Looking for suggestions

[Kach]

Hi! We are a family of 5 (kids 6, 6, and 9). Were considering going from our travel trailer to a truck camper and just starting to look at options. We want to be able to boondock further out and take it skiing for both overnighters and day trips. First off, it appears that very few campers will even sleep our fam. I see several models with a bunk above the dinette and a dinette that folds into a bed.

The big catch is we have a 2003 Ram Cummins 2500 short bed. It's paid off and we've done a lot of routine and preventative maintenance recently - my plan has been to drive it another 5 years. Finding something workable to go on my truck would be ideal - even if it's just an older camper we can try to see if we like it. I might be willing to look into a truck upgrade, but budget-wise I'd be probably looking at another similar era truck.

I saw an old Lance brochure with some "Lance Lite" campers that could possibly work (cutting it close).

We also saw a Lance at the ski area with a rear tent-end and side entrance that looked cool. It was on a 3/4 ton short-bed Silverado so I got excited. The guy said it works great and they love it. Wanted to ask more and get the model number, but they were gone when I got back.

Any more ideas on a family-friendly truck/camper combo that could work?

Thanks!

 

[CreeksideKP]

Just went through something similar. Sold our travel trailer and bought a 9'6 Northern Lite for 2 adults 2 kids. You will have to accept that you can only have the whole family in the camper when it's time to sleep. Just not enough room unless you have a Host Mammoth or something. Second I hate to tell you but your truck will probably be overloaded with whatever you find. Our Northern Lite is advertised as about 1750 lbs dry and the truck+camper with only me weighed at 9980lbs. I have a 06 Dodge 3500 long bed and the gvwr is 9900 lbs but I try more to stay within the axle and tire ratings. I'll give you some more ideas on specific models when I'm not restricted to tapatalk but Eagle Cap made one with a slide that had a bunk option above the dinette but you're looking at 3000+lbs.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Kach]

Thanks for the reply! - the slides sure open up some possibilities for space, but probably a no go for a 2500. It seems like somewhat of an overload is almost inevitable. You see countless 2500s on the road but if you look up the specs on the camper on the back they're already over or close to it.

 

[CreeksideKP]

You'll see lots of 3rd Gen Dodges with big campers on them and it looks ok because they have airbags pumped up all the way. Personally I want to stay within the tire/axle limits. If you're serious about a hard side camper with enough room for the 5 of you, I'd consider selling your truck and looking for a similar year Dodge 3500 dually. Way more payload and stable. Or if you're interested in pop-up campers, Outfitter and Northstar have a third bed pop out option like the Lance you mentioned but they are extremely hard to find on the used market-I was looking for one last year. I recommend reading about and looking at basically anything you can so you know all the options out there.

When our kids are a little bigger I plan on kicking them out and having them tent it so we're not so cramped in the camper, which could be an option too if the weather allows.

This article may help
https://www.truckcampermagazine.com...s/two-adults-three-kids-and-one-truck-camper/

This guy has a short bed 3rd Gen Dodge too, but he spent a lot of $$$ upgrading to 19.5" tires/wheels, building the tranny etc, and I bet his axles are still way overloaded.
https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/camper-lifestyle/road-schooling-with-the-kids/

Lots to consider for sure.

 

[southpier]

go BIG!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorian_"Doc"_Paskowitz

it's on Netflix, too.

https://www.netflix.com/search?q=surfw&jbv=70098885&jbp=0&jbr=0

 

[Sisyphus]

I'll echo previous sentiment and say that it would be a good idea to trade into a 3500 dually. Doing so opens you up to more spacious campers. Resale value for pre '06 cummins' is great right now and I think you'd be surprised on what you could get truck wise, especially if you were willing to go gas or 2wd.

Best of luck and happy trails!

 

[Kach]

Spent some more time looking at ideas - would be easy to throw budget to the wind and drive off happy 80-100k later ��

The Lance 825 is damn close - the dinette bed is only 36" wide with a bunk above. I'd need to fit two on that dinette which is doable now, but would be problematic as they grow in the future for sure. Other than that, it's a great classic plan and the weights are within reason.

Looking closer, I'm not really seeing any non-slide dinettes that would actually sleep 2 except in rigs that don't have the bunk above available. The slide rigs are pretty crazy heavy and I'm also not a fan of having to bump out the slide to access the bathroom on the road.

