Hello - Advice Appreciated

Welcome, how can we help ?
please add your town/camper/vehicle to profile please Ta
Post Reply
healey242
Posts: 2
Joined: February 3rd, 2015, 6:23 pm

Hello - Advice Appreciated

Post: # 8096Post healey242
August 28th, 2015, 3:27 pm

My first post! Currently using a Disco TD5 with roof tent set up which has been great but now in search of more comfort for touring wetter places.
At present in the process of deciding which demountable. Have narrowed down to a Tischer or Lely but have had advice re base vehicle which has challenged my initial plans.
I had been all for a double cab simply for usability when not using the demountable. Favourite was a Nissan Navara or if my budget stretched a VW Amarok. However now been told Nissans are problematic - weak engines, gearboxes and chassis. Also a double cab shifts the demountable weight so far back that driving pleasure/ handling is badly compromised. Further that any standard pickup suspension will need an air suspension assistance system. All this advice seems to make sense - except no direct experience of the Nissan horror stories.
So in my current ignorance I would value any views from seasoned demountable users out there.
Look forward to hearing from you.

User avatar
zildjian
Site Admin
Posts: 22051
Joined: September 8th, 2013, 3:30 pm

Re: Hello - Advice Appreciated

Post: # 8098Post zildjian
August 28th, 2015, 4:06 pm

Good afternoon Healey and welcome,
as you've been a member here for awhile I'm guessing you've read the Navara issue here, I'm bound to say 'buy the best you can run to' and a VW would certainly be a good buy, we have a couple of members with them already and another potential owner at year end springs to mind.

For myself I only really know Hilux and can't properly add to the Navara debate as I got rid of mine years back,

Tischer campers are nice aren't they, have you the literature for Lely yet, I think I have a copy if not (although I believe it was in Dutch)

We offer a look-around service BTW, I don't know where you are but we can point you towards nearest member if you fancy a look at any of the different makes

Zildjian

User avatar
derestrictor
Posts: 2342
Joined: November 18th, 2014, 7:21 pm
Location: gotham Nottingham

Re: Hello - Advice Appreciated

Post: # 8102Post derestrictor
August 28th, 2015, 8:32 pm

Welcome Healey, although you've been here as long as me about :lol:

keeflester
Posts: 538
Joined: August 24th, 2014, 8:23 pm
Location: Carradale Argyll and Bute Scotland, beside the sea

Re: Hello - Advice Appreciated

Post: # 8103Post keeflester
August 28th, 2015, 8:33 pm

Hello Healy. Welcome to the group. My experience is limited to various rigs on a Supercab, read Kingcab, Extracab etc. even with the longer bed of the Supercab, weight distribution is an issue. My advice would be to take a long hard look at weight distribution BEFORE you commit to a rig. If you are sold on the double cab solution, you should consider getting the lightest camper that meets your needs and carry any loose heavy items in the cab. Others here will give you similar advice. Kind regards, K33F
2003 Ford Ranger 2.5 TD 109 Supercab, sold to Simon
Tandy Pony, sold
Northstar 750, sold
K33F-built Penthouse Pee Pod, sold to Simon with the Ranger
Built the lozenge for my wee sister, its now finished and in regular use
Now converting a blue Tranny.

User avatar
sabconsulting
Posts: 269
Joined: July 27th, 2015, 9:49 pm
Location: High Wycombe

Re: Hello - Advice Appreciated

Post: # 8106Post sabconsulting
August 28th, 2015, 9:22 pm

I have a supercab and am happy with the compromise. Gives me a really useful amount of storage space at the back of the cab (accessible via the suicide doors), but means greater load-bed length and importantly therefore more of the camper in front of the rear axle.

When looking at campers think about where the centre of gravity (fore / aft) of the camper will be, and where that will be when mounted on the pick-up truck in relation to the rear axle. Ideally the centre of gravity should be forward of the rear axle. I know mine is slightly behind it, but you see pictures of some campers (generally on double-cab trucks) where clearly most of the weight of the camper is hanging out behind the rear axle. This is bad for a number of reasons.

So if you don't actually need the rear seats for humans, or can cope with the small folding rear seats you get in a supercab (OK for kids or very short journeys for adults) then I recommend the supercab over the double-cab for carrying a camper.

