Right Size Camper for SWB, 3/4 ton?

[finclipped]

I am looking at buying a 3/4 ton pickup and the payload is nearly 4,000, but it is a short wide box (6 1/2 ft) and I am wondering how long of camper I can put on this thing? is there anyone out there give me some insight?

I plan on carrying the camper and pulling the boat, so I don't know how far that camper can extend past the back of the tailgate and safely tow the boat.

[Rip'N'Lips]

Finclipped-

If I could give you one piece of advice it would be get the lightest camper you can find in the size you want. I have an F-350 with airbags (a must have) and had an Arctic Fox 990 that weighed ~3300 lbs. Loaded with gear I felt like the truck was overloaded. They tried to get me to buy their larger model as it wouldn't be a problem but I was glad I didn't.

Also if your boat is large you will have to have a custom hitch built for the extension. I liked the Arctic Fox camper, but I would try and find a lighter rig for a nicer ride. Every corner over the coast range brought a new "pucker" factor with it.

Thanks,

Rip'N'Lips

[WaterDog]

The only way you will know EXACTLY what your payload is, is to fill it full of fuel, put you and whatever else your going to carry in it , and weight it. Subtract this from the GVWR and that is the real payload. You more than likely find that your REAL payload is less than 4000#. It is also more than likely you will exceed your GVWR but do not exceed your Axle Rating.

If your looking at a hard sided camper, even the “lite” models come in around 1800 to 2200#’s dry. Add another 400 to 600 #’s for wet weight. I’m actively looking at campers too and even with my truck, a f-350 dually, I only have a payload of 3300#.

Look at getting Torklift tie downs and you'll need a hitch extension as mentioned. Also, airbags will help stability but it will not increase your load capacity.

Good luck and have fun!

[finclipped]

So it sounds, like I can buy something that extends quite a was out the back of the pickup? Most of the campers I have looked are in the 1,500-2,200 weight range and come in the 8'-9.5' foot range.

The 9.5' foot camper would extend 3 feet beyond the back of the truck and close to a foot beyond the end of the tailgate. It sounds like I can get a tow hitch extension to compensate for this problem, but how long is to long?

WD, Air bags sound intiguing. How much are they? And how much can I look at spending on tie downs?

[ 09-25-2003, 10:34 AM: Message edited by: finclipped ]

[WaterDog]

Fin,

Most manufactures have short bed models. The Lamce 845 comes to mind. Eagle cap also has one but I don’t remember the number. Yes, it will hang over by 3 feet or so. I believe Torklift makes a class V hitch that is designed for an extension that is capable of towing 10K. The extension is 48” long and weighs 75 pds. :shocked: Add $400+ for this towing set up.

I say the torklift tie downs because they attach to the frame of the truck and not the bed or bumper like the happyjack. The arms can be removed when the camper is off the truck and they don’t compromise ground clearance. Price was around $400-500 installed I think but it’s a bolt on application so I would just install them myself if it were me.. Airbags are $350-450 installed. At least that is the quote I have seen. Maybe some who got them could chime in here? Not cheap by any means and one reason I’m looking a used.

New campers are way expensive IMO. But when you want to drag a boat around as well you really don’t have a lot of choice.

[WaterDog]

Fin,

I don’t have a camper yet. I’ve just been doing my research and talking to other owners for the last 6 months. I finally feel like I can make an informed decision on whatever I find out there once I start seriously shopping. The pop-ups don't interest me because I plan on using it in the winter and from what I have seen, they are not that much lighter if equiped with similar options.

Rip is right about comfort and keep in mind you can get a 23 to 27 foot travel trailer for the price of a camper. On the other hand you can take a camper in a lot more remote locations than a trailer.

[Hanapa'a Time]

The TorqueLift system is the only way to go, for both tie-downs and receiver/extension. Had the Happijack(sp?) system on first truck, was okay.
Went with the complete TorqueLift system on the new truck, much more stable. Installed the whole system myself, very easy!! TorqueLifts extensions range from 18"-48".
I have the Air Lift air bags w/ the onboard compressor, dual guages. Nice to be able to air up/down and monitor pressure in each side separately.
Hope this helps, good luck on your purchase.

