dig the wheels and decals. those arctic windows are great too

Thanks for the walk around, quite the change from Cali to Michigan. I was born and raised in Michigan and moved to SoCal over 40 years ago.

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching. Sounds like we did the opposite. I spent my first 41 years in SoCal. I love the beauty and landscapes of California but paying for it became too much after Covid hit. Fresh start out here.

@kbird529

Жыл бұрын

@@freerangecamperEnjoy your fresh start in Michigan, it has a lot to offer in terms of the the outdoors, especially the UP

Great walk around. Love your setup. Thanks for being so thorough with your additions; especially the bump stops, shocks and leaves. So many options! Safe travels.

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

I’m happy to have helped anyone out. I had to do a ton of research and I found a lot of info through KZread and other groups. Stay tuned for more videos. Thanks!

I am loving this build, neat and effective. Thanks for taking the time to share…enjoy

@freerangecamper

8 күн бұрын

@@Tmrfe0962 awesome. Thanks for watching.

Nicely done tour on this video. Very informative - especially the description of options and guestimated weight. All and all, with the four door long bed Tacoma, a nice piece of kit.

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much. I wanted to be thorough.

Watching your video brought back some really great memories of a camper that I purchased in the late 1970s and that I owned for a few years after that. Before Ford and other American truck producers marketed the Ranger and similat trucks , I had a Ford Courier, which was the forerunner and market test vehicle for the Ford Ranger. My Courier had a (6') long bed. so there was not a pop up truck bed camper being produced at that time that would actually fit the short bed trucks. However, I visited the Coleman outlet store in Pennsylvania and purchased a pull behind pop up trailer, and the same day also purchased a pop up camper made to fit the (7') bed trucks that were starting to be produced. I took them both back to my home that was in Ohio at that time. The truck camper required that I leave my tailgate in the down position all the time, I used the trailer many times. It was great, and I really enjoyed it! I only used the truck bed pop up a few times, but I absolutely loved it! The truck bed pop up had a Coleman propane fired furnace that kept the interior very comfortable. It also had a two burner cooking range, and lots of storage space for such a compact camper! There was no fridge, so I used one of the really well made Coleman coolers. Since I had been a tent camper for most of my life and up to that point in time, I had everything required to camp very confortable, and most od it had been manufactured by Coleman! That truck bed pop up had two very comfortable beds that folded down (one on each side of the camper), and if I remember correctly they were both queen sized beds with (4") thick foam mattresses. When not deployed, the beds were couches on each side off the camper. I wish I had used it more, or at least held onto it for a few more years, until I purchased a Ford Ranger, then I would have used it even more. However, a fellow worker at the Ford factory in Lorain, Ohio saw the camper on my truck one day and made an offer to buy it. I sold it to him, and I have regretted that decision for many years! Now, truck campers are making a very strong resurgence in the RV market, and I wish that Coleman would get back into that market segment. I have all kinds of Coleman camping equipment, and I recommend all of their products to everyone who will listen to me! I currently own a Crossroads Cruiser firth wheel camper and a Ram 1500 Lariet 4X4, with a 5.7 L Hemi, Crew Cab short bed, with all of the comfort and handling amenities. My fifth wheel is indeed a beautiful camper, but since I am now (77) years old, I want to get back to something smaller and more basic. Your camper looks like what I need at this point in my life and my camping life! Thanks for a very good video!

Nice to see other options. I have a GFC on my 2012 Tacoma.

Great video, love hearing you talk through the gear selection (diesel heater, Noco plug, etc etc).

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thanks. I felt like I was rambling on and on but this was all research I had to do from other folks and wanted to share.

Simple and fully functional, i like it a lot. Thanks for showing.

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thanks!

Love your build, great job putting it all together. Thanks for sharing the whole walk through!

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much.

Great work Greg! Looking forward to watching your channel grow!

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much! I appreciate it, Natalie.

hope to see more videos on that rig,really awesome camper man!!

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Thanks so much for making this video. Good editing. Good details.

really nice build, thanks for the tour.

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thank you. Thanks for watching.

Thanks for introducing 4 wheel camper with tacoma trd 😃👍

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching.

I think 🤔 it's awesome 👌 Great Demo 👍 and Thanks for sharing

I love the Chinook decals. My folks had a Chinook when I was a kid. Lots of good memories.

