First timer here but I have been stalking this forum for months now. Looking for a bit of a sanity check from the experts. Here is my situation:Grandpa used to take me in his truck camper when I was young, some of the best memories of my childhood. I currently have a 23 foot toy hauler (bumper pull) but I have the itch to downsize and try out the more flexible world of a truck camper. I have a decent truck for the job but it is SRW and I know that is a limiting factor. My truck details are the following:•2016 Ram 3500•Crew cab•Long bed•GVWR: 12,300 lbs•Payload: 4,160 lbs (per sticker on door – have not taken to scale)•GAWR: Front – 6,000 Back – 7,000 (tire limited I believe)•Details: Cummins, Aisin, 4x4•Upgrades: Tires have been changed to 295/70R18 Cooper S/T Maxx with a load capacity of 4,080 lbs per tire (E with a load index of 129). I have no idea what the stock 18 inch Ram wheels are rated for???•Future upgrades (as needed): Helwig Big Wig rear sway bar, lower Stable Loads & 19.5 wheels and tiresInterested in 8-9 foot truck camper preferably with slide out. Particularly interested in the Adventurer 910FBS and 86SBS. These appear to have dry weights in the 3200-3500 lb range. I plan on traveling light and not carrying more than 10-15 gallons of water until we are at or close to our destination. People payload will be around 400 lbs (wife and I plus two babies/carseats). I know the rule is 500 lbs of gear but I think we can pack what we need/want at around 300 lbs. Add 10 gal of water, 40 lbs propane, 130 lbs batteries & ~100 lbs misc tie downs/bed mat, etc. and I figure I will be going down the road up to ~300 lbs over GVWR (12,600 vs 12,300). Am I missing anything major?Is this doable or am I just asking for problems/taking unnecessary risks? My mind is not made up on what to do so I am extremely open to your input.Thanks in advance…

Actually, you don't need 19.5" tires for the size camper you are looking at. While your truck is a diesel version of mine, the payload is basically the same at ~4,400 pounds. If you keep the options down then you will be right at but still within limit of the truck.I thought the same thing about being a light packer, but I still manage to squeeze 500 pounds worth of stuff between the 8' camper and back seat. The back seat carries my ViAir compressor, two chairs, leveling blocks, small 10# tool bag, and portable gas grill (you know, the necessities). And you will have the baby things to consider.I grew up camping 5 in an 11' camper on a reg cab truck so know the appeal. I had a 30' TT when we had babies with the corner tub made getting them clean and the dinette for good sleeping. We sold it and the truck thinking we were done, moved across town and then decided to we wanted to do a cross country trip so bought a new truck and nice FW with rear bunkhouse. With the kids being older, it was a great choice as they had their room and I could close the door so didn't have to look at their mess. I don't think the kids or marriage would have survived if we had tried to do this in a TC. But now we have a TC for just the two of us and she has fallen in love with the freedom it gives us. I don't think I would change the pattern or choices in the least bit as each fitted us well.

You will always be heavier than the numbers online and on stickers. You also have a very capable truck. Don't get too hung up on numbers until you hit a scale. I hit the scale then knew I needed 19.5's. So I bought them. Now I don't worry about weight, I know I'm good and it is a piece of mind knowing this.A slide will add a significant amount of weight. Your on the right path of progressive mods to handle that. Don't overthink it but also...if you never owned a TC, try to find someone give a ride or better yet...let you drive one a bit so you can feel what it is like. Some people think it should drive like a empty truck and go all overboard with mods and or a new truck chasing that feeling. It really is a comfort thing.FYI....my non-slide out 8.5 foot TC was 4k pounds loaded this weekend. It is 2300 lbs on the factory sticker...again, don't get hung up on the numbers and don't put a Host Mamoth with 3 slides on your truck and you'll be good. I have three boys, we love the flexibility of a TC.

Vinsil wrote:You will always be heavier than the numbers online and on stickers. You also have a very capable truck. Don't get too hung up on numbers until you hit a scale. I hit the scale then knew I needed 19.5's. So I bought them. Now I don't worry about weight, I know I'm good and it is a piece of mind knowing this.A slide will add a significant amount of weight. Your on the right path of progressive mods to handle that. Don't overthink it but also...if you never owned a TC, try to find someone give a ride or better yet...let you drive one a bit so you can feel what it is like. Some people think it should drive like a empty truck and go all overboard with mods and or a new truck chasing that feeling. It really is a comfort thing.FYI....my non-slide out 8.5 foot TC was 4k pounds loaded this weekend. It is 2300 lbs on the factory sticker...again, don't get hung up on the numbers and don't put a Host Mamoth with 3 slides on your truck and you'll be good. I have three boys, we love the flexibility of a TC.I think this post is on target on every count. I would not ignore the weight, but would not get obsessed with the door sticker. I would be comfortable with the rig you have described.Wayne

LOL!! If you have 2 babies, they alone can rack up 300 lbs of "stuff" ;-)I have no technical help for you - just wanted to say that we've had a Class C and a 5er, and LOVE the nimbleness of a truck camper. Ours is a pop-up, and we can go anywhere - including narrow twisty roads with low tree branches; or crowded city streets, that would have kept out larger RVs.

Welcome TJJRO8 to the forum. And congratulations to you for asking important questions before the purchase. As I am sure you know,most dealers would sell you the heaviest camper they make if you show up with that truck. I would be confident that with a little help from stableloads and the bigwig, a 910 fbs is in your realm. That is where I would start if I had that truck. On the other hand, I personally would limit the weight to that. I ride about 600 lbs. heavier than gvwr, but am comfortable with it as my tires are not maxed and the truck drives and handles my camper well.

