Hi folks.

I'm new to the site, found you while browsing around to look for a new rig. Here's my story. Three months ago I was driving up the interstate in my rig, a Ford single rear axle 4 x 4 carrying a Lance 8'10" camper. Everything was fine, tires had been checked 200 miles ago, road was dry, conditions excellent and traveling at 65mph on a 70 mph speedlimit road. Tire were 10 ply inflated to 80 lbs. BAM passenger side rear tire blew out and within ten seconds the rig had fishtailed into the center median gravel swale and rolled. Most fortunately I was traveling alone and belted in and while everything was totalled, I walked away with a small lump on my head and a few scrapes. Insurance has finally settled and I'm in the market for a new rig. The Lance suited my wife and my lifde style just fine. We;re usually dry camping out in the woods or on a beach or river bank, rarely in an organized campground and like the mobility, but I'm a bit freaky about getting back into a truck camper. I wonder what folks think about the "top heavy" problem. Do rollovers happen with much frequency? Is a dually likely to be any safer?
All thoughts and comments appreciated.

Wow! That sure does sound scary. I am glad you were not hurt. I have not heard about truck campers being involved in roll overs often. I have not had a TC on a single wheel truck but it apprears that a dual wheel truck would be more stable side to side. I have a Dodge 3500 dual wheel with a Lance 1181 and it handles well. We have put about 32,000 miles on it since we got it in 2005. On the air pressure in your tires, seems that 80 lbs is too much for a 10 ply tire. I have 12 ply and that is the max pressure on the ones that I have.
By the way, welcome to the forum... Jerry

I have done it both ways and to be completly honest, I liked my Dodge single wheel better than my Chevy dually for carrying the camper. BUT!!! I had to replace my Dodge's transmission four times in four years and when I got rid of it, it had 41000 miles on it. They really are a crap tuck in my opinion. My travel partner uses a Ford Superduty dually and loves it but replaces brakes evry season. Better than transmissions. Toyota is supposed to be coming out with a heavy duty truck. I really want to see what it has to offer.

Hi folks.

I'm new to the site, found you while browsing around to look for a new rig. Here's my story. Three months ago I was driving up the interstate in my rig, a Ford single rear axle 4 x 4 carrying a Lance 8'10" camper. Everything was fine, tires had been checked 200 miles ago, road was dry, conditions excellent and traveling at 65mph on a 70 mph speedlimit road. Tire were 10 ply inflated to 80 lbs.

This is but only my opinion, having tires inflated to the stated maximum on the sidewall is under maximum load conditions. Triple A Good Sam (?) has an inflation guide based on tire size and load weight. I on the other hand run mine about 10 lbs under the stated maximum psi. It has been through trial and error and road feel. You see most California highways are pot-holed so bad having a tire maxed out in air pressure is well, sorta like driving on the old solid rubber tires 1918 era. Bounce bam wham! Anotherwards, no give, no flex, just solid no give no flex. And yet, modern tire design is exactly that! To be able to flex, give, requires less air. Also remember an impact against a tire at full capacity of air will most assuredly leave a bruise which automatically makes for a weak spot to develop in the tire. Of course there is also stability issues to contend with as well. But, I run a lance on a dual wheeled truck with front and rear heavy duty sway bar along with air bags on the rear axels. Of course there are those who say my running lower air pressures will result in lower gas mileage. I believe it up to the operator driver to determine which is best, run high inflations, vibrate everything inside the camper including your fillings in your teeth, risking a serious blow-out eventually? Or, a bit smother…

BAM passenger side rear tire blew out and within ten seconds the rig had fishtailed into the center median gravel swale and rolled.

The only incident I ever experienced I lost my outside rear tire. It destroyed my fender but I was never in danger of losing control. At the time I was running all 6 tires 5lbs maximum tire pressure.

Most fortunately I was traveling alone and belted in and while everything was totalled, I walked away with a small lump on my head and a few scrapes. Insurance has finally settled and I'm in the market for a new rig.

I experience many who wish to haul Lances with only a single rear wheel truck. I can understand this line of thinking, because when the camper is off it would be better driving a truck around without “Hips” sticking out! However, I will say this, once loaded down and happy jack secured, properly equipped, there in simply nothing better to assure confident handling on twisty even gnarly hairpin forest service 10mph roads. Bar none. Same goes for the 60mph freeway curves with cross winds. Keep in mind most older Dual rear wheel trucks DO NOT came equipped with a REAR anti-sway bar. You have to add it along with the air bags.

The Lance suited my wife and my lifde style just fine. We;re usually dry camping out in the woods or on a beach or river bank, rarely in an organized campground and like the mobility, but I'm a bit freaky about getting back into a truck camper.

[COLOR=blue]I feel for you there, for sure. But, again I have done this both ways. Just as you have begun only in a very scary not so easy to forget event. I started out with a single, then eventually went to dual wheels. Again, when “totally properly equipped” the dual wheel truck will have you smiling all the way there and back.

I wonder what folks think about the "top heavy" problem. Do rollovers happen with much frequency? Is a dually likely to be any safer?

Sure it happens. It almost happened to me on several occasions. Just because I thought I was being smarter trying to save a few bucks I had a single wheel ¾ ton upgraded to a one ton suspension. I was assured by the dealer that that truck would MORE than meet my needs…

NOT! Huumm, remember those 55 mph highway curves I mentioned above? Yeah!?! Well, approaching 60 was dang near suicide. 55 in a cross wind scary to outright frightening!

All thoughts and comments appreciated.

Now ya got mine, hope it helped.

We hauled our 3400 pound Lance 990 around on a '78 F-250 for over ten years. I had Air Springs and really big tires (33x12.50) and it always felt safe but I always, in the back of my mind, wondered how it would handle a total blow out of a rear tire. Eventually the old F-250 got really tired, it has close to 400,000 miles on it, so I just bought a new (old) truck. It's a '97 F-350 dually which I think is better suited for a large camper like that. I haven't had the camper on it yet - need to get jack swing outs because the fenders are 96 inches wide and the jacks are only 91 inches apart but I'm looking forward to taking it on a shakedown cruise within the next couple of weeks.