Thanks for your response. I do have trailer brakes but don't need a hitch extention. Your experience gives me confidence . Now all I have to be concerned with is the gas milage and the Mojave Desert. Thanks.

Did a search but could find any posts specific to my concerns.
So, my Vanguard camper is approximately 3,000 lbs loaded on my 2002 F250 superduty crew cab. E rated Michelins .SRW Standard rear axle rating plus air bags and we have put about 14,000 miles on this set up with zero problems.
That said, I would like to trailer my car to an event . The trailer weighs 1500 . The car weighs 2500 . I have confidence in the power of my 7.3 diesel and tranny. What I don't know is how much weight is on the hitch and therefore the rear axle of my rig. I should also mention that with my 1965 Corvair Corsa facing forward, most of the weight(rear engine placement) is placed on or behind the dual 3500 lb axles . Don't know if this actually works to relieve some weight from the hitch.

So, anyone out there in the TC world done any towing that approximates 4000 lbs behind your TC?

Appreciate any thoughts , experience or information on this.

Thanks.

From my research , it's a 60/40 proposition plus with E rated tires, about 3500 lb capacity at each rear wheel and add in the heavy duty shocks and air bags and you can probably carry more than you think.

The way I figured it for myself was that : 3000lb (Vanguard ) camper 60 % of the weight over the rear wheels. That's approximately 2000 lb (loaded) divided by 2 is 1000 lbs over each tire that can handle 3500 lbs. Factor in the upgraded suspension and I think I'm fine. All of this is on a 2002 LWB F250 Crewcab 4X4 7.3 diesel.

Ok , so at 4700 lbs 60% is 2860 divided by 2 (for a SRW) is 1410 lbs at each wheel. I don't factor in the 40 % over the cab because I'm sure it can handle that and more.

Please correct me if I have this all wrong but it sure has worked out well for me. And I still get 11-12 mpg on my 7.3.

Good luck with yours. Hope this helps.

Hello All,
I think my closet door mirror cracked when I slightly hopped a curb
driving out of a gas station in Bakerfield a couple of weeks ago.
That's what I think caused it anyway. The door is at the rear adjacent to the rear entrance door. Anyway, I've been looking on line , ebay etc and I can't seem to find a 43X18 door. Doesn't even have to be with a mirror.
Anyone know of a source for replacement. The lower left corner also broke along with the cracked mirror.

Thanks for your help if you can.

This may or may not be helpful but the bottom line is that you buy the one that matches up with what you need it for.
Before I bought my TC , I had had just about every kind of RV. But each one suited my needs at the time. Now that there's just the two of us, I can't imagine having anything other that a TC.
When I started looking, I thought I wanted a pop-up type. That changed when we decided we wanted to travel long distance. And then having a restroom became essential. Can't imagine having to stop and raise the roof every time we needed to pull over and use the toilet. I did my homework. Did the torklifts, the air bags, new shocks, came to understand the weight ratios, etc. and the search was on. Found the perfect one and it even had a dry shower. Absolutely love it and will never have anything else. So, if you think your needs will change over time , I would recommend you consider that as well.
Good luck in your search for the right one.

Thanks. Just wondering what others do and if I was correct.

Truck campers are definitely a different animal. You didn't say how big it is or what it weighs?? The weight is likely stamped somewhere on the unit.
But it almost doesn't matter.
In my opinion the two most important things to do to start is:
1. Install a Torklift frame mounted tie down system with a good set of turnbuckles.
2. Install air bags for stability and to offset what your leaf springs can handle especially since your truck is older.
3. You may want to lay some 2x6 in the bed so that the cabover has some room to
bounce and not hit your roof.
4. Depending on where your electrical connection is, you may want to install a 7way inside the bed of the truck.
5. Loading and unloading is a matter of raising the camper high enough and then with practice , you'll get it.

I'll leave the rest of you questions to some other person who may know more about older units. Mine is an 2002 and fairly up to date with what;s being produced today

Well, good luck. We just got back from 6500 mile trip to the east coast and Quebec and had a wonderful time. Even got almost 13 mph one fill-up in Delaware on my 7.3 . Mostly it was 11 mph. I will never pulled my TT again. Love the TC.

I run my e-rated Yokohamas at 80psi all around on my 02 F250 lwb crew 4x4 .
My Vanguard 9.5 is 3K dry . If I'm 60/40 and I take the 60% over the rear axle (with air bags) and each tire can handle 3500 lbs, am I on the right track with the air pressure or can I run lower psi ?? If I did , what would you predict might happen??

Thanks ,
Larry

Here's my 2002 Vanguard (Canadian) w/dry bath 3k lbs

You seem very specific on your weight so you probaably did the math to determine that.
Even though we have different brands , mine is a Ford F250 with a 7.3 diesel, they are comparable trucks.

In my opinion, some might disagree, you can probably go with a heavier camper and therefore get more space etc. maybe even with a dry shower and dinette type seating if you like.

