Flatbed and composite panel build on Dodge 2500
- Thread starter Jeep
- Start date
Very good Ward, This is #4 for me and it's the closest so far but everything has a comfortable amount of clearance.
I've been accused of that a few times! I like my work spaces clean and organized.
Looks great Mark. I had detailed something very similar as an attachment point on my locker. Wanted something easily removable so I didnt have to drive with the jacks on.
Have you used the Wallas cook top and cabin heater yet?
Camper comes in at 950 kg or 2094 lbs. with the jacks off, they weigh about 200 lbs. so they can stay off when not in use. Everything to complete the build was inside at the time with the exception of a few aluminum pieces yet to be made but adding another 100 lbs. would be a high estimate. Balance worked out great, diesel generally do not have much front axle capacity left so balance is crucial, adhering to standards and factory recommendations was key. Here is how it weighed out:
Empty:
Front 2150 kg or 4739 lbs.
Rear 1540 kg or 3395 lbs.
Total 3690 kg or 8135 lbs.
Loaded:
Front 2200 kg or 4850 lbs.
Rear 2440 kg or 4640 lbs.
Total 4640 kg or 10 229 lbs.
Door sticker:
GVWR 9000 lbs. so for total we are OVER by 1229 lbs.
Front 2359 kg or 5200 lbs. so we are UNDER by 159 kg or 350 lbs.
Rear 2722 kg or 6000 lbs. so we are UNDER by 282 kg or 621 lbs.
Solutions:
Dodge Ram 3500 SRW with 11 300 GVW will meet the total GVW number, Ram 3500 SRW with 12 300 GVW will exceed the requirements. OR I could gut some of the comfort and convenience out and shrink things down but that's not gonna happen. I will most likely pop a set of 3500 springs under the rear and use it as is. This truck is under on the axles so that's all I'm really going to worry about, the driving experience was good, it could have been a little stiffer in the rear as demonstrated on the drive down my road that is loaded with some pretty big frost heaves, power and braking were great. OR sell the whole works and build a 5500 since I had so much fun doing it!
So it can be done, a nice full sized flat bed camper (10' long, 80" headroom, queen overhead) with 3000 watts of AC, full wet bath, bunk, room for 4 comfortably CAN hit the factory GVW numbers of an over the counter 1 ton single wheel truck and still have a little room. For a 3/4 ton you could pretty easily build a nice little 2 person unit or strip it down to the bare essentials and enjoy, swapping out the solar and batteries for a 1000 watt Honda would alone save 150 lbs., drop the grey tank down to 10 gallons, etc. All this of course is sticking under the limits of the GVW of the manufacturer. The pic below demonstrates the full load for my truck if there were 4 people in the cab, 4 little people!
Empty:
Front 2150 kg or 4739 lbs.
Rear 1540 kg or 3395 lbs.
Total 3690 kg or 8135 lbs.
Loaded:
Front 2200 kg or 4850 lbs.
Rear 2440 kg or 4640 lbs.
Total 4640 kg or 10 229 lbs.
Door sticker:
GVWR 9000 lbs. so for total we are OVER by 1229 lbs.
Front 2359 kg or 5200 lbs. so we are UNDER by 159 kg or 350 lbs.
Rear 2722 kg or 6000 lbs. so we are UNDER by 282 kg or 621 lbs.
Solutions:
Dodge Ram 3500 SRW with 11 300 GVW will meet the total GVW number, Ram 3500 SRW with 12 300 GVW will exceed the requirements. OR I could gut some of the comfort and convenience out and shrink things down but that's not gonna happen. I will most likely pop a set of 3500 springs under the rear and use it as is. This truck is under on the axles so that's all I'm really going to worry about, the driving experience was good, it could have been a little stiffer in the rear as demonstrated on the drive down my road that is loaded with some pretty big frost heaves, power and braking were great. OR sell the whole works and build a 5500 since I had so much fun doing it!
So it can be done, a nice full sized flat bed camper (10' long, 80" headroom, queen overhead) with 3000 watts of AC, full wet bath, bunk, room for 4 comfortably CAN hit the factory GVW numbers of an over the counter 1 ton single wheel truck and still have a little room. For a 3/4 ton you could pretty easily build a nice little 2 person unit or strip it down to the bare essentials and enjoy, swapping out the solar and batteries for a 1000 watt Honda would alone save 150 lbs., drop the grey tank down to 10 gallons, etc. All this of course is sticking under the limits of the GVW of the manufacturer. The pic below demonstrates the full load for my truck if there were 4 people in the cab, 4 little people!
Healeyjet
Explorer
Nice work Mark!
It shows people what can be built on that size chassis when taking the GVW into account. I would have to assume there are many many rigs on the road that far exceed the GVW of the truck.
I forgot to ask earlier and I don't think you addressed it anywhere but what is your method of access. Will you be adding a stair unit or ladder of some sort?
Ward
It shows people what can be built on that size chassis when taking the GVW into account. I would have to assume there are many many rigs on the road that far exceed the GVW of the truck.
I forgot to ask earlier and I don't think you addressed it anywhere but what is your method of access. Will you be adding a stair unit or ladder of some sort?
Ward