Either get a small one, or go on up to a TT, I wish I had known earlier

I've come to the conclusion, as I work on my lift system yet again, that if one is buying a pop-up some advice is in order. If you just have to have a popup, stick with one in the 8-foot range and keep it reasonably simple. I see Debbie and Dice set up in just a few minutes with a hand crank that is no problem. I see Jeff (Volman) and myself setting up over a period of an hour or so.

I think the problem is that the campers use essentially the same lift system for all sizes, and the 12 footers have roofs that are just too heavy, mix in the AC units designed for full-size campers and you have way too much weight on the top. I can't even imagine fooling with a slide-out or a screen room.

All that stuff is great once it's set up, but it's just too much trouble for just one or two nights. Easy setup means less hassle. Less hassle means easier to go camping more. If it's raining during setup or takedown, the hassle factor is even more important. Setting up a big pop-up is like building a cabin instead of enjoying a quick camping trip.

Coolbreeze and I can pull in at the same time. He's and shooting the bull with our buddies while I'm trying to remember all the 5000 details I have to do to setup. If I ever get another pop-up, it will be much smaller. Don't get me wrong, as much as I complain, I still like my PUP, I just didn't know the facts before I bought. I'm camping, but I feel like I'm building a cabin or something.

If you need the space in a 12-foot-box popup, you really need to skip a step and buy a small travel-trailer in the first place..
Richard

Even if a PUP has it's on challenges to set-up, then so does every other camper. If you notice that I just don't do everything right away. I sometimes never put out my awning. The biggest thing with me is making sure everything is level, after that is hooking up the electric and water. I then take a break, and come back later to finish setting up other things.

Coolbreeze1

Agreed Tim, none have a single button that just handles everything. The small PUPs are easier to set up, and the travel trailers are easier to set up.

A first a big PUP seemed the best of both worlds, but the additional setup is just enough to outweigh the towing/storage advantages of a PUP over a small TT.

I'm also now leary of the weight of the big roof and AC unit on those lift arms and cables. Lots of stress for so little support. The side to side weakness is a bigger concern now than the up and down weakness. I may start staking the side to side out for windy conditions. Those lift arms come apart (up and down) really easily. With the Awning out, there's a lot of wing/sail there for the wind to use to lift the top a bit. Once lifted an inch or so above fully up, the whole thing is comming down and quickly. A little side to side action can have the same effect, even with 2x4's holding things up, as you all witnessed. I'm imagining a kid playing and hitting a support arm pretty hard and the thing falling on them. Ratchet straps on the corners going down to stakes will solve this problem, but add more time to setup. That roof is just to heavy for what holds it up.

But I'm not willing to give up that nice AC/Heat unit to lighten it up. Sooooo, I'll just have to add the extra safety measures until I can afford a real camper, come up with a better lift system, or if all else fails trade down to a smaller pup with a smaller ac unit.

I really have to agree with you on going with either a smaller PUP or going into a small TT or HTT. We have (had) the same issues with our large (12 ft box) PUP. even without air, the top is very heavy and is difficult on the winch just to pop it up.


Please be careful with the ratchet straps, they are easy to "over tighten", causing more downward stress on the cables supporting a heavy top and an air conditioner.

Our SOP (standard operating procedure), I stake down the back of the PUP with ropes for stability and to offset the weight of the awning, I don't want to tighten them too much. Sometimes I will also stake down the awning. I think that having the "safety bars" are a must. With these if "a" cable does fail, the bars are made to support the top without coming completely out from under it. I still think we would be in your position if we were to have "all" cables fail at once.


Dave
advice taken...
now with a "new to us" HTT

Just remember, we've had at least 6 years to get a setup routine down. We both have set jobs that we do so we now exactly who does what and how it gets done. Trust me, in the beginning it took for ever. The smaller size is nice at times, it's easy to manuver, we can push it around by ourselves and it tows real easy. But, the down side is you have very limited space inside. If one of us wants to go to the other end of the camper, the other one has to set down at the table or set on the bed until the other can go by. If/when we ever get another camper we would get a 10' box at least. So there are good and bad no matter what type or size of camper you have. Richard, sometime when we're camping, bring your family over and come in the camper, I think you'll find it would be crowded in a hurry.

LOL Dice, We get crowded in our 12 ft. And we have to get out of each other's way. I generally make them sit at the table or on the couch.

Good point about hose Ratchet Straps Dave. It would be really easy to over tighten them, and cause extra problems.