Made for your half ton truck ;-)

This 1/2 ton vs 3/4 or 1 ton debate will never die.

Seeing is believing though....

Park a 150/1500 next to a 250/2500 (or a 350/3500). Then take a look underneath them, comparing the suspensions and drive train.

There was a 2015 and a 2014 parked side by side at the dealership two weeks ago when I priced out a new 2015. They didn't look any different in size to me, and I'm a pretty good judge of dimension, especially when things are right next to each other.

Of course the Ford dealers are pretty proud of their new machines so Chevy smoked them on the bottom line by $6000. I got $4000 more truck for $2000 less than the Ford.

mlts22 wrote:
From what I've read about the 2015 F-150, it really is a "F-100", which is what Ford might have made a few years back, a pickup 90% the size of a F-150, mainly aimed at keeping the company within CAFE standards.

What people don't realize is that the EPA and CAFE standards force auto makers to have to go with lighter weight vehicles to save weight and boost average MPG scores... for most vehicles, it isn't an issue...

The F-150 is still a decent truck... but it is intended to be a grocery-getter with occasional forays off-road, or be used with a boat or camper in tow. Ford had to make a lot of compromises with it so it would still be a usable truck... but keep the EPA off their back.

Disclaimer: I bought a F-150, and even though it is an excellent everyday commute vehicle... I do regret the fact that it can't be used in any real way for anything other than a pull-behind.

While CAFE standards are driving a lot of the changes, this is the first I've heard that it is a 90% 1/2 ton. My understanding was similarly equiped, it actually had better cargo capaicity because less of the suspension capabilities are used to hold up the empty truck.

I cannot say anything about the 2015 150 but the 13 f150 I have weighs the same as my old 04 f350 and aside from the springs and heavy Sterling rearend. This 150 is twice the truck that f350 was as far as MPG, power and towing. I could not believe how well it handled a 2280 TC. If I knew that camper weighed that much I would have never bought it. I don't think the new truck is the same as a f100. These trucks are getting better and better every year. I think some of you guys are jumping to conclusions awful fast.

I have a camper that goes about 2500 loaded and I was hauling it on a Tundra with air bags. I was surprised at how well it performed. As long as the tires were at 70-80 lbs it did well, but when I tried with 60lbs in the tires, it was a pig. That's not enough margin of error..and I'll soon be making annual trips to Alaska with it. So I upgraded to a one ton. I haven't put the camper on yet but yesterday I hauled two yards of wet compost, which weighs quite a bit and the springs didn't compress at all, none. It's quite a difference.

From what I've read about the 2015 F-150, it really is a "F-100", which is what Ford might have made a few years back, a pickup 90% the size of a F-150, mainly aimed at keeping the company within CAFE standards.

What people don't realize is that the EPA and CAFE standards force auto makers to have to go with lighter weight vehicles to save weight and boost average MPG scores... for most vehicles, it isn't an issue...

The F-150 is still a decent truck... but it is intended to be a grocery-getter with occasional forays off-road, or be used with a boat or camper in tow. Ford had to make a lot of compromises with it so it would still be a usable truck... but keep the EPA off their back.

Disclaimer: I bought a F-150, and even though it is an excellent everyday commute vehicle... I do regret the fact that it can't be used in any real way for anything other than a pull-behind.

Tony, your conclusion is right on. There are very few truck campers that "fit" a half ton truck.

FYI --- Don't be fooled by the new 2015 F-150's. Yes, Ford took 600-700 pounds out of the truck with aluminum parts, but, Ford also reduced the GVW by 300-400 pounds, increasing load capacity by only 300-400 pounds. This suggests that Ford cheapened or weakened other critical parts. I haven't done the homework and can't tell you what the down graded components might be.

Bottom line, you can't just buy a new F-150 and slap a big camper on it either.

Marketing Qualifiers and Disclaimers,
- Made to fit full size LB trucks (*any truck will do - weight capacity not a issue)

- Made for select 1/2 ton trucks (*bed size and payload requirements and specific MFG/Models intended for listed elsewhere)

- Made for some 1/2 ton trucks (*technically the same as above)
- Made for most 1/2 ton trucks (*similar to above but implies that over 50% of 1/2 ton trucks ether offered or sold will work)
- Made for any/all 1/2 ton trucks (*look for list of exclusions)

In the USA there are rules about making untruthful and misleading statements in advertising. Forgetting that the average RV dealer is staffed by people who flunked out of the new/used auto industry (for being to slimy) RV OEM's "design in" plenty of ways for dealers to cash enhance the transaction in their favor.

mkirsch wrote:
What's expected of Joe Everyman, and what Joe Everyman expects, are two completely different things.

Joe Everyman goes into this expecting to put his truck to work doing something useful, not to be told that he has to take a huge hit on the value of his current truck by trading it in on something more capable. Joe Everyman does not know what questions to ask, and does not even realize that weight is a factor. It doesn't help that the salesman calmly reassures Joe that his truck can haul anything.

Being stupid has always been expensive.

If joe everyman doesn't bother to understand how things work, that's stupid and likely will be an expensive lesson.

True story

I actually had a salesman tell me,you will be safer in a F250!!!