@freerangecamper

3 ай бұрын

Classic styling for sure!

Nice setup. Thanks for the tour.

I'm from Michigan originally live in Texas go back every summer to escape the heat like your rig giving me ideas for my next build

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Very cool!

Like the rig. Looking forward to move videos.

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much. More to come soon.

Good tour, nice set up

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much.

Very cool rig!

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thanks!

Great set up

Nice rig!!!

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thanks! I love it.

Great video 📹. Keep on 🎥

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Great setup, just stumbled on your channel. New Sub here. Look forward to seeing more videos with this rig.

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much. More to come soon.

Very nice setup.

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Love the chinook touch 👌🏽, awesome setup man, looking forward to slapping one of these models on my double cab Tundra…maybe in another 10yrs or if I hit the lotto! 😆 know these suckers are pricey!

@freerangecamper

7 ай бұрын

Thanks! That would be a fantastic combo. Check out the project M for a cheaper and lighter version. You could trick it out yourself and save a ton.

I got my Tacoma set up for a four-wheel camper even with the sumo springs, just need a camper now,

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Heck yeah!

Sweet truck and camper.

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Very nice 👍🏽.

Awesome vid, great info and very helpful considering I am pulling the trigger on one of these for a 6' bed Tacoma. Couple of unrelated camper questions: Which entry hitch step did you go with? What bag is that on the electrical access door? Both look very functional. You have my vote for more vids, I love it.

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Nice! Thanks for the vote of confidence. The hitch step is cheap Amazon. If I’m camping I typically bring my little giant 3 step. The bag is a small trash bag. Works great. Links to both here: Sunshine Artisan Hitch Step Slip... www.amazon.com/dp/B0B533LSY3?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share Lusso Gear Spill-Proof Car Trash... www.amazon.com/dp/B07KQJWSVY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share Sunshine Artisan Hitch Step Slip... www.amazon.com/dp/B0B533LSY3?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

That’s all you need : 👌

Hey Buddy... Nice Rig

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thanks dude!

I see at least two items I plan to purchase now. Thanks

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

What are the items??

Thank you so much, love the video. Please do more 😊. I’m curious if you can give a ball park figure of the truck and the camper together?

@freerangecamper

7 ай бұрын

You could find this combo used for around the 50K region.

Perfect.

Great walkthrough on the whole setup. Seems like you got space for all the things you need. Maybe a inflatable pool table would complete the amenities. Not serious. I wish Toyota still made the crew cab with a 6 ft bed. I think, unfortunately, they only offer a 6 ft bed with the access cab now. Curious, is there a warranty or replacement option for the pop up fabric part of the camper? It looks pretty tough. Just wondered if there is a avenue for future replacement of the softer side walls and how durable you think they are? Thanks for sharing. Safe and happy travels Sir. Jealous of the rig. Just subscribed.

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thank you. Lots of room for activities. So the soft wall sides are the same material as zodiac boats. They are coated with a UV resistant and are much more durable than I imagined before visiting the showroom. I’m not sure what the warranty is exactly but if it’s due to manufacturer they are really great about replacing items. All parts are available as a replacement including the walls. They used to be canvas in the older ones and I’ve seen models from the 70s that are still functional. Quality stuff.

Dig the ‘70s graphics on both truck and camper.

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thanks. I’m pretty happy with how it came out.

Wintercamps 🙏🙏 We were out for an 6 days wintercamp, -27 degrees, Sweden. Actually made my first KZread movie about that expedition.

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Wow. Very cool. I’ll have to check that out.

@Hajkliv

Жыл бұрын

@@freerangecamper would be an honor to have an input comment from you 💥

Nice video and great info about this model of camper! I likewise have a 3rd gen Tacoma, however mine is an SR trim with the 4 cylinder and RWD. I have a slide in Northern Lite 6-10 that I purchased back in November and am looking to get more of an understanding with the suspension upgrades you've done. As I have it modified, the Tacoma is only using Timbren bump stops on the rear to help it from sagging too much. Of course the leaf springs sag a bit, but the Timbrens keep the leaf springs from compressing against the frame too much by having the space between the leaf springs a set distance with the bump stop. I am wondering if i'm using this set up properly. I see in your video that with the camper loaded there is still a significant amount of space between the frame and bump stop. I am guessing that's because of your upgraded leaf springs. Is the leaf spring upgrade necessary in my case? With the Timbrens being hard rubber when the camper is loaded it rides really nice as if the camper isn't there. I imagine if I did the leaf spring upgrade when I hit a bump it would really smack the frame against the bump stop which could be pretty uncomfortable due to the gap, it feels this way when the camper isn't in the bed.