This is my camper on a supercab:

Image

Steve.
Image

User avatar
rubberrat
Posts: 935
Joined: August 25th, 2014, 7:54 pm
Location: North Norfolk - Near the coast

Re: Hello - Advice Appreciated

Post: # 8113Post rubberrat
August 29th, 2015, 3:00 pm

^ thats the best way to go. Almost everything in the camping/campervan/motorhome world is some kind of compromise. If you can get away with a crew cab/extracab you'll have a nicer ride. Try to get the smallest camping unit you can be comfortable in. Consider a pop-top as you're used to that kind of thing.

I love my rig, it's really comfy - you could (have) spend months in it. But it is a bit big and cumbersome.
Chevrolet 3.0 LUV Tischer Trail 200

healey242
Posts: 2
Joined: February 3rd, 2015, 6:23 pm

Re: Hello - Advice Appreciated

Post: # 8199Post healey242
September 1st, 2015, 7:24 pm

Thanks very much to all who have commented- your comments and advice are very helpful. I am off to see a Tischer again tomorrow having seen the Lely last week. The Lely has a really good body structure and is very neat but maybe not so well fitted out as the Tischer. Lely also more expensive. The Lely I saw was on a Hilux extra cab and centre of gravity I would guess was over the axle - but this is influenced by how you pack it of course and the waste tank which is normally under the rear but was not fitted on this one. The Hilux had an air-spring system fitted and the rep though this essential on any pick-up with a demountable. I am certainly becoming nervous of Nissan and tending towards an extra cab- looks like the Isuzu D-max or possibly the Toyota. However the Toyota's seem to hold their price even on high mileages - which probably tells the story!
I will post again with progress - thank again to all.
Healey 242

User avatar
Gary W
Posts: 143
Joined: March 19th, 2015, 8:01 pm
Location: Portland, Dorset. UK
Contact:

Re: Hello - Advice Appreciated

Post: # 8208Post Gary W
September 2nd, 2015, 9:33 am

healey242 wrote:Thanks very much to all who have commented- your comments and advice are very helpful. I am off to see a Tischer again tomorrow having seen the Lely last week. The Lely has a really good body structure and is very neat but maybe not so well fitted out as the Tischer. Lely also more expensive. The Lely I saw was on a Hilux extra cab and centre of gravity I would guess was over the axle - but this is influenced by how you pack it of course and the waste tank which is normally under the rear but was not fitted on this one. The Hilux had an air-spring system fitted and the rep though this essential on any pick-up with a demountable. I am certainly becoming nervous of Nissan and tending towards an extra cab- looks like the Isuzu D-max or possibly the Toyota. However the Toyota's seem to hold their price even on high mileages - which probably tells the story!
I will post again with progress - thank again to all.
Healey 242
Glad you liked the Lely :-). We decided to get involved with them as they're built and engineered to take a world tour in their stride, but are so nicely finished you'd never know unless you look deep inside (or take that trip of a lifetime of course!). Perfect for a weekend surfing in Cornwall too!

Best wishes

Gary

SBS Adventure Campers

Mobile: +44 (0) 7595 368 422
Desk: +44 (0) 1305 305 900

Web: sbsadventurecampers.com
Web: djangocampers.eu



Image

User avatar
zildjian
Site Admin
Posts: 22051
Joined: September 8th, 2013, 3:30 pm

Re: Hello - Advice Appreciated

Post: # 8209Post zildjian
September 2nd, 2015, 9:56 am

Actually Gary I was about to offer space for one here as your 'midlands demonstrator'


I have space and don't charge much :D

User avatar
Gary W
Posts: 143
Joined: March 19th, 2015, 8:01 pm
Location: Portland, Dorset. UK
Contact:

Re: Hello - Advice Appreciated

Post: # 8210Post Gary W
September 2nd, 2015, 11:06 am

zildjian wrote:Actually Gary I was about to offer space for one here as your 'midlands demonstrator'


I have space and don't charge much :D
:lol:

SBS Adventure Campers

Mobile: +44 (0) 7595 368 422
Desk: +44 (0) 1305 305 900

Web: sbsadventurecampers.com
Web: djangocampers.eu



Image

Post Reply