2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Truck camper

I have a 97 2500 with 5spd trans , the camper I like is arctic fox 990 , Most weigh around 3500lbs, gross on truck sticker says 8800 lbs, camper this would put me at 10,800 without even counting tongue weight of boat ,
Anyone haul a camper with a 2500

 

AF makes great campers, but I don't think it will be very safe to haul on a 3/4 ton. Calculate your LOADED weights. And if you are towing a boat behind it, it seems out of the question. That camper has a slideout, those add weight. I would go dually for your setup if I was doing it, especially if you will be doing mountain driving and towing a boat. Thats just me. I never liked the rocking and rolling hauling campers on our SRW 3500s, but then I never had a dually, so IDK, there are other drawbacks to dually setups too.

 

Mine is 12K and works perfect.

After looking it up https://northwoodmfg.com/truck-campers/arctic-fox-camper/af-camper-990/ I second this opinion. That thing is way to heavy for your truck - especially top-heavy.
Then ad 60 Gallons of water, 60lbs of propane, all your gear and it will be easily go over the 6000lbs mark.

Never ever underestimated how much weight you are going to ad to a dry weight - it is always more then expected.

My truck is loaded up12K+ and looks like 9K because it is so small in size.

 

I agree , I was just curious what others have done , that would put me 3000lb over with my boat.

 

The point is more the size of it combined with the weight.
If the weight would sit within the bed it would be doable but that thing is huge.
Either change truck or scale down massively at the Camper size.

As a side note, not everything that is done is done well.
Have seen to many horrible things on the road that shouldn't be there.

 

Changes to your truck would include at least - upgrade suspension to carry the load, upgrade the shocks for 2k$ to handle the added weight, add a sway bar and change to 18" rims to a load rating that is safe and keep the sway to a minimum.
And even then it would still resemble an Elephant on a Skateboard.

 

And you will still be stopping (well, trying to anyway) with brakes that are rated for 8,800 GVWR.

- John

 

I did 2850 lbs before installing a 100 lbs ac on top on my 8.5 long in a regular cab long box 2500 1999. It had factory sway bar was rated at 1750 lbs by the spec sheet Rancho 5 position shocks and firesonestone airbags to 100 lbs 200 lbs trailer tongue weight and bd exhaust brake to stop it all. Did may miles no issues but that being said you can never have to much truck .My 2022 3500 ho does it much better.

 

My Northern Lite camper weights 2,650 dry. Adding propane, water, food and stuff adds at least 1,000 pounds. I'm at my 11,000 pound GVW before I hook up a trailer.

Another consideration is the tires. With singles in the back you may be close or over your tire rating. When I go over the scales I'm at 4,400 steer and 6,600 drive axles. Almost all of the camper weight sits on the rear axle.

 

My truck is a regular cab long box 8 ft. The camper is 8 ft 10 inches long I have a torque lift front receiver basket that holds my Honda gen and 5 gals of gas so about 125-150 lbs Fully loaded ready to go scale weight 11280 lbs front is 5580 rear is 5700 lbs. it’s a pretty balanced load. Some times 200 lbs trailer tongue weight two 4 wheelers on trailer. With the 3500 srw ho I have lots of power and the exhaust brake works excellent .. I had the rig on some pretty steep and windy mountain roads and swich backs. Handles very well. My camper is 11 ft tall. I can’t run dullys in the winter here to much snow.

 

You'll be grossly overweight and the braking isn't the best on the early 2nds.

 

I second this. The braking on the 2nd gen trucks is really goofy. It's worse if the rear brake cylinders haven't been upgraded to the Delco 1 ton size. I made the upgrade, which helped. But in hindsight, I kinda wish I had upgraded to the Delco 1-1/2 ton cylinders. I didn't because I was concerned about wet pavement issues.

My wife always wanted a self-contained cabover camper, like her parents had on their 1970 F-250. What's not said was that her father had an ongoing and losing battle with weight issues. He tried overload springs with air shocks, plus oversize 12x16.5 tires. He got it to ride level, without rear sag. But it was just plain overloaded. And it wallowed. Before he graduated to adding Firestone air bags, he sold the cabover and bought a fifth wheel. At least the fifth wheel had brakes.