Help - Search - Member List - Calendar
Full Version: 2003 Arctic Cat 860
Truck Camper Forum > General > General Discussion
bill
Hello folks,
Recently joined here and have a question that hopefully someone can answer for me.Presently have a GMC Sierra 2500 with a Travel Hawk truck camper on it.I'm thinking of buying a
2003 Arctic Fox 860 with a slide out and wondering if my Sierra will be up to the task?If not I will probably stick with the Travel Hawk and look for a lighter camper.I have seen positive feedback from other owners on this unit and the fact that I can use at least 3 seasons is a bonus.Any info you can offer would be most helpful..thanks ...Bill
RV_Tech
I think you will be over your truck's weight ratings. Do folks do it? Sure all the time. Should you? That's your call. I wouldn't but that's me.

Here's a link discussing your combination I believe https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/forums/...-weight-276552/
mbrink
I had a 2001 Ford F250, 7.3 PSD, air bags with a Lance 820. Truck did great. I then bought an AF 811; big difference. Much heavier with higher CG. I safely used that combo for 3 years, but always felt overloaded (as I was) and had to drive very defensive.

I have since sold the truck and have a 2018 Ram 3500, single axle. What a huge difference. It has a 3900 payload and handles the load great. Yes, still at or above GVW, but truck is very stable. The new auto exhaust brakes are amazing.

I think the old slide outs were very heavy. Lance and others are finally starting to put campers on a diet.
wintertree
QUOTE(bill @ Mar 30 2018, 04:39 PM)
Hello folks,
                Recently joined here and have a question that hopefully someone can answer for me.Presently have a GMC Sierra 2500 with a Travel Hawk truck camper on it.I'm thinking of buying a
2003 Arctic Fox 860 with a slide out and wondering if my Sierra will be up to the task?If not I will probably stick with the Travel Hawk and look for a lighter camper.I have seen positive feedback from other owners on this unit and the fact that I can use at least 3 seasons is a bonus.Any info you can offer would be most helpful..thanks ...Bill
*


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....
RV_Tech
Here is the dilemma as I see it. It is relatively easy to determine whether or not a camper is likely to be over a truck's ratings. On the other hand, how satisfying a combination is, in my experience, is a highly individualized variable. And, with any given combination some folks will be quite content while others insist on any number of negative descriptors. Thus I am relatively comfortable commenting on weight ratings and stating what I would do or would not do.

What I have found however is there seems to be very little if any relationship between weight ratings and what the majority of TC owners consider in choosing truck and TC combination so it boils down to two choices. Either you go with the manufacturers' weight ratings or you decide on your own criteria, load the TC, and see if it suits you.
SidecarFlip
QUOTE(RV_Tech @ Mar 31 2018, 07:01 AM)
Here is the dilemma as I see it. It is relatively easy to determine whether or not a camper is likely to be over a truck's ratings. On the other hand, how satisfying a combination is, in my experience, is a highly individualized variable. And, with any given combination some folks will be quite content while others insist on any number of negative descriptors. Thus I am relatively comfortable commenting on weight ratings and stating what I would do or would not do.

What I have found however is there seems to be very little if any relationship between weight ratings and what the majority of TC owners consider in choosing truck and TC combination so it boils down to two choices. Either you go with the manufacturers' weight ratings or you decide on your own criteria, load the TC, and see if it suits you.
*



Problem with that is simply... You buy it, it's yours and I've never seen any dealer that will allow you to 'test drive' a TC.

Far as TC going on a 'diet'. All I see is fantasy weight stickers. Don'r see any industry wide weight reductions at all. If anything, they are getting heavier, not lighter.

Sure you can modify suspensions and install rated for load tires but the under lying components remain the same and those components will eventually fail.

One thing that is never addressed is rim capacity. Overloading can be visually corrected but if a rim fails because you have exceeded it's DOT wight rating can be a life threatening situation.

It's all about what you don't see that really counts. You and I have both 'been there and did that' and is why we have what we have.

Experience is always the best teacher.
RV_Tech
QUOTE(SidecarFlip @ Apr 1 2018, 07:47 AM)
Problem with that is simply...  You buy it, it's yours and I've never seen any dealer that will allow you to 'test drive' a TC.

Far as TC going on a 'diet'.  All I see is fantasy weight stickers.  Don'r see any industry wide weight reductions at all.  If anything, they are getting heavier, not lighter.

Sure you can modify suspensions and install rated for load tires but the under lying components remain the same and those components will eventually fail.

One thing that is never addressed is rim capacity.  Overloading can be visually corrected but if a rim fails because you have exceeded it's DOT wight rating can be a life threatening situation.

It's all about what you don't see that really counts.  You and I have both 'been there and did that' and is why we have what we have.

Experience is always the best teacher.
*



My ending wasn't clear. I was just trying to make a point about what folks now are doing. They either know their weights and accept what the manufacturers say are the limits or they decide for themselves what goes on what by whatever means they choose. Lots of times I think they decided based on what they see others are doing. There's a lot of so-and-so does such-and-such and it works fine for them.

Rim capacity is in the specs sheets online.
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.
Invision Power Board © 2001-2024 Invision Power Services, Inc.