Noobie - truck question

[Ronanmd1]

Hey guys - I have lurked for a while but am newly registered to the forum - big hello from up in Canada. For the past several years I have used my Land Rover Disco 2 set up with a rooftop tent for camping and light off-roading. However, now that my wife has joined me for the extended trips, we need something a bit more 'refined' that can provide some shelter and comfort when the weather sours

So, I am now looking to replace the Disco/tent with a pick-up and pop up camper. At some point I may also look to tow a small drift boat or aluminum fishing boat while loaded with the camper. I am hoping to be able to set up a combo using a 1/2 ton truck, but don't have a lot of experience with pick up payloads and towing capacities so forgive my ignorance.

I am leaning towards a 2011/12 crew cab Tundra as the truck, but I am worried that this may not have the umph to deal with the wet weight payload of a phoenix or FWC camper as well as towing a smallish sized boat at the same time. Am I selling the truck short? Would hate to make the wrong call on the truck and regret not stepping up to a 3/4 ton if needed down the road, but equally would rather not end up with a truck that big for the majority of time when it would serve as my daily driver.

Thanks for the opinions...

Jason

 

[MakersTeleMark]

You should be fine. Just keep an eye on weight and do some modest suspension upgrades. Don't worry about it so much.

 

[docdave]

Try and keep the camper within the confines of your box length and don't carry a lot of extra stuff and you should be ok. Lots of people do it.

 

[tanglefoot]

The current generation Tundra is really more of a 3/4 ton in terms of the amount of work it can do. It's pretty over-built and over-powered as well (the 5.7L is most common in the US, which is more than enough engine for practically any use). It should handle a pop-up and light boat very easily. You can add some rear suspension support if you feel it's needed--that's a common modification for truck camper use.

For comparison, I have a old, wooden 8-foot pop-up (heavy) in a 28-year-old Toyota with an 8-valve 2.4L and I've towed a utility trailer full of compost with the camper on. I'm sure your planned setup with be much more satisfying, although I have no plans to trade up mine.

Have fun,

Eric

 

[docdave]

I've heard that before...but from the manufacturer's websites....Tundra Payload 1385 to 1640 lbs, F150 (half ton) 1560-2710 lbs., Dodge(Ram) 2500 (3/4 ton) 2273lbs. (all gas engine models) The salesman told my dad that the Tundra was really a 5/8 ton.....maybe not so much. I do understand that the Tundra has bigger brakes that most other similar trucks....and of course it looks pretty cool.

 

[bob91yj]

I'm not an advocate of running anything at it's limits. If you are going to run it fully loaded twice a year it'll probably be OK, if you're doing it twice a month I'd step up to a 3/4 ton.

 

[SLO_F-250]

I'm not an advocate of running anything at it's limits. If you are going to run it fully loaded twice a year it'll probably be OK, if you're doing it twice a month I'd step up to a 3/4 ton.

x2 Camper and boat will be pushing that Tundra. You get a 3/4 youll never think about it. I would also go diesel. My girls father just got a brand new Tundra. I get better MPG's towing, hauling, freeway, and around town in my 13 year old diesel. Food for thought....

(All in all though we could debate this all day and night. At the end of the day, get the truck YOU like. Its your $$$)

 

[Ronanmd1]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Hoping to get out and test drive a few of the other models over the next few weeks.

Cheers,

Jason

 

[sweetlou]

Also new here.
I already have a 3/4 ton Dodge diesel. My Wife and I are trying to decide wether or not to go with a camper hard or soft side, roof top tent, off road trailer or another smaller travel trailer. I have never used a camper of any type. Huge travel trailers yes. Right now we tent camp year round and have gotten pretty good at it. but she is getting tired of the ground.
I am interested in hearing what solution you come up with. I will be researching all of our options. However you cant beat having more capacity then you need.

 

[LegendTX]

I own a 2008 Tundra with the 5.7L engine and the stock TRD suspension and it has been more then stout enough to pull my 23 Ft Moomba XLV wakeboard boat with a Phoenix Pop up camper in the bed. My camper weighs approx 900lbs (it is a shell model with a few upgrades) and the tongue weight for the boat trailer is approx 450lbs. The truck has more than enough power to haul it with ease and still get around 11 MPG (without the boat I get 14 MPG with the camper on, and get 16.5MPG for the truck by itself in Dallas traffic). The handling doesn't seem to suffer at all either. Don't get me wrong, You know the camper is on the truck and the boat is back there, but I can't imagine it would feel any different with a 3/4 truck. That's my testimony and I'm very pleased with the Tundra so far (114K miles so far on the truck).

Paul

 

[DEnd]

1/2 tons today are built stouter than they were even 15 years ago. That said which truck is right for you will depend on what amenities you want in your camper. For a shell model a 1/2 ton is probably fine (with towing the boat as well). If you want to upgrade to a unit with a fridge, sink, water storage, maybe even a shower then you will probably want a 3/4 ton.

As for gas or diesel, for me it all really depends on the amount of time you spend with the truck loaded. Diesels don't offer much higher mileage numbers anymore, though they do offer better power (powwwaaaah! as Jeremy Clarkson would say) as well as slightly better mileage under high load conditions. Diesel is more expensive for me (it may be different for you), and for me to offset the higher maintence costs and purchase price a diesel would have to get much better mileage or I'd have to operate at much higher load conditions than I do now. When I first got a Diesel, the fuel was much cheaper than gasoline, and the truck got much better mileage than a comprable gas truck. 5 years later diesel was more expensive than gasoline and combined with the higher maintence costs (an oil change cost between 2 and 3 times as much as the gas engines, it required more frenquent and more expensive fuel filter changes, etc...) there were no savings. I now have a lower capacity Gas pickup that operates at a higher average load condition than the diesel truck did, and my operating costs are much lower than a diesel would be. That said if I towed more or needed more capacity I would probably get a diesel.

