What Truck?

[SDDiver5]

We had our hawk in a 08 Tundra before we got the F250. The F250 has almost 2000lbs more payload. The Tundra did fine with airbags. It never felt unsafe in 15000 miles. The F250 carries the camper much better on paved roads. It also sucks on washboard. We are building a flatbed with storage boxes and it would have added enough weight that we would be pushing it for the rear gawr of the Tundra. If I want building a flatbed I would still be rolling in the Tundra. Axle ratings are more important than gvw and stepping up to a 3/4 ton gets you another 2000lbs. It also gets you a full floating rear axle.

Most mid size and half ton trucks with campers are over gvw. Most only really see paved roads and are probably fine. But if you are buying a truck for a camper I would get a 3/4.

I wonder if an IFS 2500 Cheby would be nicer on washboard roads

 

[Regcabguy]

We had our hawk in a 08 Tundra before we got the F250. The F250 has almost 2000lbs more payload. The Tundra did fine with airbags. It never felt unsafe in 15000 miles. The F250 carries the camper much better on paved roads. It also sucks on washboard. We are building a flatbed with storage boxes and it would have added enough weight that we would be pushing it for the rear gawr of the Tundra. If I want building a flatbed I would still be rolling in the Tundra. Axle ratings are more important than gvw and stepping up to a 3/4 ton gets you another 2000lbs. It also gets you a full floating rear axle.

Most mid size and half ton trucks with campers are over gvw. Most only really see paved roads and are probably fine. But if you are buying a truck for a camper I would get a 3/4.

Carli's got numerous solutions to your buckboard offroad ride while preserving your payload capacity. It's phenomenal what his company's products do to a 3/4 ton truck.

 

[rruff]

Can the people who replied post some pics of their set-up?

The camper isn't heavy, especially with the bed removed, but once you load it with stuff... I'll be near the axle ratings (4,150lb rear, 4,000 front). If I had it to do over, I think I'd get a F350 instead.

 

[hdhp]

Is that your project? I really like it! You should do a Build post!

HDHP

 

[hdhp]

Carli's got numerous solutions to your buckboard offroad ride while preserving your payload capacity. It's phenomenal what his company's products do to a 3/4 ton truck.

Who is Carli? Do you have a link to some of his work or products? Thanks

HDHP

 

[tacollie]

I wonder if an IFS 2500 Cheby would be nicer on washboard roads

Probably. My truck does need shocks.

 

[tacollie]

Carli's got numerous solutions to your buckboard offroad ride while preserving your payload capacity. It's phenomenal what his company's products do to a 3/4 ton truck.

Agreed. My Carli coils should be here next week. My Fox DSCs will probably be 6 weeks.

 

[tacollie]

The camper isn't heavy, especially with the bed removed, but once you load it with stuff... I'll be near the axle ratings (4,150lb rear, 4,000 front). If I had it to do over, I think I'd get a F350 instead.

View attachment 643130

I have a buddy with a Tundra and flatbed hawk. Last trip we did together he weighed 8800?.

 

[hdhp]

I have a buddy with a Tundra and flatbed hawk. Last trip we did together he weighed 8800?.

DANG!

 

[GeorgeHayduke]

@hdhp We have a 2016 Ram 2500 with diesel and ran a ~1600 pound Northstar TC650 popup on it for for 4 years. The truck has been great, but I think the rear coil suspension on the Ram 2500's is a really bad match for a slide-in camper. The coils are mounted inboard of the frame rails causing a lot of sway with high center of gravity loads. The rear track bar also causes some goofy tail-wagging-the-dog effects.

Even though the camper load is not all that heavy or tall for a 3/4 truck, I've needed to add Timbrens and a Hellwig sway bar to correct sway issues.

With the Cummins, G56 trans, and 35" tires we get 14-15 MPG running around Colorado when loaded up.

 

[Todd780]

I have a buddy with a Tundra and flatbed hawk. Last trip we did together he weighed 8800?.

That's crazy! Sooooo...how much did the truck weigh?

 

[rruff]

Is that your project? I really like it! You should do a Build post!

I know I should... most of the shell is done. But damn, I'm lazy...

 

[jaxyaks]

Just make sure you are ok with the Ram 2500 suspension set up, as mentioned, the rear coil suspension is not ideal for a truck camper. I had one in 2014 and I think somewhere in the manual it actually mentioned that truck campers were not recommended. Great truck otherwise.

 

[rruff]

I have a buddy with a Tundra and flatbed hawk. Last trip we did together he weighed 8800?.

My camper is lighter. The completed shell with frame mounting and lower boxes should add < 1000 lbs. I'll be alone... and no flatbed, bumper, winch, etc. The amenities will be spartan. But ya, the weight definitely adds up... especially when you are full-time!

 

[tacollie]

My camper is lighter. The completed shell with frame mounting and lower boxes should add < 1000 lbs. I'll be alone... and no flatbed, bumper, winch, etc. The amenities will be spartan. But ya, the weight definitely adds up... especially when you are full-time!

Their Hawk is pretty loaded. He built his own flatbed and it came out heavier than he expected. The 8800 included his Husqvarna 300 hanging off the back and a full water tank. His Radflos and Alcans make the truck handle surprisingly good. My 250 with 89k on the stock shocks and steering stabilizer still does better on paved roads.