Am I out of luck with a hard sided camper?

[twitchee2]

I am just starting to begin my research on hard sided campers and have been reading a lot of threads on here. I am worried my truck just cant do what I want to do.

I have a 2004 Sierra 2500HD with a Duramax, It is lifted with 35" tires.


I do not plan on doing much, if any off roading with this rig, I use my 4runner for that once I am at camp. I live in SoCal. main uses will be camping in the desert, Mammoth in both summer and winter and Pismo beach. 2 people and small dog will be typical.

My truck has a GVWR of 9200, tires are rated for 3525lbs ea. I have not had a chance to get my truck weighed but I assuming my truck is at least 6500lbs if not more. I am having a really hard time finding a hard sided camper that will fit in my truck and still be within the GVWR after gear and people are added. Some of the lightest campers i have found are around 2200lbs dry. Add people, gear, water and I am well over the GVWR with a lifted truck.

Granted I am still under all my axle, tire ratings and air bags + good shocks can be added. Is is really safe? Is there a camper I can actually safely carry without changing trucks?

Thanks

 

[Capt Eddie]

Remove the lift and add the proper springs and you should be good to go.

 

[ripperj]

If you are not off-roading , get rid of the 35s , a hard sided camper makes a truck tippy enough with stock tires. I also agree about removing the lift

 

[kpredator]

Camper

Really happy with our popup
Camping in single digits ,we just throw on a comforter.
Had it on the white rim trail and other mild trails.
A lot less weight ,wind problems
Good luck
Kp

 

[incognito]

hy,
is pretty safe if you take care of 2 issues: the legal payload and the sway.
you could search for the Northern lite 9.6 camper the basement model is around 1700 lbs and is a very good fiberglass camper. fiberglass is the best and it is lighter than many pop-ups.... the basement model is at 2000 lbs
truck can handle a lot more the problem is the legal payload you can carry as stated by the manufacturer . I dont know if this really happend but people on forums are speculating that insurance compagnies could refuse payment in case of an accident. this because you overload the truck. But I really dont know for sure. try to call you insurance compagnie and they will tell you what they think about maximum payload lbs. take a written letter about it. anyway saw a SRW truch with a 6000 lbs camper ho did the est-ouest and no problem. no accident= no problem
call the dealer to have the exact payload lbs or take the GWVR and substract the weight of your truck

it already has been a discussion about the duramaxes here

http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...load-question/page3?highlight=duramax+payload

what I would do is to find a camper within the legal payload of your truck or what the insurance told you, then go to a specialised suspension shop and they find a solution for you: bigger air bags or more shocks or add a leaf.
bigger truck carry a lot more of cargo weight than a 2000 camper and they are safe. they will tell you better if you need to take out the lift or no.

hope this helps
globalcamper.blogspot.ca
incognito

 

[brian90744]

Tires/lift=Great

You built it to your liking , keep the lift and tires. the tires are better than came stock. I have a 03 chevy1500HD 4x4 Q/S with a 6" lift and 35" tires and carry a Northstar pop-up=No problems. I also go to the same places as you. True, with a hard side you raise the CofG=Bad. good luck=brian

 

[trackhead]

We run a Dodge 2500 completely stock except for 285 tires with a 1900lb hard side camper, family of three, no issues with 60 gallons of water, food, clothing, etc. I think it's fine for mild off-road, and you said you aren't doing that anyway. Like others said, I'd assume the lift will be a bit saggy for a truck camper.

Look at what Jeff (name here) does with his Dodge 2500 and Lance hard side camper. He goes all over the place.

You'll be fine

 

[Jfresh]

You are going to exceed your GVWR with most Hard Sided truck campers on a 2500. The only real question is how far are you willing to exceed your GVWR? My philosophy was to keep as close to my GVWR as possible without sacrificing my needs. Air bags, sway bar, and not exceeding your tire weight rating is the most important thing. I run 35's 4080 lbs. If you are looking at 2200 lbs campers I can tell you that optioned, wet and loaded you are going to be looking 3200 lbs. Safety comes down to the driver... Not the rig. If you are doing 80 mph and weaving in out of traffic if really doesn't matter if you are under your GVWR does it? That being said I would go as light as possible.

 

[trackhead]

If you are looking at 2200 lbs campers I can tell you that optioned, wet and loaded you are going to be looking 3200 lbs.

Most campers that size have 240lbs of water weight, 40lbs max of propane weight..........not sure where the other 700lbs comes from? When we lived FULL TIME in our fifth wheel, all our "stuff" was only 800lbs (pots, pans, dishes, clothes, three bikes, bike trailer, stroller, couple guns, dehumidifier, heater, etc). Truck campers just don't have the size to pack that much crap in them.

 

[Jfresh]

Most campers that size have 240lbs of water weight, 40lbs max of propane weight..........not sure where the other 700lbs comes from? When we lived FULL TIME in our fifth wheel, all our "stuff" was only 800lbs (pots, pans, dishes, clothes, three bikes, bike trailer, stroller, couple guns, dehumidifier, heater, etc). Truck campers just don't have the size to pack that much crap in them.