 

[Ronanmd1]

Guys - thanks again for taking the time to reply. Paul - good to hear that the Tundra can handle it. I am thinking about a similar set up/weight for the camper and a smaller boat. Will keep you posted. DEnd - interesting comments on the diesel/gas comparison and offset costs with maintenance. Definitely something to consider.

Jason

 

[DanoT]

1/2 tons today are built stouter than they were even 15 years ago. That said which truck is right for you will depend on what amenities you want in your camper. For a shell model a 1/2 ton is probably fine (with towing the boat as well). If you want to upgrade to a unit with a fridge, sink, water storage, maybe even a shower then you will probably want a 3/4 ton.

As for gas or diesel, for me it all really depends on the amount of time you spend with the truck loaded. Diesels don't offer much higher mileage numbers anymore, though they do offer better power (powwwaaaah! as Jeremy Clarkson would say) as well as slightly better mileage under high load conditions. Diesel is more expensive for me (it may be different for you), and for me to offset the higher maintence costs and purchase price a diesel would have to get much better mileage or I'd have to operate at much higher load conditions than I do now. When I first got a Diesel, the fuel was much cheaper than gasoline, and the truck got much better mileage than a comprable gas truck. 5 years later diesel was more expensive than gasoline and combined with the higher maintence costs (an oil change cost between 2 and 3 times as much as the gas engines, it required more frenquent and more expensive fuel filter changes, etc...) there were no savings. I now have a lower capacity Gas pickup that operates at a higher average load condition than the diesel truck did, and my operating costs are much lower than a diesel would be. That said if I towed more or needed more capacity I would probably get a diesel.

You nailed it. Diesels P.U. are not the low cost operating that they once were but have the most power.

My old 3/4 ton Dodge Diesel and fully loaded Phoenix custom camper with skis and extra winter stuff is 300 lbs over the GVWR but not over axle weight or tire capacity. With the heavy diesel engine and camper over hang on a regular cab, there is more weight over the front axle than rear axle. My camper is 8.5', has 2" insulation just about everywhere, 2 20lb propane tanks, generator and gas can, shower stall, and lots of ski gear. I have a Kelderman air bag suspension system front and back.

Get a 3/4 ton and have stronger axles and wheel bearings and should have better brakes. You will get long last suspension components with a 3/4 ton and better resale.

 

[wirenut]

In my opinion anyone considering a truck camper should start with a 2500 series truck. However, the fact that 3500 SRW trucks exist makes 2500 trucks pretty pointless.
I used to carry an 8' pop-up camper on a Dodge 1500. I was overweight by 600 pounds with no trailer and no passengers. If you try to make things work with a Toyota you will severely limit your choices of campers. You will have to be constantly conscious of how much weight, gear, passengers, hitch weigh, etc. you are loading in the rig. You will be pushing the limits of your rear axle nearly all the time.
With a larger more capable truck you won't need to spend as much money on air bags, sway bars, shocks, etc. that truck campers usually require.

To the guy with the TC on a Toyota and a boat. Have you actually weighted your rear axle? I'll bet you're over it's rating. You can't imagine a 3/4 ton would handle better? Have you tried one? I would bet you would be blown away by the difference. Less wallowing, sway, bouncing, etc.

I'm not Toyota bashing. I own a Toyota and it's been a reliable vehicle. They just don't make trucks that haul as heavy of loads as the Big 3. With a TC weight handling is everything, power is secondary. I've since upgraded my camper to a hard side unit. I had it on a Chevy 3500 SRW. It handled okay and I drove it thousands of miles. I now have it on a Chevy dually. It is much, much better.

 

[Long Distance Rider]

Buy the best and cry once

In 2004 I finally bought a "real" truck. I bought a Dodge 3500 4 door SRW 2 wheel drive Cummins Diesel. At the time I needed a heavy duty truck to pull a 2001 Excel 28RGO 5th wheel that has an empty weight of around 10,600, 2200 lbs on the hitch, and a gross weight of 15,000. The only single wheel truck I could find at the time that would meet my towing requirements was the Dodge 3500. It choked me to pay over $30,000 for a truck, but at least for that price it was the upscale model with leather and bells and whistles and such. It has been a great truck. It will do a calculated, real 20-21 MPG empty with the curise control set on 75 MPH. With the 5th wheel it gets 12 to 14 MPG at 65-70 MPH depending where you are in the country. With my 8 foot cab over Shadow Cruiser pop up I get 16 MPG at 75 and still have the ability to tow just about anything I want behind the truck. I now have 218,000 miles on it and it's still a keeper. During the time I've had this truck I've owned three different pop up truck campers, 2 pull behind camping trailers, pulled a 16.5 Monark bass boat, and made many trips with a 6X12 tandum axle trailer grossed out at 7,000lbs when I moved 5 years ago. I still have the Excel and it still pulls it great.

My point with all this information is buy more truck than you think you will ever need and forget all the after market crap that people are going to try and sell you to make your lightweight truck something it isn't. A 3500 comes with a third member that's half again as big as a 2500, the axles are as big around as your wrists and it has large disk brakes all around....my rears went almost 190,000 before I needed service. You get a harsh ride when it's empty, but you can't have it all.