Looking for input regarding a Lance 650 on a GMC Canyon Crew Cab Long Box

[jghutchinson]

I am reading differing opinons on the matter and would love some input from fellows more knowledgeable in this realm.

I am looking to do a Lance 650 in the back of a 2016 GMC Canyon Long-Box

I spoke with a dealer in the Los Angeles area and he is telling me that the truck should be capable of handling a camper of this size. Before I purchased this truck I had a 2014 Mercedes Sprinter cargo van that I had converted my self and never even thought about the weight. It turns out Sprinter vans are amazing at carrying high amounts of weight where as my GMC Canyon GVWR is not to exceed 1,256 lbs.

The Lance dealer is telling me to ignore the GVWR but rather to pay attention to the maximum weight ratings of the front and rear axle of the truck.

I will paste what I wrote to him in here so you guys can read it and respond as you would like. Feel free to flame... I'm looking at these Four Wheel Campers but coming from my Sprinter I'd like to avoid doing the pop top if possible.




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I know you said ignore the GVWR but I'd still like to hear your explanation on this matter.

1.) GVWR 6,200 - Vehicle Curb Weight 4,748 = 1,452 lbs.
2.)The dry weight of the Lance 650 already puts me over by 187 lbs.

Now if I go off what you told me (referencing the photo I sent previous to this email)

1.)GAWR FRT 3400 + GAWR RR 3500 = 6,900 lbs.
2.) 6,900 - 4,748 = 2,152 lbs
3.) 2,152 - Lance Dry Weight 1,639 = 513
4.) 513 - Me 180 - Wife 140 - Dog 70 = 123

So based on this calculation we are 123 lbs from the maximum weight rating of the front and rear axles correct?


My questions for you since this is the industry you specialize and probably have years of real world knowledge in this realm vs manufacturer ratings.

1.) Based on the manufactures GVWR, the Lance 650 would put us over. Do I run the risk of being ticketed / weighed or is this a very low probability?
2.) Based on the GAWR FRT + GAWR RR I am under but just barley. If I am essentially at max capacity of my truck's axles is it possible that I will cause damage to my suspensions components, driveline, etc?
4.) Given that we only have 123 lbs of extra wiggle room. What happens if we go over this number? We will likely have bicycles, a solar panel, surfboards, sea kayak, climbing gear, pots, pans, clothes etc.

 

[CCPAJeeper]

I would never ignore the GVWR. In addition to axle weight consideration, you do need to be concerned with overall weight. You can overload the brakes and the transmission of the truck. Now, I will admit I am a "cut butter with a chainsaw" type of guy. But, a camper weight within 123 lbs of your GVWR seems to be way to little, imo.

 

[jkilgore11]

I agree. That would be a lot of wear and tear on a smaller truck with that kind of payload. Also, it will never be just you, your wife, and dog. You can tack on 500-1000lbs. of gear on top of that.

 

[kmlacroix]

1. Is Payload calculated with or without Driver and Passenger(150 lbs each).
2. GAWR will always be more than GVRW. Go by GVRW. Makes you 500lbs+ over.
3. MFG camper packages usuall include, upgraded cooling, springs, shocks, swaybars.
4. If the truck is not rated my MFG for a camper you chance voiding your warranty.

 

[calicamper]

What does the Lance weigh? There is a FWC owner who is setting up his new Diesel Colorado, coming from a tacoma. He found that he needed to add a leaf spring and upgrade the front end shocks to get the ride quality he wanted. I think he said packed his FWC is a little over 1000lbs. Empty its about 800lbs.

 

[jghutchinson]

The Lance dry with standard options weighs in at a whopping 1,800 lbs. I was looking at those Four Wheel Campers as an alternative. They recommended the Fleet model for this truck and I was able to find a photos of a fellow that had one set up on a 2016 Colorado. The sides of the thing stuck out a good 6 or 7 inches on both sides and looked terrible IMO. After staying up till 5 in the morning last night, researching and reading, I've decided I'm going to do a tow behind trailer instead. I would be sacrificing way too much in the form of convenience (for my wife especially) by going with one of these ultra lights for me to justify going that direction. I was debating on trading the truck in and going bigger but I like the size, fuel economy and practicality of this truck for driving around San Diego. I had a crew cab Tundra for a few months and hated it due to the tight parking around here.

We live on the beach in a fairly prime area with a good driveway and ocean views from it so we are going to do 19' Airstream Flying Cloud that we will Air B&B in the summer as an ocean view micro apartment to offset the financing on it. I like this model for us because we can now effectively cashflow the trailer via Air B&B and Outdoorsy.com (we rented our 2014 Sprinter Camper through this site with great success). I read through a ton of threads of guys that have done both trailers and slide in campers and it seems the fellows that had done both preferred the trailer option. The trailer option appeals to me more and more as I think about it because now I don't have to sacrifice space / amenities and I still get to keep my trunk open so we can fit two dirt bikes + our surfboards and other toys on a rack up above. We are planning for a 1 year road trip in a year or two so this will allow us to achieve maximum utility while staying safely below the Canyon's max towing capacity of 7,600 lbs.

