Outline · [ Standard ] · Linear+ Too much truck????

[NorseNW]

New here. First thank you to all those TC seniors willing to take the time to give their feedback and experience. It is very difficult to get good information when your dealing with sales people. I know there is no perfect answer but I'm pretty sure if I told them I was going to put an AF 1150 on a Ford Ranger both the AF and Ford dealer would tell me there was a way to do it to make a sale!

Anyway - never done the camper thing before. Actually we are upgrading from tent camping with no other camping experience.

Here is our scenario - selling my current Tundra and have an open slate to start this adventure. We are leaning toward an Arctic Fox 992. Gives the wife a dry bath which she likes and smallish overhang so I might get away without a superhitch. The plan is to tow our 22' Hewescraft Searunner (3,000 lbs wet with fuel) for these adventures. In the truck will be wife, me, and 70lb golden retriever.

We are leaning toward a diesel dually mainly for stability - wife doesn't want to feel like she will tip over.

Drove a Ram 3500 Cumins DRW yesterday and really liked it. The wife was very put off by the bump in the passenger side floor board from the AISIN transmission. Not sure we can get over this but hopeful.

The dealer we went to has all the DRW set up with the 5th wheel towing package. The bed has holes in it so you can drop a hitch right in with no rails and some wiring in the side of the bed. Just got me thinking - am I looking at too much truck????

I don't need to tow 30,000# I need the payload of the DRW and feel like I need the torque from the diesel and the AISIN transmission due to the weight I have in the bed.

Sorry for the long story just curious of feedback if this is way more truck than I need? Again I know there is no perfect solution just value the feedback and what works for you guys.

Thanks.

looking forward to beginning the adventure next spring

[Spanky]

I personally would go for the dually. It may seem like too much truck but you may want to trade later for more camper and you will already have the truck. I love my F 350 Ford dually.

[dubob]

Sorry for the long story just curious of feedback if this is way more truck than I need?

It is not possible to have 'too much' truck.

[NorseNW]

It is not possible to have 'too much' truck.  

Thanks for the replies gents.

Dubob - funny enough the wife is so put off by this hump on the passenger side she really does not want to get the Dodge now. I'm not truly committed to any brand but we are seriously looking into the Chevy 3500 HD Dually. Looks like you have that rig with a very similar camper to what we are looking at. Actually we still haven't decided.

Any feedback on the truck? I've had F150 and currently a Tundra but this is my first step into the 1 ton diesel realm.

Do you tow anything with the camper on the back? I'm curious if you can get by with an 18" stinger hitch or if I will be doing the super hitch gig.

Thanks for any feedback!

[Sailor Dave]

You could check the GVWR and the GCWR of the trucks you're looking at. If you have an idea of the trucks curb weight, the camper weight (wet) and the weight of what you plan to tow it will help you to determine if you have too much truck. I'm quite sure you will need a DRW but not all DRW trucks are built the same.

I would suggest you gather up your weights and check those ratings.

[NorseNW]

You could check the GVWR and the GCWR of the trucks you're looking at. If you have an idea of the trucks curb weight, the camper weight (wet) and the weight of what you plan to tow it will help you to determine if you have too much truck. I'm quite sure you will need a DRW but not all DRW trucks are built the same.

I would suggest you gather up your weights and check those ratings.

Sailor Dave - thank you for the response.

I definitely played the numbers game a few times over which is what brought me to th the DRW trucks to meet those needs. I guess I got a little shell shocked when looking at how the Rams I was looking at where all set up as 5th wheel haulers. I got to thinking - Well I don't need to tow 30,000# and somehow forgot those DRW gives me the payload I need to haul the camper.

Thanks again

[KY_Campers]

I personally would go for the dually. It may seem like too much truck but you may want to trade later for more camper and you will already have the truck. I love my F 350 Ford dually.

I agree!

I would get the dually too!

[Sailor Dave]

Just remember that all DRW trucks are not equal when it comes to load capacity. The larger the cab and the more options the truck has the lower the load capacity will be.

I ordered my 2012 F350 XL DRW with the highest GVWR (13,300), an extended cab rather than a crew cab, the slide in camper package and the 6.2L rather than the heavier diesel engine.

With my AF 1150 loaded on the truck I'm at 12, 900 pounds. That's a fully loaded camper (I'm full timing) but not any water in the tank. Add the girlfriend, her luggage and some groceries and I'm about at the limit.

[dubob]

Any feedback on the truck?  I've had F150 and currently a Tundra but this is my first step into the 1 ton diesel realm.

Do you tow anything with the camper on the back?  I'm curious if you can get by with an 18" stinger hitch or if I will be doing the super hitch gig.

Thanks for any feedback!

I tow a Tracker Targa V16 w/ a Merc Optimax 75 (weighs about 2,400 lbs).



I use a 24" Reese extension. I've also towed my buddies 18' Ranger Bass Boat to Lake Powell and back with no issues. An 18" would not work; 24" is required to be even with the back of the TC.

I bought the truck used last year and have had some issues with cost of repairs, but that's the risk you take on when buying a 5 year old truck. And that isn't brand specific. That said, I personally wouldn't own another Ford or Dodge. I've had them all and just like the ride, design, and overall quality of the GM product better than that of the other two. But that's just me.

I just returned from a 4,000 trip and the truck performed very well with the TC on board. I never drove over 60 and the mileage ranged from just below 8 to just above 13 with an overall average of 11.1 - dang headwinds. The truck handled the side winds very nicely with little or no rocking - thank you BigWig.

[vanjr]

Just remember that all DRW trucks are not equal when it comes to load capacity. The larger the cab and the more options the truck has the lower the load capacity will be.

I ordered my 2012 F350 XL DRW with the highest GVWR (13,300), an extended cab rather than a crew cab, the slide in camper package and the 6.2L rather than the heavier diesel engine.

With my AF 1150 loaded on the truck I'm at 12, 900 pounds. That's a fully loaded camper (I'm full timing) but not any water in the tank. Add the girlfriend, her luggage and some groceries and I'm about at the limit.

I agree with you. Everyone says "get the diesel it will pull more" but that torque comes with lots of extra weight and lowers the GVWR.

[Sailor Dave]

and the mileage with my 6.2 isn't all that bad. On the county roads (45-55 mph) I get around 10 -11. At highway speeds (65-70 mph) I get around 8-9.
Spent 3 weeks in the mountains of Montana and Wyoming and had no issues with having enough power on the grades.

With the higher cost of diesel fuel these days its difficult to say which engine is more efficient. But I'm not going to get into the whole diesel VS gas thing. LOL

To each his own.