Offroad capability of full size truck

[DTAdventure]

I build my rig on an F250 Super Duty Tremor. I wanted the carrying capacity and power. I knew going into this that MPG would be horrible and in the end that is just part of the deal. I am not planning to do Jeep rock crawling or crazy stuff, but I want to be able to go to a lot more places than a van with off-road tires and modified suspension can go. Some can, but the beating a vehicle takes on the trail - a truck is a better choice. I also really do not care too much about pin-striping and scratches. Of course I try to avoid them, but I do not let a bush be a gatekeeper if necessary. I have taken my Super Duty to places you would usually not expect it to be.

 

[tacollie]

The height from carrying a camper has been more cumbersome than the size of my f250. I probably get more pinstriping but luckily I bought a used white truck!

Half ton will be a little more comfy and maybe marginally better on mpgs. You'll also be pushing it payload-wise. 3/4 will get you a solid front axle and it'll be much easier to fit 37s. It'll also rock your 1500 pounds of payload like it's not there. If you're buying used I would definitely go Ford gas. New I'd still go Ford gas 🤣

I just don't like RAMs but the 2500 with the rebel package is pretty slick if you're looking at new trucks. It has a rear locker, the flexy front end, and payload. You may be able to make a power wagon work but you'd be limited by payload. RAM 2500 is shorter and had a better turning radius than Ford.

 

[reverse01134]

Thanks everyone for all of your valuable inputs. @SDDiver5 and many others suggest that a 3/4 ton is a better fit for my intentions. I'm not biased (well maybe a little because of the different price point ) and I want to do the right thing, so I should look into 3/4 ton options more.

@FAW3 posed the right questions that I've been asking myself.

Thoughts:

It's hard to balance a daily driver and a full featured highly capable overlanding rig. This combination will require compromise and some ingenuity. For instance, as you have said first is keeping the weight down. I'd also keep my tire size down to the 33/35" range. I think that for the daily grind having components that can be stored back at home and free up the truck bed would be practical...perhaps even the camping rig being easily removable.

What do you want specifically as far as "room"? More sleeping room, more storage room, ability to stand up?

Roaming these pages, it can be hard to fight the pull of all the Overlanding Eye Candy. Much is marketing. Stories abound of fully kitted up 4x4 overlanding rigs getting to a fabulous remote destination and finding someone already there in a stock Tacoma.

If I had already had a Jeep Glad I'd consider building from that capable foundation. Perhaps a wedge bed/camper "topper" like the GFC or FWC Class M or even a fully enclosed unit like an Alu-Cab. My electrical power would be a power station, my solar a portable panel, my sink & water system a Boxio sink and some Scepter jugs. Stackable plastic or aluminum boxes for gear, food, and the like.

To respond to your questions -
The main goal of the camper is to provide a spacious seating and sleeping area for 2 people. When I say spacious, I mean couch comfy lol. I even thought about putting a sofa bed in the camper but that was just too waste of space and I wouldn't get enough storage space. I don't need a full house function in the camper. I won't put a built-in bathroom and will only have a minimal kitchen system. I have DIY built a battery powered portable water system that uses 5 gal. scepter jugs and I have 2 jugs so total 10 gal. I will build a kitchen cabinet that integrates my water system and portable burner. The only appliances permanently attached to the camper will be a small freezer and 200ah LiFePO4 battery system. The plan is to handle bathroom/shower needs outside the camper but if I need to take a shower in freezing winter, maybe I can build a removable waterproof floor base with a drain hole and attach shower curtain. I made a quick mock up drawing of the layout to give you better idea.


I did initially consider a pop up camper on my Gladiator bed and I just can't get the space that I want. If it was just me, that would be fine but for 2 people it's going to be so crowded in there. Both my wife and I have flexible office / remote work so if we have a camper, we want to go off grid, hook up the Starlink and work from there occasionally.

Regarding another point you made - it is truly hard to balance a daily driver and fully capable overland rig. But I think I can compromise on the daily use and be less convenient. Most of daily uses for me is 40 miles round trip to the office 2 or 3 days a week and Home Depot pickups for my house remodeling. My Gladiator with 37s gives me 14mpg so I'm used to bad gas mileage and this thing has 3.6 minivan motor so it's a dog. I'm ok with bad gas mileage as long as I get some better torque...

