NEW QUESTION, was: Small lightweight TC for '06 2500 megacab

[jat4]

After a week's hunting trip I'm back home and thinking of getting a small lightweight truck camper for next year's trip. I've done some searches re: megacabs and truck campers, I already know it's not the best truck in the world for a TC but it is what it is.

I'm looking for suggestions for small, lightweight models that would work. Soft side or hardside, doesn't have to have a shower (toilet would be nice), obviously no slide. Figure something around 1500 pounds +/- would work, I'd be prepared to make some basic mods to the truck (air springs etc).

Looked at a decent used Palomino 1225 this week at a local dealer, it's already sold, but something like that seems like it would be a good fit.

Not really realistic to sell this truck and get another one. The trailer in my sig would likely go in trade.

Any suggestions of models to look at and things to watch out for/be aware of? thanks in advance.
Jim

[jaycocreek]

Kimbo makes an interesting TC that would work on most 1500 series trucks..

Kimbo Truck Campers

[jat4]

Hey everyone,
Guess I haven't been on here for a while and thought I'd share an update. Had a great first year with the Northstar and the new truck. Put 22k miles on the truck, with about 12k or so loaded with the camper. Made two long trips, one to Montana in July and the other for bird hunting in Michigan in October. Lots of shorter trips, including Pennsylvania a couple of times and a couple of trips to the Adirondacks. Spent a total of 30 nights in the camper this year.

Starting to research tires for next season. The factory Transforce tires did well and wore evenly, but at 22k miles they're just about done. Would like to stay with a fairly aggressive all terrain-type tread but hoping maybe to get a bit more durability out of what comes next. Putting on a set of Generals for snow tires this week but will swap those out come April or May.

Have searched for relevant tire-related threads here, and I know this is a topic that's been beat to death. But just not finding much that's helpful. If anyone can share links to particularly good threads about tire brands and tire choices, that would be greatly appreciated.

anyway, thanks again. Re-reading this thread this morning has been kind of fun, a nice reminder of all the help folks here gave me the past couple of years.
Jim

[jat4]

Late goose season finally finished up last weekend so I had time this week to get the Timbrens installed on the truck. My early report is: glad I did this. Much more solid feel to the ride overall, feels very solid going over bumps in the road and while turning corners, and just a more stable, less wobbly feel overall. The real test will be seeing how it feels with high wind.

Pics of the install and of the truck:





Will keep you all posted on how it feels next time I see some high winds. And again, really appreciate all the help and advice from all of you over the past year or so in this thread. thanks,
Jim

[whizbang]

Looks like you have a Northstar 850sc on a 2018 Ram 3500 LB 4x4 SRW.

I had a Four Wheel Camper pop-up on a Crew Cab, LB, 4x4 F350 SRW and the truck didn't know the camper was there --- probably could have driven through Katrina.

The rear end will go down with a ton of payload. But, you shouldn't be squatting or having issues in crosswinds.

[SidecarFlip]

The Laredo is a Hardside, Jat4's is a pop up so it will always be much lower, by at least 18" if not more. 18" is a lot, especially when heavier items (like a Microwave and/or a higher mounted fridge impacts the vertical Cg and contributes to the 'rock and roll' effect. With a pop up, the vertical Cg is always much lower, why I have one as well, that and overhead clearance in the woods.

[realter]

jat4 wrote:

realter wrote:
What is your clearance height? Your height doesn't look much lower than my NS Laredo. I also have sway. Roadmaster anti sway was only $750 out of my wallet. Increasing tire pressure to 80 helped some, but the biggest difference was the Torklift Stable Loads. It has only taken me 8 years to figure it out, and now I keep thinking about a small lightweight pop up camper like Four Wheel Hawk shell.

Unit height is 5'6", another 9" for the a/c unit, the bed height is 38-ish" under load, so about 9'6" total or thereabouts. Have seen mixed reports about sway bars, I'll take a closer look at the Stable Loads info. thanks.

Thanks for the quick and courteous response. My Laredo is almost 11' 6" to the top of the AC. So it's actually about 2' higher. It was hard to tell from the picture.

[jat4]

realter wrote:
What is your clearance height? Your height doesn't look much lower than my NS Laredo. I also have sway. Roadmaster anti sway was only $750 out of my wallet. Increasing tire pressure to 80 helped some, but the biggest difference was the Torklift Stable Loads. It has only taken me 8 years to figure it out, and now I keep thinking about a small lightweight pop up camper like Four Wheel Hawk shell.

