BeMurda
Canada
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My wife and I want to order a single rear wheel 1 ton truck for the primary purpose of truck camping with our 2 year old boy - and we hope we can have a second living child. We are looking to use it for both weekend and longer trips. We live in Northern Canada and the truck will be our second vehicle when the camper is not being used (we will probably leave the camper on over summer and off in the winter except if we drive south). Only one of us will commute which means it's not an everyday car to drive. We would like to stick to single rear wheel based on our conversations. We have never owned a truck before.
Here is the build I have made to try to get max payload with 11,900 GVWR which I think will be above 4,400lbs:
F-350 SuperCrew 4x4 8’ bed Lariat with the following options:
-7.3L gas
-4.30 gears
-Lariat UItimate Package
-Snow Plow / Camper Package
-Skid Plates - Transfer Case and Fuel Tank
-400 Amp dual alternator w/ dual batteries
-LED Roof Clearance Lights
We'd like as much space as possible in a truck camper for a decent used price given the small child and desire to have another. I found a 2010 Lance 950S with a dry weight of 3120lbs. It seems pretty ideal, another option would be an Adventurer 901SB or a used Wolf Creek.
What weight camper could I get with this build? Any advice? Thank you.
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mkirsch
Rochester, NY
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Those LED clearance lights really cut into your cargo capacity... LOL just kidding.
You're on the right track. 4400lbs is a good comfortable max weight on an F350 SRW, though you may want to put airbags on to level the truck, and add a rear sway bar. Take a wait and see approach on that though. There's no reason you can't take a trip or two with the truck stock to see how it feels, and add what you think it needs later. It's either going to be passable or awful right out of the gate. Not like you're going to get 500 miles from home and suddenly discover that it's undriveable (if you do something is seriously wrong that add-ons would not have prevented).
Low 3000's dry is where you want to be looking for a camper. Sounds like you've done the research and have a few models in mind.
Putting 10-ply tires on half ton trucks since aught-four.
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JimK-NY
NY
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Here is a little math for your consideration.
Lance 950S dry weight is approximately 3100#. Wet weight will be 3500#. Does that include any accessories such as awnings, upgraded mattress, microwave/oven, solar panels, upgraded battery, etc? Let's hope so because those items can add a lot to the base spec weight. Anyway what weight is reasonable for your and the passengers? 400#? That will bring the weight to 3500#.
The rule of thumb is to add 1000# for "personal" items. That sounds like a lot but in my experience it has been hard to keep under that amount. This category includes such items as chairs, bbq grill, generator and fuel, tools, clothing, sheets/bedding, towels, cameras/electronics/hobby gear, extension cords, leveling blocks, cleaning supplies, black tank chemicals, etc, etc, etc. Let's not forget kitchen gear, plates, pots and pans, flatware, etc. Another big item is food and drink. Lug in your weekly groceries and you will quickly realize food and drink can get really heavy.
If you start with a camper in the 3000# range, you will very likely exceed your 4400# capacity. Some suspensions mods will be needed. Depending on the State/Provence being over the limit can be a legal issue. Another issue is weight distribution. Except for passengers, almost all of the cargo weight will be on the back axle and tires. Depending on wheels and tires, you will likely be at or exceed the maximum load specs.
You want to be able to use the truck as a second vehicle so avoiding a dually makes sense. You might want to reconsider. That supercrew and 8' bed are already issues for daily use. The length alone will make it difficult and sometimes impossible to maneuver in and out of parking lots.
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JIMNLIN
Oklahoma
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Joined: 09/14/2003
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Your F350 srw has a 7230 rawr that will be carrying most if not all of a trucks campers weight.
These trucks rigged out like you say rear axle may weigh in the 3500+ lb range leaving around 3700 lbs max for a truck camper. I sure wouldn't exceed a tire/wheel or rear suspension rating. Add 4400 lbs in the bed over loads Fords 7230 rawr.
That 4400 lb number is a gvwr payload and based on using the truck front and rear axles. Truck campers sit in the bed and add little if any weight to the front axle.
GVWR payloads are better suited for lets say a work truck for a business that requires a over head rack that sits in the rear of a pickups frame/in the bed.... and on the trucks front frame rails. That way all 4400 lbs can be distributed on fawr and rawr.
A 3100 lb truck camper ?
By the time you load the camper out like you want and road ready it may weigh over 4000 lbs.
