Working loads for camper-trucks

[jjenkins]

Hello all. We are working on a truck-popup combination for use as a base and field lab for ecological work. Northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada, 4WD, likely a light truck, gravel and logging roads, mud, rocks, and snow. Curious what loads people put on their trucks, and how they do. Exceeding the manufacturer's specs seems normal. The question is by how much? Could some popup owners tell us what total loads they carry, and what trucks they carry them on, and how well they do?

Many thanks, Jerry J., northern New York

 

[rotti]

Exceeding the manufacturer's specs seems normal.

Unfortunately your probably right. I look at it differently, I would much rather have an excess of capacity.
FWC Hawk, 1300 lbs dry and empty on a Chevy 2500HD with a 3100 lbs total capacity and a 2040 lbs camper capacity. Excellent handling, power and braking. No suspension additions needed what so ever.

 

[Overland Hadley]

Camper is a FWC Eagle shell custom built with a lightweight interior, and much attention was paid to where the weight was placed.

Truck is a Gen2 Tacoma with suspension upgrades. Truck handles the camper fine, but you do need to watch what weight you add.

 

[JHa6av8r]

I look at it like Rotti. I have a Chevy 3500 with a 4,200 lb payload capacity rated for a 3,100 lb camper. My FWC Granby is about 1,450 lbs before loading with gear so I'm around 9,500 lbs GVW with 2,000 lbs of additional payload available. My suspension is stock Z71. Loads is only part of the equation. Braking capacity is equal if not more important. Be loaded going down a steep downhill, like coming out of the mountain from the North entrance to Yosemite, and have your brakes fade near the bottom. It's not fun.

You can run a lighter truck and there are people here that can tell you how to do it. I don't think it's the safest way, IMHO.

 

[daveyboy]

I have a 2008 4x4, DC, 5.7L Tundra. My Shadow Cruiser is something like 1360lbs wet (full of water, propane, and fridge full of food).

Once I load up my family and the rest of our gear, GVW is almost right at 8000lbs.

I have 275/70/18 E tires and Timbrens. I have travelled several thousand miles with this setup through 10 Rocky Mountain states including light off-roading. I think it handles it great and my Tundra has been reliable as an anvil.

They guy I bought my camper from bought a new F150 at the same time he purchased the camper and had it on full-time for a few years. He had put on add-a-leafs. His pickup had 170K miles and was still going strong.

 

[ripperj]

I am also with rotti, I had a ram 1500 that I was having a custom camper built for. No matter how I crunched the numbers, ( or how much I wanted it to work, I was right at max load with a empty camper and no people, no extra fuel and no beer!
So I sold the 1500 and bought a 2500 hemi. I have to recoup some $$, ( may go rtt for a while) but I feel better about the whole thing.

 

[rayct77]

Not sure what kind of gear you will be carrying for work, but whatever your set up is, I would try to push for at least a 3/4 ton pickup if you can. The smaller Toyota pickups and half tons with spring modifications and E load tires are great rigs but I'm guessing you will be carrying gear that most of us would not need. It's a good feeling knowing you are safe and under the load recommendations.

 

[docdave]

I'm sure lots of guys get along well with half tons and compact pickups. There is a bit of a philosophical rift here. I've talked with folks who are what I'd call minimalists, kind of the 'back packing hiker' of the truck camper community. If you are someone who considers the weight of every piece of equipment, travels alone or with like minded family members and are young or healthy enough not to have very high personal comfort requirements, it's probably a no brainer that smaller and lighter are better.....easier to maneuver, less cost, less fuel etc. But if you aren't that guy/gal....then weight gets high pretty fast. If your partner isn't quite as enthusiastic about roughing it as you are, your kids are small, or there are health issues, or maybe you've already done it the minimalist way and would like a bit more comfort and flexability, you're going to need a truck. It isn't just spring capacity, it's suitable wheelbase to allow proper fore/aft loading, braking of the wheels and engine, and what about towing? I'm a big believer in having the truck match the load....safer for all of us, and your truck will last longer.