The obvious downside is that I will be limited in where I can haul a trailer (like Usal Campground in the Lost Coast which is a fantastic place you can camp for free) but I figure I'll park up at a nearby camp site, un-hitch the trailer and then take off in the truck with dirt bikes to where ever we want to go explore. The upsides IMO heavily outweigh the downsides for the trip we are looking to do since we will be sticking primarily to surface roads.

I have to admit, I am pretty ticked off by the Canyon's low payload capacity - The Honda Ridgeline can carry more in this department!

To any other Canyon / Colorado owners. To save you some time it sounds like the must have bare essentials for these trucks regardless of the direction you go are:
1.) Air Springs / "Ride Control"
2.) Upgraded Shocks (Waiting for the bilsteins to come out for this model as they have yet to be released)
3.) Springs ? (I haven't read enough about the springs as of yet but I will update this when I find more definitive info)

I think the factory tires are sufficient for any application given you are staying within manufacturer's recommended guidelines which we intend to do.

 

[calicamper]

Im in the Bay Area. The colorado/Canyon is if interest due to its narrower profile and tight parking also.

We curently tow a 4x6 tent trailer. Our last few summers we found that setting up a base camp then doing 5-6 days exploring the area has been a great approach. Which is a better fit to the trailer idea. Given you can use the truck and not have to tear down camp to drive into town.

But to your point there are some great spots you dont want to drag or legally cant drag the trailer into. I think the Colorado with a fit Tachoma Habitat flip cap would provide the best of both worlds. Its light, durable and gives you a gear garage in the back of the truck. And if you have a quick trip or want to explore the more rugged locations you have a nice bed and micro camper option. Plus its light and wont really impact your towing capacity.

 

[calicamper]

http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...hread?highlight=Habitat&p=2172534#post2172534

^ Gives you the option to go without the trailer, and have pretty decent camper options with out the weight penalty.

 

[calicamper]

The canyon load rating is actually pretty high in terms of midsized trucks. Ford essentially upped the load capacity game on the light trucks by shedding weight using aluminum body work. The F150 packs a serious payload but its a big footprint, and lousy for busy CA big city use and parking.

 

[jghutchinson]

Thanks for the suggestion Calicamper. The Tachoma Habitat looks like a pretty wicked Baja configuration for when we do our trip down to Scorpion Bay next year.

 

[wirenut]

You've found the main problem with truck campers, they're really heavy compared to the payload abilities of many trucks. As crazy as it sounds that little camper when fully loaded with gear, water, propane, etc. would be too much even for some 2500 trucks if going by GVWR. If you have a 2500 truck with heavy things like a diesel engine, 4wd, crew cab, lots of options, and a family and pets the actual payload of the truck in reference to it's GVWR is usually pretty low.
I know some people make truck campers work on small trucks but I just don't see how. My first TC was an 8' pop-up with no bathroom. I had it on a '96 Dodge 1500. I was overweight with just me in the cab and not much gear. I added air bags, good shocks, and E tires and it worked okay. I upgraded to an 11' hardside camper on an '07 Chevy 3500 SRW. That put me 1,200 pounds over the GVWR with my wife and dog in the regular cab. I'm currently carrying that same camper on an '05 Chevy dually with a custom flatbed. With the stuff in the boxes on the flatbed, the family, and the camper I'm still about 1,600 pounds over the GVWR. However, I've got thousands of safe trouble free miles with this set-up over the last 6 years.
I always advise anyone that wants a TC, even a small pop-up model, to get a 3500 SRW as a minimum truck.

 

[Rax]

I have to concur with the advice on a 1 ton Srw for a hard side tc. Its a matter of safety, braking, vehicle handling, oem capacity, peace of mind and liability. The cost of a fitted out half ton or these mid size trucks is approching cost of a 1 ton - for example - a 2017 f350 xlt supercab with diesel, 4x4, camper option etc etc. Half tons and these mini half tons are great for towing a reasonable trailer, they just dont have the in-bed capacity for a hard sided tc that has tanks, propane, equipment for extended use etc.

 

[Cave_Campers]

New truck camper under 750 lbs

This payload discussion is near and dear to our hearts.

Cave Campers is a new entrant in the market with a hard wall truck camper that weights under 750 lbs. It's composite panel construction and overall design makes it incredibly durable. It's priced at $9,950. We'd love to get your feedback on how this might fit (or miss) the needs of the overland market.

By design, we did not include a bathroom or kitchen. We believe there is a trade off worth making in this choice. The spacious interior, very low payload, and the fact that there is just nothing to break is really nice. When the trip is over you can spray the whole vehicle out.

What else does it need? What could you add yourself to this blank slate?

 

[gtbensley]

I like that idea of a small hard side camper.

 

[Rbertalotto]

Some of these trucks will have an issue even with a pull behind trailer. Hitch weight can easily be over 1000 pounds all loaded and ready to go. Put a few camping items in the bed and two dirt bikes and passengers and I bet you are still overloaded.