BeMurda wrote:
Two different posts with two fairly different opinions! The base weight of the Lance 950s is under 2900lbs so the person selling this unit is I believe being honest about the actual weight at 3150.
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...
mkirsch is right from a real world practical standpoint. The Jim is right also, when it comes to exceeding mfgs recommendations.
Which btw is 2900lbs and change for a new F350 CCLB 4x4 with the gasser engine. (Or about 1000lbs less than the payload rating)
Worth noting that the only meaningful material differences between a srw and a dually (in general) is usually greater rear spring rate and higher rear tire/wheel weight capacity. There isn't an axle under a HD srw pickup from the last 20+ years that isn't actually rated for around 10klbs. Your biggest real world limitation will be rim weight rating of around 3600lbs/ea for OE type rims and tires which will be int he 3600-3800lb cap for OE type tires. Springs/airbags/sway bars are easy additions.
And I won't publicly recommend it, but have been carrying in excess of OE rim weight capacities (few hundred lbs/ea) for alot of years and alot of different trucks. They're not the achilles heel in the equation.
Also, the "add 1000lbs" to dry weight is an accurate rule of thumb. Some people carry rocks, some go light, most add about 1000lbs to a TC ready to camp.
LP and batteries add to dry weight - around 200lbs for 2 batteries and 2 bottles.
Water - fresh water 40-50gal in a big TC - 300-400lbs
Gray and black - add another couple hundred if you somehow have those full as well as freshwater. But could consider gray and black replacing fw weight although boondocking, I can easily be filling the black tank, gray goes in the woods when needed and have extra fresh water.
So 500lbs MINIMUM just for gas water and propane.
I took I'd guesstimate at least 200lbs of "stuff" out of our TC. Dishes, tools, camping gear, extra bedding etc.
Now you're at 700lbs minimum over dry weight.
Add a weeks worth of groceries, beer, cases of water and kid drinks, easily 100lbs or more.
Add 3 or 4 people's personal gear, clothing etc, another 100lbs.
That's 900lbs before you start hanging bbqs and bicycles off the back, gear that's in the truck, 50lb bed mat, couple arm loads of campfire wood stuffed somewhere, little genny and a gas can...
1000lbs is pretty accurate unless you intentionally travel real light.
That said, if you're not good with going over mfgs recommendations, a med size or larger TC on a srw truck is a non starter.
If you're ok with what the rest of the world does every day, I wouldn't hesitate to haul a 3000lb dry, 4000lb + loaded TC on aany new 1 ton srw.
Hauled 4000lbs worth of TC on our 2007 Dodge diesel Mega cab for alot of years and alot of miles, including the Alcan and all over AK. Guy that bought it with 190k miles bought the camper too and 2 years later he's still liking it and it hasn't broke in half or snapped a spring yet!
Short story is, a new 1 ton srw is a perfect truck for your intended use and you can use it with confidence.
Dually will be more stable though if you're easily frightened or don't like using the suggested speeds on the yellow "curve" signs.