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thank you! So when I first got my camper I thought I could get away with just having my stick leafs with the icon add a leaf and added bump stops. It was pretty sagged and just didn’t look right to me. I definitely didn’t want to off road with a setup like that. Because I’m running my camper full time I went for the new leaf packs. I’d say as long as you don’t run your camper full time you are probably ok if you don’t off road much.

@garrettbernhagen7458

Жыл бұрын

@@freerangecamper I have no intent to off road and the camper is only for use on weekends in the summertime in typical campgrounds, we aren't into overlanding. Not much of it to be done in my part of the US to begin with! Thanks for your input.

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

@@garrettbernhagen7458 then I’d say you are fine with the setup you mentioned. I’d just run it.

Such an awesome setup and a great video! Curious if you've weighed the rig and whether or not you're still within GVWR?

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much. Haha I don’t believe so.

👍👍

I've owned a popup camper. With the top up, they're basically a 6 month out of the year camper because that tent canvas doesn't hold much heat. I like to snow ski, so I opted for a regular truck camper instead.

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

I'm sure a non-pop-up camper retains heat better overall but with the artic pack insulation and materials used (Non-Canvas) and furnace, I haven't had any issues keeping it a constant 66 degrees. Lots of owners out there use these as basecamp for skiing and winter activities. I like being able to go through drive-thrus, park in parking structures, and clear low-hanging trees. A pop-up isn't for everyone, of course.

Great rig. My Hawk is set up very similarly. How did you mount/secure the fridge?

@freerangecamper

7 ай бұрын

Nice. Love the Hawk. I actually had the fridge slide mount that I took apart to use the base frame, which I screwed down to the camper. Then I used the tie down straps. Its solid and hasn't budged.

Hey man! Great set-up! I am in the process of getting my 2023 Tacoma’s suspension ready for a Fleet. I ordered the Deaver’s stage 3-how much lift is there with the camper installed? And did you lift the front? If yes, how many inches? Thanks!

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

He there. Sorry for the late reply. Congrats on the camper. I'd say 2-3" lift front and rear. The front has 2.5" I think.

Hello, awesome rig, I have a similar one on my F150. Two questions, where did you get the amber strips for the lights inside, and also do you have a horse stall mat in between the bed and the camper?

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Nice. The amber strips are actually tape for broken tail lights you can find at an auto parts store. I just cut to fit. They don't completely get rid of bugs but it helps. I do have a mat that came from FWC yup.

were you able to add those leaf springs at a shop near where you picked up the camper? or did you have to have those installed afterwards

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

The plan was to have them installed prior to the camper pick up/install. They ended up being back ordered so I ran the camper with the sumo bump stops and the icon add a leaf I had. It worked for a few weeks but with a noticeable sag.

Great video. I just bought a 2022 Tacoma TRD 4x4. I’m looking into purchasing the Fleet camper. The dealer suggested airbags and “E” rated tires. I plan on getting the bags but don’t really want to buy new tires as they only have 3,000 miles on them. I don’t plan on keeping the camper on all the time and don’t plan on doing any heavy off-roading. You said you did upgrades for the suspension but didn’t mention tires. Question, do you think I can get by with my stock tires and airbags only? Camper weighs about 1,600 dry.

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it. I already had E rated tires but I would recommend it weight wise. You could get away with it but it could be a little sketchy and could get some blowouts. You'll absolutely love the fleet if you go that route. Any other questions just let me know.

@kensprice

Жыл бұрын

@@freerangecamper thanks for the response. FWC highly suggest new tires but I’ll keep asking around. BTW, we ordered the Fleet today and we got lucky with a fast turnaround date of April

Good afternoon from Godley Texas, happened upon your channel and will stick around. What awning are you using? Thanks. Stay safe and happy travels 😎

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

I appreciate it. It’s the arb touring awning.

