A few weeks ago picked up a new 2016 Ram Power Wagon and want sell my teardrop and get a TC. My current budget is around 14k. The payload is listed at 1384 lbs but the listed axle and tire ratings add up to around 3100 lbs payload. The PW is basically a RAM 2500 except the coil springs are softer for off road. I will be adding some Airlift 5000 air bags. I looked at getting a shell model of a Four Wheel camper but they are running 15+ weeks build time and really wanted to do some camping this summer. Currently considering a Palomino ss-550. The new models seem to have corrected some of the issues the older models had. They have gone to a radius door and at least aluminum framing under the cab over. The used market for TC's in the Midwest seems pretty slim. Guess I am just looking for experienced advice if my current direction/choice is not a bad one....

A very knowledgeable and missed member who passed away a couple of years ago was DonCurley. You may want to see if you can read his posts about truck campers on Power Wagons. It is not a good fit.When he bought it, he expressly made it known that he was going to use it for a truck camper and the salesman told him it would be fine. His excursion were off road on terrain that one might think a PW would be ideal. It was so bad (and i do not remember the exact stuff) but the dealer took the truck back and Don eventually bought a Q-cab, short bed 3500. He made the 3500 off road worthy for his style (winch, lights, etc...) with items and component similar to the "frills" offered by Dodge on the PW.Not trying to discourage you, but Don was a great guy who lived the TC desert camping lifestyle. he also brought a lot to these forums. One of those was the no-so-good experience of a Power Wagon with a TC.R.I.P Don Curley.

I used searchtempest.com and rvtrader.com to find the camper that was on my short list. Dont forget about the torklifts to tie it all down.Ben

To be fair, those posts from DonCurley about Power Wagons were from 2010. What was a valid concern in 2010 may not hold true now.

Very true. A new generation of Dodge's have come out and PW's may be more compatible now.

MN Ben wrote:Dont forget about the torklifts to tie it all down.BenHJ's you be a better choice in this case.IIRC the PW has sway bars that disconnect for full articulation.Frame mounted tie downs may not be the best choice for hard core off road travel...

Seeking advice on camper for my new truck | Good Sam Community

RWDIII
Explorer
May 21, 2016
Stopbit wrote:
RWDIII wrote:

with the COG I would weigh it before I believed it.I have had 2 Palominos and both had the COG behind the rear wheels on a shortbed
pickup.
the
ford is 6ft9in and the Ram is 6ft4in and would be worse
Your truck is made for HD 4x4 not hauling stuff

To make your pictures work you need to go to photobucket or something similiar

I am only going buy specs on Palomino's website which show 37" plus for all soft side models except 550 at 22". I have not bought anything yet...

Good luck on your project Get it weighed empty and with camper
and add some pic
Stopbit
Explorer
May 21, 2016
jefe 4x4 wrote:
Stopbit,
let us know how your lashup works out. There is usually some "fiddling" with the suspension when you add a truck camper, no matter hard side or soft. The trick is to load you sxxx and find out what needs to be addressed. The other 'myth' is that soft side campers weigh less than hard sides. SOME soft sides weight less than hard sides. Soft sides are somewhat better off-road as they have better clearance for trees up top, and a somewhat lower center of gravity. But, most soft sides are wider and longer than my hardside Lance 165-s, so, pick your poison.
regards, jefe

Spec wise the ss-550 appears close to yours. Same width of 86" and about 1 foot shorter with about the same weight. As your pointed out, I went with softside for lower COG mainly. I fully expect some "fiddling" with my not so common choice of truck.
jefe_4x4
Explorer
May 21, 2016
Stopbit,
let us know how your lashup works out. There is usually some "fiddling" with the suspension when you add a truck camper, no matter hard side or soft. The trick is to load you sxxx and find out what needs to be addressed. The other 'myth' is that soft side campers weigh less than hard sides. SOME soft sides weight less than hard sides. Soft sides are somewhat better off-road as they have better clearance for trees up top, and a somewhat lower center of gravity. But, most soft sides are wider and longer than my hardside Lance 165-s, so, pick your poison.
regards, jefe
Stopbit
Explorer
May 21, 2016
Steve_in_29 wrote:

^^^ THIS !!!

Don and I discussed the PW debacle at length back then. His PW would move around like a drunken sailor as it went down the road and was SCARY when off-road as the load shifted around.

In a couple weeks I will be be able to report on how the new generation of PW handles a TC. The reports from the powerwagonregistry.org forum seem to confirm I should be fine but as I have said plan B is to swap to standard 2500 coils.
Steve_in_29
Explorer
May 21, 2016
d3500ram wrote:
A very knowledgeable and missed member who passed away a couple of years ago was DonCurley. You may want to see if you can read his posts about truck campers on Power Wagons. It is not a good fit.

