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Finally picked up my new to me 2014 Lance 1050s camper. Prior to driving the 4 hours to get the camper, I thought with the spray in bedliner and rubber bed mat it would make enough clearance for the cab of the truck to bottom of camper. I was wrong. It fit, but was very tight, like just over an inch. I put a 3/4" piece of plywood under the rubber bedmat and that gave me around 2-3" clearance. I drove the 4 hours home and it didn't make contact. It still seems like I need it to sit another inch higher though? What are your thoughts? I wish I could just load it and not have to put a bunch of crap in the truck bed each time I unload/load the camper. I'm sure other folks with these newer Fords have run into the same issue.
Whats your minimum clearance you think you need to not damage the cab of the truck?
What do you use to raise the camper up? I have read foam etc, but seems like it wouldn't hold up?
Lance redesigned in I believe for the 2018+ YM of campers to compensate for this very problem on the new model Super / Heavy Duty designs.
A lot of people are using plywood / Stall Mat single or combine applications, and I've seen a lot of people using 1" foam insulation from Lowes or similar stores.
When Lance redesigned, IMHO for those of us with older pickups, it put way too much clearance between the cab and the cab over.
On my 96 I have over 8" of clearance and right at 6 3/4 (IIRC) on the 2011. 2020 1062 on 2011 F350 DRW King Ranch. Nothing in the bed except the OEM bed liner and a bed liner mat. 2020 on 1996 F250 Extended Cab PSD. I do have a 3/4" plywood spacer in this pickup to keep the camper above a fold down ball goose neck setup.
Our new Norhtstar did not have adequate clearance above the lights even with the riser that Northstar offers which raised it about an inch above the maker lights. I added an additional 2x4 riser and not have about 2"+ above the lights and that has been plenty to avoid light to camper contact. Prior to that the audible crash on sharp road breaks was unnerving as were the broken marker light bulbs. If you have 2"+, I am betting your are good to go.
Our 2019 Arctic Fox AF1140 sits on a sheet of 3/4" PT Plywood (that I only put in the bed to protect the aluminum) and a 1/4" DeeZee bed mat. It clears the lights and the sat/nav antenna fine on my 2019 F-450. Highlighted section!
Running just the TSC 3/4" stall mats (2 to make 8'/ cut to size) and mine clears. No contact with the shark fin XM antenna coming back from NM (horrible roads)
It might be the most helpful if folks included the actual clearance measurement between their camper and the highest point on their truck roof beit Sirius antenna or marker lights. I know my initial clearance did not pose any problems until we hit some trashed out interstates about Indianapolis heading towards the fly-in last summer at Oshkosh. I am guessing 2" is ample. Did anyone have problems with that amount?
It was possible that simply switching from my standard bed mat to a horse stall mat would have given us enough added clearance, however, I still have my fiver hitch rails in the bed for towing our fifth wheels and it was easier to add 2x4s to bridge the rails than trying to cut out a stall mat.
I was just at one of the dealers I used to do work for a few says ago and the used 2018 Palomino model 8801 has the cabover rubbed through where marker lights would have hit it so nothing can be assumed about clearance is my thought.
I have about 1 1/4" between my 17 F-350 and Northern Lite, and have never had a problem. And we've been on some very rough roads/creek beds. These new Fords have good stiff frames, and I'm happy to keep the vertical centre of gravity as low as possible.
Last edited by Rustofer; Mar 7, 2020 at 07:44 PM.
Reason: typo
I have about 1 1/4" between my 17 F-350 and Northern Lite, and have never had a problem. And we've been on some very rough roads/creek beds. These new Fords have good stiff frames, and I'm happy to keep the vertical centre of gravity as low as possible.
Second time I heard someone comment positively about the benefit of the new boxed frame. The first one I read noted the new boxed frame greatly reduced or eliminate porpoising. Sounds like an advantage for truck camper owners.
I bought a Ford camper and it fits great.....just another reason to buy OEM stuff! lol
I don't think there is anything "OEM" about that little camper except the Ford sticker? Does Ford actually make it? If so I'd be leery of the quality. If I didn't have the family needs of a larger camper it sure would be a lot simpler to stay with that size of camper for sure! The new campers are built to adjust for the height from what I have found, I just didn't want to buy a brand new camper. From talking to the local Lance dealer here, the cab height of the new Fords starting in 2017 forced camper dealers to make the clearance higher, this raised the total height or lessened the cabover bed room depending on model. He was able to print out a spec sheet of what the camper needed for truck and it was 1.75" of clearance. He also said the new ford frame does not flex nearly as much as older trucks and it will be just fine. I'm just going to run it how I have it setup, it seems to work just fine.
I don't think there is anything "OEM" about that little camper except the Ford sticker? Does Ford actually make it? If so I'd be leery of the quality. If I didn't have the family needs of a larger camper it sure would be a lot simpler to stay with that size of camper for sure! The new campers are built to adjust for the height from what I have found, I just didn't want to buy a brand new camper. From talking to the local Lance dealer here, the cab height of the new Fords starting in 2017 forced camper dealers to make the clearance higher, this raised the total height or lessened the cabover bed room depending on model. He was able to print out a spec sheet of what the camper needed for truck and it was 1.75" of clearance. He also said the new ford frame does not flex nearly as much as older trucks and it will be just fine. I'm just going to run it how I have it setup, it seems to work just fine.
I just went thru this with my 2007 arctic fox and 2017 F-350, I have about 2” of clearance above antennae and markers.
i have an industrial rubber mat in the bed, it is 2” thick and provides clearance above the cab but I might just add another 1/2 mat just for insurance.
When I get a chance I will get an actual measurement.
I don't think there is anything "OEM" about that little camper except the Ford sticker? Does Ford actually make it? If so I'd be leery of the quality. If I didn't have the family needs of a larger camper it sure would be a lot simpler to stay with that size of camper for sure! The new campers are built to adjust for the height from what I have found, I just didn't want to buy a brand new camper. From talking to the local Lance dealer here, the cab height of the new Fords starting in 2017 forced camper dealers to make the clearance higher, this raised the total height or lessened the cabover bed room depending on model. He was able to print out a spec sheet of what the camper needed for truck and it was 1.75" of clearance. He also said the new ford frame does not flex nearly as much as older trucks and it will be just fine. I'm just going to run it how I have it setup, it seems to work just fine.
The camper in fact is Ford "branded" and has an actual Ford VIN. The paint is factory Ford colors, it has the same materials on the seating and window treatments as the Ford truck leather seats along with stitched Ford logos and a Ford designed front cap to match the truck windshields, along with a few other unique items. They were made by Livin' Lite I believe for only 2016.
The camper in fact is Ford "branded" and has an actual Ford VIN. The paint is factory Ford colors, it has the same materials on the seating and window treatments as the Ford truck leather seats along with stitched Ford logos and a Ford designed front cap to match the truck windshields, along with a few other unique items. They were made by Livin' Lite I believe for only 2016.
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Note the VIN starts with FT for Ford Truck
The actual Ford VIN tag on the back of the camper.
It has to be good it says built Ford tough on the back! lol
I think what 98ramtough meant when he said there is nothing OEM about your truck camper was that Ford didn't build anything on it, it is just a Ford branded camper. He is correct- as you mentioned, LivinLite built them. Just because it says Ford on the seats, stickers, and Ford gave it a VIN doesn't mean it was "built Ford tough." There is nothing wrong with all of this, your camper is the same no matter who built it, and I am glad you are happy with it. It looks great on your truck, and I wish they still made them. I have a LivinLite travel trailer and I love it as well. At least LivinLite knew how to make campers, I doubt Ford does.
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