Looking for advice - Truck and camper set ups

[jagarcia89]

Looking for some advice on a truck / camper set up. I just sold my 4x4 7.3L ambulance conversion and need something a bit more practical for daily use and longer drives mostly on highways. So I am thinking a crew cab truck. I get good discounts on Ram trucks and with the used market still crazy, I will probably buy new. I know nothing about truck campers as I have always been a build from scratch guy, but now with a new job and a smaller house- I have more money than time / garage space and just looking for something fairly turn key.

Since I am buying new and will probably special order the truck- I'd like to have my camper set up determined before I order the truck. I am considering a few options for the truck, so please lend some advice/expertise/opinions on the following or better ideas if you have them.

1. Ram Powerwagon - have had one before and liked it, but I always felt it should have bigger tires and it looks like there's not a ton of lift options for the newer ones (I'd be getting a 22MY).
2. Ram 2500 - Lot's of lift options, but not sure what bed length would be best for an overland set up? 6'4 or 8 foot bed? By the time I lift it, cost exceeds the power wagon
3. Ram cab chassis and a flat bed or build on camper of some kind
4. Ram TRX - I worked on the development and launch of the TRX so it's got a place in my heart. However, I am not sure if there are many camper options out there light enough for it's relatively low payload (compared to the above options). Also not sure if the jacks on many slide in campers would clear the extra fender width. I have yet to see anyone do an overland TRX set up, so may be a good opportunity to be first, but it'd a big investment for something that may not work well.

Let me know your thoughts. Or if you have brands of campers / toppers I should look into. I've always built rigs I could live in full time comfortably, but only used them a couple weekends a month. So I am fine going back to something a little more like a tent vs a house on wheels.

 

[stevo_pct]

The Ram Powerwagon does not have a lot of payload - something like 1500 lbs which is similar to a half ton truck. So you'll probably be over weight with a camper in the bed.

 

[Mickey Bitsko]

Op, find the typical camper you'd like with every option you want, then guesstimate
ALL passenger including pets weights as well as ALL your clothes food outside gear ,BBQ, gas to operate BBQ, shovel, solar panels, Extra outdoor camp table, camp chairs... you get the picture?
NOW, find/build your truck.
You might be surprised, your gonna need a bigger truck.

 

[jadmt]

You can run 37’s on a pw with no suspension mods. Like was mentioned payload is not great. My 2020 has 1565 lb payload per the door sticker.

 

[jagarcia89]

The Ram Powerwagon does not have a lot of payload - something like 1500 lbs which is similar to a half ton truck. So you'll probably be over weight with a camper in the bed.

Op, find the typical camper you'd like with every option you want, then guesstimate
ALL passenger including pets weights as well as ALL your clothes food outside gear ,BBQ, gas to operate BBQ, shovel, solar panels, Extra outdoor camp table, camp chairs... you get the picture?
NOW, find/build your truck.
You might be surprised, your gonna need a bigger truck.

Thanks, I know the PW has a relatively low payload compared to other trucks, but to be clear I'm not looking for one of those giant RV's that sits in the bed of the truck. I want something smaller with a pop top. Like one brand that keeps hitting me in social media ads is the Alu-Cab or the AT overland stuff. Some of which is as light as 400lbs base weight for topper or 1300lbs for slide in campers. But I am sure there are more brands out there I'm not aware of, that's what I am looking for is suggestions for other campers/setups more like that. I see tons of these things in midsized trucks like tacomas. I'd like it as light as possible. I'm not considering those big Lance or Palomino things that have a base weight of 2000lbs +

You can run 37’s on a pw with no suspension mods. Like was mentioned payload is not great. My 2020 has 1565 lb payload per the door sticker.

Do your 37's rub with the sway bars disconnected? I had a 2015 and the tires looked tiny in relation to the wheel wells, but when I disconnected the sway bars and flexed it out, I was surprised how close the stock 32(ish) inch tire got to the fenders

 

[jadmt]

Thanks, I know the PW has a relatively low payload compared to other trucks, but to be clear I'm not looking for one of those giant RV's that sits in the bed of the truck. I want something smaller with a pop top. Like one brand that keeps hitting me in social media ads is the Alu-Cab or the AT overland stuff. Some of which is as light as 400lbs base weight for topper or 1300lbs for slide in campers. But I am sure there are more brands out there I'm not aware of, that's what I am looking for is suggestions for other campers/setups more like that. I see tons of these things in midsized trucks like tacomas. I'd like it as light as possible. I'm not considering those big Lance or Palomino things that have a base weight of 2000lbs +




Do your 37's rub with the sway bars disconnected? I had a 2015 and the tires looked tiny in relation to the wheel wells, but when I disconnected the sway bars and flexed it out, I was surprised how close the stock 32(ish) inch tire got to the fenders

I run 35's and they do not rub disconnected. 37's need slight massaging of the plastic.
I just sold my GFC camper and it weighs about 450lbs and could not tell it was on there but when loaded down with camping equipment I was 200lbs over gvwr and still could not tell it was on there. Most pop tops are going to be heavier than advertised by the time you put anything in them.

