This is very true, many are overweight. But I have this theory... Stick with me here... That our means (read financial means) most of the time... Determine how heavy your rig is. Its a mindset thing, and a lifestyle choice thing, and not automatic. Now, I'm not making any hard lines in the sand here, I did say most of the time, not everyone. So here we go: The more money you have, the more crap you think you need to stuff in a rig, its a first world problem, and its hilarious. I'm laughing at myself as well while I write this by the way, but its true. There are people living out there in vehicles with 10% of the garbage most of us haul around with us. None of this stuff is mandatory, or a must. For example, do I need a hot water heater and fireplace in my chevy colorado? If you step back and think about that, its a very first world issue. and here we are sitting around on the internet talking about it, also.... a rich person issue when you are looking through a world-wide scope (rich is a very relative term to me). 50 years ago, there was no internet, and none of these 'problems' existed. We have invented 'problems' we didn't even know we had back then, and its funny. ok, enough with the rich people ranting. What to do about it.
The first thing you can do is look at fit and finish, its the easiest place to cut weight. Do you need cupboard doors? does your interior finish need to be sleek, tight, everything covered and in a custom little space? basically any interior finishing piece that starts with wood, or a panel of any sort. do you need it? or is there a lighter option that functions just as well? like using canvass over an ultralight frame rather than a hard panel. Is this always a good idea? no. is it for everyone, no. but many times it is possible, and plenty strong, perfectly functional, while only weighing a fraction of many alternatives. I'm not saying technology is bad, Im just saying that sometimes we get wrapped up in our perfect imaginary world in here. The guy has a good running truck, that happens to be one of the most largely produced, and reliable trucks ever made. he'll be fine if he wants to be.
So Mr. SAMKISSING... You have a choice to make. Mostly a lifestyle choice. Because ECOBOOSTED is absolutely correct in what he has said about payload and doing it right from the beginning if your payload is going to be heavy. If you want to live a minimalist lifestyle, with VERY few modern comforts, in a tight space, then your truck is fine, go have a ball, and we all look forward to reading about it. Take the bed off, take out the back seat and make some storage space, and have an adventure. If you have the means to get a bigger truck, and make a fancier camper, same applies. All Im saying, is that what you have suggested, in terms of using this truck to drive around the world, is absolutely possible, and will be a great time. In a forum like this, you have a wide variety of folks weighting in, and they range from earthroamers to tents. Go have some fun. I just got home from some time in the woods, and Im headed back out in a couple days. Im not a full timer, because I have health issues, and like having a house to go back to and recover. Also, to be fair, I own a 1 ton Cummins that I tow a 30ft caper trailer with for when i take my kids camping, or for anything longer than a week, hell, Ive lived in that thing for months at a time during moves across the country because its a small apartment on wheels. Its the lifestyle Ive chosen, but if you choose to live in a chevy silverado, it can be done, and I look forward to your stories.
