RAM5500 CAMPERTHING
OG Portal Member #183
Best Tool EVER
2020 Ram 5500 DIY Composite Panel Camper Build Thread
- Thread starter RAM5500 CAMPERTHING
- Start date
Best Tool EVER
Just stumbled across this build last night. Even though I have no skills to start a project like this, following a Total Composites build is really interesting. I imagine they are making a dent in the market.
I find looking at your weight numbers to date, and my limited experience with my 25' rig, I have to wonder how any builder could expect to build a 23' + on a one ton platform?
I'm sure you have a difficult time keeping track of man hours invested accurately, but I'm sure most of us would like to get some best guess estimate of total man hours invested when you finish.
You are doing a great job, all around, please keep it coming!!!
I find looking at your weight numbers to date, and my limited experience with my 25' rig, I have to wonder how any builder could expect to build a 23' + on a one ton platform?
I'm sure you have a difficult time keeping track of man hours invested accurately, but I'm sure most of us would like to get some best guess estimate of total man hours invested when you finish.
You are doing a great job, all around, please keep it coming!!!
rruff
Explorer
Not hard to do, just pay attention to weight. With a bigger payload you don't have to worry about it much, though...
RAM5500 CAMPERTHING
OG Portal Member #183
Thanks!
Hahahaha, as for man hours, I am not even remotely paying attention really.
I will say the box assembly itself was the easiest part of the whole thing so far.
I have more time into setting up the TRUCK and the suspension than I do assembling the box, by about 3-4x I'd guess.
RAM5500 CAMPERTHING
OG Portal Member #183
It wouldn't be impossible, but it wouldn't be easy either. Would need to be bare bones with a fair amount of compromises IMHO.
Just my BOX, empty and bare was around 2100lbs with absolutely nothing in it.
I maybe could of gotten away with a 3500 or similar, but I had zero interest in compromises (done enough of that over the years I regretted all of them in the long term) and had zero interest in driving around right at the GVWR or just under.
I was/am set of having a decent safety buffer payloadwise for reasons I've stated before.
I also had zero interest nickel and diming everything I wanted to do to this and try to save weight here and there.
For each is own of course though
IdaSHO
IDACAMPER
FWIW, a stock crew cab long bed superduty is right at 22' long.
SRW you have payloads in excess of 3,000lbs
DRW, more than 5k
So the isnt that difficult to do. You just have to go about it intelligently with a close eye on weights.
As an example, we are a touch longer than 23' now with the big ARB front bumper with our Supercab and dry are well within factory GVWR
Wet and loaded, we do go beyond, but t is built for it. And had I integrated the camper into the truck, instead of building the bed then dropping the camper on, we would stay under GVWR.
I'm in total agreement with above statement. I don't see anything in your build that screams heavy/unnecessary, more like a comfortable 10' cab over camper. Exception might be the weight of the diesel v gas.
I really don't believe most people have actually weighted their rigs, its like backpacking, no real one heavy object, just the accumulative effect of many lighter weight things.
I guess we can build on lighter platforms, bring dehydrated beer, but then that would require water, which would require a tank, then a pump, then..... I think you know where I'm going.......
I really don't believe most people have actually weighted their rigs, its like backpacking, no real one heavy object, just the accumulative effect of many lighter weight things.
I guess we can build on lighter platforms, bring dehydrated beer, but then that would require water, which would require a tank, then a pump, then..... I think you know where I'm going.......
java
Expedition Leader
I'll bet 98% if people never weigh their rigs
.... And yes the little stuff all adds up faster than most people would expect
Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
danneskjold
Active member
FWIW, a properly spec’d (chassis cab, GAS engine) SRW F350 can have a payload of 4960 lbs - plenty of room to work with. But at the end of the day, I’d rather have the 9000+ payload of an F550 and be way under the GVWR.
IdaSHO
IDACAMPER
And exactly the reasoning in this build
I also had zero interest nickel and diming everything I wanted to do to this and try to save weight here and there.
For each is own of course though
Myself, and my wife are avid backpackers. Combine that with actual operating costs of "big" trucks versus my "light duty" F250, and our setup is incredibly efficient.
Truthfully, the SRW tire shenanigan's of "big" trucks, for me, is nearly enough on its own to stay within the capacities of a standard 3/4 or 1-ton.
danneskjold
Active member
One additional benefit, which honestly I think is justification enough, is the F450 and F550 have a crazy good turning radius because of the “wide track front axle.”
I assume the same is true with the Dodge equivalents
I assume the same is true with the Dodge equivalents
My apologizes to IdaSHO, you were posting this morning as I was typing, my post was not directed to you but RAM, I should have corrected this earlier.
A friend of mine just bought a 2020 f350 diesel crew cab, and, can't remember the name of the off the lot 10' camper, but canadian clamshell, he was told the camper has a dry weight of 3400LBs, he added a gen. more batteries, tows a 20' boat, carries four people, a few dogs, tons of gear. He refuses to put it on the scales, my guess is his 5000 capacity is long gone...
A friend of mine just bought a 2020 f350 diesel crew cab, and, can't remember the name of the off the lot 10' camper, but canadian clamshell, he was told the camper has a dry weight of 3400LBs, he added a gen. more batteries, tows a 20' boat, carries four people, a few dogs, tons of gear. He refuses to put it on the scales, my guess is his 5000 capacity is long gone...
RAM5500 CAMPERTHING
OG Portal Member #183
Exactly
RAM5500 CAMPERTHING
OG Portal Member #183
Bingo! Also an often overlooked benefit
RAM5500 CAMPERTHING
OG Portal Member #183
Truthfully, the SRW tire shenanigan's of "big" trucks, for me, is nearly enough on its own to stay within the capacities of a standard 3/4 or 1-ton.
I don’t disagree with this statement one bit honestly. ?