[ Outline ] · Standard · Linear+ Can my truck handle this camper?

[bobinyelm]

I am looking for a 10ft slide-in camper, and a 2001 Lance 1061 has come on the market.

The only thing is it seems AWFULLY heavy for a slide-in to me, weighing 3200 pounds (not sure if that's empty weight).

I have a decent truck (2003 Dodge quad cab Cummins 3500 6spd manual dually), but to put over 2000 pound in the bed seems like it would be an overload.

Do you need an F-450 or F-550 for such campers, or will my "wimpy" 1-ton do the job w/ enough power and stability to be safe on the highways, and maybe be able to still pull a boat trailer or flat-towed Jeep or the like?

Bob

[LindaH]

The only thing is it seems AWFULLY heavy for a slide-in to me, weighing 3200 pounds (not sure if that's empty weight).

Yes, that is most likely dry weight. 3,200# dry weight for a 10' slide-in camper isn't unusual.

I have a decent truck (2003 Dodge quad cab Cummins 3500 6spd manual dually), but to put over 2000 pound in the bed seems like it would be an overload.

You can always load up your truck like it would be for any trip with a full tank of fuel, all the people and gear that will normally be loaded into the cab and run it down to the local scales to get it weighed. Subtract this "real life" weight from your truck's GVWR and that will give you the maximum amount of LOADED truck camper you can carry without going over any of the truck's ratings.

We have a 2007 Dodge 3500 with the Cummins and duallies, extended cab and carry an Eagle Cap 950. Last year we spent 4 months traveling with the camper and stopped at one of the closed Oregon weigh stations to weigh it. Our total weight (full tank of fuel, full fresh water tank, and all the supplies we were carrying for that 4-month trip) was 12,450#. The GVWR of the truck is 11,500#, so we were 950# over that amount. However, we were well below both the front and rear GAWR's: Front GAWR = 4,750#, we were 4,600#; Rear GAWR = 9,350#, we were 7,850#. The truck handles the weight just fine and we don't have anything added to it except the AmTech RollGard stabilizer.

[akasurf14]

Yes, that is most likely dry weight.  3,200# dry weight for a 10' slide-in camper isn't unusual.

You can always load up your truck like it would be for any trip with a full tank of fuel, all the people and gear that will normally be loaded into the cab and run it down to the local scales to get it weighed.  Subtract this "real life" weight from your truck's GVWR and that will give you the maximum amount of LOADED truck camper you can carry without going over any of the truck's ratings.

We have a 2007 Dodge 3500 with the Cummins and duallies, extended cab and carry an Eagle Cap 950.  Last year we spent 4 months traveling with the camper and stopped at one of the closed Oregon weigh stations to weigh it.  Our total weight (full tank of fuel, full fresh water tank, and all the supplies we were carrying for that 4-month trip) was 12,450#.  The GVWR of the truck is 11,500#, so we were 950# over that amount.  However, we were well below both the front and rear GAWR's: Front GAWR = 4,750#, we were 4,600#; Rear GAWR = 9,350#, we were 7,850#.  The truck handles the weight just fine and we don't have anything added to it except the AmTech RollGard stabilizer.

With regards to the GAWR. I am being told that this has no bearing on the weight carried. It is the GVWR that matters. Not that I agree with this, and I really don't understand why they would have a GAWR, yet it doesn't have anything to do with the the Payload! This is very confusing!

[RedneckExpress]

With regards to the GAWR. I am being told that this has no bearing on the weight carried. It is the GVWR that matters. Not that I agree with this, and I really don't understand why they would have a GAWR, yet it doesn't have anything to do with the the Payload! This is very confusing! 

GAWR is the number you MUST Stay under to prevent damage to axle and drive line components.

GVWR is the finalized number that the OEM manufacturer chose based on several different criteria (Though the factory original tire size has been noted as a recurring on several years of Ford Model Truck), this number can be exceeded within reason, most times without really noticing any major change in handling other than perhaps accelerated wear and tear.

Then there's those of us that have kinda just gone off the deep end. For example, my GVWR is 8500, I weight closer to 10,000.

I'm currently in the process of doing an axle swap on my truck since the only major difference between a 92 W250 and W350 was the leaf spring pack (Which you got on the rear with the Heavy Duty package on the 3/4 ton gasser) and the axles used.

Dodge used a fiberglass little fender extension that attached to the edge of the bed's wheel well to extend out over the second tire, so converting it is actually rather easy.

I've already obtained a Spicer 70 Dually axle for the swap and a set of appropriate dually rims for the period, just need to get the fenders and add the running lights once I start the swap.

You can see the fender style I'm talking about here: