LUVTruck.com

What do think about putting a camper on a Luv.
I got one from my brother over the weekend. I have pics, I just couldn't seem to get them in the post right.
I can tell already it is going to need a couple of suspension upgrades.
The engine is stock, do you think I will run into any problems, engine wise, if I just leave it on the truck.
I was originally planning on keeping the camper off and only putting it on when I want to use it, but living in an apartment that is kind of hard.
I can try to post pics again after work, if you need to see it on the truck.

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77 2wd - Back on the road
05 Ford Five Hundred

"Love endures all things, Love never fails." - 1 Cor. 13:7,8.

IMHO, i think a camper is too much for a LUV's suspension. they ARE a half tonner, but the capacity just ISNT there. also, with the thin ass sidewalls used for the bed, the side support just isnt there. but that is my opinion, if it'll fit, try it and post pics after its mounted. hell, you might be the first TO try it, on here at least!!! i also think you will need some substantial power upgrades. my LUV's engine is screwed so i don't know what kind of power they REALLY have but ive heard it aint that great, and with the added weight of a slide in camper it will get much worse. keep in mind these trucks are KNOWN for their habit of blowing head gaskets when weighted down and worked extremely hard...


just my $.02


Josh

Ya, I've heard about the headgasket possibility.





There's the camper.
Ya, I know, the truck is a little beat up, but it runs good.
What do you think? Think it will haul it good.
The truck seems to have the power to haul it decently around town, but I can see big hills being a problem.

And a couple more pics on the longbed that I had:





lol

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77 2wd - Back on the road
05 Ford Five Hundred

"Love endures all things, Love never fails." - 1 Cor. 13:7,8.

If your happy with it, then im happy with it! You can always put a big motor in it and any power problems will be history.

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Previous setup: 4.1 Buick V-6/TH 350
Current setup: 400 Small Block Chevy V-8/TH 350
9" ford rear end/short bed/blue
What do Water, Electricity and Humans have in common... They all travel the path of least resistance.

Ya, I think a bigger motor may be necessary as well.
Hope this one works for awhile, without having to dump a whole of money into it.

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77 2wd - Back on the road
05 Ford Five Hundred

"Love endures all things, Love never fails." - 1 Cor. 13:7,8.

oh well, looks like a good match!!!! your truck ain't that beat up, looks ok to me...

Josh

I think once I get new tires and shocks on the back, it should be able support the weight alot better.
I will just need to concentrate on being able to pull the weight around.

lol

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77 2wd - Back on the road
05 Ford Five Hundred

"Love endures all things, Love never fails." - 1 Cor. 13:7,8.

There a few motors that are underpowered and get driven "petal to the metal". I think the 1.8 is one of them. They are so under powered that drivin them wide open to haul a camper isnt going to kill it, you'll just be at the mercy of any hill or headwind. Ive had the privelage of driving other small sized motors in little work vans and run them wide open on the highway, and years went by and no probs.

someone told me that the luv suspension and frame are pretty solid.

I say mount it, ride it, use it. If it dont like it, it will tell you.

Just watch out for those low overhangs! No more burgerking drivethrough for you!

Oh, I know. I forgot when I picked up the camper that I was going to loan my other car to a friend, while his was in the shop.
I drove the luv to work, and normally I park in the parking garage, but had to park on the street that time. There was no way that camper was going to make it.
I have seen trucks without campers, just lifted a little bit, just about take out the lights/signs in the parking garage.
lol

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77 2wd - Back on the road
05 Ford Five Hundred

"Love endures all things, Love never fails." - 1 Cor. 13:7,8.

well my little luv hauled a lawn mowing trailer for one season and it did fine. The motor was even tired out it was only running 80psi of compression acrost the board instead of 150psi. There were alot of times when we would have the bed of the truck full of grass and the back of the trailer full of grass and when we whent to dump it the payload it was carying was around 3000lbs. It did take its toll on the motor it started to burn a little bit of oil (but in 100,000miles my bro put on the truck he only changed the oil twice). Work that truck hard its made for it, just put some overload springs in the back of it, the only thing i would be worried about are the sidewalls of the bed.