 

[phsycle]

If you go with a PW, the only camper I’d suggest are the smaller pop tops like the AT and GFC.

Personally, I’d go with a 2500 or 3500 and get a FWC.

 

[jagarcia89]

I run 35's and they do not rub disconnected. 37's need slight massaging of the plastic.
I just sold my GFC camper and it weighs about 450lbs and could not tell it was on there but when loaded down with camping equipment I was 200lbs over gvwr and still could not tell it was on there. Most pop tops are going to be heavier than advertised by the time you put anything in them.

This was great info! I never thought about the bumps being in the same place. I don't remember GVWR on my 2015, but I remember when I moved I had 2 dirt bikes and an engine in the bed, a hitch bike rack with 2 mountain bikes, and a trailer filled to the gills and it worked fantastic. The only thing I even noticed is it rode better having the extra weight on the otherwise stiff suspension.

 

[dbhost]

I am having to deal with the limitations of payload on a half ton truck. Something to keep in mind when chosing. Payload may or MAY NOT include weights for driver and passengers. It is rare, but some vehicles are rated for a given payload + a certain allowance for passengers fuel or not. I'm not sure exactly what page or whatever so I won't list the make / model etc.. but a half ton I am familiar with had a 1700lb payload rating on a what they called wet. Meaning full tank of fuel, + 600lbs allowance for driver and passengers, the payload was on top of that.

If you can find one in your price range, a heavier duty pickup with more payload is what you will want.

 

[Mickey Bitsko]

Like many Tacoma fanciers you're looking more at your most wanted truck and not looking at the end game.
Good luck

 

[jadmt]

I am having to deal with the limitations of payload on a half ton truck. Something to keep in mind when chosing. Payload may or MAY NOT include weights for driver and passengers. It is rare, but some vehicles are rated for a given payload + a certain allowance for passengers fuel or not. I'm not sure exactly what page or whatever so I won't list the make / model etc.. but a half ton I am familiar with had a 1700lb payload rating on a what they called wet. Meaning full tank of fuel, + 600lbs allowance for driver and passengers, the payload was on top of that.

If you can find one in your price range, a heavier duty pickup with more payload is what you will want.

nothing is built into Ram's payload figures except for wet weight. ie full tank of gas and ready to drive. Passenger weights are not built in so whatever passengers weigh that gets subtracted.

 

[dbhost]

nothing is built into Ram's payload figures except for wet weight. ie full tank of gas and ready to drive. Passenger weights are not built in so whatever passengers weigh that gets subtracted.

I haven't paid much attention to Chrysler / Ram etc... since the whole Daimler debacle anyway so yeah, lack of knowledge on their modern stuff... FWIW, even though I despise the 5.4 3v tritons, I am a Ford guy, mostly because Grandpa worked in their performance area before it became SVO... I think it is now called SVT.

And point remaining that payloads rated with an allowance for driver / passengers is rare... half ton pickups really don't have capacity for much.

 

[jagarcia89]

Like many Tacoma fanciers you're looking more at your most wanted truck and not looking at the end game.
Good luck

I want to pick a camper and then pick whichever Ram will work best with it. I will never get a Tacoma. Toyota is living off it's reputation from 10 years ago. Every industry source shows the Rams are better for quality, every independent reviewer ranks Ram above Toyota, and Toyota is more expensive even before factoring in my discount on Ram.

 

[jadmt]

I want to pick a camper and then pick whichever Ram will work best with it. I will never get a Tacoma. Toyota is living off it's reputation from 10 years ago. Every industry source shows the Rams are better for quality, every independent reviewer ranks Ram above Toyota, and Toyota is more expensive even before factoring in my discount on Ram.

I would say if you get a nice discount on RAMs get a Power Wagon and if it does not work you can sell it pretty fast. Realistically something like a FWC hawk shell model will pose no problem for a PW. That is why sold my GFC to get.

 

[nickw]

If it was me...and it kinda is, I'd look at a Scout camper, short bed model if it's just you....but make sure you talk to the misses, that may warrant the long bed model.....

I looked and looked for trucks, I ended up with a 2021 Ram 2500 w/6.4 hemi, by far the best deal I could find. I looked at the F250's also, but they were trending $8-10k more than the Rams....love the flat rear floor but engine, trans and the rest of the truck was a wash for me between the two. Really like the truck so far. Depending on weight and use case, some of the F150's with the "HDPP" (Heavy Duty Payload Package) can easily handle a small camper...but generally special order. I had one on order for 3+ months with no end in sight (2 months ago), but may be different now with supply chain issues smoothed out a bit.

Forget any of the fancy 'offroad' models if you are looking for a camper, payload is very limiting.

Do you need a lift and big tires?

So for me (maybe I am getting old), stock Ram w/Hemi, newest one you can get, 4 door, short bed and stick to 33's or 34's on the stock suspension package....it's plenty tall. Get dual battery setup, maybe a rear locker, hidden front winch and call it good...my 2c.