When you are considering installing a built in LP gas generator, that is a fairly heavy option, not included in the dry weight of most campers. You also need to pay attention to the "Center of Gravity" that for most campers starts to go farther and farther from the cab as you add things well behind the tailgate, and especially heavy items like a generator or rear mounted shower, and it's tanks.
Under the floor "Basement" tanks will bring the weight a little farther forward.
I used to have a 75 F-350 SRW supercab with a 460" engine. The curb weight was a lot less than the current trucks, and I could carry 3,300 pounds in addition to a full load of 6 passengers. I had a 10' camper on it when I bought it, and later replaced it with a 9.5' Coachman camper built in 1972. It had a forward wet bath. Under the bath was a fresh water tank, sort of in a basement, the floor being raised about 6". Under the dinette also raised about 6" was the water pump and black tank. The floor next to the dinette and kitchen cabinets was not raised. So it was not a full basement.
I really liked that design, because of the 3' forward bathroom, it was huge compared to most current campers. The rear 6'+ was the dinette on the passenger side and kitchen on the drivers side, leading to a 3' closet on the drivers side, front, with a door that opens the closet also closing off the hallway and bathroom. Of course orange plexiglass separated the cabover and bathroom. It was the "Modern 70's"
Anyway after driving a camper for a lot of miles, and going in and out of National Parks, handling 25 - 35 MPH crosswinds, I can tell you it is realy nice to have plenty of that camper weight on the front axle, instead of it hanging way off the back. I was happy I had a longbed, despite it taking two blocks to make a u-turn.
So I would recommend a F-350 SRW longbed if you plan to carry a light camper with a shower in it. A dually is recmmended if the camper "Dry" weight will be above 2,500 pounds. Wet weight and options like the generator you want will surely bring up that weight to well beyond the 3,500 to 3,800 pound cargo rating of the SRW F-350.
I would also recommend gas engines, unless you really plan on driving it well over 15,000 miles a year. A small car for driving back and forth to work, and then a truck to take on vacations, you will be fine.
Or look at Lance Campers, and see what the trailer weights are. Your 1/2 ton should be able to tow a 26' Lance trailer for a reasonable price, and have the ability to go off road too.
Fred.