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1980 LUV 4x4, going under re-construction...

actually i just read the owners manual and it says not to use bed mounted campers. Probly becouse if you get a strong cross wind you could be in some trouble, luvs are not haevy at all, my 4x4is 2600lbs so im guessing your 4x2 is probly around 2400lbs. I would be carefull.

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1980 LUV 4x4, going under re-construction...

Ya know, I didn't receive an owner's manual when I got my truck.
Maybe I should have. lol

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77 2wd - Back on the road
05 Ford Five Hundred

"Love endures all things, Love never fails." - 1 Cor. 13:7,8.

Not to resurrect an old post.... I know too late

but I was looking around and found this pic online:

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77 2wd - Back on the road
05 Ford Five Hundred

"Love endures all things, Love never fails." - 1 Cor. 13:7,8.

Truck looks like its sittin pretty level, so I would guess they put overloads in it.

In that pic the rear wheels look spaced out....


I would run a large load in my LUV 4x4 but I had dual wheels in the back...

Ran it with over 2500lb in it for months on end. I also braced up my bed walls with road grader bars.

The load that had me worried the most was I picked up a crap load of "Coffeeville Bricks" I loaded them one by one and made a solid block half a foot above the bed walls. Then drove the 60 miles home up and down hills and such. Best I could manage was 35-40 MPH. Man was that a load I was tempted to find a scale and have that puppy weighed!!!!!.

Now with a camper I would be scared because wind is gonna throw you ass around everywhere. I would also for when you are set up (camping) Bring along some kind of tie downs or rig up some supports like a Back-hoe, Dual wheels would help the stability a bit but would put more pressure on you outer axle parts, my LUV was used to pull Farm implements and was already beefed up for heavy loads even before the duals.....

Keep the LUV flowing


Rigel

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81 LUV 4x4 Red Was a heavy hauler now is back to mostly stock config.

http://www.Rigeltech.com

I know this is an old thread, but I'm looking at a camper for mine too. I've found one, but it's bigger than yours. It would sit on the tailgate, the price is right but the truck is sort of a question mark right now. I'd planned to put it on the 4x4.

I've got a light aluminum shell I could put on the truck with a trailer but the original idea was to take the whole family in one rig. The minivan won't pull squat.

Would a pop-up trailer be a better option for a Luv?

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"If we did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves" - Thomas Edison

I would think that with a decent set of air shocks that you can pick up cheap on ebay , you'll be just fine. Besides, if it wears out the engine after a while, an Isuzu Impulse 1.9 engine is cheap (around $300.00 used) and comes with a higher lift cam, taller flat top pistons, bigger valves, and doesn't have those ridiculous air injection nozzles plummed into the head.

But you might want to snag a 5 speed tranny out of a newer Impulse or Pup, that way you won't be crawling up hills so much, and you'll do better speed on the flat stretchs.

LUVParker, what are you using for tie downs? Are those just turnbuckles in the bed hooks? Are those LT tires, or car tires?

Rigel, what is this bed wall thing you are talking about?

If I used belly bars instead of the bed hooks, would that provide some relief for the bed walls?

What about a sway bar on the rear end, is one available?

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"If we did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves" - Thomas Edison

Wow, I have been gone awhile! lol
Hey Nuke,
All I had holding it on were turnbuckles as you said.
I am not sure what tires those were in that pic (been replaced since then).
The camper is currently on the ground and being used as a storage shed for me and my roommates junk (err um treasures).

I don't know if any of that helped or not.

Hopefully I will get a chance to hang around a little more.

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77 2wd - Back on the road
05 Ford Five Hundred

"Love endures all things, Love never fails." - 1 Cor. 13:7,8.