Quick review-camper loaded on new truck

Wow! Nice looking camper on your truck. That combo looks great together. Thanks for showing both of them off with those nice photos. Enjoy.

I do have a soft spot for the style and looks of the Dodge trucks, and the two look like they were meant to go together.

Nice package Mark

GpnAZ wrote:
I loaded my Lance 865 on my new 2014 RAM 3500 SRW truck tonight to see how it would sit and drive. It ended up sitting 2-2.5 inches lower in the rear with the camper on it, but I have done no mods to the truck. I then took it out for a test drive down the freeway and side streets, not far, but enough to get a feel of it. All I can say is WOW, what a difference in the handling between this truck and my 2008' Dodge Power Wagon 2500 with suspension mods. I can go around corners with this truck and barely feel my camper on it, I am very happy with it. I have a picture of it loaded, but not sure it will appear, if not, go to www.flickr.com/photos/gpnusa. Thanks for looking!

Looks like your Camper is a good fit with your new Ram. Just the information i am looking for with the Dodge Ram 3500 SRW, with a TC. Thank you for posting your information.
Scott

Mellow Mike - I'm having Amp Power steps put on next week and I had Tom"s Camperland install the Torklift tiedowns and wiring for the 7 pin plugin. I read your writeup on the installation, good job as always. The one thing I did not like about the front tiedowns on mine, is they stick out about 3 inches farther then they need to. I am going to contact Torklift about it because I would like to drill another hole so I can slide them in another 3".

jefe4x4 - My rear spring packs are just like Mellow Mikes, I will probably try the half set Stable Loads first like Jumbo Jet suggested and go from there. It does not have a rear anti-sway bar, I am just trying to do the fewest mods I can to get away from all the clanking and banging these additional suspension mods make sometimes. My 275-70rx18" Firestone tires are E-rated and the load rating I think was 3600-3700 lbs, so I will wear these out before I try something else.

1mtnman - Thank you.

bka0721 - Thank you and it is nice when you're truck is matched closely with your truck.

clickrf8 - Thank you for the nice words.

Bigfootchevy - Thank you and I will definitely be looking at the Torklift stableloads.

Nice looking rig. You may want to look into Torklift stableloads, they work great on my 1 ton SRW.

Happy camping.

Paul

Very nice looking set up with great photos to show it off. I like white.

Sure looks great, Mark. It certainly makes a difference when a well sorted truck carries a load appropriate for it. It would be difficult for me to get into another truck/camper and not feel secure like my own truck and camper does. The squat should be an easy issue to remedy. Have some great adventures in it!

b

Jefe,
Here's a pic of my unloaded leaf springs. My truck is identical to Mark's.

Mark,
Does your new truck have secondaries (top overloads) as a 3500 package? If so, explore stable loads. You will get less squat. What size wheels and tires do you have, and what is their factory load rating? Does the new rig have an anti-sway bar? I've heard some newer Dodges do not. You just need to incrementally increase your rear axle load carrying capacity (with tires usually the weak link in the chain).
I cruised the internet after you posted this to find out if they make G rated traction truck tires that might fit your needs. Only one found. A 16" rim size only. Oh, plenty of 19.5 stiffies out there with no way to lower the pressure for sand.
Now starts the 'incrementalism' we are all so fond of: Getting there by degrees.
Looks like a very good start, however.
Having been in your Lance at Expo, I am still two thumbs up.
jefe