notsobigjoe

southeast

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srschang wrote: I bought a 2022 Ram longbed diesel dually in January. When I load up my Northstar 12STC (4800# ready to camp), it looks like its leaning back as well. I was thinking about installing airbags, but the top and bottom overloads are just engaged as it is now. The airbags would lift it off the overloads if I try to make it look level. Don't want that.
Instead, I reregistered my truck at 13,900# so it's legal. When the dealer registered it in January, they registered it for 9200#, which is 300# more than the truck weighs empty. I was going to leave the registration at 9200# and keep my fingers crossed I wouldn't get weighed, but the way it leans back makes me feel more likely to get weighed. Not a big deal, the difference between 9200# and 13,900# is only $35 / year. The worst part was waiting in line at the DMV - 3 windows open, 21 people in line.
I guess I originally misunderstood the OP's situation. I thought he was telling us that the camper was looking like it was leaning to the rear in a level truck bed. I didn't realize the OP was just telling us that the whole truck and camper are actually leaning to rear a little bit. Which is totally normal. Notice in my pic that the rear of the camper that sits in the truck bed is actually sitting lower in the bed than the front of the camper sitting in the bed, A little bit. My misunderstanding.
This is not an illusion, it actually sits about an inch higher in the front of the truck bed.
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StirCrazy

Kamloops, BC, Canada

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AnEv942 wrote: I gather since you mentioned no rear sway bar that your truck doesn't have camper package- which I assume also doesn't have the upper overload springs?
don't get a rear swaybar anymore with ford for the camper package. well at least my truck didn't and it has the camper/extended payload package.
2014 F350 6.7 Platinum
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JimK-NY

NY

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srschang wrote: I bought a 2022 Ram longbed diesel dually in January. When I load up my Northstar 12STC (4800# ready to camp), it looks like its leaning back as well. I was thinking about installing airbags, but the top and bottom overloads are just engaged as it is now. The airbags would lift it off the overloads if I try to make it look level. Don't want that.
Instead, I reregistered my truck at 13,900# so it's legal. When the dealer registered it in January, they registered it for 9200#, which is 300# more than the truck weighs empty. I was going to leave the registration at 9200# and keep my fingers crossed I wouldn't get weighed, but the way it leans back makes me feel more likely to get weighed. Not a big deal, the difference between 9200# and 13,900# is only $35 / year. The worst part was waiting in line at the DMV - 3 windows open, 21 people in line.
I am totally confused.
First I live in NY, have owned TCs for many years, and have never heard of any official weighing a truck camper or any RV. My trucks have always been initially registered by the dealers at the weight rating from the manufacturer. No one has ever questioned the weight I actually carry. Nor can I imagine how that would happen. There are no scales near where I live and I certainly do not stop at the commercial truck weighing stations on the highway.
Next I am puzzled about the weights. The Northstar weight of 4800# seems about right. But the base weight of the truck at 9200 minus 300 is 8900#. I would not be surprised if your rig is actually over 13900. In any case the 4800# and about 3500# for the truck, sit on the rear axle. That is over 8000# on the rear axle or over 4000# on each tire. Are your wheels and tires rated for that load?
I recommend you load up the rig and check the weight on each axle. In fact you should check the weight on each tire. My Northstar had lots more weight on the rear right than the rear left tire. The water tank was offset a bit towards the right, and the refrigerator, propane tanks and generator and overhead storage were all on the right side. Perhaps Northstar has done a better job on your rig but it is also easy to load one side way more than the other.
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srschang

Western NY

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The weights are as follows (weighed at a CAT scale)
Empty:
Rear axle - 3600
Front axle - 5400
Fully loaded truck & camper, full water, propane, clothes, food, ready to camp:
Rear axle - 8340
Front axle - 5360
Sticker on door frame:
GAWR Rear - 9750
GAWR Front - 6000
I agree with you the likelihood of getting weighed is slim. But we are about to start a trip from our home in Jamestown, NY to Montana, up to the Yukon, throughout Alaska, down the Cassiar highway through BC, around the Pacific Northwest, and back home. And for $35 now I don't have to worry about the weight.
You may be confused by the truck in my sig. I can't figure out how to change it. I've tried several times, and I must be changing it in the wrong place or something. My new truck is a 2022 Ram 3500 Laramie crewcab longbed dually.
2022 Ram 3500 Dually Crewcab Longbed Cummins, 2019 Northstar 12 STC
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notsobigjoe

