2017 host Mammoth triple slide

zb39 wrote:
According to Randell at the factory the weight sticker is VERY close to what the unit weighs. Notice I said there is a base weight and then a weight for the unit as it is equipped. IE all options. I also said it is a dry weight. Not wet and loaded. Everyone is different in that aspect of RVing. If I buy one I will weigh it several times to see how it comes out.

Every unit has the weight sticker. It's by the door. It shows base wight and what the unit weighs with the options on that unit. Again Randell told me most are leaving the factory at 4300 to 4750. The 3 I looked at were all in that range. All had 3 slide outs and 2 had the gen set.

Take that weight and add batteries, LPG and fresh water to get an empty wet weight in the 5000-5500 lb range. Now add your tools, clothes, gear, food, passengers and pets to this subtotal. If you are towing a trailer, also add its tongue weight to your projected payload. This is why it is easy to get in 6000+ lb range when you add it all up.

I never called Randall a liar about the weight, but that is not the only thing that is going to be part of the payload.

I think Bedlam explained why someone should consider a bigger truck. Of course, you are welcome to ignore it.

zb39 wrote:

GeoBoy wrote:

Bedlam wrote:
Contact Randall at Host for an option sheet with MSRP prices. We are getting 3x160w solar, Fantastic Fan instead of Heki, Full wall cab over wardrobe, Prewire only for TV's and some additional modifications to the umbilical connections.

No one other than Lance is using cab over struts - I'm not sure any of the structures from other manufacturers were designed for an underside load. The Host camper height is 9.5' if you include the AC - Do you want store or carry items up that high on the roof? Rearview camera is a $900 MSRP option.

Your F350 will be over GVWR and close to rear axle capacity with the Mammoth. If you also plan to tow behind your setup, you need a bigger truck. I suggest skipping the F450/4500 and going to a F550/5500.

Randal can say what he wants, Bedlam has researched this camper thoroughly and when he tells you that a 550/5500 is what you need to carry this camper safety and comfortably you should listen to him and not your pocketbook.

No offense but Bedlam can say what he wants. I will listen to the guy that works at the factory. Maybe Bedlams does weigh 6k. But everybody packs differently and gets diff options. Either way I didn't expect this kind of anger and hostility, I have better things to do and I wouldn't want to be responsible for someone getting upset and having a stroke.

Once again, my public education is failing me. I can't read anything in this that is angry or hostile. Dammit, I miss all the good stuff.

Or perhaps I'm just not sensitive enough. Better tighten up the panties...

Bedlam isn't a salesman... that's the difference, I believe, that was being emphasized. Just good, useful, food for thought. Based on experience and reality.

Carry on..

GeoBoy wrote:

Bedlam wrote:
Contact Randall at Host for an option sheet with MSRP prices. We are getting 3x160w solar, Fantastic Fan instead of Heki, Full wall cab over wardrobe, Prewire only for TV's and some additional modifications to the umbilical connections.

No one other than Lance is using cab over struts - I'm not sure any of the structures from other manufacturers were designed for an underside load. The Host camper height is 9.5' if you include the AC - Do you want store or carry items up that high on the roof? Rearview camera is a $900 MSRP option.

Your F350 will be over GVWR and close to rear axle capacity with the Mammoth. If you also plan to tow behind your setup, you need a bigger truck. I suggest skipping the F450/4500 and going to a F550/5500.

Randal can say what he wants, Bedlam has researched this camper thoroughly and when he tells you that a 550/5500 is what you need to carry this camper safety and comfortably you should listen to him and not your pocketbook.

No offense but Bedlam can say what he wants. I will listen to the guy that works at the factory. Maybe Bedlams does weigh 6k. But everybody packs differently and gets diff options. Either way I didn't expect this kind of anger and hostility, I have better things to do and I wouldn't want to be responsible for someone getting upset and having a stroke.

pa traveler wrote:
Lots of good info ,thanks. Have a Tadi brother rear camera,guess I will remove it for putting in Host. Like the idea of 3x160 solar. Just mounted a 60 inch by 45 cargo rack on roof of lance for chairs and flat items.Will remove it also,it is lower than top of air. Gotta leave room for dog in back seat. Just looked at weight sticker on our Lance it reads 4034 with water and propane. Liked the Chalets, too bad they no longer make campers.

