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- #21
Yes. I have PLENTY of projects on the table already.
Tow vehicle/trailer/camper for transporting a 60? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter woytovich
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Yes. I have PLENTY of projects on the table already.
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- #22
My buddy Terry runs a pick up with a camper top pulling a trailer. I'd want wither a low profile/pop-up topper or one I could easily/quickly remove for daily driving without it on the truck.
I'm not looking for a complicated solution... the Suburban (or the like) might be the best.... now to fab up a pop-top for the Suburban...
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- #23
First he says he wants to buy a truck, then he says he wants to build a pop-top suburban 
Give Terry a call and talk with him about his truck / trailer saga. I think he's gone through a couple of iterations and would probably provide some good insight.
Give Terry a call and talk with him about his truck / trailer saga. I think he's gone through a couple of iterations and would probably provide some good insight.
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- #26
First he says he wants to buy a truck, then he says he wants to build a pop-top suburban
Does that surprise you...? You KNOW how I roll... 1200 ideas all swirling around... one or 2 will eventually gel....
There are horse trailers like that, with a front compartment that has a few amenities. I expect there are car versions, though they might be on the long side and somewhat expensive. I think it might be tricky to have the living space be the camper, truck would take up a lot of room and then you'd have to set out and put away table/chairs/beds/stoves/etc, every time. Lack of skylights/windows might be an issue with most trailers for cars as well.
You don't really need a trailer to pull the l/c either, could just have it roll on its own wheels if you got a hitch mount on the front.
I think there are popup and out versions of the in-bed campers that would give more room and sit flush with the top of the towing truck when retracted.
You don't really need a trailer to pull the l/c either, could just have it roll on its own wheels if you got a hitch mount on the front.
I think there are popup and out versions of the in-bed campers that would give more room and sit flush with the top of the towing truck when retracted.
Ok... so how about an enclosed trailer that I can also use as a camper when the truck is out...
If you're really looking for a project, I've tossed this idea around a few times:
Get a TopKick, NQR or other high GVWR commercial style truck with a LWB. Lop off whatever is attached to the frame behind the cab. Directly behind the cab, build or retrofit smallish camper shell (8 or 9 foot standy or even over-the cab slide in style) then install a roll-back flatbed behind that to load the 60 onto. If that doesn't make sense, I'll draw a picture when I've got some time, lol.
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- #31
That makes sense... I was looking at old dually school buses with a similar evil plan in mind...
But really it would be better to have the camper be in/on the trailer I think.... so that you could leave camp set-up and still drive your tow vehicle out for a beer (um, I mean "parts") run. I would GENERALLY not be loading the truck back on the trailer each day when I'm out wheeling... just once at the start and end of the outing.
How about a 5 sided "nose" on the open trailer? When transporting the 60 the front/hood of the truck is pulled up inside the "nose". Then back the truck off and close up the 6th side of the "nose" to make an enclosed room big enough to sleep in... could even be a canvas/tent style door. The nose could have windows and a top vent for when it is in camper-mode. it wouldn't need to be any wider than the trailer and maybe 8' long. You could either leave the height alone - something a little higher than the hood of the 60 - or make it a pop-up to gain some headroom...
But really it would be better to have the camper be in/on the trailer I think.... so that you could leave camp set-up and still drive your tow vehicle out for a beer (um, I mean "parts") run. I would GENERALLY not be loading the truck back on the trailer each day when I'm out wheeling... just once at the start and end of the outing.
How about a 5 sided "nose" on the open trailer? When transporting the 60 the front/hood of the truck is pulled up inside the "nose". Then back the truck off and close up the 6th side of the "nose" to make an enclosed room big enough to sleep in... could even be a canvas/tent style door. The nose could have windows and a top vent for when it is in camper-mode. it wouldn't need to be any wider than the trailer and maybe 8' long. You could either leave the height alone - something a little higher than the hood of the 60 - or make it a pop-up to gain some headroom...
Yeah, I like that idea That's pretty much what I was picturing on the back of a truck.
I have also seen various homemade versions of this concept:
That's pretty much what I was picturing on the back of a truck.I have also seen various homemade versions of this concept:
I think I'd rather put a camper in the bed of the truck.
- shorter trailer, easier to maneuver
- don't have to take the trailer if you just want to camp
- don't have to take the camper if you are just wheeling for the day
- easier to work around if your place doesn't have a lot of room. shorter trailer- truck can be parked under the camper
Advantage to having a truck over an SUV as a pulling vehicle is being able to pull goose neck/5th wheel if needed, and can throw odd shaped/large stuff in the back if you need to.
- shorter trailer, easier to maneuver
- don't have to take the trailer if you just want to camp
- don't have to take the camper if you are just wheeling for the day
- easier to work around if your place doesn't have a lot of room. shorter trailer- truck can be parked under the camper
Advantage to having a truck over an SUV as a pulling vehicle is being able to pull goose neck/5th wheel if needed, and can throw odd shaped/large stuff in the back if you need to.
I do exactly that...pull a 3k metal deck dual axle car hauler trailer with my 5800lb FJ60... I do so with a 2500 HD GM pickup with 4.10 rear and 6.0 gas engine. It does very well. I have a regular cab long bed....long bed truck has the larger gas tank...almost 40 gal.
Trailer had dual 5200 axles with brakes on each (10.4 trailer). I have weighed both the empty trailer and my fj60...these are the actual weights.
I had a 02 suburban with 3/4 ton and 496 engine...it worked fine too, but I wanted the utility of a pickup over a suburban. I suburban is a great tow vehicle but some of them have the electronic adjustable ride (shocks) which are expensive if need to be replaced. I like the 496...but the 6.0 gas engine performs well and yet it only gets about 1 mpg better in demonstrated fuel MPG . THe 6.0 gas engine is pretty impressive....and I think the only way to order a 2500 HD or find one used...is with the 4.10 rear end. With a 496...stay with the 3.73, some year model GM pickups came with 496 too.
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I don't understand how everyone here keeps coming up with +/- 6000lbs figures for FJ60's. I've owned 3 of them and they don't weigh anywhere near that. Curb weight for the 60 series is about 4300 with full fuel, and I can't imagine having 1500 to 1700lbs of gear into one (to make 6000lbs). Heck, even lifted with 33's they don't weigh more than 4500. A standard Uhaul-style car hauler is more than sufficient. They usually weigh about 2K to 2.5K and have a GVW of 7500 and are equipped with surge breaks, so more than enough for a 60. I used my '06 Frontier V6 6-speed (265HP) to tow this exact combination and it did very well.
Tom