southeast

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JimK-NY wrote: srschang wrote: I bought a 2022 Ram longbed diesel dually in January. When I load up my Northstar 12STC (4800# ready to camp), it looks like its leaning back as well. I was thinking about installing airbags, but the top and bottom overloads are just engaged as it is now. The airbags would lift it off the overloads if I try to make it look level. Don't want that.
Instead, I reregistered my truck at 13,900# so it's legal. When the dealer registered it in January, they registered it for 9200#, which is 300# more than the truck weighs empty. I was going to leave the registration at 9200# and keep my fingers crossed I wouldn't get weighed, but the way it leans back makes me feel more likely to get weighed. Not a big deal, the difference between 9200# and 13,900# is only $35 / year. The worst part was waiting in line at the DMV - 3 windows open, 21 people in line.
I am totally confused.
First I live in NY, have owned TCs for many years, and have never heard of any official weighing a truck camper or any RV. My trucks have always been initially registered by the dealers at the weight rating from the manufacturer. No one has ever questioned the weight I actually carry. Nor can I imagine how that would happen. There are no scales near where I live and I certainly do not stop at the commercial truck weighing stations on the highway.
Next I am puzzled about the weights. The Northstar weight of 4800# seems about right. But the base weight of the truck at 9200 minus 300 is 8900#. I would not be surprised if your rig is actually over 13900. In any case the 4800# and about 3500# for the truck, sit on the rear axle. That is over 8000# on the rear axle or over 4000# on each tire. Are your wheels and tires rated for that load?
I recommend you load up the rig and check the weight on each axle. In fact you should check the weight on each tire. My Northstar had lots more weight on the rear right than the rear left tire. The water tank was offset a bit towards the right, and the refrigerator, propane tanks and generator and overhead storage were all on the right side. Perhaps Northstar has done a better job on your rig but it is also easy to load one side way more than the other.
I got weighed going through Fayetteville NC. I was over by about 1000 pounds. Payed the ticket on the spot. The DOT officer said go back to NY and have them up the registration 10000 to 15000 pounds, Problem solved. He weighed each wheel with a drive on scale. Of course this was many years ago. Just posting some info nothing more.
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JimK-NY

NY

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notsobigjoe wrote:
I got weighed going through Fayetteville NC. I was over by about 1000 pounds. Payed the ticket on the spot. The DOT officer said go back to NY and have them up the registration 10000 to 15000 pounds, Problem solved. He weighed each wheel with a drive on scale. Of course this was many years ago. Just posting some info nothing more.
I have traveled in all but a couple of the 48 States and have never had an issue. Why/how did you get pulled over for a weighing?
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srschang

Western NY

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The distance from the bedrail at the front of the bed to the camper is more than the bedrail at the back of the bed to the camper.
![[image]](https://i.imgur.com/MNMcXzCl.jpg)
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Grit dog

Black Diamond, WA

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^Bingo. Pic is worth 1000 words. I thought this was the OPs “issue” but following all his responses about his suspension and being “level” I’m not certain what his perceived or actual issue is.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
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notsobigjoe

southeast

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JimK-NY wrote: notsobigjoe wrote:
I got weighed going through Fayetteville NC. I was over by about 1000 pounds. Payed the ticket on the spot. The DOT officer said go back to NY and have them up the registration 10000 to 15000 pounds, Problem solved. He weighed each wheel with a drive on scale. Of course this was many years ago. Just posting some info nothing more.
I have traveled in all but a couple of the 48 States and have never had an issue. Why/how did you get pulled over for a weighing?
My ass end was so over loaded it was practically dragging. I had just gotten the 1181 and thought I could do what I wanted with all the new found space I had. Totally my fault. On a side note I was born in Fayetteville, my dad was in the army at fort Bragg. Left at five years old.
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burningman

Seattle, WA USA

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I’m pretty sure the issue being asked about has nothing to do with the suspension, or the truck sagging.below level.
It’s the optical illusion that the camper is actually sagging at the rear IN THE LEVEL TRUCK BED.
It’s the illusion the the camper is sagging relative to the truck, not the whole truck sagging relative to the ground.
And it’s an illusion. You need to measure it yourself… get a straightedge, board or whatever that reaches left and right across the tops of your bed rails. Measure from it down to the bed floor at the front and at the rear.
I’m pretty sure you’ll figure out why the rig looks the way it does.
You do not want to put a board under it at the rear, because the camper is built to be supported sitting flat on the floor. You’ll put all the weight and stress right where the board is, which isn’t good.
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99 Ram 4x4 Dually Cummins
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