The History of Four Wheel Pop-up Campers

The Four Wheel Camper is a lot more developed and refined than it was back in 1972, but the basic concept hasn’t changed at all. The camper must observe three basic principles: light weight, durability, simplicity. Aluminum framing and skin keeps the camper light and durable. Understated cabinetry, made of mahogany plywood, provides lightweight simplicity and a greater feeling of spaciousness in a very compact living space. Decorative design elements are kept to an absolute minimum to reduce weight and increase durability. These three simple, yet complex goals, provide a very small niche in the camper marketplace unlike other brands of truck campers. Whereas larger, more complex truck campers provide amenities and large living spaces, Four Wheel Campers embrace the ability to literally go camping in comfort anywhere your truck can go safely and with relative ease.

As the market has developed, grown, and matured, especially in recent years, our customers have asked for specific design concepts to be added to the modern Four Wheel Camper. The Hard Top is a non pop up, or hard side, cabover camper build. This design answers the needs of campers who prefer the convenience of a full height door and no need to raise the roof at the campsite.

The basic idea is a fairly simple, but very strong, cage like aluminum frame fabricated from aluminum tube and extruded channel. Much like an airplane frame, it has the ability to flex, providing greater strength and durability, therefore longer life and the ability to handle the torque experienced on mountain and desert roads, far away from pavement. Optimum off road capability demands the lowest center of gravity. The minimal height over the cab of the truck is essential, and as much weight as possible is on the floor of the camper. Thats why the water tank and propane tanks have migrated to the floor in recent years. Dave Rowe invented a lift mechanism like no other in the market. Instead of a complex lift arm apparatus with difficult linkage and geometry, he devised a simple articulated lift panel at the front and back, spring loaded the piano hinges, and provided a shear wall effect for exceptional stability in high winds. This also provides support for a snow load on the roof.

The HT, or hard top, is simply a hard shell replacing the pop up portion of the camper. Instead of flexible, folding windows, the HT has rigid frame sliding windows. Over the cab of the truck, the nose has been designed to maintain very comfortable head space in the sleeping area, yet has a more streamlined exterior profile to provide less wind resistance than a typical mainstream truck camper. The height of the rear wall allows a full height RV style door with two windows.