It was an estimate (Hopefully high)... But I found most advertised TC weights don't include the options like A/C, microwave, generator, solar panels, roof rack, etc. + water and propane + personal items it is probably heading towards that 1000 lbs mark. Maybe I carry too much beer weight...

Since we are on the subject of weight other things one might want to take into consideration is the stuff in or on the truck that add weight. Bigger tires, tools, people, dogs, fuel, off road lights, bars, etc, trailer hitch and ball, fuel, tire chains, emergency kit, etc.

 

[trackhead]

It was an estimate (Hopefully high)... But I found most advertised TC weights don't include the options like A/C, microwave, generator, solar panels, roof rack, etc. + water and propane + personal items it is probably heading towards that 1000 lbs mark. Maybe I carry too much beer weight...

Since we are on the subject of weight other things one might want to take into consideration is the stuff in or on the truck that add weight. Bigger tires, tools, people, dogs, fuel, off road lights, bars, etc, trailer hitch and ball, fuel, tire chains, emergency kit, etc.

Yeah, when I've purchased new fifth wheels, or truck campers, I always weigh my truck full of fuel with me in it, then add wife/kid weight. Then I go weigh it again on the CAT scales with the empty camper/fifth wheel, then weigh it again loaded.

 

[wirenut]

You have learned what most TC owners already know: It's nearly impossible to carry a "reasonable" size camper on anything less than a dually and stay within the GVWR. Most TC owners run over the GVWR and go by axle and tire ratings. My '05 Chevy dually has a GVWR of 11,400 but fully loaded with tools, family, camper, etc. I weigh in at 13,200. If I hitch up the boat that adds a couple more hundred pounds. I'm not over tire or axle weights.
Your rear axle should be an AAM 11.5", it's rated by AAM for 10,200 pounds I believe; or maybe it's just 10,000.
My 11' hard side camper says it weighs 3,165 on the tag. Loaded and ready to camp I'm about 4,000 pounds.

 

[Dustytires]

over and over

I have a F250 short bed crew cab diesel with 4wd, 3" front lift and extra rear 1" block rolling on 33-35" tires over the years, with a Lance that I weighed on a scale at 3800 lbs loaded with full propane, water, half grey and a splash in the black tank plus all the sundry stuff- but none of my wifes clothes, so with food and her 'stuff' it is probably almost 4k haha. I have put tens of thousands of miles on the truck with camper and have spent a pile of $ getting it dialed. With a lift and tall camper you will eat tires like bacon. First thing I can say is that air bags are a ****ty bandaid that make the ride suck. I first had the common Firestones for years, junk.. then I got the larger volume Hellwig bags thinking that the greater air volume would allow for greater air pressure without stopping the 'thru travel' . Helped some, but still a rough ride. Air springs need big volume if using high pressure or they 'stack' quick and limit travel abruptly. I bought the Hellwig bigger diameter anti roll (torsion?) bar and it DID help the rocking at low to mid speeds, would do it again. Finally I listened to one of the guys at work and went to Deaver Spring in Santa Ana and they added leaves to the stacks and another to the stock single overload and added a taller spacer that allowed the now 2 overloads to engage sooner. Wow!! Now I have support for proper ride height ( no more dragging tail) and have the feeling like there is some wheel travel left. I have a set of Vision 19.5 rims mounted with 35" commercial tires I swap back and forth with Nitto Dura Grapplers 34" on 17" rims with a load capacity of 3750 and they are the best E rated tires I have ever used under these loads and they do ride way better than the 19.5 commercials of course. If the camper is off for a time I swap on the 17s for a better ride, but for fully loaded truck, camper and trailer hauling, the commercial rated tires wiggle less, run cooler at speed and show little wear over a ton of miles. I just put 3k miles on the truck/camper. One handed steering most of the way, so getting the springs dialed is crucial. Your 2500 power and brakes will be fine if you don't drive it like you stole it ,just take care of spring rates and get the highest rated E tires you can. You have an advantage of a long bed crew cab and longer should be better with the right springs it will run nice and flat. My wife and I LOVE the truck camper, but they ain't for everyone due to small storage and cramped interiors, but the compact size for slipping down mild dirt roads and 4X4 for snowy trips to ski Mammoth is great.

 

[incognito]

true^^^

my dodge dually with 235 85r17 michelin at2 empty is at 13L/100km . with the srw 245r19.5( are for sale 1200$ works for dodge and gmc 8 lugs nearly new Bridgestone M728) was up to 15L/100 km and a harsh horrible ride. switched back to r17 couldn't be happier now with my dually with the r17 Michelins. I think we are the only guys on this forum than went downsizing the tires insted of going up.
added a leaf adds 1000 lbs but some metaic bangs over nbums made me add the firstone 5000 lbs ai bags and daystar airbag cradles. but you need the cradles for airbags otherwise are not functioning for off road and will tear the air bags. nice ride now
a company which knows suspension can work wonders.
buy your camper first and adjust the suspension to work well with the camper full of water propane and everything you¨ll normally carry
hope this helps
incognito

 

[Mrknowitall]

There are some entry level campers on the light end as well. Years ago, the local shop showed me a Chilly Willy branded camper for my lb Tundra. Under 1400lb. $10k New. Sure, not as sexy as a Northern lite, or even that North Star, but also about half the money.