Looking at buying a new truck for a camper, first time

There really isn't any difference in ride quality between an F250 and an F350, or for that matter any significant difference in the trucks. Not like Ford is going to go and produce a whole new frame for the F250. They simply use the frame for both the F250/F350 models, modified for length.

So, you might as well get the F350, in the options you want (or settle for), if it's available.

My problem was that in the options I wanted, I could only find an F250 in 2016, in the time frame that I had available due to an accident.

So, I got it, understanding that it will be quote unquote overloaded with a nonslide Lance 820 (quote unquote overloaded according to the self-appointed quote unquote weight police)....

That being said, I'm under the tire ratings in the front and back, and I have the truck camper package with the upper and lower Torqlift stableloads. This is despite being 1000 lbs over the GVWR, but I'm registered for 12k lbs in my state, which is all the cops care about.

I would say if you're going to tow a boat, you want a longbed F350 if possible. With the truck camper package, the only difference between the F250 and the F350 is 2 inch vs. 4 inch blocks, and maybe on the 2017 and up, the axle.

It's tough to find what you want in left-over model year trucks sometimes.

towpro wrote:

billyray50 wrote:

Buzzcut1 wrote:
Truck camper, towing 5000 you are going to want a dually. For one you will probably be over the tire load ratings of a SRW on the rear axle. I had a F350 SRW and towed my horse trailer behind my TC and I had to upgrade to 19.5 commercial truck tires and wheels to not be over the tire rating. I now have a F350 DRW and the handling is so much better that there is now way I would ever go back to a SRW.

X2. Never will go back to a SRW truck.

And Bill's got a great truck (I have same one, even same color)

Thanks towpro but I traded up to a 2017 Ram 3500 CTD Laramie 4x4 longbed with the Delmonico red paint now.

GMC2500, F350 SRW, Ram 3500SRW, next one is a dually.
I either sell the cabover, and lose about $2500 or trade the Ram in on a dually and probably lose $10,000+.
Don't do like me.

How good are your trailer brakes? Are they on both axles? Ever done a panic stop with the boat behind you? All good questions to think about.

billyray50 wrote:

Buzzcut1 wrote:
Truck camper, towing 5000 you are going to want a dually. For one you will probably be over the tire load ratings of a SRW on the rear axle. I had a F350 SRW and towed my horse trailer behind my TC and I had to upgrade to 19.5 commercial truck tires and wheels to not be over the tire rating. I now have a F350 DRW and the handling is so much better that there is now way I would ever go back to a SRW.

X2. Never will go back to a SRW truck.

And Bill's got a great truck (I have same one, even same color)

Buzzcut1 wrote:
Truck camper, towing 5000 you are going to want a dually. For one you will probably be over the tire load ratings of a SRW on the rear axle. I had a F350 SRW and towed my horse trailer behind my TC and I had to upgrade to 19.5 commercial truck tires and wheels to not be over the tire rating. I now have a F350 DRW and the handling is so much better that there is now way I would ever go back to a SRW.

X2. Never will go back to a SRW truck.

If you don’t mind buying a couple of trucks then start with the SRW 350/3500 and then buy the dually. If you are concerned with the ride of an empty 1 ton truck then buy a GM and air the tires down to 55 lbs.. I have had both SRW and now a dually 1 ton trucks and the fuel mileage is the same, handling is not a problem.

Rbertalotto wrote:
Go BIG or go home the saying goes. Buy the 350 and don’t look back and don’t regret that you should have bought s bigger truck.

X4700

Buy once and don't look back - get a 350 / 3500.

Towing that much weight and hauling a truck camper, I'd go dually, but since it is your daily driver, a dually might not be practical.

I bought an F350 SRW with camper package in 2015, and an NL 9'6" QSE last week. Despite lots of due diligence and math, in big retrospect I can't help but observe trucks carry far less than expected/advertised, and campers weigh far more than expected/advertised. Wet+humans+dogs+stuff plus 2855 dry camper on a 3883 rated payload truck left me far short of the margin I had imagined back in 2015. Stunning and humbling.

Some of these posts may be a little pessimistic. We carry a 9.5’ fiberglass single slide camper that’s pretty well equipped (A/C, micro, rear awning). It comes to about 4K wet and loaded to camp. The slide only adds 200 lbs so not a big adder. Ours rides on a stock (except shocks) 2005 SRW Chevy 3500 and it handled fine to me for the past 10 years. We also tow a ~2k lb cargo trailer most of the time on an 18” extension.

An 8.5’ model with slide should easily be under 4K. Skip heavy options like A/C, generator and microwave to lighten it even more. Run with the water tank less than full (240lbs on that Lance). You also may not need an extension to tow, particularly with a longer tongue on a boat trailer that also tend to have lighter tongue weight.

Do pay attention to the listed weights in brochures as they usually say “with standard features.” Options can add plenty of weight.

Would a dually be better...sure and I’ll recommend one but I’m not convinced it’s a requirement. A lot depends upon the camper, truck and driver’s comfort level.