OK, so I'm getting ready to buy a camper again so setting up my truck. Where are you guys finding the best prices for Torklift tiedowns, Fastguns, Super hitch and Stable Loads? I know about Tweety's but are there any cheaper suppliers out there?
One other thing , Big Wig sway bar? The tiny one Ford puts on from the factory is a joke. This well probably wait till after I get the camper and see what the sway is going to be like.
Thanks
* This post was
edited 07/05/12 02:37pm by Butch50 *
Butch
2011 F350 KR 4X4 CC LB SRW
2012 Northern Lite 10 2 CDSE
2010 Can-Am 650XT Outlander Max
2012 Harley Tri Glide
It's not your question, but hang on a minute there. Let's just see what you can carry first.
Tires: What do you have on? How much will each carry at full pressure? Some of us, especially those that tow trailers that need a heavy duty superhitch use 19.5's because factory tires won't carry the load.
Tongue weight of trailer...
You have a one ton truck, and as many like myself have found out, the carrying capacity isn't as high as our dreams might like it to be.
All those things to carry your rig safer and to tow safer are heavy, and they cut that tire capacity to a pretty small camper.
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edited 07/10/12 10:21am by Artum Snowbird *
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Artum, I doubt an experienced TC person like Butch50 is wanting to go off on a tangent to make you happy.
Butch50, as far as the best prices go, the best deal is probably through the dealer. Get them to cut their cost. I've tried to beat them when I bought mine, but really couldn't.
'06 F350 Lariat Supercab SRW, 6.0 PSD 4x4 Long Bed, Intake Elbow, Walker Big Truck Muffler. '06 Host Rainer 950 Double Slide, Fastguns. Firestone Air Bags, Rancho 9000s, Vision 19.5s with Hankook DH-01 245s, Energy Suspension bump stops.
I purchased good used Torklift stuff off eBay and occasionally catch a good sale from Adventure RV. Adventure RV was at one time the largest Lance dealer in the Eastern US.
Been down the camper road many times before. My last rig was a F550 with an AF1140.
I'm looking at a Northern Lite. I have Michelin 275 18 tires rated at 3638# per tire (125R load rated). I have wireless controlled air bags and well be adding Stable Loads. The truck is a 6.2 rated at 11,200#GVWR with camper package (I ordered it this way). I know I'll be some over my GVWR and after getting it if needed I'll upgrade to 19.5. I have already owned a NL 10 2 CD and I carried it on a 2002 Chevy dually Dmax/Ally with a 11,400 GVWR and it handled it fine. I'm getting a super hitch for possibly use of a hitch to pull an all aluminum flat bed trailer that weighs 500# and well either be loaded with an CanAM ATV or my Harley trike. Max weight well be 2,000# so tongue weight of in the area of 200 to 240#. My unloaded weight of the truck with a full tank of fuel and tailgate, a toolbox loaded in the bed and me was 8200#. The toolbox full is about 400#. I have a full 4 drawer tool chest in it that I can hardly lift. When I take it out of the truck I use a hand truck to move it around. This well come out of the truck when the camper is loaded. So without weighing it again I'm figuring about a 450 to 500# less weight in the truck. This leaves right a 3450# payload ( you know that is pretty amazing as that is what my truck with the camper certificate says I'm rated for.) The camper is 2980# with almost every option as a NL CD comes with most of the options and unlike other campers their weights are really close as they weigh every camper before it leave the factory. Another 500# for a wet camper puts me at 3480#. Another 400 to 500# for personnal gear and that is a little under 4000#. My rear load for tires is 7276# and the rear axle should be in the 2800 to 2900# range. So this puts me right at the limit of my GAWR. If I pack lighter (which I usually do) I'll be under the RAWR by some. My 5er has empty storage everywhere as it has it has way more storage area than I need.
I have been hauling campers from 1973 and have owned about 9 to 10 TC over that time plus many big 5ers and MH up to diesel pushers. I'm not an inexperenced or first time TC owner as you can see.
I appeciate your concerns and am well aware of the issues and well take steps accordingly to make sure I'm not unsafe.
Steve and Joy
1999 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom
2011 RAM 1500 Laramie CC 4x4 Hemi
Yogi . . . The Yorkie
Kage . . . The Poodle
Cookie . . . The Chihuahua
Cooper . . . The Aussiedoodle
jimh425 wrote: Artum, I doubt an experienced TC person like Butch50 is wanting to go off on a tangent to make you happy.
Butch50, as far as the best prices go, the best deal is probably through the dealer. Get them to cut their cost. I've tried to beat them when I bought mine, but really couldn't.
I had already typed up all of the response before I seen your post.
I'm trying to beat up the dealer for the best price and if I don't alreay have my tiedowns installed he well want to charge me for it. I'll do the install myself. I already have an in bed plug from pulling my 5er so don't have to do any wiring. If I get this camper I have to drive about 650 miles to get it from the dealer. As Jumbojet can tell you also there are not many dealers in AR.
Artum,
I really don't want you to think that I mean anything bad by my response but I just wanted you to know that I know campers and load capacities of tires and trucks. I have pulled 5esr that were over 20,000# with my F550. I owned a Double Tree Elite Suites. So I do know weights.
But having said that, great! You know your stuff. All I can say is in our last trip we did some nasty roads with pretty sharp rocks and I sure felt a lot better knowing my tires and wheels had about 1000 pounds of "safe" rating left in their capacity.
I am definitely over my GVW and with my camper on and only 15 psi in the bags I just touch the overloads. As it sits on level ground I generally have to put a block under the fronts, so putting in stable loads might make that even worse.
I reckon you will be running the rig with the hitch and trailer over the scales. I wish all were as conscientious as you.
Mike and Carole
2007 Snowbird 9'6" Super Slide
2005 16.6 Double Eagle
2000 F350 7.3 SC 4X4
previously 8'10" Snowbird Camper
2006 Triple E Regency 27 foot SXL SOLD!
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