Truck Suggestions? Let's hear your TC hauler thoughts!

[montypower]

Thanks for all the thoughts and comments.

Ended up buying a 2019 F250 Crew/Short SRW 4x4 6.2L. Prefered the Ford over Dodge for the Dana60 axle, manual hubs, electric rear differential locker, aluminum body, more simplistic motor (no cylinder deactivation). The drivetrain seems rather solid and proven with many high mileage examples and been in production since 2011. I'm really interested to see how the new 7.3L gas performs but not willing to own first year of production. Really enjoying the basic version of the truck with no carpet, vinyl seats, aux switches. Will be testing it with the camper in a week or so...

Also... It seems that there is very limited differences between F250 & F350. Frame, front axle and body is the same. Rear axle changes tube diameter depending on configuration and rear leaf pack is different. I figured the F250 would work fine since planning to swap leaf springs either way. Cargo capacity is over 3,400lbs which is plenty. Big advantage with Gas vs Diesel is lower weight. Overall truck weight scale weight is surprisingly low at 6,500lbs.

 

[Mundo4x4Casa]

Peter, keep us posted on your results. I like the way you have combined the tried-and-true, weight loss, with simpler systems.
jefe

 

[Buliwyf]

Weird that your truck is 400# lighter than my XL. Sounds like a flooded scale.

The 7.3 is nice, but you don't need it at all, for a 10,000# truck camper combo. My work truck, 6.2l, weighs 11,000# with it's loaded utility box and crane, and even with pitiful 3.73 gears, it can run over or pit maneuver a Toyota Prius on any freeway on ramp, in the east coast. It gets up and goes fine.

 

[::Squish::]

Seems like a very solid truck, congratulations on one of the hardest parts about truck camper ownership... Picking out the right truck.

 

[montypower]

First drive out:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/iamCg9s7hvdfDvDUA


Couldn't resist some off road testing...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/RxmLLJz6LdfrQzCU8

https://photos.app.goo.gl/aJLwYwwmnbvaiQfj9

Really handles very well on stock suspension. Just installed some Timbrens (nothing else). Corners well. Off road surprisingly compliant especially for stock suspension. Rear factory locking differential works great. Will be curious how the MPG is loaded... 18.7mpg is the best so far (unloaded); it is just over 2,000 miles so might improve as motor seats in. Looking at 3" lift with King Resi Shocks and custom rear leaf pack. May need to start a build thread.

 

[IdaSHO]

The 6.2 is a fine motor. We have more than 10k miles on ours now in travel mode with the camper, and it does great.
Coming from a turbo diesel I was at first thinking it needed deeper gears, but it does it just fine as is.

As the wife says, you just have to be okay with "race car noises" as the truck kicks down a few gears into high revs to pull a grade.

With stock gears and 35's, 2nd gear @ 5k+ RPM is pretty normal, all at 60+ MPH up 7-9% grades
Plenty fast for a 10k+ truck and camper. Just dont expect stellar fual MPG. We average between 8 & 10 MPG, depending mostly upon wind.

Ours is a 2011, so it has the 6-speed.

Also, its great to hear you can manage that camper on stock (rear) suspension.
Ours was sprung terribly soft, and needed help to haul its 2500lbs of camper and gear.
We are running single leaf helpers and bags.

In this photo the bags are dumped, to help off-road manners/ride.

 

[montypower]

Kenny - that's a great camper setup. Have you thought about regearing?

We will either keep stock size tires and gears or do a sizable jump 37s with regear. Just need to see what size spare tire will fit in the stock location.

 

[deserteagle56]

As the wife says, you just have to be okay with "race car noises" as the truck kicks down a few gears into high revs to pull a grade.

With stock gears and 35's, 2nd gear @ 5k+ RPM is pretty normal, all at 60+ MPH up 7-9% grades
Plenty fast for a 10k+ truck and camper. Just dont expect stellar fual MPG. We average between 8 & 10 MPG, depending mostly upon wind.

Wow! "Race Car Noises"? 5,000+ RPM?

No way I could handle listening to that. I'd be all stressed out by the end of a day's driving.

 

[IdaSHO]

Kenny - that's a great camper setup. Have you thought about regearing?

We will either keep stock size tires and gears or do a sizable jump 37s with regear. Just need to see what size spare tire will fit in the stock location.

37's and a legit truck camper? Id regear.
We are on 35's and I'm still a bit on the fence.

More road time with the setup will tell me more.

It does it fine currently, but Im sure deeper gears would make it "feel" better.

 

[IdaSHO]

Wow! "Race Car Noises"? 5,000+ RPM?

No way I could handle listening to that. I'd be all stressed out by the end of a day's driving.

Thats what the wife calls it. Again, all relative to us coming from a low RPM turbo-diesel.
3000RPMs in the old 7.3 powerstroke was pushing it.
High RPM for a gasser truck motor is the new norm.
Our ears just havnt adjusted

 

[Bayou Boy]

37's and a legit truck camper? Id regear.
We are on 35's and I'm still a bit on the fence.

More road time with the setup will tell me more.

It does it fine currently, but Im sure deeper gears would make it "feel" better.

Don't forget, your truck is almost 10 years old. Current trucks are totally different beasts. Literally. I have 37s on my 2019 with stock 3.73s and have zero issues pulling my 11k# 5th wheel up any grade at whatever speed I want.

 

[IdaSHO]

Don't forget, your truck is almost 10 years old. Current trucks are totally different beasts. Literally. I have 37s on my 2019 with stock 3.73s and have zero issues pulling my 11k# 5th wheel up any grade at whatever speed I want.

Hardly.

Same motor (minor revisions), same gears. Only real difference is the trans.
And once rolling and pulling a grade, trans makes no difference as the truck will utilize the correct gear.
And for the same grade, speed, and load, the gear used will be very similar gear reduction.

If Im using 3rd gear in my "old" 6-speed, the latest 10-speed might use 4th or 5th.

 

[IdaSHO]

Don't forget, your truck is almost 10 years old. Current trucks are totally different beasts. Literally. I have 37s on my 2019 with stock 3.73s and have zero issues pulling my 11k# 5th wheel up any grade at whatever speed I want.

Hold on, you must be comparing your CTD to these 6.2 gassers.

My comment was very specific to the 6.2 gasser as that's whats being discussed.

Your CTD has no relevance here if that's what you are referring to. Apples to oranges.

 

[Bayou Boy]

It's really not some big feat.

Electric jacks and fastguns. Pop the fastguns, raise all 4 jacks at the same time and drive out from under the camper. Reverse to put it back. The fastguns take a minute to walk around and unhook all 4 then you are just waiting on the jacks to raise the camper. If you are changing a tire thats all you have to do.

If it takes you a half hour to put a truck camper in your bed I don't even know what to say. You do realize they make drill adapters for the manual jacks, right? I had manual jacks on an ATC. It took me one install to order the drill adapter. Still only took 15 minutes since you had to walk around while you moved them up a little at a time.

The first post in this thread references the Cummins and Powerstroke...

 

[IdaSHO]

Yeah, and if you follow along with the thread the guy purchased a 6.2 gasser ford, then proceeded to ask me about gearing