opinions please....on a old Lance

If you add the spring leafs to the overloads, instead of the main packs, the unloaded ride isn't affected by the added spring leafs.

Wow! After seeing what you want to pull behind the Squire 8000 TC /F-250 truck rig with having SRW's, you are definitely in need of a 350/3500 HD DRW truck. Just way too much for a 250/2500 truck regardless of brand. Your present engine coupled with the 430 rear ratio should not be an issue for pulling the heavy load normally unless you're bent on racing with it or prefer going 80 MPH even up hills or eastern mountains! I wouldn't add leafs to the spring as the ride empty would be bone jarring+.

Much better off with airbags which are so easily infinitely adjustable so empty your truck will retain it's present ride but give up to 5000 lbs of additional lift support at 100 PSI in the bags. They also will cost about half of the 2 leafs added would. Higher capacity tires are basically a must in my opinion even to be safe with a combined weight like a decently optioned Angler TC etc or another like brand and pulling the trailer in the pic. Tire capacity is nearly always the weakest link when carrying a load and help immensely when also pulling heavy. The tire's capacity must be at min match or much better to exceed by as much a possible the true load being carried on them. Tires age and weaken over time and miles driven.

Higher capacity tires provide increased stability as the side walls will flex less with wider tires/tread at full inflation and having the higher capacity ratings is important. A blow out with the loaded rig in your pic might be devastating not only to the rig but to you also. Speed kills and with speed, a blowout makes maintaining control so much worse and the bad things happen so much faster. A known chance that I would never take as I know so much better!

Sounds like you made a good decision for your needs and truck.

Looks like another camper similar to your Angler but in better shape would be just right.

and here is a picture of my truck squatting with the Lance...

I want to thank EVERYBODY !!! for there input on this thread especially the most recent posts by travelnutz mkurtz and Bug Jr.

Today for the heck of it called a spring shop that I have been dealing with for a long time especially back when I was a owner operator and inquired about getting some leaves put on my truck.

one leaf would be $550.00 and two leaves would be $721.00 then when you figure the cost of bigger tires and rims I lost interest.

Also for the record I'm not a "camper"...I'm a guy that got tired of paying for motel rooms,I go to a lot of events during the year that require lodging and a TC has more than fit the bill.

I did take the wife camping twice in the last 2 years (she loves it)
Once to a Yogi Bear campground in South Jersey and last year to Knobels in Pennsylvania.She enjoys sitting by a fire at night and reading a book...Me I'm in the TC watching TV with the A/C on "10" eating microwave popcorn.

I maybe jumped the gun when I sold my TC... it was starting to fall apart and I panicked and dumped it cheap on craigslist last Sunday.
We where coming back from a family wedding in Massena NY on July 3rd when I noticed that the TC was separating in the nose of the bunk



I stopped at a Dollar General and bought some duct tape just to get it home without any further separation.

I remembered seeing the Lance sitting in the used car lot and thats when I starting thinking about getting involved.

I have to get another TC but I am going to hold out for one that does not extend over the rear bumper...I do not need a bathroom so that makes it easier. I haul a 4500 LB antique truck on a trailer and really do not want to get involved with hitch extension.



The added weight of a bigger camper plus the truck and trailer would be a lot for a gas powered truck.

Thanks again for the help

Bob

It that an aluminum roof?

Bob, I'll comment on three things. The unit itself, my related TC experience and what I would do ... if I was you.

1) The unit itself. I would take what travelnutz wrote under serious advisement ... he took the time to provide valuable, detailed, first hand observations and opinions based on his real life experience. IMHO these are better insights than a 100 camping armchair "opinions".

2) My related TC experience - we drive a 2001 F250 with the camper package. (top overload spring and rear anti-sway bar are the main suspension parts included with the camper package). Our Adventurer 90FWS weighs about the same as the Lance unit you looked at. We do not drive with any fluids in the tanks or unnecessary gear (BBQ's, chairs, heavy tools etc.) in the TC or truck. However, we do pull a 16' cargo trailer weighing approx. 3,000 pounds with 300 lbs. tongue weight with all of our extra gear. We put new Michelin LTX "E" rated tires on the truck and the TC/truck combo, driven with reasonable care at posted limits up to a maximum of 65 mph, has performed flawlessly. No white knuckle driving at all.

I still do not like the 3.5 inch squat caused by our TC which is why I am installing SuperSway stops in the next few weeks to engage the overload spring earlier. If that doesn't take at least half of the "squat" away, I will install an "add-a-leaf" helper spring. I know that will straighten things out for my goals and comfort level for our truck/camper combo. Your goals and comfort level may be different (more conservative).

Our previous 1992 Class C which we sold a few years back had a one piece aluminum roof and that was the most trouble free component of that rig. Maintain them and they will last a long, long time.

3) What I would do. If it were me (and given my experience from point #2), I would go back, remount the TC and take it for a test drive if they let me (i.e. dangerous without proper tie downs though and I would not do it) This will help you get a real world feel for the truck/camper combination.

I would measure the "before and after squat amount" caused by the TC. This should be done at the rear wheel. If it was within my comfort level to move forward, I would put forth an offer of $2,000 with the logic it will take at least another $1,000+ to equip this truck to carry this unit. If they do not go for it, I would leave my name and number and walk away. Nothing ventured ... nothing gained.

Remember, there is always another TC unit around the corner if you are patient enough. All the best with whatever you do. ~ BugJr ~

taycotrains,

You should have no problem carrying that Squire 8000 on your Ford 2500 truck depending on year, age, and condition of your truck, tires, shocks and true rear axle stand alone capacity but you will definitely need 3400+ capacity "E" range (80 psi) tires and airbags inflated to 40-60 lbs or other type weight support component addons. Of course your truck will squat a lot without having additional weight support items and so will a 3500 SRW truck. Your truck was built with an OEM combination of unloaded acceptable ride characteristics and reasonable carrying ability. A compromise!

We very safely carry and have since 2009 (over 80K miles now) a heavier and longer Lance TC on our GM 2500 HD diesel truck with airbags and 265 "E" Michelins. Drives and handles excellent but of course you don't want to turn a sharp corner at a higher speed any more than you would with your sold Angler. Just use common sense as you have a load and drive like that's what is being hauled. Our fully optioned out dry weight 9.5 Squire 4000 we had on our truck from 2004 till 2009 was even heavier than the Squire 8000 you had put on your truck and it went to Alaska from Michigan and all over the USA and Canada and never had an inkling of a weight issue or handling. Way over 100K mile traveled on 2 different GM 2500 trucks.

We still haul our 2150 lb boat/trailer combo and have behind the 2500 TC rig very often and this year will be hauling our heavier longer fiberglass cuddy cabin I/O boat behind the 990 TC/2500HD diesel rig with the class 5 hitch with a long extension. Speed driven is very important in regards to being truly safe and towing safely too. Never over 60 MPH period and no excuses as it's your life and others you are dealing with!

I see 1161/1191/1172's on 250/350/2500's all the time, especially driving on the sand at the beach where they do not want to fool with 4x4 DRW's.

Some people would tell you to just slap a set of airbags in there and hit the road.

Most certainly you were over your factory RAWR, but some would say that is limited by the tires, and higher-rated (usually larger) tires would give you more capacity.

There are those out there hauling 4000+lbs of truck camper with F250s who will probably call you crazy for backing out.