Your looking at a one ton drw for weight carried in the bed like a truck camper.....or a lighter weight camper.
Or mod the F350 srw rear suspension with 19.5" tires/wheels and air bags/etc.
"good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" ............ Will Rogers
'03 2500 QC Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs Westach
'97 Park Avanue 28' 5er 11200 two slides
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towpro
Compass PA
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I went to look up the actual specs on that truck and the owners manual says there should be a separate piece of paper in the glovebox with more information about using a slide-in camper.
Here is other things I found. (dated 2018)https://www.truckcamperadventure.com/top........ed-truck-campers-for-one-ton-srw-trucks/
https://www.fordtechservice.dealerconnec........ult.asp?pageid=camper_loading&nomenu=yes
This second link shows you what each accessory weighs and than has charts to your carrying capacities.
just a quick view looks like this truck starts at 3752 lbs and goes down from there.
* This post was
edited 12/05/22 07:34am by towpro *
2022 Ford F150
Sold: 2016 Arctic Fox 990, 2018 Ram 3500, 2011 Open Range
Sold Forest River Forester 2401R Mercedes Benz. when campsites went from $90 to $190 per night.
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JimK-NY
NY
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You can also forget about the Adverturer 901sb. The wet weight is almost 4000# and is almost certainly going to be over 5000# equipped for camping.
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jimh406
Western MT
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Unless you really need a SRW, consider a drw and larger or heavier TC. Sure, you "can" carry a 9 1/2 hard side on a SRW. I and many others have. However, you'll find a DRW much more stable, and I believe you'll like a longer TC or a TC with slides once you arrive at the camp site.
Another option is to go with. Class B or C. TCs are the most expensive per square feet. I can't think of a lot of good reasons to buy a truck and TC unless you need the truck for some other purpose.
However, we camped in Yellowstone with 6 of us in our double slide TC. It's crowded with everyone inside even sleeping and that's with a bunk option.
'10 Ford F-450, 6.4, 4.30, 4x4, 14,500 GVWR, '06 Host Rainer 950 DS, Torklift Talon tiedowns, Glow Steps, and Fastguns. Bilstein 4600s, Firestone Bags, Toyo M655 Gs, Curt front hitch, Energy Suspension bump stops.
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BeMurda
Canada
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jimh406 wrote:Unless you really need a SRW, consider a drw and larger or heavier TC. Sure, you "can" carry a 9 1/2 hard side on a SRW. I and many others have. However, you'll find a DRW much more stable, and I believe you'll like a longer TC or a TC with slides once you arrive at the camp site.
Another option is to go with. Class B or C. TCs are the most expensive per square feet. I can't think of a lot of good reasons to buy a truck and TC unless you need the truck for some other purpose.
However, we camped in Yellowstone with 6 of us in our double slide TC. It's crowded with everyone inside even sleeping and that's with a bunk option.
Thanks - we want to sell our second vehicle worth about $45k to make up some of the cost, since if we got a class B or C we would have to keep both our existing cars.
Also, the trucks are far safer and better set up for child car seats. And cost of ownership from depreciation should be much lower overall.
Thanks to everyone for the comments so far - I will respond in a bit when I have time.
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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Well the Jims are out in force with skepticism and pessimism (except jimh406, he’s just presenting the typical get a dually speech and is not wrong)
There are some half truths in the info you’ve gotten in the previous few posts.
There is the 2023 Ford towing and camper guide actually posted here yesterday that says 2900lbs for a slide in camper (same cya and half truths as some of the responses here).
Bottom line any camper with a 3klb dry weight giver take is about max you’d want on a srw, IMO.
Or in layman’s terms, in general if you stay in the 8.5’ -10’ range campers not the 11-12’ and keep to 1 slide out or less, those are the campers in range for that truck.
Good luck and hope you’re able to find a nice truck.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold
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BeMurda
Canada
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towpro wrote:I went to look up the actual specs on that truck and the owners manual says there should be a separate piece of paper in the glovebox with more information about using a slide-in camper.
Here is other things I found. (dated 2018)***Link Removed***
***Link Removed***
This second link shows you what each accessory weighs and than has charts to your carrying capacities.
just a quick view looks like this truck starts at 3752 lbs and goes down from there.
Thanks, I looked more closely, the package I am looking at with the 11,900 GVWR has a starting capacity of 3995lbs.
I am not really understanding how I will put another 1000lbs into the truck camper as others suggest. What is comprising this weight? Thank you.
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