Which of these two pop-ups (F250, F350) should I rent for 3 weeks in Alaska?

[84FLH]

Hello everyone. I have 3 weeks to spend in Alaska this year. Found two truck campers to rent. Both have mid 2000's Palomino Bronco popups. One truck is 2005 F250 extended cab. Other truck is 2004 F350 crew cab. Which truck do you think would be best for my purposes?

Truck Camper Disclaimer
I've never driven a truck camper. The biggest pickup I've driven is a mid 90's F250. But I've driven 15' UHauls before and can use the mirrors. As long as no one's within a 50 foot radius

My Purposes
Travel gravel and dirt roads to boondock. 50-75% of the time. Not crazy rough roads like I've seen in Youtube Colorado, Utah, etc videos. Nothing with basketball sized rocks, axle deep holes, super sharp breakover angles. I want to be far enough out to experience the wild and hear no humans, but don't want to rock crawl (e.g.) to get there.

My Abilities
Years (okay, decades) back I drove a few unmaintained forest service roads and a few semi/sorta jeep trails in New England. Nothing at all/no way like what I see on Youtube in Colorado, Utah, etc. But I can (I think) pick a line, brake softly, try to not put tires on slippery rocks, keep steady gas pedal, and get out to walk/look before I proceed if needed. Even so, I'm on vacation; I'm not in RV off road driving school. Want to enjoy the sights without worrying I'm on a road I -or the truck- shouldn't be on.

The Trucks
F250 has a 55 gallon tank, 2 inch lift (brand unknown), airbags, leveling kit, big front bumper.

F350 appears stock, with no lift, helper spring, etc.

The Campers
Exterior graphics indicate both campers are mid 2000's Palomino Bronco's.

Both campers identically equipped EXCEPT the F250 camper has indoor shower removed and a small cabinet installed in place of the shower. Toilet mounted on floor near entry door.

The F350 camper is factory stock with toilet and shower still in their little "closet".

What I'm Leaning Toward
The owner said the F250 is better for boondocking due to lift kit, airbags, leveling kit. I guess she's right. But I'm leaning toward the F350 for one reason only: the indoor shower and toilet are still in the factory location. At my age I want to shower inside if it's 60 degrees or less out; and at late summer/early fall it'll be 60 or less out.

I know the F350's longer wheelbase would impact breakover angle. And I wonder how much that'll limit the 'off road' roads I can go on. Then again, I'm not interested in driving the kind of roads where you need to worry about breakover angle. I'm on vacation and new at truck camper driving. I want to enjoy myself, not test my abilities or learn the hard way.

Questions
(1) Is the F350 a good choice for me, for my purposes?

(2) Is there much difference between the lifted F250 and the stock F350, for my purposes? If so, what are those differences and how big a deal are they?

(3) Do you think the F250 may be overloaded with a full 55 gallon tank, that aftermarket front bumper, lift kit, and air bags, me, food, 20 gallons water, gear and clothes? Gear and clothes are mostly lightweight backpacking gear except for some wool pants and wool hunting jacket. Total gear/clothes around 40-50 lbs...plus about 10 lbs for the electric bear fence to put around that soft side camper at night.

(4) What should I know/watch for with the 250? 350?

Phew! Sorry for the long winded-ness. Rushing to get out the door but wanted to get your opinions sooner instead of later. Lot of valuable experience and advice here.

Thanks, everyone.

F250

2005 Palomino Bronco Truck Camper Rental in North Pole, AK

See 13 photos of this 2005 Palomino Bronco Truck Camper in North Pole, AK for rent now at $250.00/night

www.outdoorsy.com

F350

2004 Ford F350 Diesel Double Cab Truck Camper Rental in North Pole, AK

See 10 photos of this 2004 Ford F350 Diesel Double Cab Truck Camper in North Pole, AK for rent now at $250.00/night

www.outdoorsy.com

 

[ExpoMike]

I'll be willing to bet, the vintage of those trucks, that F250 is already overloaded without any of your gear. 3/4 tons of those vintage don't have the capacity of newer 3/4 tons. Heck, that vintage F350 has the payload of modern 3/4 ton trucks.

Without knowing your offroad experience with large vehicles, it's a crap shoot between those. In some ways the F350 rig might keep you from making a bad choice, as you will know the limit might be a tad lower, so you will think more about what you are doing. Plus it sounds like the inside shower is something you would want.