Larry, I went with Camera Source for my back up camera and plugged into the OEM socket for the tailgate camera. The price was $249.00 delivered.

Lots of good info ,thanks. Have a Tadi brother rear camera,guess I will remove it for putting in Host. Like the idea of 3x160 solar. Just mounted a 60 inch by 45 cargo rack on roof of lance for chairs and flat items.Will remove it also,it is lower than top of air. Gotta leave room for dog in back seat. Just looked at weight sticker on our Lance it reads 4034 with water and propane. Liked the Chalets, too bad they no longer make campers.

I was successful in carrying 8000 lbs reliably and safely on the rear axle of my F250, but know you can only modify to some point where it is no longer cost effective. Like most people, I could not afford to take the financial hit of buying the camper and truck at the same time, so I bought the larger truck first and kept the design flexible enough to carry my current Arctic Fox and future Host.

The reason I tell people to skip the Class 4 trucks, is the GVWR limits. If you go with the pickup F450, you are limited to 14k lbs on a truck that already weighs 9K lbs. If you go with the chassis cab F450/4500, your GVWR goes up to 16.5K lbs, but the typical upfitted truck will weigh over 10K lbs. The axles are much beefier in Class 4's and can take the weight, but why start with truck that is over GVWR and has no room to grow?

The Class 3's are limited by rear axle capacity. Even adding 19.5's to these DRW's will not help their capacity (although it will help handling). Most of the guys hauling triple slide TC's on a class 3 are over vehicle GVWR and RAWR but most can stay under OEM rear axle and wheel ratings by not filling the fresh tank completely and not towing anything with tongue weight (flat tow is fine). Could you slip a Dana 110, 111 or 130 axle under your Class 3? Yes, but then you have additional costs of mismatched lug patterns and gear ratios (if 4wd) and the question of how much actual payload can your pickup frame and bed really handle.

We have been very happy with our Arctic Fox and would give their triple side a serious look if they were in their second year of production. If they are successful, Host and Eagle Cap will have bring their campers up another notch to prevent AF from eating into their sales. For us, EC chose components which we do not want, were less flexible than AF or Host on modifications and had some visible flaws that should not be present in this price level of camper.

We have just completed our last road trip with the AF (like Mike with his truck). This past week between rains, we have been emptying it out so it can go on the market and still are not done. Surprising how much stuff you can get into a TC even if you keep an inventory...

My last trip I was 6,400 loaded up on my gmc 3500. It was probably my last.
I bought a 5500 and having Douglas build a truck bed for camper. Granted most Mammoths are carried initially by 3500, at some point the numbers speak louder than your feel of the road. Bedlam is one of a few who have pre-qualified the truck to their camper while most of us modify, test, modify, test again and then upgrade. Good luck-great camper!

Bedlam wrote:
Contact Randall at Host for an option sheet with MSRP prices. We are getting 3x160w solar, Fantastic Fan instead of Heki, Full wall cab over wardrobe, Prewire only for TV's and some additional modifications to the umbilical connections.

No one other than Lance is using cab over struts - I'm not sure any of the structures from other manufacturers were designed for an underside load. The Host camper height is 9.5' if you include the AC - Do you want store or carry items up that high on the roof? Rearview camera is a $900 MSRP option.

Your F350 will be over GVWR and close to rear axle capacity with the Mammoth. If you also plan to tow behind your setup, you need a bigger truck. I suggest skipping the F450/4500 and going to a F550/5500.

Randal can say what he wants, Bedlam has researched this camper thoroughly and when he tells you that a 550/5500 is what you need to carry this camper safety and comfortably you should listen to him and not your pocketbook.

According to Randell at the factory the weight sticker is VERY close to what the unit weighs. Notice I said there is a base weight and then a weight for the unit as it is equipped. IE all options. I also said it is a dry weight. Not wet and loaded. Everyone is different in that aspect of RVing. If I buy one I will weigh it several times to see how it comes out.

Every unit has the weight sticker. It's by the door. It shows base wight and what the unit weighs with the options on that unit. Again Randell told me most are leaving the factory at 4300 to 4750. The 3 I looked at were all in that range. All had 3 slide outs and 2 had the gen set.