I wouldn't be looking at a 1500 truck at all if you intend to put a truck camper in the bed. 1,200 pounds dry weight is meaningless as nobody uses it that way. Add up the weight of water, propane, battery, food, clothes, gear, etc. Then add the weight of you and any passengers and pets. Then add the weight of any bolt on accessories like a winch, bumper, steps, etc. Then add the weight of tools, fishing gear, recover gear, etc. I would want a 2500 truck all day long to carry all that. You wouldn't need a diesel, that's for sure. So I'd pick the GM or the Ford in that order. The RAM 2500's with rear coils aren't too good for truck campers.
Potential downsize. Tundra vs Ram 1500
- Thread starter redthies
- Start date
montypower
Adventure Time!
We did the FWC Hawk with 2016 Tundra 5.7L combo. Icon Shocks (tuned), Deaver Springs (designed for 3" lift @ 2k lb load), ko2 stock size, rock warrior (forged alloy wheels with flakelocks removed). It was a fantastic combination!
Drove really well! Could hit rough roads at high speeds fully loaded. Loved it. Handled better than stock loaded.
Camper and gear added 2k lbs weight. Truck modifications were minimal to reduce weight (stock bumpers, no winch) but did have steel rock sliders. We were under the GAWR for the front/rear axles. But over the GVWR. All the internet sticker freaks will bad mouth you for going over weight. But the truck handled better than a stock unloaded Tundra. It could easily out accelerate, brake and corner most empty full size rigs. It just works. But you do need tire, springs and shocks as the stock components are extremely inadequate.
We carried 2 paddle boards, 2 mtb bikes (inside), 17 gallon water tank and the camper with gear.
Generally drove 60-65mph and averaged 15-16mpg fully loaded. Drove 50k miles in the first 1.5 years. With about 30k miles with the camper loaded (full time). 160 nights in camper in the first 9 months.
Drove really well! Could hit rough roads at high speeds fully loaded. Loved it. Handled better than stock loaded.
Camper and gear added 2k lbs weight. Truck modifications were minimal to reduce weight (stock bumpers, no winch) but did have steel rock sliders. We were under the GAWR for the front/rear axles. But over the GVWR. All the internet sticker freaks will bad mouth you for going over weight. But the truck handled better than a stock unloaded Tundra. It could easily out accelerate, brake and corner most empty full size rigs. It just works. But you do need tire, springs and shocks as the stock components are extremely inadequate.
We carried 2 paddle boards, 2 mtb bikes (inside), 17 gallon water tank and the camper with gear.
Generally drove 60-65mph and averaged 15-16mpg fully loaded. Drove 50k miles in the first 1.5 years. With about 30k miles with the camper loaded (full time). 160 nights in camper in the first 9 months.
tyler.armijo
Member
Not to derail redthies thread but I have a question, if you were running 3” of lift on your tundra why run stock size ko2’s wouldn’t they have looked a little off with that amount of lift?
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congrats! Just out of curiosity, what Icon rear shocks did you go with and how did you get them tuned? I have the Icon 2.0 rears and need them to be valved for a heavier load. When I drive around town, I have a camper shell (non-overhead), external fuel tank, and deck drawers, and it's valved way too light.
just out of curiosity, why the Tundra over the F150? More displacement? More weight, and therefore more stable?
UglyViking
Well-known member
Haha, this is the exact reason I'm never worried about going over payload. No offense to monty here but this is the stereotypical yota owner, way legal payload but no worries because they tossed some better springs and shocks on. Total opposite of some of the guys that need duallys to tow a 9k bumper pull. hahaha.
One addition to look into that monty didn't mention, brake upgrade becomes important if you're carrying that much load. Prob not an issue daily driving or cruising around highways but if you're anywhere in the mountains than brake fade with that much additional weight is a real thing. So long as you upgrade with good components you should be fine.
rruff
Explorer
Gearing down seems to work fine in any situation I've been in... but judging by all the burning brakes I smell on our local ski road, a lot of people don't do that... ?
montypower
Adventure Time!
Tundra GVWR is due to classification and limited with stock passenger tires. The combined GAWR is significantly higher. GAWR takes into account the brakes and carrying capacity. My experience has been keeping within the axle ratings (front/rear) with proper load distribution works well. Upgrading the springs, shocks, tires are essential regardless.
It's good to consider the brakes. Tundra brakes are overkill. And realistically, compare any modern truck to past decade trucks. It makes 80s and 90s trucks seem comparatively completely unsafe! Poor steering, brakes, acceleration...
Bottom line... get educated and do your own research. It's not as simple as running your truck across the scale and comparing to the GVWR when it comes to safety and performance.
It's good to consider the brakes. Tundra brakes are overkill. And realistically, compare any modern truck to past decade trucks. It makes 80s and 90s trucks seem comparatively completely unsafe! Poor steering, brakes, acceleration...
Bottom line... get educated and do your own research. It's not as simple as running your truck across the scale and comparing to the GVWR when it comes to safety and performance.
montypower
Adventure Time!
Tundra is hard to beat for the track record and reliability. Solid drivetrain components. 5.7L has been in production since 2007. Either truck will need modifications for carrying a truck camper load. The FWC is the biggest/heaviest camper I'd consider on either platform (with proper modifications). Can't beat the Tundra turning radius (best of any full size truck).
rruff
Explorer
I had a '86 Toyota 2wd pickup when I bought the Tundra. Payload sticker was the same on both, 1450 lbs! ?
I have no doubt that with proper suspension and tire upgrades on both I could put double that weight on the Tundra and it would beat the '86 on any safety or performance metric.plainjaneFJC
Deplorable
I’d get a tundra 5.7, but good luck for anything worth having for 15k- you really need 25k today
tacollie
Glamper
Welcome to living in Colorado?
ITTOG
Well-known member
Primarily displacement and turning radius. On the displacement front it's really more about hating turbos when towing. The turbos are spooled up all the time and it just guzzles gas. On the tundra. I can easily tow my boat and get 14 miles per gallon. But on my F-150 I do good to get 9 mi per gallon. But really, it has more to do with instantaneous power and not having turbos wound up all the time. But don't get me wrong, the F-150 has all the power it needs. The turning radius just can't be beat. It is much easier getting into spots I want to get into. You mentioned stability and I don't think I feel one is any more stable than the other.
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ITTOG
Well-known member
I probably should have mentioned if turbos and poor gas mileage doesn't concern you then you will like the f150. The interior of the f150 is much nicer.
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calicamper
Expedition Leader
The F150 has a heavy payload pack. It’s basically a F150 on a F250 frame. If your looking to go light camper ie 4wheel camper and towing but want to stay 1/2 ton ride quality and friendlyness its the only option. Also gets a fuel tank the other 1/2 tons don’t get. Only option I would look at if you have any bed camper plans especially trailer. As for durability all the turbo engines are highly dependent on high quality well maintained oil. You cannot be lax on this! If your on the oil the 3.5 has a solid service history of pretty high miles. The turbos on the 19’s and newer are larger, run cooler and will be even better. The typical issues are cooling line leaks at the turbos. But your not going to find any perfect truck these days they all have various things going on. The Ford is really well known by now. Lots of good tecs. Plus the Heavy payload pack makes it a package that just crushes other 1/2 tons on payload.
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