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monicahorn's avatar
monicahorn
Explorer
Sep 12, 2013

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 crew cab, but we are waiting until after we pick out the camper.

So if this Lance Lite ends up being "the one" what truck would suffice? My husband wants me to add these things:

~We will be traveling with a total of 4, occasionally 5 persons (4 average weight- one very skinny 13 yr old daughter :D)

~Most of our initial use of the truck camper will be for fishing on the beach (sand) at a state park near us.

So--- F-250 or F-350?
Diesel Turbo V-8 or V10?
Modifications?

Any tips would be appreciated as the term "newbie" doesn't even begin to describe us!!

14 Replies

  • I carry a 815 lite on a diesel 3/4, don't even know its back there. They only weigh about 2200. The problem I see for you is 2 many people. Going to be very cramped with 4/5 people.Mine is 8'6" and for a SB, might be ok if a LB.What ever you decide, have fun.
  • The rule of thumb is to buy way-more truck than you think you will need.

    If you are not going to put many miles on the truck, a gas engine is fine.
    For sand, be sure it's 4WD, SRW and wide tires that you can deflate and inflate yourself.
    With 5 people, even for a short trip, get a quad cab, single rear wheel, one-ton.
    It will have an 8 foot bed. Wait...is the 815 for a long bed? I think so. A used gas, one ton, SRW is not a hot commodity, so are fairly cheap on the used market. Look for one with worn out tires so you can shoe the thing with wide tires appropriate for sand. I would be less brand specific, as the big 3 have a truck that will work well for you. Just keep your ear to the ground and sniff out some good deal on some kind of one ton, even a dualie if it is priced right.
    jefe
  • Either truck would be okay. You can generally get more payload with the v10 opposed to the diesel. We got the V10 in our F-250. We wanted the diesel but it was simply out of our price range and settled with the V10. We tow about 8,000 pounds with it. Diesel will give you more power and torque, but if buying strictly for fuel economy, it will take a long long time to recoupe that expense. We also traded in a F-150 in for this pickup.
  • JMHO... I'd choose the 1 ton over the 3/4. Not a huge difference in cost, yet provides considerably more capacity should you tow or go larger in the future. I'm a diesel fan. More power, better mileage, and longevity while getting the job done. Just ask my F-350 7.3 diesel dually. No truck payments for a long time. YMMV