Well Solar to someone as obviously prepared as you is a must....but there are a few things to consider before pulling the trigger....There are area's of solar where money can be saved (panels.....most are china born now....but they are excellent at a fraction of the cost they once were).....the "brains" of the system is your controller...the market is flooded with cheap ...no name type controllers that do the very minimum....and can actually damage your batteries because of poor charging profiles...You are all ready leaps ahead of the curve because you understand the need for intelligent battery charging (4 stage)....Secret is to build a solar system on your RV that meets your needs....is upgradable (you can add more panels if you desire)....smart (choose a controller that has a display....adjustable charging profiles....battery type selector...etc)....Then install it properly (not hard)
Next would be to choose between a PWM or a MPPT type controller....They both have their pro's and cons.....As I have been a RV tech for years I have had a lot of experience in this field and would be happy to go over things with you prior to taking the leap....
Please pass on specific questions to me about the process and your needs and I can help....I presently have 3 RV;'s My large boat (43' trawler) has 500 watts on the pilot house roof....My TC has 200 watts installed.....and my full time home (also an RV....42' Redwood 5'er) has 150 watts installed just for battery care...

Wes

I have always put solar on my Rv's....Especially important if you are not plugged into a campsite somewhere....keeps your batteries in good shape...

What are you looking for ?

Wes.....2006 108DS Snowbird / 2016 F-450

Hey Everybody....Hope all are getting out and enjoying the lifestyle as much as possible !.....
Unfortunately forums can be more about "beating your chest " and "bragging" than sharing helpful (accurate ) information....I am a Radio "Ham" also.....you should see what goes on in some of the ham radio sites.....I am afraid many of the participants never did move out of their moms basements.....HAHA.....

Im sure participation goes down a bit in the summer as many are out enjoying their RV's

We have yet to find time to get on the road....I have loaded the camper but still have weeks of work here on the farm before we can get out.....Heck there is still antifreeze in all the lines....Maybe sometime in August...!...Stray safe !

Hello Everyone....something I could stand some input on is any suggestions on a cleaner type product to rejuvenate the exterior finish on my camper....My camper is a 2006 model and has a fibreglass (filon ) exterior (typical hardwall)....I do store my unit indoors thru the winter but I am the second owner and I am sure it spent most of its life out in the weather..

The filon is slightly faded and I can get it cleaned up somewhat with a lot of elbow grease but ends up better but a little patchy in regards to an even gloss....there is the "cut polish" route which i would like to try and avoid as it can be a tough job and hard on decals (which are hard to work around)....I did cut polish the gel coat fibreglass nose cap and then power wax that area.....not bad... for results....but my main concern is the rest of the camper..

Has anyone found a product that makes a big difference with this issue ? I do clean the camper before putting to sleep for the winter....but like to give it a good cleaning / wax before loading it back on the truck for camping season...Thanks for any input..

I never have owned....nor will ever own a short box truck.....its just not my cup of tea....but I am a huge minority in this regard.....with short box / 4 door trucks every where....Dealerships are full of them...more people space ...less cargo space....but thats the way the world is going with less people needed more cargo room as less people do their own projects and would rather hire out....pulling a Travel trailer with a short box truck (light duty unit) work quite well....you can take your family along....still have room in the box for extra stuff and still have an actual "truck" doing the hauling and work even if its a 1/2 ton...
Years ago towing RV's was done by a huge car (usually a station wagon....) had the weight...power....and room for all the kids...LOL

I personally don't see this trend going anywhere...It will only get more popular

What a great idea.....I have the same issue....Mine is built into the oversize Ford logo on the tailgate.....You got me thinking I will try and find this logo/ badge on Ebay or at a wreckers and mount it on the rear of the TC....I am not presently towing anything....but sure would be nice to keep an eye on things parking and such....Maybe that scenario for finding another camera would also work for you ?...Not sure where they are on GM....At the very least you may be able to find the camera "guts" and make up something...

