Hello all,I am considering purchasing a new Chevy 3500 SRW to haul our 2008 S&S 9.5FBSC non-slide truck camper. My question involves the size of the tailgate opening. The tailgate opening is smaller than my current Dodge. The camper measures 59.5" at its widest above the wheel wells. The Chevy HD measures 59.75" between the opening at its narrowest. This gives me .25" on each side to back the truck under the camper, this is where the problem comes in.What are your thoughts regarding this? Am I crazy for considering this? I am going to look at my camper again as it has trim pieces on each side that may be removable and make up additional width. It may give me another .5" total (.25" per side) for clearance. This would give me approximately .5" on each side. My wife and I really like the new Chevy 3500, but if it's not going to work then we have to look at the other brands. What are the rest of you who own Chevy's doing?

The floor of the camper is still only 48" to fit between the wheel wells. Why does it matter about the tail gate size?

My camper has a basement, this actually places the floor of the camper over the top of the wheel wells, that is why this portion of the camper is wider.

MERC225 wrote:My camper has a basement, this actually places the floor of the camper over the top of the wheel wells, that is why this portion of the camper is wider.My AF is the same way, so tailgate opening width is critical.In your case, 1/4 clearance isn't enough room in my opinion.Heck, I botch my loading job once in a while and can't get the camper centered and I have about 1 1/4" clearance on each side.Sounds like it's a good time to upgrade the camper too.... ;););););)

With our combo 2012 Chevy and 2012 Lance, at the left rear (just behind the wheel arch) our TC has a bump out for the bathroom. The bottom of the tailgate opening is not square but has a rounded shape.If you look very closely you will see a small "V" notch in the tailgate opening just to the left of the camper. That was from one time when I had the TC loaded just slightly to the left of center.So these tailgate openings are getting smaller and the fit is getting much tighter.

MERC225 wrote:Hello all,I am considering purchasing a new Chevy 3500 SRW to haul our 2008 S&S 9.5FBSC non-slide truck camper. My question involves the size of the tailgate opening. The tailgate opening is smaller than my current Dodge. The camper measures 59.5" at its widest above the wheel wells. The Chevy HD measures 59.75" between the opening at its narrowest. This gives me .25" on each side to back the truck under the camper, this is where the problem comes in.What are your thoughts regarding this? Am I crazy for considering this? I am going to look at my camper again as it has trim pieces on each side that may be removable and make up additional width. It may give me another .5" total (.25" per side) for clearance. This would give me approximately .5" on each side. My wife and I really like the new Chevy 3500, but if it's not going to work then we have to look at the other brands. What are the rest of you who own Chevy's doing?IMO, there's not really much to think about. You either get a new camper to fit the new truck, or don't get a new truck that doesn't fit your camper.I will say that my TC has a kickout on one side for the wetbath and if I get the truck exactly centered under the TC, I have about 1/2" to the inside of the tailgate opening.

2015 Chevy HD tailgate opening size? | Good Sam Community

mkirsch
Nomad II
Aug 22, 2014
I have exactly .75" of clearance on each side of the camper between the wheel wells.
MERC225
Explorer
Aug 22, 2014
Yes, .125 as it stands now. If I remove the metal corner trim pieces on the camper at the front, I may gain at least .25" on each side, maybe even .50" on each side.

What do all of you consider the tightest one should go on these clearances?
jmckelvy
Explorer
Aug 22, 2014
MERC225 wrote:
.......The camper measures 59.5" at its widest above the wheel wells. The Chevy HD measures 59.75" between the opening at its narrowest. This gives me .25" on each side to back the truck under the camper, this is where the problem comes in......

Those numbers give you 0.125" per side unless I misunderstand your measurements. Way to tight.
languiduck
Explorer
Aug 22, 2014
MERC225 wrote:
Hello all,

I am considering purchasing a new Chevy 3500 SRW to haul our 2008 S&S 9.5FBSC non-slide truck camper.

My question involves the size of the tailgate opening. The tailgate opening is smaller than my current Dodge. The camper measures 59.5" at its widest above the wheel wells. The Chevy HD measures 59.75" between the opening at its narrowest. This gives me .25" on each side to back the truck under the camper, this is where the problem comes in.

What are your thoughts regarding this? Am I crazy for considering this? I am going to look at my camper again as it has trim pieces on each side that may be removable and make up additional width. It may give me another .5" total (.25" per side) for clearance. This would give me approximately .5" on each side.

My wife and I really like the new Chevy 3500, but if it's not going to work then we have to look at the other brands. What are the rest of you who own Chevy's doing?

IMO, there's not really much to think about. You either get a new camper to fit the new truck, or don't get a new truck that doesn't fit your camper.

I will say that my TC has a kickout on one side for the wetbath and if I get the truck exactly centered under the TC, I have about 1/2" to the inside of the tailgate opening.
SugarHillCTD
Explorer
Aug 22, 2014
With our combo 2012 Chevy and 2012 Lance, at the left rear (just behind the wheel arch) our TC has a bump out for the bathroom. The bottom of the tailgate opening is not square but has a rounded shape.

If you look very closely you will see a small "V" notch in the tailgate opening just to the left of the camper. That was from one time when I had the TC loaded just slightly to the left of center.

So these tailgate openings are getting smaller and the fit is getting much tighter.
deltabravo
Nomad
Aug 22, 2014
MERC225 wrote:
My camper has a basement, this actually places the floor of the camper over the top of the wheel wells, that is why this portion of the camper is wider.

My AF is the same way, so tailgate opening width is critical.

In your case, 1/4 clearance isn't enough room in my opinion.

Heck, I botch my loading job once in a while and can't get the camper centered and I have about 1 1/4" clearance on each side.

Sounds like it's a good time to upgrade the camper too.... ;););););)
MERC225
Explorer
Aug 22, 2014
My camper has a basement, this actually places the floor of the camper over the top of the wheel wells, that is why this portion of the camper is wider.
Rockrash
Explorer
Aug 22, 2014
The floor of the camper is still only 48" to fit between the wheel wells. Why does it matter about the tail gate size?

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2015 Chevy HD tailgate opening size?

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