Catfish K''
What size is it?? Most of the old ones were heavy due to wood 2"x2" framing that held moisture. Does it have those jacks to get it on and off truck?? Does it have 3 or 4?? 4 is GOOD. 3 is " BOY I HOPE THIS DOES NOT FALL ON ME AND RUIN MY DAY".
The old truck campers tended to have rotten wood where the jacks mounted, so they were junk. Rotten Wood = Junk. I have even tried to garyrig the jack mounts with 1/4 x 3" x 3" angle and it did not work worth a hoot.
It takes a lot of truck to haul a truck camper.
I know because I have one. My truck is a 2000 F 250 4x4, extended cab, full size bed, 5 speed stick, 5.4 Triton V8. My camper is a 1997 9 and a half foot job with a queen size bed over the cab'. It weighs 1967 Lbs. My truck is rated to haul more weight than the camper weighs, truck GVW is 9000, truck weighs 6700 to 6900 depending on fuel load and thats with all my tools and me inside. I had to add air bags to the back for added support, they were about 300 and I installed them. My truck would really sway and squatted with out them. Trouble is the camper weighs 1967 empty but then, in goes the canned goods, extra fishing gear [ sinkers, hooks, rod&reel set ups etc. extra props,], food, water, propane, and then there are your clothes, bedding, pots and pans, etc. etc. etc.... And that poor camper is now weighing over 3000 pounds.
I would recommend a 1 ton dually for truck campers and air bags too.
Now the real bad things about old truck campers besides wood rot. A lot of them will go 4000 lbs empty. Boy they get top heavy, and they sway.
In my area, old truck campers, you darn near have to pay someone to take. They are not worth scrapping out. Not enough good metal, and tooooo much wood and fiberglass insulation to get rid of. Our dumps charge by the pound to get rid of garbage. They are like old house trailers, you only have to do one to learn a hard lesson. Then you start charging people to get rid of them.
I'm not trying to ruin your dreams of a cheap camper. I just want to open up the eyes of a Friend.
I have had some awful truck campers in the past. The last old one I had went on top of a brush pile I had burning. Along with a fiberglass tri hull, that was another bargain, I was going to use.
I had welded on a Friends big 912 loader, and it had forks. And I did some Major cleaning with that loader and that brush pile. lol I was a man possessed. Boy did that boat smoke lol That camper went up like a match stick.
Hey get a good all weather tent, old carpet scrap, for a ground cloth, and enjoy the outdoors. Pick up a screened round one for over the picnic table, and you are set.
Or there is the so called easy payment plan on a good camper.
