thinking ship it to them, then fly up there for the walk thru and drive it back. Doesn't save you any money, but saves a bit of time.

FWC won't budge on custom work? I see a few custom builds out there...as you said, would be awfully nice to pick it up from AT.

 

[STREGA]

Hi. I'm the person with the Alaskan on a flatbed that you saw in Grand Canyon. I'm also full time, and pull a two mule aluminum 4Star trailer, usually with one 800 lb mule in it. If you see this post soon you will probably find my truck in the same place until Sunday afternoon. I'd be happy to talk about the spare tire carrier. It came from XP Campers and has some drawbacks, but if you are a metal worker you could probably base a better design on it. I put it on the truck so I would have 2 spares. A friend put it on his truck so he could put an extra diesel tank under the bed where the original spare is. Both are good modifications.
The main problem with my carrier is that it has only one point of attachment, which is insufficient for an 80 lb. plus wheel. It can flex enough to impact the cab.

Thanks Essiebessie. I was curious on how well it held the spare and how it cleared the cab over of the camper when rotating the spare from its stored position. If the spare had a cradle of some sort to sit in do you think that would help keep the spare from hitting the cab?

BTW I really like your rig!

 

[STREGA]

FWC won't budge on custom work? I see a few custom builds out there...as you said, would be awfully nice to pick it up from AT.[/QUOTE]

They don't do much if any custom work now, they did some in the past though. Saw a flatbed at Overland Expo a few years ago and they said then that they were no longer willing to do custom work.

 

[Durango]

FWC won't budge on custom work?/QUOTE]
Ummmm... basically no.

As a customer (I've bought two new Hawks in the last four years) FWC's "no custom work" stance drives me nuts. As a management consultant (which I also am) it makes perfect sense. Talk about being torn!

 

[STREGA]

FWC won't budge on custom work?/QUOTE]
Ummmm... basically no.

As a customer (I've bought two new Hawks in the last four years) FWC's "no custom work" stance drives me nuts. As a management consultant (which I also am) it makes perfect sense. Talk about being torn!

I understand why FWC doesn't do custom work and it's OK. There are other companies that are willing to fill the void. Now that the holidays are over I'm getting serious about getting a custom built flatbed camper. Starting with All Terrain Campers, can't wait to see what they can do.

 

[Clutch]

They don't do much if any custom work now, they did some in the past though. Saw a flatbed at Overland Expo a few years ago and they said then that they were longer willing to do custom work.

This Fuso keeps on popping up in my searches, which is why I was wondering.

 

[STREGA]

This Fuso keeps on popping up in my searches, which is why I was wondering.

That's the one I saw at the Expo, pretty sure that pic is from the Expo. It got a lot of attention and might have helped them to decide that there was a market for flatbed campers, IIRC I believe the next year they had a Tacoma with a flatbed camper on it.

 

[STREGA]

First load on the flatbed!

 

[Clutch]

That's the one I saw at the Expo, pretty sure that pic is from the Expo. It got a lot of attention and might have helped them to decide that there was a market for flatbed campers, IIRC I believe the next year they had a Tacoma with a flatbed camper on it.

It keeps on popping up on my [re]searches. Moto buddy has a Fuso and loves it. His is just a simple box van, nothing fancy.

They probably don't make much money off of custom work.

First load on the flatbed!

Nice, you guys are getting a bunch of snow there too. While I don't think we in Southern Idaho are getting a lot of of snow, at least what i was used to growing up in PA...but we are breaking records...locals are complaining up storm. it is kinda funny.

 

[reedzbetweenthelines]

Wondering what your trucks Front and Rear Axle Weights are?

 

[STREGA]

Wondering what your trucks Front and Rear Axle Weights are?

According to the spec charts front axle is 5500 lbs and the rear is 6800 lbs.