I'm glad that I made this post to the forum. So much valuable information gets shared and there are good debates and discussions. A good point on the drawbacks of full size truck from @jgallo1.

Back to the camper subject - I estimate the total weight added to the vehicle will be 1500 lbs. That includes the aluminum camper shell (700lbs), cabinetry and permanently attached items (500lbs), my camping gears (150lbs), vehicle mods (200lbs) and passengers (300lbs for me and my wife), minus truck bed removal (-350lbs). My numbers could be awfully off because they are pure guestimates. What payload capacity is needed to handle 1500 lbs on a daily basis? Double it and get a 3000 lbs payload truck?

 

[reverse01134]

Looks like I missed a few new posts while typing up my previous post. I think I got the answer on the payload... 2500 will give a good power to handle 1500 lbs without feeling the weight is there.

 

[ramblinChet]

Hi, I'm currently in the early planning phase for my next overlanding rig build. I currently own a Jeep Gladiator with a bed rack and rooftop tent. After numerous adventurous trips with this setup, I find myself wanting a larger camper. What I envision is a full-size light duty truck with a custom built camper directly on the frame to maintain the factory bed height. To maximize camper space without extending the wheelbase too much, I'm considering a single cab with an 8ft bed. The camper design I'm thinking of is 5ft high without a cabover, essentially rectangular design, with a pop-up feature. I expect 5ft high camper directly on the frame will be about 1ft over the cab which doesn't seem too bad for the center of gravity.

I have a couple of questions to determine the vehicle choice:

1. Through some research, I noticed that many overland builds are based on heavy-duty trucks. Is payload capacity the main reason? What other benefits do heavy-duty trucks offer as overlanding rigs compared to light-duty trucks? I'm planning the camper to be as light as possible, with an overall weight added to the vehicle of less than 1500 lb which I think light duty trucks can handle well.
2. While I'm not into rock crawling, I have tackled some moderate trails with the Gladiator. Full-size trucks are known for their good off-road capability but what are their limits? I'm considering 37-inch tires with a suspension lift, a high-clearance front bumper, and adding an angle to the camper rear to improve the departure angle. Might be cutting metals to allow full wheel articulation of 37s. I understand that midsize trucks are better on narrow trails and have shorter wheelbase but the single cab 8ft wheelbase is similar to midsize truck wheelbases. Other than bigger size, are there any disadvantages compared to midsize trucks?

Hello and welcome to a forum with great people, many solutions, etc. My recent build is a one-ton AEV Prospector regular cab long bed with a Four Wheel Camper in the bed.

Take a look at my post below that covers my build and let me know if you have any questions.

 

[phsycle]

Nothing really to add. But consider the balance between cargo/camper space vs cabin space.

My wife likes to recline back and rest on some long drives. I do the same, if we’re taking shifts driving. Harder to do in a regular cab vs access or crew cab.

To me, an ideal 2-up travel rig would be an access cab with 6.5’ bed.

 

[rruff]

Hi, I'm currently in the early planning phase for my next overlanding rig build. I currently own a Jeep Gladiator with a bed rack and rooftop tent. After numerous adventurous trips with this setup, I find myself wanting a larger camper. What I envision is a full-size light duty truck with a custom built camper directly on the frame to maintain the factory bed height. To maximize camper space without extending the wheelbase too much, I'm considering a single cab with an 8ft bed. The camper design I'm thinking of is 5ft high without a cabover, essentially rectangular design, with a pop-up feature. I expect 5ft high camper directly on the frame will be about 1ft over the cab which doesn't seem too bad for the center of gravity.

I have a couple of questions to determine the vehicle choice:

1. Through some research, I noticed that many overland builds are based on heavy-duty trucks. Is payload capacity the main reason? What other benefits do heavy-duty trucks offer as overlanding rigs compared to light-duty trucks? I'm planning the camper to be as light as possible, with an overall weight added to the vehicle of less than 1500 lb which I think light duty trucks can handle well.
2. While I'm not into rock crawling, I have tackled some moderate trails with the Gladiator. Full-size trucks are known for their good off-road capability but what are their limits? I'm considering 37-inch tires with a suspension lift, a high-clearance front bumper, and adding an angle to the camper rear to improve the departure angle. Might be cutting metals to allow full wheel articulation of 37s. I understand that midsize trucks are better on narrow trails and have shorter wheelbase but the single cab 8ft wheelbase is similar to midsize truck wheelbases. Other than bigger size, are there any disadvantages compared to midsize trucks?

