2006 Megacab and a truck camper ???????

[zb39]

Does your truck have a 9900lb GVW? Weigh it and find out what your base weight is. Subtract and there is your payload number. I bet your axles are rated for a little more than the GVW. Check tires for max weight. If you have a 6.5 ft bed u can put a short bed camper on it. A lot of people do. Check out turbodieselregister.com camper section.
Good Luck

 

[jeep-N-montero]

It looks like I either need to find a new truck or just use my camper shell. Only problem there is I am a tall guy at 6'4 and it would be a tight fit in the old ARE shell. Not to mention the fiberglass around the metal window frame keeps breaking letting the window fall out. Ive tried drilling and securing it with new pop rivets but it still keeps breaking and not sure why.

You should be able to find one of the raised roof models in your local classifieds, some are even insulated.

 

[ZGRAM924]

I just bought a Lance 165 and mounted it on my 2007 Megacab. It drives just fine down the road but it could be overweight(I've never actually checked the weight.) The 165 is a lightweight model.

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[Regcabguy]

Get some airbags and have Don Thuren valve you four King 2.5's.
Also a Hellwig Big Wig swaybar will work wonders for street handling

 

[cruiser812]

I just bought a Lance 165 and mounted it on my 2007 Megacab. It drives just fine down the road but it could be overweight(I've never actually checked the weight.) The 165 is a lightweight model.

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So hooked up to your trailer with the camper you have no problems either? Is yours a diesel? I know the extra weight of it hurts me.

 

[ZGRAM924]

So hooked up to your trailer with the camper you have no problems either? Is yours a diesel? I know the extra weight of it hurts me.

No mine is a gas 2500. It hauled the camper and trailer with no problems even through the grades. My camper is a lightweight model, I dropped the camper on a scale at work fully loaded it was 1870, we do travel pretty light though with my bigger/heavier items in the bed of the prerunner.

 

[Bayou Boy]

Your diesel engine and the extra weight of the MegaCab is what's hurting you. The chassis has a specific GVW regardless of the options of the truck. Add the extra weight of the MegaCab, 4wd, diesel engine, leather interior, etc. and it eats into that quickly. That's why work trucks can have payloads of 1000# more than a loaded truck a lot of times. It's also a big part of the reason that I didn't order my 2014 Ram 3500 SRW 4wd Cummins as a MegaCab when I wanted to haul a Lance 855. My Payload is around 3800#.

Also the 2013 and up 3500 SRW trucks have a much higher payload rating due to the considerably higher GVW of the new chassis. I think that mine is 11500.

 

[cruiser812]

So I found a '78 Alaskan in Kentucky that the guy wants almost nothing for it and has it currently on a trailer. It appears to be an 8' model versus the 10' cabover. Would this be recommend/ or even a possibility?

 

[boxcar1]

Generally speaking once a camper has been relegated to a trailer mount , and the price is reduced to " next to nothing" . Run in fear......
A 78 Alaskan is a unique camper . They tend to be heavy ( if in great shape ) and really heavy once water logged.
I think you'd better keep looking.

 

[cruiser812]

I decided I would go ahead and post my truck so everyone could see what we have been talking about. It has had some hard miles running logging roads being a forester. Now it mostly sees just paved roads as I have been relegated to analyst job. It is pretty much stock other than the slightly bigger tires(improved clearance, scrubbed a numerous water bars with the belly pan), custom woods pin stripping and standard dents and dings that give it character. Luckily never had to break out the hand winch out in the woods for this truck. It wasn't a lot of fun with a 2500 series chevy long bed gasser that I had and can only imagine with this truck. It does have a camper shell but it leaks and have to keep repairing the rear window as the fiberglass gives way causing it to fall out( not bad for $300 though it even matches). The truck doesn't seem to be as tall as ZGRAM924's, of course I always look at everyone elses dodge and think mine sits lower.

I guess I will keep on looking and see what I can find searching craigslist and the local ads.

 

[poriggity]

I have a hard side lance 980 that I run on my longbed dodge. I will say I know I am overweight. I've got timbrens on the rear axle and it works decent for what it is. With a mega can diesel Laramie though I'd think a pop up camper might be the way to go.

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[Topgear]

I just purchase this BrandX commercial model hard side camper. The truck in the pic is not mine. I do have a 2008 5.7 hemi Mega cab with the 6’ dove tail bed. But the truck in the pic has the same 6’ on the mega cab.

I haven’t gotten the chance to weigh the truck with the camper yet but is light enough to load with four people. My plans is keep the camper shell stock for a couple trip, but long term load is to us this shell as a base to build a cab over hard side setup.

The key flaw with the diesel mega cab is the lost in tow capacity.

 

[Topgear]

Updated on the shell that fit megacab beds. Please excused the brackets on the tank; this pic was just for a test fit all my parts that have been coming in slowly.

I source a baskets that will fit my 6’LX11”Diameter that will be my water source for my trips. I have two of the exact same tanks thinking mount two one water and one for a air reservoir.

 

[lzpup]

I have a pop up hawk shell from four wheel campers, put a stove and heater in it , drives great. 2006 mega cab diesel. Upgraded the suspension. Shell was a cheaper way to go and lighter



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[Umnak]

We looked at diesels with crew cabs when first sourcing a truck for a camper. It was pretty clear that the 3/4 ton with the diesel and 4wd cut the payload way down to close what your truck is rated to. In the end I bought a 2013 GMC 1/2 ton with 1600 lb payload and put a new bare bones Capri Retreat on it. The Capri weighs just over 1200 lbs, we weigh under 300. We are at gross weight with that combination at 7000lbs. Still we are under the axle weight, and with Timbrens and LT tires haven't had any issues.
If you do weigh your truck take the tailgate off and do it with a 1/2 tank of fuel. If you aren't going to be off-road or remote, keep the 1/2 tank as a goal. Look a light campers like a Capri.

My review of the Capri can be seen here http://www.truckcamperadventure.com/2018/11/review-of-the-2018-capri-retreat-truck-camper/