Do I need a DRW truck?

mkirsch wrote:

IIRC, skipro3 is overloaded by 3000lbs on his truck. He's hauling around 3.5X the manufacturer's recommended payload for his truck.

Seems my truck is darn near the maximum payload capacity empty!!
My truck GVWR is around 8800 pounds. The camper is around 2700 pounds. (Tell me of another camper in this class that is lighter?)
Subtract the 2700 pounds from my total weight of 11800 and you have 9100. Accounting for cargo IN the camper of 500 pounds including 200 pounds of water (7 pounds a gallon @ 20 gallons = 210 pounds)the estimated weight of my truck empty is 8600 pounds. That leaves 200 pounds for ME!!! No passengers.

Who builds a truck that is maxxed out on it's GVWR if the driver weighs more than 200 pound and no other load? See what I'm getting at? Numbers here are something dreamed up by the manufacturer and their lawyers so they can deny culpability if you were to ever actually USE the truck AS a TRUCK!! Ha!

Well, sure wish the OP was near and could drive this thing and see for himself what he might be getting into or not. I think it handles fine. I've owned campers on pick-ups all my driving life starting at 16 with a 1957 International Harvester and an over head camper on it I lived in until I was old enough to enlist in the military. Probably 7 or 8. The worst handling one was a 1984 Ford F350 SuperCab with 8' bed and single rear wheels hauling a 8' long camper, that was very light. Nothing could get that truck to ride or even steer going down the highway straight. One thing was for sure though; guaranteed you would NOT fall asleep driving THAT rig; too afraid of dieing any second. Ha!

Anyways, be sure of your abilities, keep asking questions, drive as many rigs as you possibly can before you settle on something. For me, I wouldn't change a thing on what I got right now except maybe chip the engine for more power so I can tow a little trailer with some toys in it easy.