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BigSwick
FL
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Joined: 08/19/2021
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What others have failed to mention is everything you put in the cab of the truck counts toward the carrying capacity. You, the wife, the kids, the carseats, tools, dog, etc... Add in a half a tank of fresh water and you are probably close to the 1000 pound estimate without food, beer, clothes, etc.
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ford truck guy
Pennsylvania
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Joined: 03/22/2008
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The other day on my way to work I saw an F150 , maybe mid 2005’ish… It was working OT, as it had a rather large TC in the bed all strapped in with turnbuckles and all…
That truck looked like a LOW rider, I passed it too quick and could not get my camera out..
So , it can be done ! :-)
Me-Her-the kids
2020 Ford F350 SD 6.7
2020 Redwood 3991RD Garnet
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KD4UPL
Swoope, VA
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I had a Fleetwood 11' TC with a sticker that said it weighed 3120 pounds WITH water. Loaded and ready to camp it was around 4,000 pounds. I carried it on a 2007 Chevy 3500 SRW. With me, the wife, and the dog in the cab the whole rig was about 11,150. The truck was rated with a 9,900 pound GVWR. I added air bags and good shocks. I was not over axle or tire ratings. It handled fine for several years thru many thousands of miles.
I then put he same camper on a 2005 Chevy dually. Now, with some children and more stuff we came in at 13,100 pounds total on a truck with a 11,400 pound GVWR. Again, I wasn't over axle or tire ratings but added air bags and good shocks. Drove it for many years thru many states, sometimes also pulling a 5,000 pound boat behind us.
The dually was night and day better in terms of handling and stability. It had much less sway and much less bounce. I highly recommend a dually for a TC.
We had about 500 pounds of people and dog. 40 pounds of propane, 325 pounds of water, and who knows how many pounds of chairs, grill, firewood, food drinks, pots, pans, clothes, toys, firewood, tools, etc.
I miss my TC but with the birth of our 3rd child we decided it was just too small.
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3 tons
NV.
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Nice truck, but may end up with a severe case of morning after sickness when you discover the incurable weight limitations of a SRW… In the end, my dreaded upgrade from a new SWR to new DRW mistake (ugg, $$) cost me dearly, but in the end, the DRW config is what provided us with the weight bearing capacity required to carry a camper with a slide, fully loaded with 60gal of fresh water (4,950# hitting to road), and with nary a trace of the former SRW sway ![[emoticon]](http://www.rv.net/sharedcontent/cfb/images/smile.gif "smile") ….All water under the bridge now - a hard lesson learned..
3 tons
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mkirsch
Rochester, NY
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Joined: 04/09/2004
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You will only discover "incurable weight limitations" if you intentionally buy a camper that's too heavy and are too stubborn to make the compromise, i.e. buy a smaller/lighter camper.
High 4000's are a bit much for an SRW, I agree, but we're not talking about high 4000's. We're talking low 4000's. Getting up there, but still manageable.
Heck even 5000 is possible with an SRW if you throw enough money at it.
Putting 10-ply tires on half ton trucks since aught-four.
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mellow
Salisbury, MD
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mkirsch wrote:Heck even 5000 is possible with an SRW if you throw enough money at it.
I thought that to with my F250 that I upgraded the heck out of, weak link for me was the transmission which led me to get a DRW among the other stuff.
2002 F-350 7.3 Lariat 4x4 DRW ZF6
2008 Lance 1191 - 220w of solar - Bring on the sun!
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BeMurda
Canada
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Joined: 12/04/2022
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mkirsch wrote:You will only discover "incurable weight limitations" if you intentionally buy a camper that's too heavy and are too stubborn to make the compromise, i.e. buy a smaller/lighter camper.
High 4000's are a bit much for an SRW, I agree, but we're not talking about high 4000's. We're talking low 4000's. Getting up there, but still manageable.
Heck even 5000 is possible with an SRW if you throw enough money at it.
A Lance 830 which is used in my neighbourhood seems like a good compromise. The issue with SRW short bed which is what this would fit well is that if I decide it's too small I don't have much of an upgrade path other than a short box single slide unit... or getting a different truck. And I told my wife that I would not upgrade the truck, it would be buy once cry once - unlike my other habits with vehicles haha.
* This post was
edited 12/06/22 08:44am by BeMurda *
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3 tons
NV.
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BeMurda wrote:mkirsch wrote:You will only discover "incurable weight limitations" if you intentionally buy a camper that's too heavy and are too stubborn to make the compromise, i.e. buy a smaller/lighter camper.
High 4000's are a bit much for an SRW, I agree, but we're not talking about high 4000's. We're talking low 4000's. Getting up there, but still manageable.
Heck even 5000 is possible with an SRW if you throw enough money at it.
A Lance 830 which is used in my neighbourhood seems like a good compromise. The issue with SRW short bed which is what this would fit well is that if I decide it's too small I don't have much of an upgrade path other than a short box single slide unit... or getting the truck. And I told my wife that I would not upgrade the truck, it would be buy once cry once - unlike my other habits with vehicles haha.
My hard learned council is that re-purchasing a new truck is a bitter pill…Finding that we’d soon outgrown our (what overtime became ‘seemingly cramped’…) 9’6” non-slide camper meant our now almost new SRW was suddenly obsolete - luckily, for me I was able to absorb the hit…
BTW, disregard mfg. advertised camper weights because they are designed to sell campers - consider batteries, LPG, water weight (incl. water heater capacity), non-standard options, incl. jack weight, solar, groceries, clothing, misc. housewares, baggage compartment items (all total in my case, say about an additional 800-850#) = ‘real world’ weights can be a sobering experience - now add tie-downs and frame attachments, passengers and rear seat cargo, a full tank of fuel and (if maybe a future option?) add a HD Curt hitch (or equivalent) and hitch extension for say UTV trailer towing, and now consider the CG lever effect…Trust that these are all Issues the camper salesman will be sure not to mention - lol ![[emoticon]](http://www.rv.net/sharedcontent/cfb/images/eek.gif "eek")
This is exactly why lots of trucks with campers are very close to or often exceed their GVWR which affects handling, braking and ‘real world’ towing ability - from experience it’s far better from the outset to be a ‘Happy Camper’ - JMHO
3 tons
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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All the 9’ ish “short bed” capable campers I’ve seen have CoG right about over the axle of a short bed.
Move the camper forward a foot and a half ish in a longbed truck will relieve what was virtually 100% load on the rear axle by a fair amount. Nothing earth shattering but several hundred lbs will shift to the front axle.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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Taking a significant financial hit on vehicle in any recent years back to the last recession shouldn’t be blamed on upsizing a camper since the vehicles for each are very similar in value.
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