[Conspiracy Theory]

Finclipped,

Here are some more things to think about.

If you are looking into a 3 ft over hang on a short box truck. Because the box is only 6 1/2 feet and the axle is placed about the middle of the box over half of the campers weight will be behind the axle. Add to this the tongue weight of the trailer and you could get very light in the front end of the truck. This can be very dangerous.

Long bed trucks can handle longer campers because the axle is further back so even with a 2 to 3 foot over hang the axle ends up being in approx the middle of the load.

Also make sure to check the GVCW( I think this is what it is called) of the vehicle. This is different from how much weight you can load into the truck. This includes towing weight, not tongue weight. If the truck, camper and trailer exceed the GVCW(Gross Vehicle Carrying Weight) you can have problems and void any warranties you may have. It will also have a great effect on braking, longevity of engine, transmission, axles, drivelines, ect... Some more very important things to think about.

Good luck finding the perfect camper.

[finclipped]

Its sounds like you both have fairly large campers. Do you think that the pop-up models are a good choice? The pop-ups are quite a bit lighter, but I worry about having canvas vs. hard side. It also seems as though you would loose storage area.

Also, I have been told that Fiberglass are the best, followed by aluminum. Rip'N'Lips, the Artic Fox is fiberglass isn't it? What are the advantages?

I will definately be buying a used camper. I am hoping to get something less than 10 years old and under $5,000.

Thanks for the help.

[ICHTHYDEMON]

What kind of truck is it? Chevy puts a sticker in the glovebox,that tells you exactly how much your camper should weigh. The sticker in my 2001 2500HD says to limit the camper weight to 2215lbs. This works out to be pretty close. The GVWR of my truck is 9200lbs. My truck is an X-cab,short bed,4x4,and weighs in at 6650lbs. Thats a full tank of fuel, my son (30lbs) and me (250lbs). That leaves me with 2550lbs to play with. Subtract the 2215,and that leaves 315lbs of gear. Add the tongue weight of the boat,and you're almost maxed out. Try to stay under 2000lbs,and you should do well.

[Rip'N'Lips]

Finclipped-

I would not recommend the popups for one simple reason. We had a tent trailer before the truck camper and in the summer you would die of heat and in the winter you would freeze. It would be the same with a pop-up truck camper, kind of the worst of both worlds.

The outside of the Arctic fox is fiberglass, but the inside is stick framing. We sold our camper back in May and still haven't replaced it. I would really think hard just getting a trailer or going with a motorhome... I am probably going to get a car topper boat for lake fishing and a trailer. More comfort...

Rip'N'Lips

[finclipped]

Looking at the max GVW, it looks like I will have to stay around the 8-8 1/2 feet range. That will leave no hangover the tailgate. I was surprised that there are so many large campers that really can only be carried by 1 ton's. Most of camper weights I looked at are right at the max for my pickup in the 8 foot range.

I like the idea of a trailer, but I can't tow the boat and a trailer. Believe me, I would rather stay in a trailer, than cramped up in a camper.

Thanks for all the input.

[Streetwalker]

Fin,
There are several outfits making 8' campers for shortbeds. I have an Arctic Fox 9.9. I hual the camper & the sled together using a superhitch extention. I do this all with a 2500 HD Chev (same axle capacity as the pre "superduty" ford 1 tons) w/ airbags on the rear. I make my safety judgement on rear axle weight vs tire capacity, & braking ability. Normally the rear axle capacity matches that of the stock tires, bigger tires can help this. With brakes on the boat trailer & the allison trans grade braking feature I have never not been able to stop quickly & have had occasion to test it on a panic stop when cut off. Sway has not been bad w/ the air bags. BTW My neighbor works for GM & tells me that the rear axle capacity listed is more related to DOT required stopping distances than it is to what the truck can carry w/o harm to it. I am very pleased overall how the whole set up performs but I would go witha dually if my camper was any bigger.

[Streetwalker]

Look at some of the campers w/slides, you may be surprized at how much roomier thay are!!