Your criteria are similar enough to mine, as I built a camper that mounts directly on a 1/2 ton chassis.

I agree that the sweet spot for a small rig is being able to sit up comfortably. But being able to stand is even better... and so is having a sleeping berth over the cab! However, if you make something that tall, you should be prepared to make it more aerodynamic (more work). My truck took a hit from 17.7 down to 16.0 mpg on the highway, which I'm happy with. It doesn't seem to be bothered by crosswinds either, and we have a lot of that here.

I wouldn't advise building a camper like mine with curved pieces, but you could build something that looks similar to the Tern camper... although I think the nose is too pointy, and the chamfer in the back is unnecessary. To aid aero, carve a piece of foam and cover it with epoxy/fiberglass and slap it on the flat nose. If you used an extended cab with the 6.5' bed, you could make the camper 8' long. My berth sticks into the main part of the camper 20" to allow fore-aft sleeping, and still keep the berth from being longer than the cab. The front of the camper is a good place for heavy storage anyway. Just a thought... depends on what works best for you... like how much space you need, how long the trips are, the climate you'll be camping in, how much you plan to use tight parking spots, etc.

In my deciding, I wanted 34" head room in the berth and 74" center interior height, and with small cutouts in the floor for articulation, I had just enough height to avoid wheelwells (with 35s)... so that is what I did. The amount of space for stuff under the camper is a lot. Planning to put a water tank and additional fuel tank, with a propane tank and maybe a diesel furnace in front of the wheels, and have two fairly huge storage boxes behind.

When comparing trucks I think the turning circle is an important factor. I don't know what they are for the options you are considering, but I noted that the Tundra was best of the fullsize trucks when I bought mine. Also regarding payload, you'll be over 1500lb when loaded. If you get a F150 with the HDPP, I wouldn't be the slightest worried though.

 

[Todd n Natalie]

Is the camper going to be on the truck more than off? If so, I'd go with a HD truck. You'll end up getting the same MPG anyway and same footprint. 1/2 ton won't be getting great MPG with 37's anyway. A few HD trucks will fit 35's or 37's stock. I'd start with that, use it and upgrade as required.

 

[SLC Tortfeasor]

I'm so happy to see this thread, as I'm researching almost the same exact issue!

I'm looking at regular cab trucks with 6.5 or 8 foot beds. My projected payload is looking like somewhere between 1,700 and 2,000 lbs. Thanks to those commenters who mentioned the F-150 HDPP, which I didn't even know was a thing. But if it's not widely available, I guess that means I'm kind of forced into the heavy duty F-250 or Ram 2500. Then I'll be outfitting it with a winch, doing whatever I can to improve the rear departure angle, and adding bigger wheels and tires on to improve ground clearance and breakover angles.

Would the FX4 suspension package be adequate, or should I also budget for some aftermarket solution such as Carli?

I'm not even going to try and pretend that this could be a daily driver. Honestly, right now I kind of prefer to daily my wife's old Prius rather than my 4Runner, because the little Prius is just so easy and cheap to scoot around the city with. OP, have you considered giving up on the daily driver idea and just getting a cheap little car for daily use?

I'm wondering why more overland-type folks don't go the regular cab route? I think there are lots of us out there planning to go on adventures with only one other person in the cab, so why are so many of us buying trucks with rear doors and seats that are superfluous? Admittedly, you can make use of the crew cab/extended cab space by deleting seats and turning it into storage. But that second row of seating adds significantly to vehicle length (and weight, and cost) just to store stuff that could be stored just as well (or better) in the truck bed.

Anyway, thanks again to everyone for chiming in on this thread. I'm excited about planning my ultimate truck camper!

 

[Todd n Natalie]

I'm so happy to see this thread, as I'm researching almost the same exact issue!

I'm looking at regular cab trucks with 6.5 or 8 foot beds. My projected payload is looking like somewhere between 1,700 and 2,000 lbs.

You'd be right at the top of your payload in most half tons.

Would the FX4 suspension package be adequate, or should I also budget for some aftermarket solution such as Carli?

Depends on the terrain you want to travel.

If carrying a couple thousand lbs I'd suggest airbags for the rear suspension or a different leaf pack to aid with possible sag.

 

[reverse01134]

Hello and welcome to a forum with great people, many solutions, etc. My recent build is a one-ton AEV Prospector regular cab long bed with a Four Wheel Camper in the bed.

