Looking at Truck Camper for Retirement

Add tie-downs and a wiring harness to your truck and then get the camper and evaluate the ride before making changes.

With a Ford I would definitely want a heavy duty rear anti-sway bar added. With a Ram truck it may not be needed.

Plan on new shocks (Rancho 9000 or Bilsteins) and possibly new tires. Most E rate tires have a load capacity of 3200 lbs. or 6400 for the pair at the rear axle where 90% of the camper load will be supported.
Subtracting 3,000 lbs. for the weight of the truck that leaves 3400 lbs. of payload capacity - in theory.

A 2800 lb. dry weight camper probably will weigh closer to 3100 lbs. when you get it from the dealer with any "extras". Add your travel gear and food and water and the weight will be over 3500 lbs. and the reserve capacity of the tires disappears.

There are Nitto, BFG, and Toyo E tires rated at 3750 and greater load capacity that may fit on your truck's existing rims if they are 7.5" wide or wider.

When I upgraded my tires there was less sidewall flex and it noticeably improved the handling of my truck with its 3800 lb. camper load.

We have a similar truck in the long box version, I think your truck will be well overloaded if the camper is 2800 pounds dry weight, if you can indeed believe that measurement.

You will then probably put a minimum of 1000 pounds more on the truck when you are ready for travelling.

This gets up near 4000 plus pounds of payload.

We have made all the modifications you have mentioned and more, the Dodge trucks of this vintage are well known for their poor handling due to a weak front end, this should also be factored in. Also you have to stop all that weight, sometimes quickly..

I find them unstable to drive, if I was starting all over a dually would be in the driveway, then I would start looking for the camper, and be very careful to not overload that also.

What I did was to keep the TT for extended stays and purchased a TC for traveling. I picked a popup for just that application. So far, it is working well, but this is just my first year with both.

No problem. The short bed unit should be just fine. When you get into slides and large tanks it may start to push the limits. You have good truck that is about a robust as they get.

Camper manufacture's weights are notoriously on the light side. I would try to pin down the weight of the camper you choose carefully if you are getting a big boy.

You don't need to do anything to the truck other than wiring for the camper and some camper tie downs.

After a year or so I added air bags, not really necessary but I like to keep the camper level. I raise the frame of the truck to the point that the main springs are just about off of the overloads, then I have no sway.

We both travel and spend a few days at one location. It works for us.

Good luck.

Scrndoor,we have been pulling a 36ft 5th wheel for over 10 years and 2 years ago we bought a northernlite TC this is the best investment we ever made, travelling with a TC is like going around with your pickup plus you have every thing on board for lunch for sleep......and you fit into almost any normal parking space, you don't have to run for a camping ground your are at home almost every where, if you objective is to travel and visit the TC is the way to go. We have a 2004 2500HD silverado and the camper has no slides we did not want slides the best of all worlds
Good luck
Gaetan

Examine what you plan to do with your truck camper in retirement. One of our goals was to pretty much treat it like a car and go anywhere they can (accept parking garages). This means we have a little less room inside to keep the total length down to something we can park in a standard parking place at any stop. Our travel is primarily traveling and we spend as much time outside as possible. The camper is the place to sleep. If the weather is bad we are a little cramped. We don't park in the same place for days. What I described will not even bring your 3500 down to it's overload springs and you will not even know it is there.

If you want a small house on the back of your 3500 better listen to Buzzcut.

having a srw and a tc I would say that unless you are going with a very light TC or upgrading to DRW you should consider 19.5 wheels and g,h rated tires then worry about other upgrades as needed. I do wish that I had gone that route first but hindsight is 20/20.