Truck suggestions for a Lance Lite 815
This Saturday we are going to look at our first used truck camper for sale. It's a Lance Lite 815 with the extended cab over. We will be trading in our F-150 4x4 crew cab for a 3/4 ton or 1 ton 4x4...
Forum Discussion
No need for the expense of a diesel engine for any camper of any size and any weight. Diesels make sense when towing a 13,000 lb. or heavier trailer, otherwise a gas engine and 4.10 gears are all that is needed. With a used truck I would look for one with a 5 or 6 speed transmission as well as the 4.10 gears.
A 2500 will easily carry the load. The 1-ton trucks have an extra set of leaf springs and may have higher load rated tires. Easy to add Supersprings if needed and easy to change tires. Regardless of the truck you are likely to need to replace the shocks with new and better ones (Bilsein 5100 or Rancho 9000XL).
Good idea to upgrade the shocks and add the tie-downs and wiring harness for the Lance camper in advance and then when you find the camper you can pick it up and load it and drive away.
The 815 has a Lance specified weight of nearly 1800 lbs. but it is likely that the one you find will weigh closer to 2200 lbs. and by the time you load it up it will weigh around 3,000 lbs. and this is still within the capabilities of a 3/4 ton pickup. The 1-ton trucks use the same rear axle and wheel bearings and only have extra leaf springs to carry more weight.
A crew cab or extended/super/mega cab will hold three passengers in the rear seat. The overall truck length and wheel base is longer with a long bed truck and longer still with a crew cab. I would never own one with their very large turning radius that makes getting around town a pain and getting into many campsites a lot more difficult.
Check the actual sleeping space available in the 815 carefully. Our Lance 845 is supposed to sleep 4 but actually can sleep 2 adults and two short people.
A 2500 will easily carry the load. The 1-ton trucks have an extra set of leaf springs and may have higher load rated tires. Easy to add Supersprings if needed and easy to change tires. Regardless of the truck you are likely to need to replace the shocks with new and better ones (Bilsein 5100 or Rancho 9000XL).
Good idea to upgrade the shocks and add the tie-downs and wiring harness for the Lance camper in advance and then when you find the camper you can pick it up and load it and drive away.
The 815 has a Lance specified weight of nearly 1800 lbs. but it is likely that the one you find will weigh closer to 2200 lbs. and by the time you load it up it will weigh around 3,000 lbs. and this is still within the capabilities of a 3/4 ton pickup. The 1-ton trucks use the same rear axle and wheel bearings and only have extra leaf springs to carry more weight.
A crew cab or extended/super/mega cab will hold three passengers in the rear seat. The overall truck length and wheel base is longer with a long bed truck and longer still with a crew cab. I would never own one with their very large turning radius that makes getting around town a pain and getting into many campsites a lot more difficult.
Check the actual sleeping space available in the 815 carefully. Our Lance 845 is supposed to sleep 4 but actually can sleep 2 adults and two short people.