@johnhuff393

Жыл бұрын

@@freerangecamper thanks for the response 😎

Always wondered with the lift up tops. How do you keep in heat and do they often leak quite a bit and rainy weather?

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

I mention the arctic pack insulation in the video. It acts as an air gap. The material is the same material as a zodiac boat. No issues with leakage in weather.

Oh no! 😱 Watch out for that Toyota frame rust issue. 🫣 Your going to miss that vehicle preserving Cali climate. ☹️

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Haha yeah. I’m going to coat it this summer to help the fight. I see all these rusted out trucks out here. Don’t see that in CA.

Hey is that a brake light on the hitch step? Also do you run the fridge with propane while underway?

@freerangecamper

3 ай бұрын

It is just reflective tape. The fridge runs on strictly 12v and is very efficient.

Wow cool pop-top camper shell! How much is something like that? I'm thinking of getting something like!

@freerangecamper

2 ай бұрын

Pricing is dependent on models and options but my set up was 23k total for the camper.

I was pretty heads strong about a slide on, but having to upgrade the GVM is a problem when you're not running the camper, I'm thinking it would give you a stiff ride 🇦🇺

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Airbags would be the solution for part time use.

How did you fit a 10 inch mattress in there while still being able to close the pop-up? I have a Swift FWC, and at best I can get like 4-5 inches of mattress. Thanks for the walk-around. Looks great.

@freerangecamper

7 ай бұрын

The tochta mattress was custom. You can get any thickness. I ordered 4-5” I believe. Pricey but worth the comfort.

@caseybrewer4690

7 ай бұрын

@@freerangecamper Nice! I just looked on their site and saw the custom option. Rad. Thanks for the info.

@freerangecamper

7 ай бұрын

@@caseybrewer4690 you can order the radius cut corners for the front as well. Perfect fit.

im trading my 2023 subaru out back for a sundra to get one of these dream also question is it worth getting a used one or just buying completely new

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Very nice. Used is a good option if you can find a good price. These things resale for close to new prices typically.

Do you have more details on the furnace?

@freerangecamper

3 ай бұрын

I don’t. I believe it’s a dometic forced air propane furnace. It’s the same one four wheel campers has been using for years.

I hear the diesel heaters are limited, the higher altitude you go, they can become problematic and not work. I imagine you wouldn’t have that problem with propane.

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

I’ve heard that yeah. They say they make ones that adjust for altitude but I’m not too familiar. The propane has worked great at elevation for me.

Does your truck have a brake upgrade kit?

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

It does not. I just leave a little more space than I used to. If I went up in tire size and re-geared I’d do a big brake upgrade.

I’m a simi professional landscape photographer my self. Don’t make enough to live off it but I Shute do love it. The pop us is great for that! Do you have an instagram?

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Nice! Yeah, it’s tough to making a living but it’s fun selling a few prints here and there. My day job is architectural photography which I’ve been doing the past 10 years. Landscapes are my first true love with photography. Ig: gbhayesphotography I don’t post too often.

How the does the camper tie down to the truck?

@freerangecamper

4 күн бұрын

@@alextu6158 turnbuckles in the 4 corners. For certain trucks like the Tacoma there’s an additional mounting kit.

Went with a buddy to look at this truck today at a dealer in Findlay Ohio they are asking 30k and won’t budge do you think it’s worth it? Crazy that I seen this video last year and got to see the truck today! I told him it looked familiar and after seeing the rear springs and knowing it came from California I had a feeling it had a 4wheel camper on it at one time

@freerangecamper

5 ай бұрын

Yeah, sad times but life goes on. Yeah, that was my truck. It did sell for 30k I believe. Definitely worth it with low miles and being well taken care of and all the suspension work…

@denvergoon2793

5 ай бұрын

Sorry to hear about the rough times man. My friend was the one who bought it. He’s wondering if you still have access to the tailgate and spare key

@freerangecamper

5 ай бұрын

@@denvergoon2793 oh wow. I do have the tailgate but was looking to sell separately. It’s in perfect shape and in my garage.

@freerangecamper

5 ай бұрын

@@denvergoon2793 I also have the stock leaf springs with icon add a leaf sitting in my garage. Those deavers are really only meant to carry a ton of weight in the rear.

