I am looking for suggestions for purchase of new 3/4 ton truck for 4x4 truck camping. I will be doing a combination of around town driving both with and without the popup camper on and 1-4 week trips with a couple of light weight kayaks loaded on top of the popup camper.

You will probably want to consider either Chevy/GMC, or Ford, or Dodge. A trip to your local dealer helps in choosing what you find most comfortable. Good luck.

It's just a matter of personal preference. I know what I like, but Baskin Robbins has done well by selling different flavors. If you look at all of them, drive them, and see what owners say about them on their respective forums, you'll make the right choice.

I like that first answer, Ford, GM product or Dodge product. Since there are no other options, that should cover it.I'd go with an F-350 instead of an F-250. Why? You get more GVWR with little or no increase in price. So think 1 ton truck.If you are looking for a truck, make sure it has a camper/heavy duty package so that you can get the heaviest duty suspension offered.Bed length is a factor, if you are looking at short bed campers, make sure you get the truck that fits your camper. Diesel engines have tons more power but add tons more weight. Gas engine trucks do better if all of your non-camping driving is short trips and in town. If you get a diesel truck and never drive it long enough to heat up or let it cool down from longer runs, it shortens the life. Add 1000lbs to whatever weight the dealer says for the camper and gear. The fully loaded weight, water, fuel, gear and kayaks is more than the weight listed on the sticker for the camper. The weight on the sticker could be anything, from what I have learned in the last year, it only vaguely estimated the actual weight of the thing they sold you.

I'd go with an F-350 instead of an F-250. Why? You get more GVWR with little or no increase in price. So think 1 ton truck. Well....yes and no. A couple of points. Some F350 SRW trucks have a 10000 GVWR just like a 10000 GVWR F250. We had one poster who came up with a 10k GVWR F350 SRW crew cab 4x4 6.7 diesel long wheelbase. The weight police convinced him he had to trade it in for the same truck with the 11200 GVWR sticker :R. And if the F250 comes with the heavy service package its the same as the F350 SRW truck. The newer gen 3/4 ton diesel trucks have up to 6500 RAWR and over 3000 lb rear axle payloads. Gassers even more.

Get the one you want,all the big three are good.I got a F250 with HD springs,since in Ariz trucks over 10000 GVW must have commercial tags.

3/4 ton truck suggestions for 4x4 truck camping

Vinsil
Explorer
Nov 17, 2015
Steve_in_29 wrote:
JIMNLIN wrote:
Ford lists a rear axle rating of 6290lbs and MAX GVWR of 10K for an F250. The F350 SRW has a rear axle rating of 7190lbs and a GVWR of 10K-11.5K.

Actually Fleet Fords body builders specs shows four different RAWR for the F350 SRW 6.2/6.7 line.
1. 6290 RAWR gas and diesel
2. 6730 RAWR gas and diesel
3. 7000 RAWR gas and diesel
4. and one 7180 RAWR for the 6.2 gas reg cab 4x4 truck only.

The F250 has one 6290 RAWR for the reg cab 2wd gas truck only.

All other F250 gas and diesel configurations come with the 6100 RAWR.

https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas/topics/2016/16_SD_Pickups_SB_Updates.pdf.

The F250 heavy service package uprates the the trucks suspension to the same specs as the F350 SRW truck.

Th point here, as my other reply, was if moving up to a F350 SRW watch which GVWR package the truck is plated at .....if the trucks GVWR is important to you.

While I agree people need to pay attention to what the trucks are rated at I believe you are confusing the spring rating with the rating of the axle. The link you provide lists only two AXLE ratings,
F250 - 6200lbs
F350 - 7200lbs

While the numbers you quote are what I see listed for the spring packs.

So no matter what spring package gets selected on an F250, it's rear axle isn't as strong as the F350's with the same spring rating.

No, same axle is used in both the f250 and f350...and they are rated for quite a bit more than that...more like over 11k lbs from Sterling or Dana...haven't kept up on which supplier Ford is currently using.
Steve_in_29
Explorer
Nov 17, 2015
nomadictxn wrote:
If you get a 3/4 TON extended cab short bed or reg cab 8 ft. Bed you will have a better wheeler for off road especially with a gas engine. I know GM 1 tons can't be had extra cab short bed. Something to think about.

