Hello, and let me start by saying I am completely new to campers but just about to purchase the first. I've been online searching and reading until wee hours for weeks. I think we've found the perfect camper, however, I cannot find anywhere online that states if it absolutely requires a long box truck.Could anyone advise if a 2017 Living Lite 8.6 camper will fit on a short box F350 crew cab diesel? We have not purchased the truck yet, so cannot take actual measurements. Have to travel for both truck and camper, so I am looking for any info to be sure they will be a match.The camper specs can be found on page 7 at this linkhttps://travelsdocbox.com/Camping/67993139-Lightweight-strong-durable.html?fbclid=IwAR0V5EKHoZXt2yyXxokunqahJHjSxPqjW0pni_qB22Le70cdooyjechCLTg Thanks for reading!

Ask the manufacturer to be sure. If you are buying a truck to fit your TC, then go with an 8 foot box. Much less leverage on your rear axle. If you don't have an 8 foot box your are getting only part of a truck.

Pretty sure 8.6 was designed for long bed truck.No longer in production. some reviews/info truckcamper magazinehttps://www.truckcampermagazine.com/tag/camplite/Specifically TCM reviews a CampLite 8.6 hard side, truck camper designed for long bed trucks.

It will fit but you won't like the way it handles especially in a wind. The center of gravity will be too far aft making the steering too light.

What's the point of buying short bed truck for putting camper on it?Buy long bed and avoid all monkey around,.

If you are not sure if this used camper will fit a long or a short bed, I recommend you do some more research before arriving at a decision. I am not sure why you picked Travel Lite. They did not build many truck campers and went out of business. I would guess you are attracted by the all aluminum construction. If so I would still be cautious and do more research. The construction may not have been well engineered, well made or durable. I have no facts but I would be concerned.

Help. Will This Work? | Good Sam Community

Foodi
Explorer
Feb 22, 2020
Thanks everyone for the comments and advice. We are not moving ahead with this combo, and will keep looking for the right fit to come along!
burningman
Explorer II
Feb 22, 2020
Foodi wrote:

I think it would be the C.O.G to be the biggest drawback and the truck may not handle well? This camper is on a F250 LB with current owner, so I hoped an F350 would make up for the shorter box size.

Absolutely not. It’s a common misconception that an F350 (single rear wheel) is any different than an F250.
It’s the same truck, with slightly stiffer springs which you can add to an F250.

Lots of RV guys say nothing you do to a truck increases its payload, you have to just buy one with a higher rating, because they believe if the factory adds a spring, the payload goes up, if you add the same spring, it doesn’t.

About truck selection, I believe it’s silly to buy a shortbed with the main purpose being camper hauling. A shortbed turns a little tighter. A long bed is superior in every other way.
happycamper1942
Explorer
Feb 19, 2020
I had a 8'11" and a 8'9" on my f350 shortbox. In both cases the centre of gravity was clearly marked and was on or in front of the truck axle. They both had north/south beds which would bring the weight further forward than an East/west bed.
If the centre of gravity is not marked you will face to be careful. Good luck.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Feb 19, 2020
Kayteg1 wrote:
jaycocreek wrote:

So yes, from experience it will work fine...

Guaranteed ?

Yup, as long as the bottom of the camper is flat.
Alaska and back and a lot of places in between with the tailgate down and arctic fox sitting on it.
Only permanent evidence is the ridges in the truck bed and on the tailgate are a little smushed. But that happens on any truck and camper once a 2 or 3 ton “box” is bouncing around back there.
Kayteg1
Explorer II
Feb 18, 2020
I stand corrected that 8'6" camper can have COG 32" from front, but for axle placement you took long bed C&C page.
You can't have axle 5 feet behind the cabin on 6 foot bed.
That's what tow trucks have.
jimh406
Explorer III
Feb 18, 2020
Kayteg1 wrote:
I don't need to read technical data to estimate that short bed has rear axle about 40" from front of the bed.
8'-9" camper will have COG at about 1/2 of floor length, give or take 6".
Do the math.

Sorry, you are mistaken. To do the math, you have to start with the original COG number and use the actual measurement of cab to axle.

Take a look at the COG for the trucks listed at this link.https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/buyers-guide/hard-side/northstar-camper/ NOTE: I picked Northstar at random. In any case, their COG ranges from 24-54 inches. That’s a huge range.

BTW, according to what I’ve found, you are also wrong about axle placement on a short bed Ford. It’s actually 60 inches. https://www.fleet.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/brochures/2019/2019_SuperDuty_Chassis.pdf
Kayteg1
Explorer II
Feb 18, 2020
jaycocreek wrote:

So yes, from experience it will work fine...

Guaranteed ?
jaycocreek
Explorer II
Feb 18, 2020
Laughing...

I sold my 8.6 ft Lance to a guy with a dodge 3500 short bed.He left the tailgate down and put the TC on and drove off..It looked great and he still has it and says it handles just fine...I think it looks kinda cool with the tailgate on with room on each side for "stuff"..

So yes, from experience it will work fine...
Grit_dog
Navigator
Feb 18, 2020
Kayteg1 wrote:

I don't need to read technical data to estimate that short bed has rear axle about 40" from front of the bed.
8'-9" camper will have COG at about 1/2 of floor length, give or take 6".
Do the math.

And you'd be correct. And with my standard bed Dodge, that distance is even less. And my 8'-9" camper has a CoG sticker on it that sits just about an inch aft of center of rear axle.

So maybe that technical data IS important....and maybe this camper in question has batteries, propane, tanks and a few bags of lead in the back.....or maybe it doesn't. Betting it doesn't.
Kayteg1
Explorer II
Feb 18, 2020
mkirsch wrote:

Baloney. The effect of the center of gravity being a few inches further back will be no worse than hitching up a trailer with a 500lb tongue weight. No pickup truck, compact, "half ton," "three-quarter ton," "one ton" or otherwise, requires weight distribution with a 500lb tongue weight. They handle just fine. So will this combination.....

You are not seeing that trailer comes with wheels.
I used to have 18k lb 3-axle equipment hauler, who more than once had well over 3000 lb on the hitch. One time cherry picker put so much weight on the hitch that F450 front wheels would skid on dry asphalt and that was with 900 lb 7.3l engine on front.
Never had WD bars on pintle hitch and sway was never a problem.
Now even my dually handles just fine with 12" camper and COG slightly behind rear axle, I don't think I would like to make avoidance maneuver with the combo

Forum Discussion

Help. Will This Work?

About Travel Trailer Group

Related Content

2004 National Seabreeze help while work in progress.

Furnace not working

House Batteries not working?

Help!

Boondocking help