The word "Investment" when it comes to vehicles makes me gag....They are nothing but a money pit ! A necessary evil for many of us that have miles to travel....

If a diesel is wrong for your needs....such as its primary use (stop and go in a city)...intermittent use in a very cold climate....Long periods of idling (this mostly applies to the modern diesels with particle filters)....If you are penny pinching....meaning your initial costs are totally related to your ability to get out and enjoy the life style (whats its totally about!!)....Then get to a gas pot....They run well...have enough power for most applications....generally warm up faster and so on...
Now if you application would be better with a diesel...you need the extra torque / pull because of hauling/towing (as some here have a large boat behind a sizeable camper)....Your not having to totally worry about the initial money spent on the truck then get a diesel....Heres Why...
The diesel option is about $5K - $8K on a new purchase....those who choose to keep a newer rig (diesel) under your butts and do regular maintenance.....keep the truck in great repair....don't beat it up cosmetically....will easily get that much....(or very close) in extra trade in value if they are regularly re-new their ride.....So....really.....you get the benefits of the engine ....So any comments about a diesel truck being unique when it comes to trading them in every 3-5 years is false....The reality is....anyone trading things in every 3-5 years ....no matter what the vehicle takes a bath as they have to absorb the initial depreciation...over and over...

In regards to the DOT....here is what I have found thru the years with truck campers....The DOT is usually looking for gross over weight problems....I am from Canada and have been through a number of safety checks (roadside) in our travels....as I mentioned in a past post....I was asked to climb a portable scale at only one check stop....all others I lined up and was flagged through....In talking to a DOT officer at one of the stops he mentioned that if an individuals rig "looks" OK.....they are usually satisfied without further investigation....These guys are trained....no what to look for and I found that having a TC on a dually really goes a long way to having no issues with the DOT.... especially a modern well kept rig...
Its about doing your best....and thats not putting a big Hard wall camper with slide(s) on a SRW truck....
Now get into a crash ...possible injuries.....insurance company's on the hook for caring for damage to people and machinery.....quite likely the investigation will look at everything (down to the pound)
It reminds me of "Smoking"....There is loads of info out there about harmful it is....but
many still do it.....I guess they think nothing will happen to them.....
And by the way...we have all heard of the guy that lived to 100...smoked a pack a day
....LOL

Having a dually would put more rubber on the road to share the overall weight.....you stability would be better as it makes sense you would have a wider stance.....more springs ? maybe....many 350 SRW units are "sprung "just like their dually cousins....so actually having more suspension may only be found with a special order unit....like a "Camper special....or Trailering Special" (if those options still exist)...The DRW unit will have a bigger GVW....but probably only based on the two extra wheels and tires....The Dually will be heavier so some of the benefits will be lost but you will still be on the plus side....brakes.....steering components....differential....transmission....all will be the same..maybe wheel bearings may be larger as the spindle / hubs will be for a dually (not sure)...
It should still provide a better / safer "platform"for your AF 990....
Only option if you want bigger parts...like brakes...diff etc....is a 450....but some of the gains made again are lost because of the weight of the beast un loaded..
I really like our 450 when the camper is on board.....as a non camper hauler its a beast that is uncomfortable.(ride quality)....the "G" tires are hard and follow every flaw in the road...(you must steer 10 and 2 ...LOL)....but loaded with the camper (my camper is the same # as your 990) it has good manners...

