Noncamping DH Need to Vent

[bethbritt]

I'm so mad right now grrrrrr..!
After years of tent camping and having to rely on my dh to go with to help set up the monster 3-room tent, I want a pop up. We have excellent credit, can afford the note, and so on, but he will NOT let me go over $3500! I want an electric lift to make setup easier on my wimpy 130 lb self. When I'm having a bad week, I want to to be able to put a popup on the hitch and just go, with or without DH. I do have a question though. How difficult would it be for me to crank an older popup by myself? I NEED to be able to do most everything on my own.

For more experienced campers, what would be the best solution for me, because I'm ready to tell dh just forget it and do the purchasing and camping solo.

Thanks for listening/reading
Beth

[brainpause]

Cranking a popup is actually pretty easy. Test it when you look at one.

Larry

[PLJ]

Cranking a popup is actually pretty easy. Test it when you look at one.

Larry

I concur - my 13 year old daughter usually cranks our PUP up.

You'll find setting up a PUP solo much easier than a 3 room tent.

[Old Starcraft]

I too think you'll be surprised how easy it is to crank up a pop-up. My 11YO DS has taken over that whenever we go camping, and this is a 32 YO camper which I'd be willing to bet newer ones were easier. You can also have an electric motor installed. I've seen them on ebay for less than $300, and recently seen advertised for less than $500 (installation included).
 
When buying one make sure you check it out thoroughly 1st. I've seen a number of "how to" what to look for before buying one on this website. My wife also plans to use it on weekends that I work and she and my DS want to camp for a couple of days.
 
 
Good luck on your purchase !!!...... Let us know what you bought....

[jaytee2274]

Hi Beth -

First - I have been cranking up and helping set up pop ups since I was a kid also...and I weigh the same as you.  You could do it yourself - just practice a few times first

Second...you can absolutely get something in great shape for that price...especially right now - many people "trade-up" this time of year.

Good Luck!!

[naganthunter]

Hi Again Beth!

I'm going to direct you to the same page with the checklist for buying a used camper.  There's a cool little setup there on how to connect a tool to a cordless drill so it can do the cranking for you:

http://www.title-3.com/EasyLift.htm

You can ususally find an adequate drill in pawn shops very cheap.  For whatever reason people hock a lot of tools?

I have an electric lift, so I don't know if this works well or not.  I can say that I've seen this type of system referred to on many pages, so I suspect that it does.

Good luck!!     :-()

[Lifeangel1]

Hi Beth, 1st of all I also have a DH who doesn't like camping. I told him i love to camp and would never force him to come along however he was welcome to anytime he wanted to. I went tent camping for some time and like you always had to have someone come and help me set up. Finally I bought a pup. I absolutely love the pup and camping is much less stressful now. NO carrying stuff up and down the basement  steps, making everything fit in the car, etc. My DD and DGS often go with me but I would go by myself if I had to.

Cranking is no problem for me and I have a large pup with ac on top. The biggest problem I have is hooking up but I'm getting better.

You can get a nice pup for 3500. It doesn't have to be new. Alot of people get rid of their pups after only using them a season or two.

I've learned ( mostly thanks to this site ) how to take care of it including the winterization.

So go have fun. Life is short!

[Micksc]

Hey, Beth. This is how I do the 75 turns on my Coleman Cheyenne.
Park Pup near where you want it to be. Place level on tongue, (side to side).
Determine how many shims or Lynx levelers are needed, (you'll learn this rather quickly), pop cold beer. Drink half of beer while deciding if you made the right choice as far as shims. If choice was correct, drag or back Pup onto levelers.
Test for level. Finish first cold beer. Test for level from side to side. Pop second cold beer. Prepare to unhook from TV. Unhook. Test for foward to aft for level, adjust tongue jack accordingly. Slurp a little beer. Tell DW and DGS that if they will do first 35 turns on popup crank, you'll fix them a SUPER dinner. Slurp beer while DW & DGS are cranking. Finish beer. When DW and DGS get tired, immediately grab onto crank and complete raising the top.Extend bunkends, set supports, do the rest of the drill. (i.E. Bunkend supports, water, grey water,
etc, shore power, then have a back spasm from hell! Tell 'em you need a happy meal or whatever to get over it. Works everytime, (almost).  :-()

[heygirl]

Beth,
 
I'm a single mom and while I owned a pup in the past; my oldest daughter and I recently bought a used spring-loaded pup.  We were having a tough time raising it but realized it had something wrong and my so fixed it for me.  I can now easily raise and lower my roof and there is no cranking involved.  Ok, I still suck at backing it but I need practice but I do great handling it otherwise.
 
I agree that for $3500 you should be able to find a pretty nice one and practice setting it up, down, leveling, etc. and you'll be able to leave him home if he doesn't want to come.  I hope to never have to put up a huge tent again!
 
