COG - I broke a cardinal rule...go easy on me
So...months of research and shopping and the wifey and I recently settle on our first truck camper. I'm talking about a 2006 Okanagan 106 UDB. The TC is perfect for us with respect to amenities a...
Forum Discussion
You have a Dually longbed . . . .
What are you worried about? They are designed to carry a lot of weight over the rear axle. Sure you are taking some weight off the front axle by the center of gravity behind the rear axle, but look at it with the math in mind.
Lets say the camper empty weight is 4,000 pounds and your wheelbase is 165". 2" behind the rear axle means that 1/130 of the weight will be taken off the front axle and transferred to the rear axle. So a load of 1300 pounds would move 10 extra pounds toward the rear axle. Your 4,000 pound camper will add 4,030 pounds to the rear axle, and take away 30 pounds from the front axle.
I used to have a SRW F-350 supercab truck. It was very stable with a large camper on it. I never did take it to a scale, but know that it was heavy, and I had a GVWR of only 9600 pounds. I am somewhat sure that your truck will be well within the front and rear GAWR and overall GVWR. However you will not know until you take it to a scale. Find one of the CAT scales, or find a local moving company and ask if they will let you get the weight there. I took in my motorhome and checked the weights all around, measured the front passenger wheel, then right side, then total weight.
Also if you have the typical front water tank, the camper might be more stable with water in it, as it will add about 30 gallons or 240 pounds towards the front of the camper.
Fred.
What are you worried about? They are designed to carry a lot of weight over the rear axle. Sure you are taking some weight off the front axle by the center of gravity behind the rear axle, but look at it with the math in mind.
Lets say the camper empty weight is 4,000 pounds and your wheelbase is 165". 2" behind the rear axle means that 1/130 of the weight will be taken off the front axle and transferred to the rear axle. So a load of 1300 pounds would move 10 extra pounds toward the rear axle. Your 4,000 pound camper will add 4,030 pounds to the rear axle, and take away 30 pounds from the front axle.
I used to have a SRW F-350 supercab truck. It was very stable with a large camper on it. I never did take it to a scale, but know that it was heavy, and I had a GVWR of only 9600 pounds. I am somewhat sure that your truck will be well within the front and rear GAWR and overall GVWR. However you will not know until you take it to a scale. Find one of the CAT scales, or find a local moving company and ask if they will let you get the weight there. I took in my motorhome and checked the weights all around, measured the front passenger wheel, then right side, then total weight.
Also if you have the typical front water tank, the camper might be more stable with water in it, as it will add about 30 gallons or 240 pounds towards the front of the camper.
Fred.
