I'm looking at a 2004 North Star 8.5 Arrow to replace a Palomino Bronco Pop-Up. I have a 2006 Dodge 2500, Diesel, 4X4 with air bags and Hellwig Sway Bar and 5000 shocks and E Rated tires. Comments on this truck handling it?I can't find any specifications on this year Arrow camper. Can someone help?How wide is this camper. Looking for something about the same size as the Palomino but without the pop-up feature. A pop-up makes "stealth camping" difficult and I hate the time it takes to fold it up (especially in the rain) and then open to dry out once I got home.Any other comments are much appreciated.

Call Northstar. they are very willing to help anyone who buys their product whether new or used. Speaking from experience, your 2500 will handle that unit with ease.

I found a sales brochure from 2004 from when I bought my Laredo. It shows the Arrow width at 7'6". Any other specs you need? I can possibly scan the page if you need it.

I have an Arrow 8.5. Depending on options they will weight around 2600 to 2900 lbs dry. I carried mine on a 2001 Chevy 2500 HD with no problems. I did add Timbrens and a rear anti-sway bar to the Chevy.The camper is 7 ft 6 inches wide.X2 on the suggestion to call Northstar. Great folks.

archive.org is an amazing resource for historic info. For spec's, see here-2004 Northstar 8.5 ArrowAnd X3 and calling Northstar.

Need North Star 8.5 Arrow info | Good Sam Community

18 Replies

Rbertalotto
Explorer
Mar 08, 2015
Well...Now I have another option....2002 Fleetwood Angler which is narrower and lighter. This might sute me better for the off road trails I sometimes find myself on.

I'm going to start another thread with some Fleetwood Angler questions.
dadwolf2
Explorer
Mar 06, 2015
woodhog wrote:
We have a 2006, pull with 2004 Dodge in Signature.

I would convert your truck into a one ton 3500 by adding the
overload springs, it will then be the same vehicle as the 3500.

Then add a set of Torklift Stable loads to take out any squat and side to side rolling...

Weigh the whole outfit ready for camping and then decide if your tires will carry to load. If not go to a higher load bearing tire....

You will then have a perfect ride....

The Stable loads and the swaybar made our ride very well...

Not sure what or how you add overloads? IMO, you don't want to weld on the truck's frame to add overloads. What I would do...and did on my 2005 Dodge was to add SuperSprings. They will kill 2 birds with one stone and are easy to install. Suspension assist and sway reduction.

I suspect your tires will be ok with a Northstar 8.5 but the gold standard is to get the truck camper weighed with a realistic load and then make the determination.
DWeikert
Explorer II
Mar 06, 2015
Rbertalotto wrote:
Just me....Wife will have nothing to do with camping.....(Better that way!....) So N-S or E-W makes no difference......

As another solo camper I actually prefer the E-W layout as rolling out the side of bed is far easier that crawling off the bottom. It also saves weight.
Rbertalotto
Explorer
Mar 06, 2015
Just me....Wife will have nothing to do with camping.....(Better that way!....) So N-S or E-W makes no difference......

But this morning, I'm driving down the road. A lady in front of me stops to turn, I hit the brakes and it was sheer ice! I stopped and didn't hit her. Came within about 2" of plowing into her. But I pushed down so hard on the brake pedal that I blew a brake line......But all this happened within 50 feet of my mechanics shop! Talk about a lucky morning!!!
So until the truck is fixed, can't go look at the camper.
CptnBG
Explorer
Mar 06, 2015
805gregg wrote:
When you sleep east and west who will be the one that gets crawled over, I would find a lightweight camper with an extended cabover, look at Lancelite

It might have the optional extended cabover, north/south.
805gregg
Explorer
Mar 06, 2015
When you sleep east and west who will be the one that gets crawled over, I would find a lightweight camper with an extended cabover, look at Lancelite
GeoBoy
Explorer
Mar 06, 2015
I believe that the grey water tank on the Arrow is 15 gal..
realter
Explorer
Mar 06, 2015
Then you will have to join "Friends of Northstar Campers" on Facebook.
Rbertalotto
Explorer
Mar 05, 2015
Strange....30gal fresh water and 9 gallons for waste water.....
CptnBG
Explorer
Mar 05, 2015
Rbertalotto wrote:
OXB..Nevermind. I see DWiekert set me right up. What a great resource this site is. I'm surprised at the width being 7'6"...I thought this camper was narrower than that. But then again, I guess most hard sides are 8' wide.
I'm going to look at it tomorrow. If it is nice, I'm going to buy it. He is asking $5000

DWieker's link shows the same info that's in my brochure. Very lightweight and I also thought it was narrower as the Laredo is only 7' wide. The only drawback I see is the small wastewater tank.

Good luck on your purchase, sounds like a good buy.