That said, both of them are short bed trucks, so even the F350 wheelbase isn't much different than a extended cab, long bed truck. I took my first Ram to some places people would never believe a truck with popup camper should have gone. Though I had had aftermarket springs, the truck was at stock height with the camper on. If you are going solo, the more capable truck is only going to get you stuck further in. We do most of our travels solo, so it takes a very different mindset. You have to make different choices and know when you need to turn around or find a different route. I take different risks when I am traveling in a group, since there is assistance to help pull me out, if needed.

 

[tacomabill]

Both rigs have likely been camped in a lot and should be usable for your stated purpose.
I would be more concerned about roadside coverage if you breakdown in a remote area. Do you know what their coverage consists of? What are your options if they cant or wont get a tow truck to you?

 

[carleton]

I'll let the above comment on weight, lifts, loading, etc.
But AK doesn't really have any true offroading, at least not anything where you'd take a rental vehicle.
McCarthy Road, Denali Highway, etc: all are 2wd in the summer in a Toyota Corolla. Camp spots are prolific off of thes dirt roads, and many of the paved roads too.

I'd be concerned about the weight loading, I guess, when it comes to the tires. Being able to lower your PSI on the Denali Highway while still having a weight margin will make your ride more comfortable. Blowouts are pretty common, so much so that pretty much every roadhouse on those roads will do tire repair.

 

[tacollie]

F350 has an indoor shower and that's important to you. Get that one. Both trucks are leaf springs so the turning radius is huge with either one.

 

[Mickey Bitsko]

04' f350 has the 6.0 diesel..just sayin

 

[AbleGuy]

“I'm on vacation and new at truck camper driving. I want to enjoy myself, not test my abilities…”

⬆ That’ll be a very used guideline for the roads you choose to explore on.

One thing comes to mind from my last trip there (in an older K2500 HD, reg. cab, 8’ bed carrying an 8’ hard sided camper):

The wheelbase of both rigs may possibly create some challenges for you. My experience up there has been the unpaved back roads often are narrow and crowded by trees and bushes. Hitting a “turn around and go back” point on a road that’s gotten worse and worse as you’ve proceeded often means being extremely careful and patient, as you go back and forth, and back and forth a bunch, and back and forth inches at a time, on a very tight axis, as you try to avoid bashing the camper or winding up stuck with a wheel spinning on the mud in the ditch.

 

[84FLH]

“I'm on vacation and new at truck camper driving. I want to enjoy myself, not test my abilities…”

⬆ That’ll be a very used guideline for the roads you choose to explore on.

You nailed it, AbleGuy. Articulated clearly what was muddy water in my head. Thanks.

About wheelbase...are these trucks' wheelbases considered "long"? Or just considered long for the narrower, brush crowded roads wherever they may be?

I definitely don't wanna get jammed into a 45 point turn to get out. And my mirror driving skills rival a Bob Hope skit.

 

[84FLH]

04' f350 has the 6.0 diesel..just sayin

Ah, Mickey. You bring the cold water wake up! Give me a quick schooling here on what to listen, watch out for in the 6.0, can you? Thanks.

 

[84FLH]

F350 has an indoor shower and that's important to you. Get that one. Both trucks are leaf springs so the turning radius is huge with either one.

tacollie;

Can you explain to me why leaf springs cause a greater turning radius than coils? Sounds like something I should know. Thank you.

 

[84FLH]

I'll let the above comment on weight, lifts, loading, etc.
But AK doesn't really have any true offroading, at least not anything where you'd take a rental vehicle.
McCarthy Road, Denali Highway, etc: all are 2wd in the summer in a Toyota Corolla. Camp spots are prolific off of thes dirt roads, and many of the paved roads too.

I'd be concerned about the weight loading, I guess, when it comes to the tires. Being able to lower your PSI on the Denali Highway while still having a weight margin will make your ride more comfortable. Blowouts are pretty common, so much so that pretty much every roadhouse on those roads will do tire repair.

Thanks for the tire information. I'll ask the owner what rating tires have. One spare comes with the truck. My inner Felix Unger might ask for a second. Where I'll put it, I've no idea.

Don't know if there's onboard air, though.

What's the Parks Hwy out of Fairbanks to Talkeetna, like? Same question for Tok Cutoff and the road to Chicken and Eagle?

 

[84FLH]

I'll be willing to bet, the vintage of those trucks, that F250 is already overloaded without any of your gear. 3/4 tons of those vintage don't have the capacity of newer 3/4 tons. Heck, that vintage F350 has the payload of modern 3/4 ton trucks.

