A Little Help With Weights

wjlapier wrote:

GM Truck Camper Rating ( sticker in glovebox )—3900
Host Everest As Equipped—4350 ( Host Sticker )

If your goal is to be within manufacturer weight limits, you are already over with an empty camper.

If you choose to ignore the manufacturer weight limits, expect to be over by 1500lb or so.

You bought a big, heavy camper. Don't diminish your enjoyment by worrying about the load or trying to get by with minimum stuff.

Load your camper with stuff you want to take, then check the weight on each axle or better yet each wheel. The biggest concern is to fall short of the tire load ratings. If that is OK check out the ride. At the worst you might need to consider some suspension enhancements.

When it comes to loading the camper, most of us expect to add at least 1000#. I used to full time and even now take long trips so my load is even more. A thousand plus pounds sounds like a lot until you really look at what is involved: clothing/boots, food/drink, toiletries, towels, first aid kit, cleaning implements and materials, extension cords, tools, hardware and misc supplies, BBW grill/fuel, generator/fuel, air compressor, leveling blocks, backpacks and hiking gear, lawn chairs, bedding, hobby stuff (cameras, laptops, electronics, chargers, batteries, books...). I added a solar panel and upgraded my battery bank. That added at least another hundred pounds. I probably also have an extra hundred pounds of clothing. I leave the camper packed and ready to go with 3 seasons of clothing including jackets, raingear, lots of hats and about 30 days of underwear, socks, and T shirts, extra blankets. The extra means avoiding the laundromat for weeks on long trips. We also carry some canned goods and staples to get by when grocery stores are few and far between. We are way over the extra 1000# largely due to the generator, solar panels, and battery bank upgrade. Oops, forgot another major upgrade. We replaced the nasty original mattress with a nice, but heavy, 8" dual layer, foam mattress.

Load it up and weight it. My af says 4240, full fuel and water tips 13300, 8800 on the rear.

What was your trucks separate axle weights ?

GM gives that model 3500 drw a 9375 rawr I believe. Lets say your empty truck rear axle weight was 3500 lbs. Simply subtract that number from 9375 = 5875 lbs for a in the bed payload....... rawr = the lessor of tires/wheel/rear spring pack or the axle assy.
Most newer gen high gvwr LDTs wheels or the rear spring pack are the weak link. GM uses the 11.5" AAM rear axle which is rated around 10800 lbs....4 tires at dual rating = 11k-12k lbs.

I have stable loads upper and lower only and the ride home was smooth and without any issues. Interestingly, I found out the camper still had the half tank of water the shop put in to do the walk through.

I think your camper is going to push +/- 5500 lbs ready to travel. Payload is indeed published and most people with the bigger campers identify the components (axle, wheels, tires etc) as well as test drive the unit to better gauge if suspension upgrades might be needed.

Once you put batteries, propane, all your household goods for cooking and eating/drinking, clothes, basic supplies, you will be well over your trucks payload.