When he bought it, he expressly made it known that he was going to use it for a truck camper and the salesman told him it would be fine. His excursion were off road on terrain that one might think a PW would be ideal. It was so bad (and i do not remember the exact stuff) but the dealer took the truck back and Don eventually bought a Q-cab, short bed 3500. He made the 3500 off road worthy for his style (winch, lights, etc...) with items and component similar to the "frills" offered by Dodge on the PW.

Not trying to discourage you, but Don was a great guy who lived the TC desert camping lifestyle. he also brought a lot to these forums. One of those was the no-so-good experience of a Power Wagon with a TC.

R.I.P Don Curley.

^^^ THIS !!!

Don and I discussed the PW debacle at length back then. His PW would move around like a drunken sailor as it went down the road and was SCARY when off-road as the load shifted around.
Stopbit
Explorer
May 20, 2016
So I put a deposit down on a 2017 Palomino SS-550 which should be available first week of June. Having Airlift 5000's installed next week. If for some reason the air bags are not enough will just have the PW rear coil springs replaced with stock 2500 springs and spacer to keep the small lift. I figure either way the winch and front/rear lockers will be more than enough for any of the forest service roads I would feel safe taking the big beast anyway.
Stopbit
Explorer
May 17, 2016
RWDIII wrote:

with the COG I would weigh it before I believed it.I have had 2 Palominos and both had the COG behind the rear wheels on a shortbed
pickup.
the
ford is 6ft9in and the Ram is 6ft4in and would be worse
Your truck is made for HD 4x4 not hauling stuff

To make your pictures work you need to go to photobucket or something similiar

I am only going buy specs on Palomino's website which show 37" plus for all soft side models except 550 at 22". I have not bought anything yet...
RWDIII
Explorer
May 17, 2016
Stopbit wrote:
The real weirdness with the PW is the numbers on the door sticker. GAVR Front: 4750 LB, GAVR Rear: 6200 LB but GVWR 8510 LB. The tire and loading sticker says 1352 LB for occupants and cargo. Tires are Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac Tire LT285/70R17D with max load of 3195 @ 65 psi. My math says truck should weigh 7158 LB and axles can support 10,950 LB with tires rated to 12,780. That leaves 3792 LB but RAM's math says 1352 LB. The ss-550 has dry weight of 1594 LB with COG at 22" which would leave 2198 LB for people and stuff and not exceed axle or tire weights but would exceed GVWR. I am really confused and seem to find conflicting info as why numbers don't add up. Best guess is the soft springs but wouldn't some 5000 LB rated airbags make up for that?

with the COG I would weigh it before I believed it.I have had 2 Palominos and both had the COG behind the rear wheels on a shortbed
pickup.
the
ford is 6ft9in and the Ram is 6ft4in and would be worse
Your truck is made for HD 4x4 not hauling stuff

To make your pictures work you need to go to photobucket or something similiar
Stopbit
Explorer
May 17, 2016
The real weirdness with the PW is the numbers on the door sticker. GAVR Front: 4750 LB, GAVR Rear: 6200 LB but GVWR 8510 LB. The tire and loading sticker says 1352 LB for occupants and cargo. Tires are Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac Tire LT285/70R17D with max load of 3195 @ 65 psi. My math says truck should weigh 7158 LB and axles can support 10,950 LB with tires rated to 12,780. That leaves 3792 LB but RAM's math says 1352 LB. The ss-550 has dry weight of 1594 LB with COG at 22" which would leave 2198 LB for people and stuff and not exceed axle or tire weights but would exceed GVWR. I am really confused and seem to find conflicting info as why numbers don't add up. Best guess is the soft springs but wouldn't some 5000 LB rated airbags make up for that?
RWDIII
Explorer
May 17, 2016
Stopbit wrote:
I never thought a hard side camper would be a good option for my PW and would never exceed my gross axle weight rating. The ss-550 has dry weight of 1594 lbs which would leave 1500 lbs of room before I hit GAWR. But I may have found a way to get a FWC hawk shell late July. The FWC is built better and should make the weight police happy since it's dry weight is around 850 lbs. Also with the FWC I would most likely leave it on the truck full time where the ss-550 would have come off except for camping trips.

I have a Palomino pop up and the new ones are better with one piece door and electric top.
All the wt will be on the rear axle,
my F250 is 2880 empty and 4780 with camper.
on the pop ups the COG will be behind the rear axle