@denvergoon2793

5 ай бұрын

@@freerangecamper somehow we need contact info. I think everything I’m putting is getting flagged

this set up is making me think of trading my 21 trd 4runner to tacoma lol. 🤔🤔🤔. Have you ever run this set up on hot weather like 100 deg on a day , how hot is still at night? and how do you counter that?

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Haha nice. The 4Runner is sweet. It’s not great in the heat. The powered exhaust fan helps a lot and it does get lots of air when you open all the windows. I have put a small window ac in the sliding window and it works great. You’d need to run off a generator or shore power though.

@3rdgenbestgen21

Жыл бұрын

@@freerangecamper i see sounds good. It’s a clean set up. For me it’s either this or rehaul the bed, extend it and custom build a whole canope at the back of the truck.

Recommend paint for the 4 wheel? Looks good

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

I believe mine is the silver spur. Which happens to be my retry much exact to my truck.

@howtomountaingoat

Жыл бұрын

@@freerangecamper Oh apologies, I was asking about the red and yellow stripes

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

@@howtomountaingoat those are all vinyl. Custom job from a buddy I know that runs a vinyl/wrap shop.

What type of mpg's are you seeing?

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Averaging 13mpg with the OTT tune

This is awesome, how much is something like this?

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

My setup was 23k for the camper. They start at around 17k for a shell version.

@timdenham8192

Жыл бұрын

@@freerangecamper awesome, thanks for replying back!

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

@@timdenham8192 no problem

I have a Tacoma SR5 4x4. What kind of mileage are you getting with your camper ???

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

On average 13mpg with the OT tune I have.

Can you pass through to the truck cab directly

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

No. Not without swapping the camper glass. Plus the Tacoma sliding access window is too tiny.

Is that a long bed?

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Yup. Seen plenty on short beds though

You ran a window ac?? How? where?

@freerangecamper

7 ай бұрын

In the one sliding window on the passenger side. Made a wood bracket to hold it in.

Does it use up a lot of fuel heating it?

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Not really no. If the furnace is running non stop I’d say a bottle lasts 2 days roughly. There’s 2 propane tanks in the rear access door.

@curve5746

Жыл бұрын

@@freerangecamper that isn't too bad . Thanks !

Nice 🫡

What’s the price of such a camper allone(without the truck)

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

My setup was 23k for the camper. There are many options at lower and higher prices though. If you were to get a shell model or project M you could save a lot of money and build out your own interior.

@alexsveles343

Жыл бұрын

@@freerangecamper thank you.thats something I he interested in.just the shell option and a heater because I plan to be in cold regions

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

@@alexsveles343 if I did it all over again I’d do a shell and build out the interior with a diesel heater.

@alexsveles343

Жыл бұрын

@@freerangecamper I couldn't made my mind should I go whit alu cab camoer... wich are a bit cheaper around 10.000$ or one like yours. But I do know a diesel heater is a must and a preferred one.Since I have a buddy who has. Alucab one and he traveled to alaska. He said propane heater will burn the tank like crazy and won't heat that good.Diesel heater however will do the job just fine.And he has a alu cab one.He was in Alaska and Borealic region of Russia wich are insanely cold

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

@@alexsveles343 the alucab is a great option and one I was interested in too. Look into the project M? Kind of a mix between the 2.

What kind of mileage do you get?

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

I do mention it in the video. Around 13 average.

@eatcommies1375

Жыл бұрын

@@freerangecamper Sorry, must of missed it, I got ‘20 Tacoma access cab, considering a camper, Nice set up👍

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

@@eatcommies1375 all good. I know it’s a long video. Thanks

2:37 32 then 66 😅

@freerangecamper

3 ай бұрын

Oh yeah. Warms up real nice.

Your over weight. When you raise you suspension you DECREASE your GVW. That camper should never be installed in a Mid size or 1/2 ton truck. Buy a 1 ton if you want that set up.

Nice setup! What kind of camper is this? It looks like a project M.

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Fleet model. Not a project M. I discuss in detail in the video.

@LukeSkywaker

Жыл бұрын

@@freerangecamper thanks for your reply! I didn't know that Fleet Model was a brand itself. I thought that it was a grade of the M project.

How much did all u did coast?

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Camper was 23k total.

Nice setup. Thanks for the tour.

Nice rig!!!

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thanks!

Nice rig!!!

@freerangecamper

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!