I'll Start this......Lets dissect some of the information....that may lead to an informed choice between Gas or Diesel....
Maybe I have a little more of an informed opinion about both....I have a farm....and with that an array of equipment...some gas and some diesel....I have always considered myself a practical man with a good handle on that all important life skill....knowing the difference (and acting on it) between "want and need"....Our field equipment is almost exclusively diesel. Its meant to work hard and the hour clocks on some of the field tractors is getting high....and without question....its all been quite trouble free....we do practice a good maintenance program as this equipment is directly connected to our lively hood....One of our grain trucks is gas....again I have had no issues with it....but it does not get the heavy use some of the field equipment does....an added bonus of this truck is it will usually start when its very cold...
When I look at a piece of equipment the first thing that enters my mind is "Cost of Ownership"...There is the first cost (the purchase) then there is the ongoing costs of maintenance...repairs....lifespan....depreciation....all effect your bottom line now and into the future.....I have used a business situation as a model which is not the case for most looking to make a truck purchase...but it may have some relationship to this topic..
Up until our present truck camper truck we always had gas engine units....why ? We were so busy with our farm that getting away for truck camper adventures only happened rarely and distances traveled were never more than a few days out...heck when I sold our last truck it was 20 years old and only had 80K on the clock....having an expensive diesel engine and using it rarely did not make sense "Cost of Ownership"..
Well retirement is looming.....we have rented portions of the farm out now and can get away for months at a time....I purchased our latest "camper hauler" in 2016 with a big diesel in mind....The balance between "want and need" has moved a little now as we are not scrambling to to raise a family and keep up with the bills...I was always aware of how a big diesel would perform with the TC...but chose to wait till spending the extra $$
till life became a little simpler and we were financially set....
A word about diesels....#1 cause of problems with a diesel engine is poor or dirty fuel..
(thats assuming proper maintenance is done)....making sure that filters....water separators....etc ... are in great shape at all times doesn't guaranty a problem free life but goes a long way to having a good experience.....engine longevity and a more efficient use of fuel (better milage) are all the icing on the cake so to speak....

Hello Everyone.....In order to create some conversation....here is a great topic when choosing a truck camper "hauler'.....Diesel or Gas ?

Give us some of your reasons why you choose an "oil burner" or a "gas pot " for your camper hauler....There will be members that are will need this information in making this important decision....There is no right or wrong for each....Thanks all !

Chain is fine....get it heavy enough.....we used chain and turnbuckles for years on our first camper.....with no issues....

Hey Bill...Just so happens my neighbour has that exact camper on a 1 ton SRW ford truck.....he goes every where with it....The truck looks bagged.....but I did ask him how it handles the load....he says its fine....If it were mine....I would atleast do a suspension upgrade (on the ford) so his head lights are effective and not a bother to everyone else...The 860 is a shorter camper....but for its size is a heavy weight....Nice camper though...I see why its on your wish list....

Your stuck in the wrong decade

..I have the second generation 6.7 (2016) in an F-450....The engine is so powerful and has great low end torque you could get away with more of a hiway gear (3.73)....Mine came equipped with the 4.30 rear as it is a purpose built truck from Ford designed for hauling / towing....I believe max ratings are around 32 or 33,000 lb total vehicle weights
(truck and trailer).....I do have a couple of RV's....a large truck camper which pushes the truck up to its max gross weight (14,000 lbs).....and a 34' travel trailer that we use for extended stays....the trailer weighs in at just over 10,000 lbs....with 1300 lb tongue weight....I do NOT haul these it the same time.....as there is no real safe hitch extension that I would trust (no not even the super truss).....But with the 6.7 and the lower dif....the truck never seems to work hard.....or get hot....never had a hill that needed more than one gear down shift.....and consistently get in the low to mid teens milage when loaded....feel a little juvenile ?..Punch it ....truck alone....you could burn the duals off !....For me and any one doing a heavy haul.....go with the lower dif ratio.....if your off time you do a lot of hiway miles (unloaded)....the 3.73 will help keep your heart rate down at the fuel pump..