Willing to look at new or used (most likely at least slightly used).


A truck replacement is really a rough sell - not really interested in driving a duality if I don't have to. My favorite thing about my qcsb is how compact is is - especially in the woods during hunting season. Also seems to be no point in getting the same truck in a 3500 - it would have the same axles, brakes, and drivetrain. The suspension components could be upgraded (functionally, just not legit by the numbers). Rear axle rating would be the limiting factor even before my tires. Not much gained by a long bed other than rigs that get you even more overloaded it seems.

A camper like the Arctic Fox 811 looks so damn functional but damn they're so heavy I not think there's a legit Shortbed truck made that's reasonably able to handle it (on paper). We were camped next to one on a 3/4 ton and the guy loved it - didn't think at the time to ask about weights or mods. Looked nice and level on the truck but any airbags will do that

 

[mkish]

I'm in the same situation although I have only 2 kids. I had a kid try out the over-the-dinette bunks (small 12 year old) in a Northstar and Lance and she was NOT okay with it. The 9 year old refused to even try.

The Lance with the tent in the back is the 830. Discontinued, naturally.

Northstar has a popout tent on their popups and used to (not sure if they still do) offer it on their hardsides--you could order it with popouts on the cabover AND the dinette!

 

[Kach]

My son loves the overhead bunk (9) so I'm good there - but having 3 vs 2 makes things tough. We're starting to look at small class c's as well. Not very "expo" but they are convenient. Also expensive... lots of upside and downside to any rv type.

 

[mkish]

Have you looked at the Outfitter Juno with the rear popout bed? Their reliability reviews are all over the place but some folks are pleased.

 

[getout]

We've got 4 kids (ages 3-8) and we've got a 2000 crew cab f350 and a 2001 lance 1030. The camper's a bit tight but we make it work. There's enough room for us all to eat at the dinette. For sleeping, we had the 3-year-old next to us in the overhead bed area, 2 kids on the dinette, and one in the over-dinette bunk. We need to figure a way to suspend another bed under the over-dinette bunk because she's getting too tall for the little area next to the over-cab bed.

I think this is about as small as we could go comfortably. We've spent 2 weeks in it. I wouldn't be interested in going any bigger though. It feels pretty big to drive on small roads. It does dirt roads ok, off-roading wouldn't be great.

We really only need a place to sleep, eat in bad weather, cook, and keep some food. The rest of our time is spent outside.

Here's a vid from our 2 week trip if you're interested:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68f1tx847PQ

 

[pdavitt]

Have you thought about getting a small popup trailer to tow behind your Truck Camper. Your problem with the 2500 Dodge/Cummins is payload, not towing capacity. There are models that are basically just bedrooms.
Plus it could be the kid's fort, never heard of a kid (girls or boys) not loving a fort they can call their own.

Just a thought,

Pat

 

[Mundo4x4Casa]

I'm with Pat on this one. A very small, sleeping only, pop up tent trailer with tall wheels, reinforced frame and suspension (preferably with SOA) and clearance would be ideal for 5. You just need more sleeping space. Be sure it's wide enough to see in your truck mirrors for backing. You would have ultimate flexibility with how many people you take camping; from just two of you, to up to 6 total. We've traveled with six in the Dodge 2500, but hosting those 6 in their own beds was a problem. On one trip locally to the High Sierra, we took 7: 4 adults; 3 kids (under 10) and tried to sleep all in the Lance 165-s. That's not going to work, so my adult son slept in the back seat of the truck. The key here is flexibility of sleeping arrangement.
This was our small jeep type trailer arrangement on our trip over the Mojave Road a few years ago. You can just as well imagine the smallest of tent trailers in it's place. Oh, and don't forget the pintel for those undulating trails. Without a kitchen or bathroom they weight almost nothing. Just a bedroom on wheels. Adding just a little more weight get the portapotti.

 

[Mundo4x4Casa]

Another thought is an RTT on a small trailer. My son has one of these on the roof of his Jeep Chero, and it is great for ambulatory humans. Some of my jeeping buddies have RTT's on their off road trailers and they work great. This would be a good bet for spring/summer/fall camping. Not so good for the dead of winter.
jefe

 

[JCatt]

Maybe the Northstar 650XB is worth a look. Pop up and pop out!
https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/2015-Northstar-TRUCK-CAMPER-TC650-5001759854