I was thinking the F250 was at least at weight limit, if not over limit, for the two person cargo who typically rent it. See Reviews.

Without knowing your offroad experience with large vehicles, it's a crap shoot between those. In some ways the F350 rig might keep you from making a bad choice, as you will know the limit might be a tad lower, so you will think more about what you are doing. Plus it sounds like the inside shower is something you would want.

I love to explore old roads, the more off beat the better. But not as a noob in a rented rig. I'll wait till I get my own 1 ton and maybe, Outfitter Apex 8.

That said, both of them are short bed trucks, so even the F350 wheelbase isn't much different than a extended cab, long bed truck. I took my first Ram to some places people would never believe a truck with popup camper should have gone. Though I had had aftermarket springs, the truck was at stock height with the camper on. If you are going solo, the more capable truck is only going to get you stuck further in. We do most of our travels solo, so it takes a very different mindset. You have to make different choices and know when you need to turn around or find a different route. I take different risks when I am traveling in a group, since there is assistance to help pull me out, if needed.

That's a wealth of good information in one paragraph. "More capable truck...stuck further in". Would've never considered that. Makes perfect sense to hear it, though.

Thank you.

 

[Mickey Bitsko]

Ah, Mickey. You bring the cold water wake up! Give me a quick schooling here on what to listen, watch out for in the 6.0, can you? Thanks.

To be clear, I'm not a fan of any diesel engine, but I do like ford trucks.
The 6.0 diesel engine according to the ford truck enthusiasts forum is the worst diesel ford built, I believe Navistar is the designer and builder.
Search ford 6.0 diesel common problems, you'll find the list is long.

 

[tacollie]

tacollie;

Can you explain to me why leaf springs cause a greater turning radius than coils? Sounds like something I should know. Thank you.

Leaf springs get in the way. When they went to coils in the front it freed up a lot of room to improve the turning radius. The 05 should actually be coils. In the photos it looks like leafs.

Regarding the 6.0 both trucks are 6.0s. They have some design flaws that can be addressed with aftermarket parts but it gets expensive It's the second worst diesel Ford has used. The 6.4 was worse. Navistar built the 7.3, 6.0, and 6.4. Ford built the 6.7 themselves.

I still say get the F350 for the indoor shower.

 

[84FLH]

For a rental I'd stick with the box stock unit.....The Bible of off roading...
Every mod adds stress to what was not modded leading to the next mod.

Hey billiebob;

You said that in my other posts. And I've heard this from others over the years. Someone once said the engineers figured it out best. So it does make sense to me. Until I see a tricked out, lifted vehicle and read the parts lists. Then I think to myself, 'They wouldn't have spent $15k if it didn't work.'

Here's an example. Can you tell me what's wrong with this setup? What's right? Seriously. Trying to learn about suspensions, lifts, etc. This truck just looks bad you-know-what. Thanks.

SOLD - 2018 TRD DCSB FULLY BUILT OVERLAND RIG

2018 TRD Pro MT Calvary Blue w/ 46k miles WILL DELIVER ANYWHERE IN USA *tons of pictures keep scrolling* *270 awning recently built so it’s only in...

www.tacomaworld.com

Wheels/Tires/Suspension

• 34” BFG KO2 (Full size spare on swing out)
• 17” KMC Impact (black)
• Fox 2.5” Front Coilovers w/ DSC Adjuster
  • Upgraded Springs: 650 lb Eibach 14" Long 3.0" ID Coil Springs
• Total Chaos Upper Control Arm
• Fox 2.5" Remote Reservoir Shock Kit for Rear w/ DSC Adjuster
• ICON RXT Leaf Spring (Option 3/Heavy Setting)
• Wheeler Superbump Front + Rear Bumpstops
• ICON U-Bolt Flip Kit
• Body Mount Relocation
• ECGS 8” Clamshell Bushing (Eliminates Needle Bearing)

Performance/Off-Road Stuff/Recovery

• Nitro 4.88 Regear installed by ECGS
• Dobson 4x4 Snorkel
• Differential Breather
• 10k lb winch (Smittybuilt)
• Extended rear brake lines

Neither truck will have any advantages to go where you want to go.
Top factor.... which one looks more comfortable to live out of.

Exactly the answer I was looking for. Thanks. (Both rentals are legit)

ps, the 6.0L diesel had problems which were easily resolved, fixed. I doubt any 6.0L are out there without the factory fix but you are not buying it.

To be safe I emailed the owner asking what they do if the truck breaks down on me.