Nic is wiredgeorge and my real name is George. I just bought a truck camper and am really stoked! Camped one night at a MISERABLE RV camp in Rockdale and that served to answer 90 percent of my questions. Never had any sort of RV or truck camper before. I was a little hesitant to post as folks get scolded when they don't (or can't) afford a 3/4 or 1 ton truck. My truck is standard 2013 F150. I bought a 2002 Lance 815 Lite. I know the truck isn't ideal but did about 700 miles this weekend with the camper and my little pickup pulls it fine. The camper is close to the payload weight but I put some True Lift air bags on and jacked tire pressure up to 42 PSI. I plan on getting some stouter tires in the future as funds permit. In the future, I would like to pick up an older F350 but they go for big bucks in my neck of the woods and most have 300K miles and I don't want to wrench on a truck. Perhaps I will win the lottery and be able to afford more truck. In any case, I will be married to my young missus 45 years come this weekend (Valentines Day to be exact). We can't do a camping trip as I am waiting for a few odd bits to come in to make camping more fun. I ordered a TV mount for a 19" TV I have, some grab rails, a 3 step ladder (tough getting in and the RV steps tend to be out of my price range) and MOST IMPORTANT, a new mattress. Bought a decent mattress as the original was long gone and there was an air mattress in the camper when I bought it with a topper and it is not good, to say the least. I have to figure out how to make a spot level enough to where I can get the camper off and set it. I own some acres but all are on the side of a hill; common story I guess. Anyway, I suppose I will have a lot of questions when I get smart enough to know what to ask. Thanksand God bless! Oh yeah, didn't see any way to put a signature together. Where is that done?

Hi George,Welcome to the TC forum. You can set your signature by selecting the "My Forums" button in the upper right of the page. You may need to log in to your account if you haven't already. Then select "My Preferences". There is an area to enter your signature information.Make sure you are not overloading your tires!!

DRY weight is 1,667 pounds. What does Ford's sticker say your load capacity is on your F150? I like the real world where DRY weights don't matter. What will your wet weight be?

I don't know know if it's an optical illusion, but it looks like the camper is too long for the truck. Hopefully your center of gravity is at a minimum over your rear axle but preferably just a little in front of the rear axle. Otherwise, you're going to pulling the weight from the front axle which really isn't safe. And as previously mentioned, make sure you have tires that have enough capacity because they're the weakest link in your setup. But your wife looks real happy!

The camper was designed for a 1/2 ton. The truck has just enough payload and tires are rated for the weight as long as we don't put much of a load. I know it would be bettter to have 3/4 ton or bigger; already admitted that. The load rating on the tires is adequate but I will buy higher load rated tires when funds permit. Camper fits perfectly, by the way. You can't see the bed out under the end.

That rig makes me nervous looking at it. The tiedowns and their location/angle just seem...And the CG??

Howdy from TX Hill Country | Good Sam Community

TxGearhead
Explorer II
Feb 10, 2017
Keep at it George. I've been there. Bought a used Tejas camper made in Beaumont I think, passed around at work, 3rd hand. Not one problem with that old camper. Put it on what Ford called a light duty F250. It had cast twin I beams up front but a 5/8 ton rear end. I had some kind of tie downs that went in the bed stake holes with wing nuts holding them down. That 1982 Ford was regular cab with a 300 six and 4speed granny gear. Tires were 7.50 x 16 tube type. Me and the wife and baby went all over Yellowstone and the Dakotas. I almost flipped it over in Oklahoma in high winds. Got home and ordered JC Whitney overload springs. I didn't know what a CAT scale was.
I bought a good truck tarp to cover a 4x8 trailer the father law made in the backyard and took that rig elk hunting in Colorado several years. Heck we slept in the camper going down the road taking turns driving non stop on hunting trips.
So you don't need no stinking $50,000 camper to have fun. Matter of fact I wouldn't mind having that rig back.
kohldad
Explorer III
Feb 10, 2017
Welcome to the 815 club. Mine wet and loaded weighs 2,400# per CAT Scale, only option is the air conditionerkl. I've had mine since 2009 and haven't had any issues.

If you can't find a set of pods, I would suggest you make a set of brackets to hold tail lights at the rear of the camper and plug into the standard 4-way plug on the sides of the camper. The truck lights may be hard to see when someone is close to you. If you would like to see what they look like, I have a set in my shed.

Hope you know the shower drains into the black tank. Some folks change the shower drain to a hose so they can catch the water in a bucket and either pour into the sink to put it in the gray tank or carry it to the shower house.

At least you have a mattress, my first night in mine was without a battery, no power, no mattress, no water except for the gallon jug I had bought in a Walmart. Had to sleep on the dinette and I was so tired I didn't even put the table down, just crawled in under it.

If you need any info about it, just shoot me a message. I've made a few mods to give more space like a pull out pantry under the fridge, shelf over and beside the entry door along with a cubby behind the monitor panel.

Hopefully, you will have as much fun in yours as we've had in our.

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