Good luck!

[cyclone]

Another vote for you will be able to handle the cranking.  I am single and camp with my sister(s).  We gave up the tent about 5 years ago and there is no going back.  I have never set it up by myself, but I could do it.  I just haven't had to.  (backing it up....that would be a problem.   .)  

As for finding something in your price range - good luck and be patient.  Something will come along that is perfect for you.  Although we are not in the market at all, it's still fun to look at CraigsList and those units seem way overpriced in our area.  (like the '99 Jayco the other day for $6000.  Nada has a value of $3500 for that one.  Yes, I'm in the Nashville area, too.)  I can't help but wonder if these people ever sell them for the money they are asking.

[PattieAM]

I solo, and I hook up, tow, back in and set up solo (with health issues).  I did buy a "Couple Mate" which assists me in hooking up (guides the tongue over the hitch ball).

I would recommend you take the Popup to a school parking lot on a Sunday when it's empty and practice backing it into either parking spaces or the bus lanes and you will feel much more comfortable.

Leveling isn't difficult - once backed in before disconnecting, open your camper door, place the level on the floor to determine your low side, and either pull up or back onto your leveling things (lynx leveling blocks or slabs of wood).  Chock the tires (both...front and back), disconnect from tow vehicle and use the tongue to level front to back.

As to setting up - not a problem solo.....about 50 cranks (and I do 10 at a time, and while resting from cranks, I will unfurl the awning and start that process), and pulling out the bunks, etc., are all easy solo.

The inside set up is a breeze, unless you are like me and need all kinds of comfort items (table lamp, coffee maker on counter, utinsel holder on counter, etc.)  

To save a little time, the night before I leave, I pack just about everything away so all I deal with in the morning is coffee and dishes, taking out the trash.
(We're talking bathtowels, over the door hanger/organizers, and other nit noid stuff).  Toss the suitcase in the truck, the cooler and begin the closure process.

While it is nice to have help - my  PUP is my responsibility, and now that I have a 'routine', I don't want to have to double check someone elses tasks.

[badabing67]

my 15 yo dd does the lifting of our camper top, but we use a cordless drill (craftsman 19.2 volt) and a socket genie, we used to have a 99 coleman timberlake with the electric lift motor and it was a p.i.a.,if the motor isn't working it makes it harder to crank the top , at least it did on mine. I'll continue to use the drill

[spicyville1]

I'm so mad right now grrrrrr..!
After years of tent camping and having to rely on my dh to go with to help set up the monster 3-room tent, I want a pop up. We have excellent credit, can afford the note, and so on, but he will NOT let me go over $3500! I want an electric lift to make setup easier on my wimpy 130 lb self. When I'm having a bad week, I want to to be able to put a popup on the hitch and just go, with or without DH. I do have a question though. How difficult would it be for me to crank an older popup by myself? I NEED to be able to do most everything on my own.

For more experienced campers, what would be the best solution for me, because I'm ready to tell dh just forget it and do the purchasing and camping solo.

Thanks for listening/reading

Beth, I have a 1996 Jayco 1406 which is a very large tandem popup. Almost 28 ft when opened. I purchased it for a meer $1300.00 from someone moving back to TN.Everything works perfect. All I did was put 4 new tires on it. I was in the right place at the right time. If you keep looking you will find a very nice deal out there. Look at all available campers in your range but I myself prefer the Jayco's or Colemans. Colemans are very easy to set up and their crank system is very smooth. I am quite sure you will get what you want within your price range. There are a lot of great campers out there under that price. My neighbor just p/u a very nice 2001 Coleman Cheyenne for $3200 and it looks almost new and is fully loaded. Keep your chin up. You will find that "deal" you are looking for. As for the DH. He just might come to his senses and really enjoy going camping once you get the pop-up.[/FONT]

[bethbritt]

THANKS for your replies and support! U r great!
I now feel alot better about getting a used one in my $ range and cranking it myself. From everyone's advice I take it that backing up is what I need to worry about more than anything. I'm now stalking the Nashville Craigslist and Bowling Green,KY (KY one isn't very active though). I went and looked at some new ones yesterday. The dealer sells only Rockwood, and he did have a used 2006 Rockwood 10' but he wanted 5495 for it. After seeing that, and all your wonderful advice, I've decided to hold out for a used model and get a lil more for my money. Problem is patience, and being that it is not a virtue that I posess, IT'S REALLY HARD! I'll be 1 step closer tomorrow when my tow hitch is installed. Yey!

[Recumbentman]

Beth
since your DH will not be camping with you. have you considered a ALINER  or a CHALET , these are super easy for a single person to set-up.
good luck and happy camping