3/4 ton vs. 1 ton shortbed for a Lance 855-S
I have backed off wanting an 11' camper with a 1 ton duelly as it just seems too overwhelming; that I would end up never taking the camper off the truck as it is too big and heavy. We have now sett...
Forum Discussion
I have a 2006 Dodge 2500 short bed diesel 4x4 quad cab and a Lance 855S camper. I recently put it on a scale with a front hitch mounted dirt bike and a small trailer w/a 50lb tongue weight. I put it on the scale w/30 gallons of water and 20 gallons of fuel. It weighed just a hair over 12,000 pounds total. That's the truck w/it's 4 wheels on the scale. NOT the trailer axle but WITH the trailer attached.
7200 on the rear axle and 4050 the front.
I installed a leaf pack, air bags, sway bar, rims and Nitto tires.
The camper handles just fine this way with 30 pounds of air in the bags, but if I were to do it again, I'd get either a 1 ton truck or larger.
Here is a couple photos showing it all loaded up;
Front view. The dirt bike, carrier and front receiver hitch total 300 pounds;
Rear view. The receiver extension and tongue weight total 80 pounds. The trailer loaded as seen weighs 800 pounds.Also, the additional suspension components added approx. 300 additional pounds to the stock truck;
I'm currently up in Oregon, having driven almost 400 miles from Sacramento, CA with this and it traveled very well at 60mph over mountains with plenty of power to have gone much faster. I was not maxing out the engine, that's for sure! Averaged 15mph and climbed over 5,000 feet in elevation going past Mt. Shasta on the way up.
I will say this; I will NOT be making any sudden evasive maneuvers with this camper on my truck. If I'm not driving slow enough to avoid anything getting in my way to brake in time, then I'm going to plow into whatever that anything might be.
I love my truck and camper set-up this way and will continue to load and drive it this way, with extra caution pertaining to traffic and speeds. But like I said, If I were to do over, I'd get a higher rated truck.
Cheers!
7200 on the rear axle and 4050 the front.
I installed a leaf pack, air bags, sway bar, rims and Nitto tires.
The camper handles just fine this way with 30 pounds of air in the bags, but if I were to do it again, I'd get either a 1 ton truck or larger.
Here is a couple photos showing it all loaded up;
Front view. The dirt bike, carrier and front receiver hitch total 300 pounds;
Rear view. The receiver extension and tongue weight total 80 pounds. The trailer loaded as seen weighs 800 pounds.Also, the additional suspension components added approx. 300 additional pounds to the stock truck;
I'm currently up in Oregon, having driven almost 400 miles from Sacramento, CA with this and it traveled very well at 60mph over mountains with plenty of power to have gone much faster. I was not maxing out the engine, that's for sure! Averaged 15mph and climbed over 5,000 feet in elevation going past Mt. Shasta on the way up.
I will say this; I will NOT be making any sudden evasive maneuvers with this camper on my truck. If I'm not driving slow enough to avoid anything getting in my way to brake in time, then I'm going to plow into whatever that anything might be.
I love my truck and camper set-up this way and will continue to load and drive it this way, with extra caution pertaining to traffic and speeds. But like I said, If I were to do over, I'd get a higher rated truck.
Cheers!
