Wow. I posted this near midnight and woke up to a lot of great replies. You folks move fast.
To summarize what I think I'm hearing:
1. 2100lbs dry doesn't mean much - I should plan on another 100lbs (I was already thinking this based on gear and up to four bodies in a what I hope to be a crew cab truck) - so I'm tracking there.
2. 2500-3500 trucks don't differ much in terms of hauling capacity or GVWR - maybe a couple hundred pounds in a lot of cases. I need to pay attention to the tires and wheels to ensure they are rated for the weight.
3. Pay attention to rear axle weight as the shortbed trucks with campers will carry most of the weight there.
I have been looking for used trucks in the 20-35k range to try to stay within my hoped for budget. There are definitely both Ford 350's and Ram 350 cummins in that range - though they tend to be pretty high mileage. (200k+) (and yup, I recognize that a diesel will run for 350k+ miles). I suppose that's just what it is.
Truth be told I wish I would have gotten a lighter camper - but being that I was buying on the used market and didn't have a lot of time (leaving for a trip in March) I still think the Lance 845 will serve me well. I'm just going to have a bigger truck than I was originally expecting.
Thanks all, and I'm very happy for any more tips on equipment/setup for someone unfamiliar and still learning. -Matt