Unit height is 5'6", another 9" for the a/c unit, the bed height is 38-ish" under load, so about 9'6" total or thereabouts. Have seen mixed reports about sway bars, I'll take a closer look at the Stable Loads info. thanks.

[SidecarFlip]

realter wrote:
What is your clearance height? Your height doesn't look much lower than my NS Laredo. I also have sway. Roadmaster anti sway was only $750 out of my wallet. Increasing tire pressure to 80 helped some, but the biggest difference was the Torklift Stable Loads. It has only taken me 8 years to figure it out, and now I keep thinking about a small lightweight pop up camper like Four Wheel Hawk shell.

Who are you directing your question to?

[realter]

What is your clearance height? Your height doesn't look much lower than my NS Laredo. I also have sway. Roadmaster anti sway was only $750 out of my wallet. Increasing tire pressure to 80 helped some, but the biggest difference was the Torklift Stable Loads. It has only taken me 8 years to figure it out, and now I keep thinking about a small lightweight pop up camper like Four Wheel Hawk shell.

[SidecarFlip]

Grit dog wrote:
^ Its not really squatting that much. And most newer trucks, at least ford and Ram that ive had have softer initial spring rates than older trucks. Theyre a little more compliant lightly loaded at the expense of more inital settling of the suspension.
.....My off the cuff comparison to the older rigs.
1 ton only has 4 leafs total too!

I bet you are right about that. I have 7 leaves in each rear pack plus an overload that never sees any use.

[SidecarFlip]

discovery4us wrote:
SidecarFlip you have done it now. Talk bad about Timbrens and admit to hauling a TC on a truck with a rear spacer block:):):):)

My spacer block is cast steel and is under the spring pack above the axle perch.... Strictly for raising the truck. Has nothing to do with the spring pack.

Did all that way back when and candidly, I'm sorry now that I did it. Truck handles fine, I installed top quality stuff all around but now that I'm in my 60's, It's a royal PITA getting in and out, even with side steps. I have to help my wife get in, she cannot make the climb herself.

I will say I have a nice view of everything, I'm higher than 90% of the vehicles on the road but it comes at a price and that price is getting in...and out.

I need to sell it to some young buck that wants to look 'cool'

There is a picture of it (with the camper on) in this weeks issue of Truck Camper Magazine...online. It is pretty photogenic...:D

[Grit_dog]

^ Its not really squatting that much. And most newer trucks, at least ford and Ram that ive had have softer initial spring rates than older trucks. Theyre a little more compliant lightly loaded at the expense of more inital settling of the suspension.
.....My off the cuff comparison to the older rigs.
1 ton only has 4 leafs total too!

[discovery4us]

SidecarFlip you have done it now. Talk bad about Timbrens and admit to hauling a TC on a truck with a rear spacer block:):):):)

[SidecarFlip]

I probably should have just resorted to sending you an e-mail, I'm surprised no one made a nasty comment about my comment on Timbrens..usually how it plays on here...

In as much as it's already on here (for all to read), I'll just continue and say I didn't know how they mounted, I just looked at the composition (molded synthetic rubber) and thought to myself, an extended bump stop would do the same thing and be a heck of a lot cheaper...

I have to say, I prefer the air lift bags for the adjustability but I'm still baffled about the suspension sit in sag. It's a 1 ton, not a F150 pseudo pickup truck aka: Grocery getter.

My Lance was way north of 3000 pounds and it really didn't squat my truck either. It did suffer in cross winds (rock and roll) but I always equated that to the overall height of the camper and the fact that my truck is lifted too. I kept the OEM spting packs, just had the re-arched in the back and added spacer blocks and angle shims to maintain the drive line angle and in the front, I did a spring flip and shackle reversal so the spring packs are stock and have never been altered in any way (except the re-arch in the back.... And I've never ran nitrogen filled shocks, always oil filled.

I don't believe in Nitrogen filled shocks because they contribute to a harsh ride. The start load on a gas charged shock is much higher than a conventional oil filled shock and that equates to a harsher ride. I did a lot of research when I did my suspension. OBS Fords like I have, have always been notorious as hard riding. You have coils in the front, I don't. I have military wrap leaves, front and back. Not built for comfort but can be made tolerable with some suspension modifications, which I did.