LWB camper in SWB pickup

sonuvabug wrote:

burningman wrote:
... snipped ... COG doesn’t have to be ahead of the rear axle, it isn’t when you hook up a trailer ...

I respectfully disagree with this COG statement. In fact, in my Operating Manual for our AML Adventurer, it specifically states:

" Centre Of Gravity - On each Adventurer camper (left and right sidewall) is the centre of gravity sticker. The centre of gravity should be ahead of the rear axle to transfer more of the weight to the front of the truck. " The Manual goes on to provide several diagrams of the recommended Centre of Gravity locations.

Their advice is consistent with my training and experience with farm machinery equipment years ago.

It's good to have the COG at or ahead of the rear axle, but no, it does not necessarily have to be.
Especially if you have a diesel, which is already a very nose-heavy truck.
When you hook up a heavy trailer to your hitch, the COG of the load your truck sees is about four feet behind the axle. That doesn't seem to bother anyone.
If you have a regular-cab, 2WD, gas engine truck, camper COG is a lot more important.
If you have a 4-dr cab 4x4 diesel, it's less important.
The camper manufacturer has to consider the worst-case scenario.

As someone noted, there are plenty of TCs built for shortbeds all of the way up to Host Rainier Triple Slide Short Bed model.

Not as easy to come by as long bed models but doable.

^ But that’s hard to explain to some people. For some it’s hard to visualize mechanical things or statics and dynamics.
Hence the conservative reccomendations by mfgs on their products.

sonuvabug wrote:

burningman wrote:
... snipped ... COG doesn’t have to be ahead of the rear axle, it isn’t when you hook up a trailer ...

I respectfully disagree with this COG statement. In fact, in my Operating Manual for our AML Adventurer, it specifically states:

" Centre Of Gravity - On each Adventurer camper (left and right sidewall) is the centre of gravity sticker. The centre of gravity should be ahead of the rear axle to transfer more of the weight to the front of the truck. " The Manual goes on to provide several diagrams of the recommended Centre of Gravity locations.

Their advice is consistent with my training and experience with farm machinery equipment years ago.

I’ll take the truck manufacturers’ opinions over a camper manufacturers’. More weight on the front isn’t good if your axle is already heavily loaded. In the following GM publication, the allowed placement of COG is between dimension A and B. At least some of the GM stickers I’ve seen have dimension B = 0 which means the COG can sit at the rear edge of the bed provided the ratio of front and rear axle weight is met.

http://www.gmfleetorderguide.com/NASApp/domestic/printbook?pdftype=camper〈=1&year=2014

Taking weight off the front isn’t an issue. Having the rear significantly heavier than the front is. With GM at least, the rear can weigh 2x what the front does for SRW models and even more for DRW’s.

The final combined COG of the platform is all that the suspension system sees and what actually matters.

How heavy is this camper and what is the COG?

My 1181 takes 400 LBS OFF the front axle when loaded and that is on a crew cab full size bed Ram 3500 duallie.

It's your ball game, Me??? no way.
If it ain't safe, it aint gonna happen.

burningman: I'm attached to it in the fact that I purposefully built myself the truck that suits my needs the best and that did not include an 8ft bed. I'm also attached to the lack of truck payment that comes from a paid off vehicle. The 3-4 times a year that a camper would be used does not outweigh the 3-4 times a week that the 8ft bed would be a hindrance.

finsruskw: He offered the use of his unit because we are good friends and he knows he can trust me to treat his property as my own. As for it "obviously" not being up for the task, that's eye of the beholder and exactly why I came asking questions. Neither the camper's owner nor myself was real sure how badly it would fit or if it could be made to work for one trip, so we came asking those with more experience.
What if I caused damage to it? Then I would fix it or replace it. That's what you do when you borrow from others, or at least that's how I was taught (weren't you?).

burningman wrote:
... snipped ... COG doesn’t have to be ahead of the rear axle, it isn’t when you hook up a trailer ...

I respectfully disagree with this COG statement. In fact, in my Operating Manual for our AML Adventurer, it specifically states:

" Centre Of Gravity - On each Adventurer camper (left and right sidewall) is the centre of gravity sticker. The centre of gravity should be ahead of the rear axle to transfer more of the weight to the front of the truck. " The Manual goes on to provide several diagrams of the recommended Centre of Gravity locations.

Their advice is consistent with my training and experience with farm machinery equipment years ago.

You are asking for trouble, Don't do it.
Can't believe someone would offer the use of their unit on a truck that is obviously not up to the task.
What if you cause damage to it while using it or worse?
Guess who will be holding the bag!!
My $.02 worth.....

burningman wrote:
That shortbed truck is really gonna make life difficult if you want a camper that checks all those boxes.
How attached to it are you?

Meh, plenty of slide out short bed campers that check all the boxes. Get a AF 811/860 or similar from other mfgs.

That shortbed truck is really gonna make life difficult if you want a camper that checks all those boxes.
How attached to it are you?