usms
Ohio
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Joined: 08/14/2008
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Hi all, new here and new to truck campers, matter of fact I'm not quite a truck camper owner, will probably be depending on the guidance I'm able to get. Seems like this will be the year our boy scouts start a lot of camping. I want to camp with them, but the ground is not my friend, so I started looking at truck campers on Craigs list. I found a 2004 Starcraft Pine Mountain pop up truck camper. It had been listed at $3800, dropped to $2500 and I went to look at it. Seems to be in great shape, no dents, minimal wear, canvas looks good. The elderly owner had died and his wife is selling it. After checking it out I said I'd get back with him after a business trip. Came back tonight and the son emailed and dropped the price to $2200. Comes with several mounts as well. Couple questions if you guys can help, his step dad hauled it in a toyota truck, he thought it was a long bed 3/4 ton. I have a short bed GMC 1995 truck with a little 305 motor. What is the best way to mount them? Looks like the things the guy used slid into the bed pockets? Do you think this would fit in my truck, I didn't have it with me when I went to look at it. I am convinced this is a pretty good deal, but am looking for experienced opinion. Help!
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Chevinator
Keizer, OR
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Joined: 02/03/2008
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Pictures of the truck and mounting apparatuses would help. If this camper was on a small toyota truck and not a T-100 or Tundra it may be too narrow to get the jacks around the bed. Make sure and measure your bed width and the width between the jack legs. You should also check the depth of your bed, the maximum depth of the camper, and where the overhead area sits. It's easy enough if its too close to the cab or bed rails to add a couple of sheets of plywood or pink foamboard to the bed of the truck.
The tiedown anchor points could also be too far in if its a "tacoma sized" camper, possibly could have the tiedowns resting up against the truck bed.
Typically you would have chains with frame mounted belly bars (torklift brand) or turnbuckles connected to bed and bumper mounted tabs with some frame supports(happijack brand). There have been many posts through the years here on tiedowns. Just do a search for "tiedowns" or by the name brand.
I looked at the Pine mountain campers back in 04 when I had a half ton shortbed. Seem to be a nicely built camper. The dealer said he wouldn't sell anything other than the shortbed model because the longbed models would overload my truck and the center of gravity was different, so make sure and take measurements and look for a weight sticker on the camper too to see if you have enough truck for it. And make sure and look for signs of rot everywhere and anywhere.
Good luck,
C
2006 Chev 2500HD Ext Cab 6-0hh gas 2007 Apache Chief 10.55SS Polar Cub EU2000i Supersprings Superhitch Torklifts
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Karic
Victoria BC, Canada
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Joined: 08/08/2003
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USMS;
I agree, photos and more TC specific information would help a lot.
The TC is most likely in good shape, but you might want to take someone more experienced with you to do a complete inspection before you lay out any cash.
Before you go too much further with your inspection, etc you need to check the Center Of Gravity. There should be a sticker on either side of the TC indicating the COG point. The COG must be ahead of your rear axle when the TC is loaded onto your truck.
No need to load the TC to find this out, just grab your tape measure. Compare distance "A" (inside front of box to rear axle) with distance "B" (front of camper to COG sticker). If "A" is the greater of the two, carry on. If "B" is the greater, look somewhere else.
Good Luck and Welcome to RV.Net
'03 F350 SD XLT Supercab Dually, V10, Auto, 3.73
'02 Adventurer 90RDS
'06 Sea Ray 215 Weekender
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usms
Ohio
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Back of Camper
Side
Mount ?
Brochure
Pocket mount?
Here's some photos, gotta find the center of gravity I suppose. The owners wife had no idea how me hooked it to his truck, but it was a Tundra. My truck is a short bed four wheel drive and I've carried heavier loads than this one weighs. I think I'm going to pay a trip to the local camper dealer to see what's available there for tie downs. These folks want to sell it to me before the estate house sells and they're stuck having to move it. They don't have a truck any more. I looked at the NADA value and low retail value is showing $3400 and average retail $4150. What do you guys think?
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Chevinator
Keizer, OR
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Wow, thats a pretty clean camper there.
With about a foot of overhang I'd say its doable with your truck, maybe leave the tailgate on (don't forget to protect the underside of the tailgate somehow to prevent rockchips).
I would guess this is a camper made for the tundra. The normal with between wheelwells is 48" for a full size truck and this one is listed at 38". And also the 6'6 width is a foot narrower than my camper and I don't see how I could get a foot narrower and still use my current tiedowns, so the tiedowns that came with the camper might be what this unit needs.
Those tiedowns go into the stakepockets in your pickup and should be adequate for this light of a camper, I wouldn't buy new ones unless they don't fit.
It looks like the weight shouldn't be a concern so I say see if the owner will let you load it up, make sure the tiedowns work, see if it fits in the bed without too much trouble, then go for it!
Oh yea, don't forget to check for water intrusion!
Good luck
C
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fishfinder
Colorado, USA
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USMS,
That looks like a nice little camper at a good price. It's smaller than what I have on my 1/2T Chevy. I'm under the GVWR, and way under the GAWR's and tire ratings. P-metric tires should work fine you.
Short-term, you can tie down to the stake pockets, although over time you will probably want something better.
fishfinder, Colorado
'08 Chevy 1/2T 4x4 Ext.Cab 5.3L/3.73 stock P265/70R17 tires
'03 Phoenix Brave Pop-Up TC
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richardD
St-Hubert,Québec,Canada
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USMS
If you look at the brochure photo, you can see that the balance point is at 37 inche from the front wall.
Richard
2000,F350,PSD,DRW 4X4
1996,10'-6" Horizon slide-in
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RichandLiz
Connecticut
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Joined: 04/17/2005
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One thing to consider is if you can back between the jack stands. I bought mine TC used and a few full size trucks were looking at it also but were unable to clear the jack stands due to the width of the bed. You can possible solve this by getting the bracket for dully wheeled trucks. This should extend in out. I have to drive over about an inch or so of one of my tripod legs and have been doing with no problems. Just remember that raises you up. Camper looks in real good shape and the price as well. The base of my TC is 39 inches and width between the wheel well is 44". I have added wood to widen the base so it does not have the ability to slide side to side and makes it easier to line up straight. Try backing it under and be sure to check the overhead as you lower it so it doesn't hit the cab of your truck. As said, you can alway fir that up to but remember everything you add is weight.
Good Luck.
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RichandLiz
Connecticut
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double post...sorry 
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usms
Ohio
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Thanks for all the help. Going to go over Saturday to try to set it down on my truck. The width of the camper bottom is about 12" narrower than my truck, so that won't be a problem, but I'm still not having any luck finding a cost effective way of mounting it to my truck. I have a tough time spending 700 US on a system to mount a 2200 camper  But then I am cheap! The pocket tiedowns the former owner used are too wide for my GMC truck. Who'd of thought a Toyota had bigger pockets!
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