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TJJR08
Explorer
Jun 01, 2016
Thanks to all, I really do appreciate the advice. Thank you. I will try to stay weight aware and avoid weight obsessing. I have towed a bunch but never driven with a truck camper. I think its great advice to see what it feels like before taking the plunge. I will see if I can figure out some kind of a test drive.

I have romanticized the idea of having all the kids’ stuff with us all the time and having a mobile “napping/feeding/changing center…NFCC” (while parked of course). With the trailer it seems like we are constantly shuffling kids’ stuff from truck to trailer to truck and then once we get out of camp it’s time for one of them to nap or eat or we forgot something and we are turning around heading back for camp. It’s all part of the family experience (and probably speaks to our learning curve as young parents) and wouldn’t trade it but have thought that having all the necessary stuff with us all the time might make life on the road a little easier. I am worried as well about the space on rainy days as well as sleeping arrangements for two kids that currently sleep in pack-n-plays in our trailer.

Sounds like most things in life…it’s all about trade-offs. I welcome any other thoughts or opinions.

Maybe I will start a new post about “truck camping with a young family – pros and cons”.
campn4walleye
Explorer
Jun 01, 2016
We have the 910FBS and we're at 4600 fully loaded. We went to a dually as we would have been over the GVWR. That went against our comfort level. We're happy with our combo. It drives great but stable loads are in our future.

We love the TC but it WILL be tight with 2 children who need lots of "stuff". Consider the choice of switching to a TC at this stage of life. It gets really small on a rainy day.
nomadictxn
Explorer
Jun 01, 2016
Welcome TJJRO8 to the forum. And congratulations to you for asking important questions before the purchase. As I am sure you know,most dealers would sell you the heaviest camper they make if you show up with that truck. I would be confident that with a little help from stableloads and the bigwig, a 910 fbs is in your realm. That is where I would start if I had that truck. On the other hand, I personally would limit the weight to that. I ride about 600 lbs. heavier than gvwr, but am comfortable with it as my tires are not maxed and the truck drives and handles my camper well.
Deb_and_Ed_M
Explorer II
May 31, 2016
LOL!! If you have 2 babies, they alone can rack up 300 lbs of "stuff" ;-)

I have no technical help for you - just wanted to say that we've had a Class C and a 5er, and LOVE the nimbleness of a truck camper. Ours is a pop-up, and we can go anywhere - including narrow twisty roads with low tree branches; or crowded city streets, that would have kept out larger RVs.
Reddog1
Explorer II
May 31, 2016
Vinsil wrote:
You will always be heavier than the numbers online and on stickers. You also have a very capable truck. Don't get too hung up on numbers until you hit a scale. I hit the scale then knew I needed 19.5's. So I bought them. Now I don't worry about weight, I know I'm good and it is a piece of mind knowing this.

A slide will add a significant amount of weight. Your on the right path of progressive mods to handle that. Don't overthink it but also...if you never owned a TC, try to find someone give a ride or better yet...let you drive one a bit so you can feel what it is like. Some people think it should drive like a empty truck and go all overboard with mods and or a new truck chasing that feeling. It really is a comfort thing.

FYI....my non-slide out 8.5 foot TC was 4k pounds loaded this weekend. It is 2300 lbs on the factory sticker...again, don't get hung up on the numbers and don't put a Host Mamoth with 3 slides on your truck and you'll be good.

I have three boys, we love the flexibility of a TC.
I think this post is on target on every count. I would not ignore the weight, but would not get obsessed with the door sticker. I would be comfortable with the rig you have described.

Wayne
Vinsil
Explorer
May 31, 2016
You will always be heavier than the numbers online and on stickers. You also have a very capable truck. Don't get too hung up on numbers until you hit a scale. I hit the scale then knew I needed 19.5's. So I bought them. Now I don't worry about weight, I know I'm good and it is a piece of mind knowing this.

A slide will add a significant amount of weight. Your on the right path of progressive mods to handle that. Don't overthink it but also...if you never owned a TC, try to find someone give a ride or better yet...let you drive one a bit so you can feel what it is like. Some people think it should drive like a empty truck and go all overboard with mods and or a new truck chasing that feeling. It really is a comfort thing.

FYI....my non-slide out 8.5 foot TC was 4k pounds loaded this weekend. It is 2300 lbs on the factory sticker...again, don't get hung up on the numbers and don't put a Host Mamoth with 3 slides on your truck and you'll be good.

I have three boys, we love the flexibility of a TC.
kohldad
Explorer III
May 31, 2016
Actually, you don't need 19.5" tires for the size camper you are looking at. While your truck is a diesel version of mine, the payload is basically the same at ~4,400 pounds. If you keep the options down then you will be right at but still within limit of the truck.

I thought the same thing about being a light packer, but I still manage to squeeze 500 pounds worth of stuff between the 8' camper and back seat. The back seat carries my ViAir compressor, two chairs, leveling blocks, small 10# tool bag, and portable gas grill (you know, the necessities). And you will have the baby things to consider.

I grew up camping 5 in an 11' camper on a reg cab truck so know the appeal. I had a 30' TT when we had babies with the corner tub made getting them clean and the dinette for good sleeping. We sold it and the truck thinking we were done, moved across town and then decided to we wanted to do a cross country trip so bought a new truck and nice FW with rear bunkhouse. With the kids being older, it was a great choice as they had their room and I could close the door so didn't have to look at their mess. I don't think the kids or marriage would have survived if we had tried to do this in a TC. But now we have a TC for just the two of us and she has fallen in love with the freedom it gives us. I don't think I would change the pattern or choices in the least bit as each fitted us well.

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