size of truck bed, advice on what size is best for camper
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| mzclaus77 |
 Dec 11 2010, 11:36 AM
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#1
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Group: Members Posts: 4 Joined: 16-September 10 Member No.: 4,773 Favorite Truck Camper(s): need to find out what is best Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: dont own 1 yet want to find out what kind of camper i like 1st Type of Tiedowns used: do not have Truck and Camper Setup: do not have it yet, want to live year round in truck/camper combo doing research to figure it all out this looks like a great site to help me figure out combo  |
I am planning on buying a truck, prob a dually, prob a ford diesel, but haven't figured out yet what size truck bed is best to have if planning on putting a truck camper in and living year round in it, any advice is greatly appreciated, prob will be buying artic fox or host camper as they seem to be best for cold weather, gonna buy used both on truck and camper, prob able to afford 94,95 truck
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| aqualung |
Dec 11 2010, 07:15 PM
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#2
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 Group: Members Posts: 165 Joined: 3-February 10 Member No.: 3,725 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Adventurer 90FWS Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: Dodge 3500 Dually Quadcab 4x4 6.7L Cummins Type of Tiedowns used: Torklift Truck and Camper Setup: 2008 Adventurer 90FWS Torklift Tiedowns with SuperHitch and SuperTruss Firestone Air Bags Torklift Load Stabilizers Fastgun Turnbuckles |
The larger campers suitable for full time use tend to fit on the long bed trucks. The smaller campers usually come in versions that fit long bed or short bed trucks. If you do get a long bed truck then the choices for campers is less since campers for long beds will usually fit on both long and short bed trucks, but its not always true the other way around. Short bed campers tend to use the extra area on the sides at the rear for storage area which means they won't go on a long bed truck.
I'd settle on the camper you want first and then make sure the truck you get will be able to accommodate it. |
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| elkhornsun |
Dec 1 2011, 06:38 PM
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#3
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Group: Members Posts: 16 Joined: 1-December 11 Member No.: 5,741 Favorite Truck Camper(s): no favorite Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: Chevy 2500HD SRW Diesel Type of Tiedowns used: undecided Truck and Camper Setup: Chevy 2011 2500HD diesel with short bed. Plan to add Supersprings and air bags and Big Wig anti sway bar. |
In general a long bed is not only 18 inches longer, the axle position is 12" further from the front axle as well. This moves the center of gravity forward relative to the rear axle and of course makes for more room for a longer camper.
Two thirds of the campers I see available on the used market are for trucks with a long bed. Much easier to find a used camper with a long bed truck as your starting point. |
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| csurp |
Dec 5 2011, 01:17 AM
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#4
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Group: Members Posts: 1 Joined: 29-November 11 Member No.: 5,733 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Lance Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: F 350 Type of Tiedowns used: TL Truck and Camper Setup: Looking to buy |
QUOTE(mzclaus77 @ Dec 11 2010, 12:36 PM) I am planning on buying a truck, prob a dually, prob a ford diesel, but haven't figured out yet what size truck bed is best to have if planning on putting a truck camper in and living year round in it, any advice is greatly appreciated, prob will be buying artic fox or host camper as they seem to be best for cold weather, gonna buy used both on truck and camper, prob able to afford 94,95 truck  All later model Ford dually's are long bed so that should make it easy.  |
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| elkhornsun |
Dec 20 2011, 02:57 AM
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#5
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Group: Members Posts: 16 Joined: 1-December 11 Member No.: 5,741 Favorite Truck Camper(s): no favorite Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: Chevy 2500HD SRW Diesel Type of Tiedowns used: undecided Truck and Camper Setup: Chevy 2011 2500HD diesel with short bed. Plan to add Supersprings and air bags and Big Wig anti sway bar. |
For what you are planning take a look at the campers being sold with trucks in combination. I have seen campers in excellent condition with 1 ton trucks with around 100,000 miles selling together for $12-15K which is a very good deal as this includes any suspension mods, tie downs, and other items added by the original owners.
Searchtempest.com makes it easy to search all the craigslist offerings within a given number of mile of your location and to specify the price range. |
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| CamperArt |
Dec 11 2012, 08:35 PM
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#6
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Group: Members Posts: 13 Joined: 11-December 12 Member No.: 6,389 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Dreamer by TII Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: 1977 Chevy C30 crewcab dually camper special with 1970 TII Dreamer Imperial 11.5' with side gaucho Type of Tiedowns used: Chevy "camper special" factory bolts with 4 logging chains and screw-jacks! Truck and Camper Setup: She's a bone stock 1977 Chevy C30 Silverado crew cab dually Camper Special with a 10,000lb. gvw from the factory, loaded with a stock 1970 Dreamer Imperial 11.5' side gaucho. The height of 1970s luxury! The Chevy has a Dana 70 differental fitted with full-floating axels, so 4000lbs. wet is no problem. She's powered by a mildly built 454cid big block backed by a TH400 3 speed auto. Yes, it gets about 8 to 10 miles per gallon. If you can't afford the gas, you can't afford the rig! (I'd rather spend thousands on gas than 50k for a new diesel truck!) Besides, old is good... She's a green and white two-tone, and the camper is white with green stripes. My parents bought the Dreamer used in 1979 for a great family vacation. Dad loaded her on his 1977 Ford F150 Custom and drove it all through WV., Tenn., Fla., NC, SC, and Va. Can you imagine a HALF-TON carrying that camper up and down the mountains? I don't know how she did it. I've still got Dad's old Ford, too, fitted with his late-60s era cap. I don't know what brand it is, but it's 2x4s covered with plywood covered by heavy aluminum siding. It weighs about 400 or 500 lbs. itself! They don't make 'em like that anymore.... |
QUOTE(mzclaus77 @ Dec 11 2010, 11:36 AM) I am planning on buying a truck, prob a dually, prob a ford diesel, but haven't figured out yet what size truck bed is best to have if planning on putting a truck camper in and living year round in it, any advice is greatly appreciated, prob will be buying artic fox or host camper as they seem to be best for cold weather, gonna buy used both on truck and camper, prob able to afford 94,95 truck Hi! I am a fanatic on this subject. It MUST be a long bed, the full 8 feet. If it's not a long bed, just buy an SUV (ie station wagon). Best wishes, Art |
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| Sailor Dave |
Dec 12 2012, 11:59 AM
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#7
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 Group: Members Posts: 67 Joined: 11-April 12 Member No.: 6,005 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Arctic Fox Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: F350, Extended cab, 8 foot bed,DRW, 4X4, 6.2L, camper package Type of Tiedowns used: Torklift with Fastguns Truck and Camper Setup: Arctic Fox 1150, wet bath, solar |
I'm with Aqualung on this one. First find the camper you want and then find a truck that will haul it.
Be careful of the tagged weight on the camper as it wont be accurate. Most of the time this is the dry weight before any options are added. And options may not be as noticable as you think. A good example is the Arctic Fox. One option on those units is called the Fox Value Package. This package includes things like a fridge and oven which you may think are included in the dry weight. While this is a manditory option (that statement makes little sense) the weight of it, 595 pounds, is not included in the dry weight of the unit. Nor does the package doesnt include things like AC or genny, the weight of which also need to be added to the published dry weight. I just had a long discussion about this on the Northwoods Owners web-site and after discovering the difference between the tagged weight and real weight, I dont know how anyone is supposed to know the real weigh of a used unit except by loading it up and going to a truck scale. Northwoods does publish a list of options and the weight of each so a very close estimate can be made before the unit is purchased. If it were me, I would want the owner or the dealer of a used unit to weigh the unit at a truck scale before I purchased it. But that me. D |
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