Take a look at my post below that covers my build and let me know if you have any questions.

Just went through most of the 40 page long thread - love your build and all the adventures you've been thru with your rig! Man, the 3500HD MSRP in 2021 was so affordable...

Nothing really to add. But consider the balance between cargo/camper space vs cabin space.

My wife likes to recline back and rest on some long drives. I do the same, if we’re taking shifts driving. Harder to do in a regular cab vs access or crew cab.

To me, an ideal 2-up travel rig would be an access cab with 6.5’ bed.

A valid point that makes me revisit on my decision... I didn't really think about reclining seats because we rarely recline the seats all the way back. We've had multiple road trips in my wife's 2 seater boxster and we didn't really have the issue but it could be a different story if we go on a 2 week long overlanding trip spending many many hours on the road. And not having rear seats means all the stuff needs to be stored in the camper and it could be inconvenient if I need to get something but have to enter the camper and dig into the pile of stuff... But 6.5' bed means I will need a cabover camper and I am trying to avoid top heavy truck. Tough decision... need to think about it more.

Your criteria are similar enough to mine, as I built a camper that mounts directly on a 1/2 ton chassis.

I agree that the sweet spot for a small rig is being able to sit up comfortably. But being able to stand is even better... and so is having a sleeping berth over the cab! However, if you make something that tall, you should be prepared to make it more aerodynamic (more work). My truck took a hit from 17.7 down to 16.0 mpg on the highway, which I'm happy with. It doesn't seem to be bothered by crosswinds either, and we have a lot of that here.

I wouldn't advise building a camper like mine with curved pieces, but you could build something that looks similar to the Tern camper... although I think the nose is too pointy, and the chamfer in the back is unnecessary. To aid aero, carve a piece of foam and cover it with epoxy/fiberglass and slap it on the flat nose. If you used an extended cab with the 6.5' bed, you could make the camper 8' long. My berth sticks into the main part of the camper 20" to allow fore-aft sleeping, and still keep the berth from being longer than the cab. The front of the camper is a good place for heavy storage anyway. Just a thought... depends on what works best for you... like how much space you need, how long the trips are, the climate you'll be camping in, how much you plan to use tight parking spots, etc.

In my deciding, I wanted 34" head room in the berth and 74" center interior height, and with small cutouts in the floor for articulation, I had just enough height to avoid wheelwells (with 35s)... so that is what I did. The amount of space for stuff under the camper is a lot. Planning to put a water tank and additional fuel tank, with a propane tank and maybe a diesel furnace in front of the wheels, and have two fairly huge storage boxes behind.

When comparing trucks I think the turning circle is an important factor. I don't know what they are for the options you are considering, but I noted that the Tundra was best of the fullsize trucks when I bought mine. Also regarding payload, you'll be over 1500lb when loaded. If you get a F150 with the HDPP, I wouldn't be the slightest worried though.

I'd love to see your build! Trying to avoid top heavy truck so cabover design is less favorable option to me. I've been searching for a custom builder to design the camper shell that sits directly on the frame and retain the stock bed height. This will require wheel wells sticking out in the camper but they will be hidden in the cabinet and I don't mind losing that storage space in the 8ft camper. 5ft height of the camper allows a comfortable seating position without needing to extend the pop up when I want to stealth camp in a rest area or urban area. The pop up will provide additional 18" in height so I can get total 78" height enough for standing position.

Is the camper going to be on the truck more than off? If so, I'd go with a HD truck. You'll end up getting the same MPG anyway and same footprint. 1/2 ton won't be getting great MPG with 37's anyway. A few HD trucks will fit 35's or 37's stock. I'd start with that, use it and upgrade as required.

That's the mainstream suggestion I am getting from my post. Based on my current plan, I can see HD truck is needed. I'm at a point where I need to go on diet to make the total weight less than 1,000 lbs to stick to a 1/2 ton OR scale up the game and get a 3/4 ton truck.

I'm so happy to see this thread, as I'm researching almost the same exact issue!

I'm looking at regular cab trucks with 6.5 or 8 foot beds. My projected payload is looking like somewhere between 1,700 and 2,000 lbs. Thanks to those commenters who mentioned the F-150 HDPP, which I didn't even know was a thing. But if it's not widely available, I guess that means I'm kind of forced into the heavy duty F-250 or Ram 2500. Then I'll be outfitting it with a winch, doing whatever I can to improve the rear departure angle, and adding bigger wheels and tires on to improve ground clearance and breakover angles.

Would the FX4 suspension package be adequate, or should I also budget for some aftermarket solution such as Carli?

I'm not even going to try and pretend that this could be a daily driver. Honestly, right now I kind of prefer to daily my wife's old Prius rather than my 4Runner, because the little Prius is just so easy and cheap to scoot around the city with. OP, have you considered giving up on the daily driver idea and just getting a cheap little car for daily use?

I'm wondering why more overland-type folks don't go the regular cab route? I think there are lots of us out there planning to go on adventures with only one other person in the cab, so why are so many of us buying trucks with rear doors and seats that are superfluous? Admittedly, you can make use of the crew cab/extended cab space by deleting seats and turning it into storage. But that second row of seating adds significantly to vehicle length (and weight, and cost) just to store stuff that could be stored just as well (or better) in the truck bed.

Anyway, thanks again to everyone for chiming in on this thread. I'm excited about planning my ultimate truck camper!

I can see that regular cabs are less popular in the used truck market which will make it hard to re-sell. We see lots of overlanders in this forum but our numbers constitute a fraction of the total truck buyers.

 

[PirateMcGee]

The Titan XD is a solid option if you want a 2k payload with more comfort. With a 3" lift, 33" snow tires, and my camper I've been getting 14mpg. Not awful for what it is and a lot lower price than other trucks.

 

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

People seem to forget that almost all forest service/BLM/Utility trucks are full size. I have taken my full size, as well as uncountable full size + Fire trucks on roads. Plenty of people say can’t be done.

I find the majority of people don’t take their nice rigs into super sketchy places, or have a very specific need. Like rock crawling. It may take more attention, or skill. But I have never found myself not going somewhere, because I had a full size.

Building out a camper is always cool to see. I bet if we asked most the people who have built theirs if they made it to their target weight, the answer would be it was heavier. I look forward to seeing yours though. My only point being for the majority of garage builds, sometimes our skills don’t match up to our wants. And there are some amazing self builds you will see here.

I am starting to really appreciate just being able to “get it and go”. And find myself less willing to custom build stuff anymore. Trouble shooting, and building can be fun when it’s a nice day and a hobby. Not as much when the weather is bad, and you are in need of the thing to work, cause you’re out using it.

If it’s in the budget, it’s hard to beat a full size truck and pop up camper. No shortage of options out there. And then just more time to enjoy it with less fuss.

¾ ton, gasser. If it’s always on you would want the extra power, and stopping capability of a ¾ ton. You will be glad you did when it’s a steep grade, or you have an emergency stop in traffic.

When I find some Used HD ZR2’s out and about I will probably try and pick one up. To replace my aging HD.

As far as HD trucks , Chevy, Dodge, and Ford all have some pretty awesome options/trucks. Personally I am a Chevy guy. But that’s just me. Get in and around them, drive them. And see what works best for you and the wife.

My brother is a single cab, long box guy. He took his 04 2500 and FWC down the entire PanAm and don’t think him and his wife ever wished for more cab space. Now he has a shop and built a pretty cool garage on his single cab and flatbed camper.
I, like the crew cab. But also have a 90# dog. So to each their own.


There are a few brands, that have a cube type camper. It is so nice to not have to build the bed with cab overs.
Everything is so dang expensive though. Alaskan campers, and I think maybe phoenix.
https://cubeseries.com/camper/
https://capricamper.com/models/cowboy/

 

[jgallo1]

I forgot to add this to my post.
Another nod to the F250 for this reason (also what I drive so I am biased).
I think an F250 with the extended cab ( Ford calls it a supercab) and the short box ( is 6.8ft) and the Fx4 package is an unbelievable combination.
Wheelbase is roughly 147"
Overall length is roughly 238"
factory locker
Manual front locking hubs
35's clear no issue
factory skid plate ( not the best, but better than nothing)
great payload and towing capacity

I like the supercab, the back bench is just a great platform for gear and dogs

for comparison :
a Toyota Tacoma longbed (6ft bed)
overall length -230
wheelbase -140
really not a huge difference.

 

[IdaSHO]

Factory locker(s) is an absolute game changer for full size trucks.
Toss some good tires on a truck these days and it can go places it really shouldn't.