Camper Package on F-350
Looking at used F-350 Dually's for my camper. Not seeing many with the camper package.
Anyone found a solution to modify F-350 for that so it can carry large camper safely?
Forum Discussion
27 Replies
Thanks for the replies, good discussion. I think I'll keep looking for a newer truck over the winter. If I can't find one that appeals to me I put a HD sway bar on the old rig in the spring.
I did test drive a 22 F-350 dually with 7.3 but it had a few problems I didn't want to deal with.
Since you’ve been around this forum for a longtime and I remember your participation I’ll assume your question is serious.
A dually, any dually, any make, virtually any year will be the highest GVW offering in a class 3 vehicle.
I don’t even know what a camper package consists of on the rigs you’re looking at. But it’s almost certainly not safety (weight carrying) related and it’s not offering tie downs. So buy whatever dually you want and then outfit it to receive a camper. Which is basically adding tie downs and a bed mat if it doesn’t have one. And possibly an extension to the plug in for the camper lights.
Since you’re unspecific about the camper and its weight, can’t recommend any suspension upgrades or their necessity.
If you identify the camper and the specific truck we can tell yoo what yoo need.Camper weighs Front 4000 Back 7375 on my current 99 SRW F350 w/V10
I also have 19.5 vision wheels and tires along with upper and lower torklift along with the camper package on that truck.
Been looking around at what is out there thinking of getting a newer truck. Haven't fully decided to switch to DRW or stay with SRW. If I do decide to stay with SRW I would keep the 19.5 wheels and tires. I think they would fit and the new truck would be right at the max spec for the rear weight not way over spec like it is on my 99 F350.
I think Ford is putting a sheet in the glove box now that says truck is not certified to carry slide-in camper if the truck wasn't ordered with camper package.
I do think a dually would carry my camper better than my SRW F350 but am exploring what other DRW owners have done to suspension especially if the truck didn't have the camper package.
Would like to stick with gas engine since I don't drive a lot of miles.
so if you put the springs from a dually on your f350 SRW it will ride pretty close to the same as a dually (going to start a whole argument here, please don't lets take that argument to a different topic) it won't legally raise your load carrying legally, but it will be very similar to a dually with out the extra width. then add the sway bar, a Hellwig bigwig is a very good one. ya the springs and sway bar will cost a big but it is not a lot compared to getting a new vehicle. how much are you over the rear axel weight right now?
the camper package actually has nothing to do with a camper, just a old name carried forward over time, springs and a sway bar is pretty much it if you get a gas motor, if you have diesel you already have the front springs so its just rear springs and a sway bar.
as for the gas / diesel debate engine weight is minimal, in the ford its 480lbs difference over the base, and 400lbs difference over the 7.3 gas (including all the parts that go with it) so with campers engine weight isn't an issue unless you want to put a motor bike carrier on a front receiver and haul a Harley. seeing you have the V10 that is probably less of a difference.
as for the reason you stated of low milage, I am not sure that I would go that way either.. gas goes bad diesel pretty much lasts forever, where gas starts to degrade in 3 to 4 months diesel can go up to 2 years before you have to worry about it. so just from a fuel system standpoint for something that's not used as much the diesel is better.
Besides what has already been mentioned I would add a camper electrical plug (same as a 5th wheel plug) to the front side of the box on the driver's side to make plugging in your camper more convenient.
I put mine in the back side of the box on the drivers side, the newer ford come there if you ask them to put in a 5th wheel plug.
you don't need it with the dually, it already has a rear sway bar and the heavier springs. maybe not the front spring, but a camper puts almost all the weight on the rear if it is sized right for the truck anyways.
Not much to it. It adds heavier springs in the front but all F350's already have the upgraded springs in the rear. The only other addition is a rear sway bar. So any F350 could be easily and cheaply modified to the "camper package". Hellwig bar is likely better than the Ford one anyway. The "camper package" does not include the tie downs, turnbuckles, wiring etc, so you'll need to get those anyway. On an F350 it's only the front springs and a rear sway bar. Cheap and DIY if you're up to it.
