M923A2 Lance 1181

[Blarsen]

Here are a few pictures of my project, I installed a Lance 1181 camper with rear deck and folding stairs. Took her camping for the first time last weekend, she worked great! But still lots to finish!
https://goo.gl/photos/phcAjmxVqZ3rqU6d7
https://goo.gl/photos/Vnvi84VTbTAAGuobA
https://goo.gl/photos/dRaoeijvktJdCVKi6
https://goo.gl/photos/FKHvL1qU2gdEMLMH6
https://goo.gl/photos/fZNPt52j9xq3zB7x7

 

[MtnSnow]

Nicely done. and WELCOME Fellow Utahn!

Btw I have included your photo's as the site prefers that you post the images rather than linking.

 

[Blarsen]

Thanks for adding the photos, i thought that's what i was doing until the links showed up and no pictures...

 

[VPed]

That looks great. Looks like some camo paint is in order. Did you have to modify the camper at all to mount it? It does look like you had to cut the dropsides, right?

 

[Blarsen]

the only modifications to the camper were to the black water dump and the generator exhaust, I cut 2 holes in the bed and ran both of them out under the bed. the camper will be painted camo when I get it finished, I have doors to fill in the rest of the sides to make it look more finished. I did cut the drop sides to give me access to the storage underneath the camper. oh, and i did remove the AC unit off the top of the camper to get me down to 14ish feet, it will be replaced with a mini split ac unit next week.
thanks

 

[wreckerman893]

and i did remove the AC unit off the top of the camper to get me down to 14ish feet,

I think 13'6" is the maximum legal height in most states. You may have an issue with DOT and low bridges.

 

[Blarsen]

Yeah, I checked with Utah DOT and i am OK without a permit to 14'. If you are 14' to 15' you need a permit from the state every year, and if you are over 15' you need a permit every time you drive it..

 

[Snowtiger]

That looks very smart, talk about modernized the ultimate camper set up. Now that has it all toughness and comfort and when its camo'd there will be no stopping you..........well maybe a low overpass.

 

[Blarsen]

The truck also has 2014 Toyota Tundra leather bucket seats with fold down center console and drink holders.. I have a red dot AC kit for the cab ready to install along with a 200 amp alternator and Warn Military winch, it will also be getting a Xantrex inverter, solar panels and more batteries..

 

[MtnSnow]

Sounds like I'm going to have to come visit you and see some of this up close

 

[Blarsen]

anytime.. I have plenty of tools and can use the help

 

[MtnSnow]

 

[RumRunner742]

Thats impressive! I was looking at doing something similar, however I was concerned with the overall height. Could you save enough inches between the top of the cab and the camper to justify a custom bed? I have access to a Marine Corps ISO bed and I believe they a slightly lower to accommodate the containers. It would be nice to be able to go down the interstate without cringing every time I went under a bridge.

 

[Blarsen]

I actually raised the camper 11 inches off of the bed to give me 5 inches between the cab and the cab over section of the camper, these truck have a lot of flex in the frame and i didn't want to have them hit.. as for the interstate, all interstates are rated at 16 feet now by the feds. The Lance camper cab over section is almost 4 feet tall, if you went with a different brand with less headroom you would be fine, also the lance has the floor above the wheel wells (water tanks in between the wells) so that you have a large flat floor, but it makes the trailer 1 foot taller..

 

[RumRunner742]

I'll probably go with a more conventional truck camper, although the flat floor sound like a great feature. How much does the truck sway with that much weight up high? Did you have any concerns with anchoring it? I figured I'd pick your brain before I start on mine. Thanks!

 

[Blarsen]

The truck doesn't sway at all, i was a little shocked but you really cant feel it back there, it does flex and move a lot off road (that's what people have told me) but you cant feel it in the cab. I built a bed out of 3/16 and 1/4 steel for the camper to sit in/on and then used 4000lb eye bolts through the bed to hook the anchors too. we took it 200 miles this weekend with a lot of rough roads and about 20 miles of dirt roads, including climbing a narrow mountain road for about 6 miles and it didn't move at all..
here is a video link. (well 2)
https://goo.gl/photos/UPEnfqupKTdVZpzHA
https://goo.gl/photos/fmGN3kouRGiuKLJE8

 

[JohnnyBM931A2]

I actually raised the camper 11 inches off of the bed to give me 5 inches between the cab and the cab over section of the camper, these truck have a lot of flex in the frame and i didn't want to have them hit.. as for the interstate, all interstates are rated at 16 feet now by the feds. The Lance camper cab over section is almost 4 feet tall, if you went with a different brand with less headroom you would be fine, also the lance has the floor above the wheel wells (water tanks in between the wells) so that you have a large flat floor, but it makes the trailer 1 foot taller..

eh... Just don't come to Illinois. Federal regulation or not, nothing over 13' 6" here (unless it's some massive oversized load, but they usually take those down normal roads and move power lines, etc.) I know because I took the written test for the C license recently. 13'6" is still in the code book, and still on the test.

Is there any way you could relocate the A/C unit to the front angled face of the camper? It might look a little funky, but it would give you more clearance up top..

 

[Blarsen]

I am replacing the ac unit with a "mini-split 9000btu ac/heat unit) it is twice as efficient as the stock one and will be mounted down on the bed. As for heights, every state has a limit on height, some are as low as 12 feet, most are 13.6 feet and a few are up to 14. My comment was only for "interstates" they are all rated at 16 feet, regardless of the state it is in, the Feds have no height restrictions on interstates, it is up to the driver to verify they can clear.

 

[TB58]

What are your plans for power generation? The big downside to A/C is they suck down the power. Are you going to run an inverter off of the alternator or have a generator to augment the solar panels?

 

[Blarsen]

The camper has an Onan propane generator in to power the ac unit ( with dual 7 gallon tanks), I also have a Xantrex inverter that will be connected to a 6 battery bank with solar panels, so I will be able to run the ac without the generator for an extended period of time.