i am looking at buy an older slide-in camper. i have a 95 f-250 thats runs on propane. i have 2 propane tanks at the front of my bed. They are on top of each other and stick out about a foot. when i brought the truck it had the bar under the frame to tie the camper to. Is it ok to put a slide in camper in the box with the propane tanks there? is there any danger of doing this?

 

If you build a steel cage around the tanks, I think you'd be ok, look for a short bed camper (6 foot) so you don't screw up your center of gravity too much.

Sturdy tie downs are a good thing.

 

You will probably have to move the tanks so they run down the side of the bed. With the tanks at the front of the bed it is going to move the campers weight farther past the rear axle so if the camper adds 1500lbs to the rear axle normally it may add 2000lbs or more to the rear axle.

 

Last Splash has a better idea, there should be enough clearance in each corner to do as he says. How big are the tanks?

 

Sounds funky - post a pic.

 

I'll go along with LastSplash on this....Move the tanks if possible.....Campers sit high....Don't screw with the center-of-gravity---particularly on broken ground....AND....The tie downs will also be shifted if you have to move the camper back a foot (likely more than a foot if you have to install a cage or other apparatus..)....

I hope you don't have to acquire a different truck to haul around the slide-in....I'm a BIG fan of the slide-in campers......

 

i got a pic but its not that good of one. i will get a better pic tomorrow. the link is below
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/g...r/DSCF0630.jpg

 

Based on the picture...(nice rig by-the-way)...it looks like the tanks are as wide as the bed. If you were to relocate...with one on each side of the bed...I still do not believe it will work. Unless the slide-in camper is for a short wheel base truck...and you keep the tanks as is.

Just .02

biz

 

I see the problem now. Not good, I'm thinking....

It would almost HAVE to be a short slide-in, set back with different anchor points.

The cab-window to camper connection could never mate together if you wanted to install a boot. You would pretty much have to relocate the tanks to an installation similar to the tanks used on lexington and similar class "C" LPG systems - alongside the frame.

Always thought it was kind of awkward the way propane fuel systems were installed...

Is there any chance of retro-fitting the truck to gasoline (which is cheaper to run, by the way)?

 

Yup. Short bed camper.....8' long.....will stick 2' off the end of his long bed (which is fine) based on the pic. You're right about the anchor points......Moving the camper back 2' will change everything with that. They've got pretty tight specs regarding bed size, camper size, tie downs (and the angles that the tie-downs---I've got happy-jacs---connect to the anchor points on the bed. I guess it's doable......The only cool thing I can see is if you can hook the vehicle propane system to the camper (stove, fridge)....especially if you have a propane generac.

I guess Wolf is the expert here......

 

I don't think I'd do it with an LPG rig like that at all...

NO WAY!

I'd walk away from that like from a hooker with wet lipstick, and my reasoning is that the truck was converted from a thing that could do it, to one that requires too much modification to ensure that it can.

PASS!


This enigma is not mine.

You have the wrong truck to do what you expect of it. A better choice is to do so with a right one.

You can always trade the truck out for an equivalent one - if anyone is willing to pay that much for gas.

It's an exotically fueled truck - but at this point totally pointless.


(I'm sorry - was that your cloud? I thought it was - I hope it wasn't all that your morality relied on)

(It certainly WAS pink, on that I congratulate you)

 

At one time propane tanks were available that would fit on top of the wheel wells under the bed rails. They were made for just what you want to do. Check with a propane motor fuel conversion business.

 

well on sunday i bought a 1984 roadway camper for $1000(its in really good cond. for the year). went i brought it home i took out my tool box and put my spare tire between my propane tank and the camp and she fit right in. the back of the camper was at the end of the tail gate which there was no weight on the tail gate. i could move it up just a bit. the camper is a light weight camper(about 1000lbs) and the truck handle like it wasnt there. but i dont know if its ok to haul it like that. i would take out the spare tire and move the camper right up behind the tanks lefting me about 6" or so at the egde of the tailgate. i am planing on hauling a tailer behind with a couple of quads on it.

i can run my truck on propane or gas, but i get better mpg running it on propane. i can go a week on $80 of propane or i can go 4 days on $80 of gas. if i have to i haul the camper with my other truck (1968 F-250 4X4 w/ 360, np435, 4.10 geras) but i would have to change my box. i have a flare side on it now and i would have to change it to a fleet side(normal box they just call it a fleet side box) box which is on one of my parts truck, but i dont really want to do that unless i have too.

i have some new pic for you guys to criticise about.

http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/gg264/stand-clear/

 

Looks like a nice camper for the price. However...it just does not seem to be "centered" well for the truck. What I am talking about is at highway speeds.

IMHO...you need 2 must haves for this to work. First, an anti-sway bar should be installed (unless you already have one). Second, is an air bag system.

Removing the spare tire and maybe putting a 3/4" peice of plywood between the tanks and camper will help with the centering issue...if you are concerned with the propane tanks touching the camper.

Good luck with it...


biz

 

Yup. A steel cage or other 'thin' barrier between the front of the camper and the propane tanks should move it forward another 1'.......Figured out how to secure the tie-downs?......