Thanks so much for all of the answers, this does give me some clarity and focus. First I am definitely not interested in buying a new truck or changing to DRW. The truck is a 2012 Ram 3500, the payload is 5130lbs. I need to check the tires, but believe they are 17. That is good information, thank you. I would not be opposed to upgrading tires/wheels.
The tongue weight on my biggest trailer as we load it would be 800-1000lbs. Loaded it will be 4000- 6000lbs depending on trip(3000 empty). That would be rarely used with the camper but would like to keep that option open. We also have a tiny snowmobile/boat trailer that is max 1100 lbs loaded, tongue weight would be negligible on that one, I can move it by hand loaded. We would like to take that more often.
We do not need or want a bigger camper. like I mentioned in my first post, just something easier to load with a bathroom and more comfortable bed. Our current camper is a 1978 or '80. It has a short cabover and no bathroom. The furnace is propane but gravity so it does not require a fan.
joerg is right, solar is pretty useless up here in the winter, days too short and sun too weak. We are resigned to maybe getting a generator, so were intrigued by the Lance we looked at with built in generator, seemed to solve that nicely.