My Scenario just for information....My truck weight.. 8800LBS (truck only) From Fords data on this model
Hard wall TC... 3500LBS On sticker....=====12,300lbs total from data

Fully loaded with all our stuff...full fuel tank....full fresh water tank....two people and a dog (done at a weigh scale)==========13,700lbs

DRW F-450....14,000 GVW

By the time I return after our travels....I am usually over weight as I am carrying some extra stuff we collected along the way

Camper is large....but there is two models / classes above ours that are heavier

Truck is the largest / heaviest conventional truck you can buy....next jump would be a cab and chassis 550

All this info is true enough.....and it all heads back to having the right truck....TC builders are not stupid....they do try (to a degree) to put heavier things forward....for example most TC's have the fridge forward ...just before the cab over area....usually the fresh tank (which is the only one that is consistently full or near full) is located forward....Other tankage tends to be back.....but we dump as often as possible....We have a dry bath at the rear....but it adds very little extra weight....most of our storage cabinets are in the kitchen or the cab over area....Of all the TC's Iv'e worked on... not many were that different..But....There is always a but.....the latest offerings from eagle cap or lance (the big multi slide units) put a ton of weight towards the rear....and their brochure shows their triple slide on a single wheeled truck....makes my head spin....

The right truck / camper combo is not a mystery....It all goes back to $$....the common thread is usually a truck someone already has....and the camper they wish they could carry..

There is nothing like dual wheels! Especially when considering where a lot of the weight is on a TC...I have never put a good size TC on anything but duals(we are on our third camper)....No it does not go off road as well as a single wheels unit....But for most....the odd "goat trail" and many decent road miles is the norm...

No tags or decals on the unit (which may not be helpful anyway)....you will have to do some homework....find examples of other units of similar size / vintage....equipped the same or close.....where the owner has weighed things....Might be a long shot.....find one that has some info on line....don't swallow that data....find a few and do an average...
Your 1/2 ton does not have much payload so beware...and hopefully the unit in the pic is cheap..

I'm not sure where you are located....but I have been doing suspension mods on trucks for some time now and here is what I have found....Air bags are very versatile and very adjustable....but....they are high maintenance....If you don't go all the way with the set-up (and install an on board compressor) so the pressures on the bags are right all the time you as they will slowly leak while the truck is idle....next if you are in a cold climate (I am from Canada)....the compressor start up on a cold morning ruins the compressor and the wandering of air pressure when its cold is even a bigger deal....add to the mix salt and debris....the life of this set-up is poor...
I am for upgrades that are as much "install and forget it" as possible....On our latest truck I installed upgraded over load leaf springs.....without any weight on the truck the install was done maintaining the 1 -1/2" gap from the overload to its bumper thus not effecting the everyday "unloaded" ride of the truck....Install and forget it !

I agree about the industry....(be it dealers or manufacturers ) peddling there product with only sales in mind....No excuse for individuals not to do some homework....When I purchased my present camper (used from a dealer) the first thing the sales person asked was for details on the type / size truck involved...he told me he could have sold it a few times but no one yet had showed up with enough truck...
When I worked for years as an RV tech....( I only worked at one dealership) the owner at the time would never involve him self with legal implications....you wanted to make a purchase....he would sell it to you...although "Roger" may have mentioned the need for the right size vehicle for the application to cover his ass.... but when I knew him it was totally about $$..
When traveling on the ferry to Vancouver Island BC....We were loaded down the oversize lanes and another TC rig ended up a couple back from us.....As I was getting our rig locked up ready to go up on the upper decks of the boat I caught eyes with the owner of the other TC....A conversation in sued and the owner was sure that airbags made his 2500 HD Chevy legal to carry his TC because of how level it looked....his camper was a single slide hardwall with dry bath with extra storage boxes hanging off the back..Said he had been hauling it for years with no issues....He said he "loved those airbags"
Ignorance....

This might also ruffle some feathers....but....If one of my family was hurt or worse from a "Knob" that lost control of his over weight rig....I would take them to the cleaners...No reason to put others at risk because you are too cheap and petty to get set up properly..

Thats putting me on the other side of this ongoing debate....something that many need to think about..

I understand budgets can be a limiting factor....and many get away with situations that are not safe....over and over..