I have the Torquelift frame mounted tie down system and airbags . My TC is a Vanguard brand (Canadian) and weighs in at just under 3K dry.
I have E rated tires as well. Ok, so , I have determined that 60% of the weight is over the bed and 40% over the crew cab. My tires are rated to carry over 3500 lbs per tire. So , theoretically if I split the weight over the bed (left-right ) each tire carries approximately 1K (left rear-right rear) .

We were new to this last year and did a 3k round trip from Albuquerque to Yosemite to N.Ca. to Pismo Beach and back. The truck and camper did an awesome job for us. I have since parked my travel trailer probably permanently.

Others may disagree but I think you probably can go to a bigger unit which will give you more options in floor plans, weight, size, options. Personally, I wouldn't go with a slide either. What do you do in a TC...you are either sitting down or lying down. Another foot and a half or so wouldn't be worth the added weight in my opinion. Good luck in your search.

My TC weighs 3000 lbs dry on my 2002 F250 7.3 diesel 4x4 LB . Normally I average 16.5 mpg.
Last summers trip west from Albuquerque through Yosemite to the coast and back with lots of hills and highway speeds of up to 75 mph , the lowest I got was 10.5 mpg . The highest was 12 mpg.

So, that's my experience . Like you, would also like to hear what others get.

I've had just about every kind of RV and I think it's personal to your needs . When our four boys were young, we needed a Class A. Now it's just the two of us and after using our 2002 Vanguard last summer on a round trip of 3K miles and how easy it was to park and get in and out of RV campground spaces . When we were in Carmel and able to easily park along with cars, it was awesome.
In addition, my TC is covered under my homeowners insurance . Insurance for a motorhome of any kind will add up over the years. It's easier to store and loading and unloading with electric jacks is not hard once you do it a couple of times.
The reality is, unless you're retired and plan on being on the road alot, RV's mostly sit there. My TC has no motor, transmission , brakes etc etc . So obviously , for our personal purposes, I'm sold on it. The physics of driving a truck with a TC are different but after a few miles, you'll catch on quickly.
Lastly and most important, your equiptment starting with your truck has to set up correctly and it's all about safety. I got between 10 and 12 miles per gallon on my 2002 F250 7.3 diesel. We went over all kinds of mountains and through Yosemite,

Can't wait for our trip east this summer. Good luck to you. Hope this helps.

When we travel, we mostly use RV parks and do plug in. The intended use would be to run a microwave or coffee pot while in route. We don't have a TV when we travel. Only our laptops and don't need electricity for that.
So, you think that there might be carbon monoxide issues. Hadn't thought of that. Not sure about front mounted but I would consider it.

Thanks you

Well, it's cold out , my Vanguard camper is covered but I'm already getting antsy and thinking about a spring or early summer cross country trip.
I have everything I need except a generator and there is no room to "install-retrofit" a generator. Think I need atleast 3-4 KW.

So, wondering what others have done?? Thinking about a hitch-mounted platform and portable generator securely affixed to it. What do you thing about this idea ?

Larry

Thank you for that well informed response. After a very uneventful (except for the scenery)3000 mile trip this summer with my Vanguard 995 (approx. 3k lbs) on my F250 I don't think I need to take any further action of any kind. Your expanation really fits with my experience. Thank you Kevbo

Hoping to connect with anyone who owns a late model Vanguard (Canadian) TC.
I bought one but don't much about it like capacities etc. I won a 2002 995 which is a 9 1/2 foot . Any info you can share. The manufacturer is out of business so can't get any info there. Hope to hear from you if you won one or have any info at all. Thanks.

Thanks . Actually did that and no problem there . Thought maybe there was a re-set button (breaker) but couldn't find that either. So, thanks. I'll keep trying to figure it out.

My Atwood electric jacks just quit working and I'm having trouble troubleshooting this one. Not sure where to look for the problem. Anyone have any thoughts about what I could do or where to start.
Thanks

Thanks for that MH . That actually makes a lot of sense. I'll just rely on my torklift tie downs to do the job. Appreciate the response. Corsa180

I see that stabilizer shocks are available and I've read that in the past, some folks have used an air cushion type stabilizer under the cabover. But I wonder if it makes any sense or if anyone has tried using cargo straps or something similar from the back of the camper to the hitch and tightening them down. The purpose would be to control the up and down movement of the cabover by hooking from the rear jacks to the loops normally used for trailer safety chains.

Just wondering if anyone has tried this or if it would even work??

Hello, Would like to hear from anyone who owns a Vanguard Truck Camper (Canadian) and if you can offer any info on them.
New to TC and just bought a 2002 Vanguard 995 (9.5) and it didn't come with a manual. I know the fresh water specs but nothing else except the camper dry weight. Wondered about the spec's on this unit regarding construction , anything you might know. It's heavy for it's size at 3053 lbs dry . If you have one, what your experience has been.
Thanks.