Ford's site shows their F350 SRW Super Cab (extended cab) as being available with either a short or long bed.
GeoBoy
Explorer
Nov 17, 2015
06Fargo wrote:
A truck with a good stiff frame and solid axles on very flexible suspension works well in non Walmart parking lot boondocking conditions :):

Clicky

Well then that eliminates the Ford.
Steve_in_29
Explorer
Nov 17, 2015
JIMNLIN wrote:
Ford lists a rear axle rating of 6290lbs and MAX GVWR of 10K for an F250. The F350 SRW has a rear axle rating of 7190lbs and a GVWR of 10K-11.5K.

Actually Fleet Fords body builders specs shows four different RAWR for the F350 SRW 6.2/6.7 line.
1. 6290 RAWR gas and diesel
2. 6730 RAWR gas and diesel
3. 7000 RAWR gas and diesel
4. and one 7180 RAWR for the 6.2 gas reg cab 4x4 truck only.

The F250 has one 6290 RAWR for the reg cab 2wd gas truck only.

All other F250 gas and diesel configurations come with the 6100 RAWR.

https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas/topics/2016/16_SD_Pickups_SB_Updates.pdf.

The F250 heavy service package uprates the the trucks suspension to the same specs as the F350 SRW truck.

Th point here, as my other reply, was if moving up to a F350 SRW watch which GVWR package the truck is plated at .....if the trucks GVWR is important to you.

While I agree people need to pay attention to what the trucks are rated at I believe you are confusing the spring rating with the rating of the axle. The link you provide lists only two AXLE ratings,
F250 - 6200lbs
F350 - 7200lbs

While the numbers you quote are what I see listed for the spring packs.

So no matter what spring package gets selected on an F250, it's rear axle isn't as strong as the F350's with the same spring rating.
nomadictxn
Explorer
Nov 17, 2015
If you get a 3/4 TON extended cab short bed or reg cab 8 ft. Bed you will have a better wheeler for off road especially with a gas engine. I know GM 1 tons can't be had extra cab short bed. Something to think about.
realter
Explorer
Nov 17, 2015
805gregg wrote:
Get a 1 ton, because later you will want one, and for heavens sake get a long bed, you will want that also later, heavy duty short bed is an oximoron

Short and simple. This is the best advice.
JIMNLIN
Explorer III
Nov 17, 2015
Ford lists a rear axle rating of 6290lbs and MAX GVWR of 10K for an F250. The F350 SRW has a rear axle rating of 7190lbs and a GVWR of 10K-11.5K.

Actually Fleet Fords body builders specs shows four different RAWR for the F350 SRW 6.2/6.7 line.
1. 6290 RAWR gas and diesel
2. 6730 RAWR gas and diesel
3. 7000 RAWR gas and diesel
4. and one 7180 RAWR for the 6.2 gas reg cab 4x4 truck only.

The F250 has one 6290 RAWR for the reg cab 2wd gas truck only.

All other F250 gas and diesel configurations come with the 6100 RAWR.

https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas/topics/2016/16_SD_Pickups_SB_Updates.pdf.

The F250 heavy service package uprates the the trucks suspension to the same specs as the F350 SRW truck.

Th point here, as my other reply, was if moving up to a F350 SRW watch which GVWR package the truck is plated at .....if the trucks GVWR is important to you.
805gregg
Explorer
Nov 17, 2015
Get a 1 ton, because later you will want one, and for heavens sake get a long bed, you will want that also later, heavy duty short bed is an oximoron
noteven
Explorer III
Nov 17, 2015
A truck with a good stiff frame and solid axles on very flexible suspension works well in non Walmart parking lot boondocking conditions :):

Clicky
Steve_in_29
Explorer
Nov 16, 2015
Grit dog wrote:
exhaustipated wrote:
PRodacy wrote:
I'd go with a 3/4 ton instead of a 1 ton. The camper you're looking at isn't heavy enough to warrant the 1 ton, and you'll get more suspension flex with the 3/4, which is important off-road.

X2. You don't need a 1 ton to haul a pop-up camper as they're generally not as heavy and won't be a problem with a 3/4 ton and the price difference will be thousands less.

Or hundreds less if you're talking apples to apples.

x2

On a Ford the price difference is LESS then $1K between similarly equipped F250 and F350s.

Going with an F350 also precludes any need for air-bags or other suspension crutches commonly applied to F250s.

WELL equipped pop-up TCs such as Northstar and Outfitter are NOT as light as people would think.