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rich
Dodge Dakota
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3/27/2005
17:07:24
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 Subject: Truck camper?
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I have a 2003 Quad cab 4x4 and am interested in placing a slide in camper in the bed. Any thoughts? Any experience with a camper and this truck?
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Gary F
Dodge Dakota
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3/27/2005
22:28:06
|  RE: Truck camper?
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I have no experience with your request, but I should think that the camper would be awfully small. The Quad Cab bed is tiny compared to most of the slide in campers out there.
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furball69
Dodge Dakota
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3/28/2005
04:22:54
| RE: Truck camper?
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Little slip of paper in the glovebox said 'not recommended for slide in campers.'
I think if I have the time to design and build something I may build something that is not really a camper per se, but some sort of topper that can be extended out to the end of the tailgate. Maybe something that looks like a topper that slides up to increse height and out to increase length.
The truck would be too top-heavy to put something on it that was tall enough to walk in.
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Ms. Scooter
Dodge Dakota
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3/28/2005
05:43:41
| RE: Truck camper?
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Hi Rich -
Have you thought about a truck tent? I have one for my '03 4x4 QC. I really love mine. Best part is when I get home, I store it in the closet! Mine is an 'Adventure', by Enel.
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Walt_Felix
Dodge Dakota
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3/28/2005
09:03:00
|  RE: Truck camper?
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I was recently doing this research myself for a slide in for my ’96 short bed 4x4. There are a couple of companies who make slide in units for the Dakotas but I think the Quad Cab is excluded by most of them because of how short the bed is and a center of gravity issue. But FWIW, this is what I found. Six-Pac (http://www.six-pac.com) has a hard side, Palomino (http://www.palominorv.com) makes a folding truck camper for Dakotas where the roof raises up and top half of the walls are canvas, to give you greater interior height while camping. The Sun-Lite Skyhawk SB (http://www.sunvalleyinc.com) that may actually fit in a Quad Cab bed as the floor is only 6'1" with a 37” wheel well width. It’s another folding unit and at 915 lbs. dry, may actually be an option for you.
__________________
Walt Felix
http://www.Walt-n-Ingrid.Com
http://dodgetruckworld.com/waltfelix
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Rich
Dodge Dakota
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3/28/2005
20:29:06
|  RE: Truck camper?
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Thanks to all who took the time to reply. I have been looking into this for some time and was mostly wondering if someone out there had or knew of first hand experience.
I spoke with a buddy who owns a Dodge dealer. The "not recommended" is mostly due to weight, COG, and set-up of vehicle from factory. It would most likely need some modifications such as air bags in the rear depending on the model camper. (This is just like most full size trucks we see with campers)
My reason for looking into the TC is to avoid having to set up and take down a tent constantly while traveling on the road and medical reasons that require a "more sterile" environment and running water. Enjoy nature more than hotel/motel rooms.
Walt_Felix - I have also have found that fourwheelcampers.com had a model. The problem is I would love to save and go used.
Fourwheel campers (popup) and six-pack(hardtop) I believe are both under 900lbs dry. Some models extend slightly off the back but have most of the weight up against the cab.
Again thanks for the replies. I'll post if I find more information from other searches.
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SR
Dodge Dakota
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4/02/2005
00:56:12
| RE: Truck camper?
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Rich,
The slide-in campers which will fit in this truck are pretty small and stripped down. If I correctly understand your sanitary/medical reasons for wanting this, you might be better served with a towable camping trailer--besides more living space, they will have more substantial plumbing facilities (toilet, shower, kitchen sink, fresh water tank, black and grey holding tanks, etc.) than you will find in mini-slide-in camper.
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Stick Shift
Dodge Dakota
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4/02/2005
02:37:27
| RE: Truck camper?
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Hi Rich,
There are a few other manufacturers of campers for small trucks; Northern Lite (www.northern-lite.com) and Pastime-who would make a 6'(www.apachecamping.com) are two of the better. Keep the weight light and forward.
The big drawback is going to be the tie-downs. The wrap-around-the-cab bed makes it hard to find any sheetmetal study enough. Six Pac shows a 7' on a Dak Quad on their website with a belly bar that hangs down so low... Most tiedown mfg's have tiedowns for the Club-Cab but not the Quad - Bed and Cab mounts get in the way of where the Club tie downs go. I have a 7' Pastime I had on a Ranger, I'll try this summer. I fabricated my own frame-mount tie-downs similar to those on www.billisrve.com, only I used a backing plate and grade 8's instead of "J" bolts. Good luck with your search.
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best pron
Dodge Dakota
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12/20/2018
20:10:11
| FLNdEkMCxEHiDx
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3mJoI4 Really appreciate you sharing this article post.Really looking forward to read more.
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Daryl Cullum
Dodge Dakota
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10/12/2019
22:56:40
| RE: Truck camper?
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Been reading messages about the Dodge Dakota not being able to handle a pop up camper, my truck is a 4x4, quad cab, with a 6'6" bed towing package heavy duty, factory order. I have a pop up camper on it an pull a 18' lowe boat with a 250 hp motor on it. never any problems at all. We have traveled all over the country with it.
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Larry Walton
Dodge Dakota
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9/07/2021
17:40:26
| RE: Truck Tent
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Does anyone still sell "tents" for a '98 Dodge Dakota Sport, 6' 6"
bed. Thanks -LW
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