Suspension mods

You'd be far better off saving the money you would spend on upgrades and get an appropriate truck. I would certainly explore confronting the truck dealer if they told you that truck could carry that camper.

It says right on the Northstar website:

"The 8.5 Adventurer is 1/2-ton or larger compatible and will fit both long (8') or short bed (6' 6") trucks."

Weight STARTS at 1940 and goes up from there. Typical F150 REAL payload capacities STOP at around 1600 and go DOWN from there. At 1600lbs, the truck is looking SAD in the rear.

What 1/2 ton truck, save for the "fake" 1/2 tons, is going to be able to comfortably haul a camper like this? You're looking at 2500+ by the time all is said and done, 1000+ over your real available payload capacity.

ALL the TC manufacturers do this. How can they in good conscience? Answer is they don't have a conscience. Business is business.

Guess ill buck the trend here Mike and say that you can haul it relatively safely with the right mods. Coming from a guy with a 4klb plus camper on a 2500 that has logged the Alcan hwy and a bunch of AK back roads without issue.
If your F150 is the 7700? Lb gvw with the goofy 7 lug rims then you are in pretty good shape. They have a heavier rear diff than the std 150s.
Either way, tires are a must. Good OE alloy wheels or steelies. No foofy dubs on it.
Sway bar highly reccomended and then your favorite flavor of suspension mods. Timbrens will do it, add a leafs or airbags.
FWIW, my old '11 F150 made its first 40k mi with the OE C rated tires hauling a constant 800-1000lb in the bed, pulling a 14k deck over trailer with some substantial tongue weights with just timbrens. Truck is no worse for the wear. Just saw it yesterday, 60k and climbing. Not ideal but that's what happens when the district mgr doesn't think you need a HD truck.

This all depends what you're comfortable with. I started out hauling firewood stacked to the roof in old trucks that you hoped the tires didn't pop. Turned wrenches and hauled a lot of materials for a landscape co in my teens that would give most on here an instant heart attack. Welded up truck frames when the workers would overload them so bad the frame would split over the rear axle! Twisting off driveshafts, rebuilding axles annually or more, etc. they weren't always the right tool for the job, but I learned well what the physical limits of trucks were.
I don't look the same at 1000lb "overweight" as most.
Btw my wife is totally comfortable driving the truck/camper too, so it ain't that bad!

Payload and GVWR ratings may be misleading. The manufacturer can understate them for a variety of reasons (meeting federal / state regulations, competition, stratification between lines, warranty claims, etc.). For instance; I have a 2000 F350 and a 2014 Lance 1191. I weighed it with and without the camper on DOT scales at a Love's station and I'm about 1300 lb's over my GVWR fully loaded with passengers. On the other hand, I'm under on my axle ratings by a few hundred pounds.

What are they trying to avoid by underestimating the ratings? Commercial Vehicle Registration Act of 2001 (F450). Federal Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (F450). I live in Arizona and they have a tax that the F450 falls under as well.

You would be better off in a heavier truck, but I understand sometimes it's not in the current cards. Since you don't have a lot of options at this point, I would get it weighed at a truck gas station like a Loves with the camper on. It costs $10. The will weigh the front and the rear at the same time. Find out what your GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) is for the front and rear. It's typically on a sticker in your door jamb. Don't go over those weights. If you are over GAWR, you're done from a safety standpoint. If you're under, and I suspect you are, then look at your tire rating, I suspect you'll be way over. A good LT E rated tire will have a payload of ~ 3500 lbs which will work. The stiff sidewalls really help.

After that, visit a spring shop and get some extra leaf springs on the rear to help with the sag, plus torklift stableload bump stops. The spring guys will be able to help you with that. I'd avoid timbrens, they will impact your unloaded ride. HD shocks like bilstein or Rancho shocks next. Evaluate the ride and if you need more, then swaybars (back 1st). From the posts I've read, "every 1/8 inch increase in diameter of the swaybar produces a 30% increase in strength". The two main swaybar candidates are Roadmaster and Helwig BigWig. Choose whichever has a bigger diameter bar. I have Roadmaster on my rear and Helwig on my front. Airbags if you are still getting sag.

In summary, your camper says it will fit on a 1/2 ton. Weigh your camper and truck and see where you are on GAWR. If you're under GAWR and your tire weight rating then start your suspension mods. GAWR and tire ratings are hard numbers that I won't exceed.

Your F150 most likely has the semi-floating Visteon Ford 8.8 axle. Since the shafts are supported only on one side with bearings, it only has a 3800 lb rating for the 6-lug version. The semi-floating 9.75 axle with 7-lugs has a 4800 lbs rating. If you can keep less than much weight off the axle, you will be fine.

https://www.fleet.ford.com/TRUCKBBAS/topics/2014/2014F150_techspecs.pdf

Once you get into the F250 and F350, they use a full floating Visteon Sterling 10.5 axle that is rated 9750 lbs - This is why many of the forum members are trying to push you into the next larger class truck.

http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/0112or-semi-floating-and-full-floating-axles/

Bedlam wrote:
Your F150 most likely has the semi-floating Visteon Ford 8.8 axle. Since the shafts are supported only on one side with bearings, it only has a 3800 lb rating for the 6-lug version. The semi-floating 9.75 axle with 7-lugs has a 4800 lbs rating. If you can keep less than much weight off the axle, you will be fine.

Good information Bedlam

I found this regarding the HD Payload package too:

F150 HD Package
- high capacity wheels
- LT tires
- HD shocks
- upgraded rear axle: 9.75" gear set (instead of 8.80")
- upgraded springs
- upgraded radiator and aux. transmission oil cooler
- stronger frame on all but screw (0.150 instead of 0.110 rail thickness). Screw has 0.150 rail thickness regardless of HD payload package already.

E-rated tires, HD shocks, leaf springs and/or RoadMaster Active Suspension (RAS)?

Need to know a few things before making a recommendation.

What is your RAWR and GVWR?
What is your scaled empty weight?
What rear axle do you have? Post a photo if unsure.

There is generally some wiggle room, when looking at trucks... Not much on a 1/2 ton as a 3/4 ton, but you might be able to carefully pull it off.

If you where sold something you couldn't do with the equipment you presented I would demand a full buy back, then get an appropriate truck.