BeMurda wrote:
I have no interest in exceeding the sticker payload (I'm a lawyer lol) but I don't feel that we will travel with 1000lbs of gear? It doesn't make sense in my head...
Does it not make sense or you just don't want to believe it?
Surely there is a major difference between the way different people use their TCs. In my case, a second solar panel, a second battery, and a generator with fuel adds several hundred pounds. Others may not need any of this. I travel with a couple of light weight aluminum chairs and a grate for outdoor cooking. Others might carry a picnic table and heavy, zero gravity chairs and a BBQ grill and stand. I stock my camper with some basic staple food, spices, etc. Others might skip all of this. Even so a few days of food can get quite heavy. Most of us are going to also want cooking/eating gear, towels, bedding, extra clothing. I am amazed at the tools some people carry. I just have a few small bags of tools, hardware, repair items, and a tire compressor. Chances are you will need leveling blocks. You might also want to consider a bottle jack since the OEM jack is unlikely to work for a loaded camper.
If you have not done so, I strongly recommend weighing your rig after it is loaded for use. Be sure to check the rear axle weight and compare that with the tire load rating.
This is not a matter of wishful thinking, or calling wolf. A 3000# dry weight camper is very likely to exceed what a 350 should carry. Upgrades to the suspension can be costly. 19.5 rims and wheels can be over $3000. None of those upgrades will do anything to increase braking capacity.
Have you looked at Torqlift brackets and tiedowns? Those for my Ram are huge, very thick steel and way heavier than what I gained by removing the tailgate.
