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A point about the width of the camper body: If you decide to go with an off the shelf TC camper (or a custom build with the narrower width of a SRW 350) and then decide to upgrade to a larger capacity truck, your camper is going to be "too small" on the back of the 550/5500 and that width will...

@ReluctantTraveler - as @StenchRV mentioned, the width is noticeable between the camper bodies. You can barely see the difference when looking at the box-to-cab area. The four of us were much more comfortable just hanging out in theirs than ours. On the road, the difference would be hard to...

Agreed - huge benefit.

TrailReady singles. The automatic leveling is for sure a great feature. I wouldn't judge you if that was your sole purpose in getting it.

That is really surprising to hear. Total Composites still advertises them on their site. Maybe try another builder? If I were to do it again, I'd see what our builder, Pronghorn Expedition had available - apparently, they've switched manufacturers. Another option for a custom box (and probably...

I've driven Liquid Spring trucks - they're nice, but not enough for cost IMHO. The Kelderman 4 link rear has more value and is easier to service but still expensive. If it were me, I'd probably get custom valved shocks from your vendor of choice, new front coils and a made to order rear spring...

Thanks - glad it helped. This box is custom. For your needs, I'd highly recommend you consider it rather than the off-the-shelf models. Find a builder that can help you design the interior ahead of time. Saves a ton of effort in the actual build. 80/20 is also a great solution - I heard about...

The track width is within the mirrors on both trucks with the 550's track closer to the width of the mirrors. I bet that you're still planning on new wheels/tires for the 350; the 550's wheel and tire package will probably cost more, it's true, but it isn't as though wheels and tires are a...

In the build thread here. The dinette becomes a twin bed but you'll probably have to figure out a bunk bed situation or something for all the members in your family (unless you can convince some of them to sleep in a tent!).

This is not true. They are functionally the same size. Assuming the same wheelbase and overhangs, the 550 will easily fit into any space the 350 would.[/USER]

You're describing my setup almost to a "T" but with an additional two people (and 25 gallons more water). Our total weight of camper box, gear, and personnel is ~ 3800lbs. The dry weight is just the empty shell before configuration and is listed at 1058lbs on the Total Composite's site.[/USER]

As you found out in the other thread discussing ventilation, an important point is to be aware that the brochure/website payload can differ substantially when you're on the scales. The DRW F350's have a decent bump in payload but you'll still be carrying some limitations from the smaller...

Buy that truck.

Which brings us back to my original point - buy once, cry once. There is a reason why completed campers with the capability we’re looking for cost as much as they do. I have never seen any configuration of an F350 that gets you more than 4200lbs. Our Total Composites box, fully loaded with 3...

In my experience, you are going to be surprised. It will not be the end of the world, but it will be a lot more than you’re planning for.

Sorry I missed these questions but it seems like everyone else addressed them and provided really great solutions as well. Basically, you have to have some sort of ventilation - you can be creative about how you solve this problem based on your needs and travel areas. The Arctic Tern windows...

AC in an RV has no communication with the exterior air which is why that builder made those claims I assume. We have a Maxxair fan in the roof and crack a window. This whole ventilation thing is also why ppl are talking so much about heat recovery ventilators in the Hard Sided forum.

No, not yet. I was aware that the Wildlands is not designed for cold weather; most of our travel is in warmer rather than cold. I only posted it to highlight how well it seals (or doesn’t). No regrets using it. Because the exterior door opened into an enclosed bathroom, the lack of insulation...

Unrelated to your post, but I highly encourage you to follow through with the TC box vs some other plans you’ve had. Based on your needs, this is probably one of the best value solutions around. Anyhow, the risk of asphyxiation is plausible but unlikely; sounds more like marketing hyperbole...

To meet the objectives of better winter performance, Northern Lite. All of its limitations you've outlined, apart from weight, can be fixed. The poor construction, lack of ski storage and absence of insulation in the Lance cannot.