I have mentioned in an earlier post....I have stood our rig on its nose getting it stopped......I was unable to drive for 1/2 an hour after that issue....even the police came over and asked if I was OK and thought it was a good idea to take a break till I calmed down....I am sure that with any less of a set-up (size of truck / to camper).the out come would have been different...My rig is big and heavy...it has big brakes...6 tires on the road...huge sway bars and is designed for its purpose (lower CG)

Had a neighbour who got into an accident (unable to stop) with his fifth wheel truck combo....pulling a sizeable fifth with a heavy half....ICBC (provincial insurance in British Columbia , Canada)....investigated the accident and concluded the tow vehicle was not rated for the size of trailer...He became totally at fault even though the vehicle he hit had performed some crazy maneuver in front of him...No one was hurt...just machinery.
They wrote his truck off....because it ended up being damaged front and rear...as the trailer also ended up in the truck cab...

I have been stopped at road side DOT safety checks twice now traveling thru BC with our rig...one of the times I was asked to climb their portable scale to check on my rig weight..both times I was on my way without making a donation...

Bottom line....hurt some one....there is enough ambulance chasing lawyers out there to cause some real grief...

Purchasing a diesel truck as you say.with you small budget...may not be a good idea.....yes repairs can take you to the poor house if needed....at the very least get it to a shop and have them go over it to give you a fair indication of its condition and life left..A gas engine will save you some weight..(allowing for more camper)....a gas truck should be cheaper....allowing for more $$ for the camper...There is plenty of gas one ton's out there (SRW)....do your very best to purchase the HEAVIEST truck you can afford....A year from now you will be so happy to have the extra capacity.

Posters on this forum are correct for the most part about anticipating another 700-1000lbs into your calculations....

Example....I run a new Ford F-450 (DRW) 14,000#GVW....dry weight of my camper is #3500 lbs....I am just under legal limit


The big diesel engine...4x4....and other options add up...

pretty tight budget....to get totally set-up....one advantage you have is here in canada (I'm from Edmonton)....you may be able to find an older camper that has been used very little....like so many RV's here....however our winters can damage rv's easily....sitting around...uncovered...

Obviously most of your budget needs to be spent on the truck...as well kept as you can find. Payload on most 3/4 tons is quite low. A camper suitable with what ever is left in your budget really needs to be scrutinized before purchase to make sure its "healthy"...water intrusion is all to common....and serious things like mold and rot is often found on older RV's..

I am not all negative....I'm sure there "cherry' older rigs out there that because of their age they are not worth much and have been cared for...finding one is the challenge...maybe sitting inside a shed at a farm....not been used for years....but under cover...make sure you check for mice....and make sure the fridge operates...your most expensive appliance by far...

Good luck on your search and keep an eye on your weights...

Some people can stay in a Truck camper for long periods of time (couples) with out an issue....We are not those people.....we really enjoy our unit...its large and roomy (for a TC)....has a separate shower (dry bath....no just outside ...lol)....micro....tv....you know...most of the things we take for granted at home...(good size fridge for wobbly pops)...but When we head out for an extended time of travels....we can go for about a month...sometimes less.....and we will rent a cabin....or something similar for about a week....off load the camper...and become grounded to mother earth for a while...It allows us some time with space...no set-up...etc. A few days later we are ready to hit the road in our rig...This way our travels enjoy the versatility of a TC (being able to explore and park many ...many places a motor home or truck trailer combo would not) on our way to our destination. Instead of investing in a monster fifth wheel or something similar and the hassle of hauling it (they are destination type RV's) we get to explore carefully on our way to our destination....We have friends that do end up in area's that we eventually make it to....but with their rig its a mad dash to get there....where ever that is....with not alot of "smelling the roses" along the way....By traveling with a TC and allowing for time outs a smaller rig can be realized without loosing your cool.....and getting into conflicts with your significant other when you need some space..

Works for us