Dealer recommendations for AF truck camper, Matching truck to AF truck camper
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| Sailor Dave |
 Jan 19 2013, 11:03 AM
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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  |
RV dealer truck recommendations for Arctic Fox campers.......
Ordered my new AF 1150 this past Thursday and saw the following notice posted at American RV in Grands Rapids. I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with any of it and dont intend to stir up a hornets nest. I just found it interesting and thought I would pass it along. I have to say I did find it refreshing that an RV dealer would be this up front with their policy of matching trucks and AF campers. Truck Recommendations for Arctic Fox Campers: 1.Must have load range “E” tires or better with 80 PSI cold (maximum pressure). 2.Frame mounted tie downs are a must. The new trucks do not have enough rigidity / strength in the bed and bumper to hold a large camper. 3.Air bags (Firestone, Ride Rite) are needed to assure proper load balance. The rear end of the pickup must be level or slightly higher than the front for proper loading when the camper is mounted and full. 4.Take special care with crew cabs; because of the extra-long length of the crew cab almost all of the load is on the rear axle with none of the load going to the front tires. The very largest camper to go on a crew cab is the 990 and it would be better if the truck was a dually. 5.The largest camper to go on a single rear wheel pickup is the 990. 6.Absolutely no ½ ton pickup trucks are allowed to be loaded with any slide out room camper! |
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| CamperArt |
Aug 3 2013, 03:20 PM
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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.... |
Truck Recommendations for Arctic Fox Campers:
1.Must have load range “E” tires or better with 80 PSI cold (maximum pressure). 2.Frame mounted tie downs are a must. The new trucks do not have enough rigidity / strength in the bed and bumper to hold a large camper. 3.Air bags (Firestone, Ride Rite) are needed to assure proper load balance. The rear end of the pickup must be level or slightly higher than the front for proper loading when the camper is mounted and full. 4.Take special care with crew cabs; because of the extra-long length of the crew cab almost all of the load is on the rear axle with none of the load going to the front tires. The very largest camper to go on a crew cab is the 990 and it would be better if the truck was a dually. 5.The largest camper to go on a single rear wheel pickup is the 990. 6.Absolutely no ½ ton pickup trucks are allowed to be loaded with any slide out room camper!  Sadly, I can believe this. I especially note number 2: "The new trucks do not have enough rigidity/strength in the bed and bumper to hold a large camper". Nor to do much else, from what I've experienced. My 2001 F250 "SuperDuty" is a sad, pathetic excuse for for a 3/4 ton. And I've seen no better from Dodge or Chevy/GMC. The new trucks are just over-puffed cars, large but soft. As I've reported elsewhere on this site, I still have my Father's old 1977 F150, and it is a stronger, tougher and more capable truck than my "SuperDuty". My 1977 Chevy C30 Silverado crewcab dually "camper special" would actually carry the "SuperDuty", I think. From a weak, no-torque 5.4L (330cid) engine to weak suspension, thin and cheap sheetmetal and an all plastic interior, the Made-in-Mexico "SuperDuty" is Super Crappy, in my opinion! I don't think it would begin to support, let alone move, my old Dreamer camper. Dad's F150 hauled it up and down mountains in Tenn.! |
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