Will a truck camper fit over the 5er rails in the truck bed?

About the Northern Lite 10-2… great choice, after owning six or seven campers since the ‘80s I’ll only own a Bigfoot or Northern Lite fiberglass non-slide.
But about the weight, 3360 is pure fantasy. Loaded to go in the real world it’s around 5000 pounds.
Not to scare you off, your truck will be fine. I’m just bringing you up to speed on what it really weighs, and the same is true for every camper. They’re all a lot heavier in the real world than the “dry weight” spec.

I have a Dodge diesel dually and I sometimes tow a 10,000 pound trailer behind it.

I have a 1999 Ford F350 DRW PSD and a 2004 S&S 8.5. When I bought the truck back in '07 for this TC it was set up for a 5er. I didn't need the rails, so I pulled them. I also lucked out with Air bags already installed w/onboard compressor and in-cab control. They work GREAT to eliminate the "TC Waddle" running down the road.

What I don't see anyone talking about is the cab over clearance. When I first loaded the camper I had 2x4 flat for spacers. The cab over just cleared the cab roof marker lights. I very quickly learned I needed more clearance as the frame flexed enough to crunch the clearance lights at times over bumps. I now understand that with the intro of the Super Duty Ford changed what use to be kind of an industry standard cab height.....so some TC's need extra spacers in the bed. I went to 4x4's (actual 3"). There is more to that for another time.

Bottom line watch the cab over clearance height. It’s not a big deal, just need the right spacing. Depending, of course on the height of your hitch rails, I am pretty sure you could notch the spacers to fit over your rails.

BTW - I lucked out with a great truck & TC combo. My low milage truck just purrs and doesn't seem to make much difference with or without my Utility trailer, with the motorcycles inside, or the boat!

We love convenience of traveling with the TC!

srschang wrote:
I have a 2022 Ram dually and a Northstar 12' no slide camper.
- The Northstar is 3300# weighed new at the dealer. With batteries, propane, water, and all the other stuff, ready for camping, it weighs 4800#.
- The Ram dually squats about 3 1/2" when the camper is loaded on the truck. It looks like it's sagging in the back, and I thought about airbags, but then I noticed that the overload springs are just engaging when the camper weight is fully on the truck. If I lifted it at all with airbags, it might look better, but then it would be off the overloads. You don't want that.

Unless you like the water bed feel, air bags are great at leveling side to side but you need your over loads engaged, the more you unload the overloads the bouncier the ride will be.

The above is why people use taller pads on their overloads. It will engage them higher and allow the truck to sit more level.

I have a 2022 Ram dually and a Northstar 12' no slide camper.
- The Northstar is 3300# weighed new at the dealer. With batteries, propane, water, and all the other stuff, ready for camping, it weighs 4800#.
- The Ram dually squats about 3 1/2" when the camper is loaded on the truck. It looks like it's sagging in the back, and I thought about airbags, but then I noticed that the overload springs are just engaging when the camper weight is fully on the truck. If I lifted it at all with airbags, it might look better, but then it would be off the overloads. You don't want that.

IMHO: some folks simply like spending $$$ and many around here like convincing others to spend $$$.

There is an old saying: "if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it"

in THIS CASE, you won't know if there is anything to "fix" until you load the camper and drive it.


- Mark0.

joebedford wrote:
I know air bags don't increase weight capacity but do you think I'll need them to keep my truck level? It settles about 2" with 3100 pound king pin weight.

Wait til you drove it and see what you need.

I wouldn't lose any sleep over air bags or not. Those first 2 or 3 inches are for running around empty and saving your back. I have them because I worried about due to reading too much here. I will put a bit of air in them if I am going on a long trip but really my truck does not need them. I'd wait and see how it sit and rides.

Phil

I know air bags don't increase weight capacity but do you think I'll need them to keep my truck level? It settles about 2" with 3100 pound king pin weight.

I noticed a couple weeks ago that the scales were still on south of Ennis so I got my rolling weight fully loaded. It came in at 15,720 including the trailer but it was the lighter one with just the UTV on it. Your newer truck will not have any issues with something like an AF 990. Don't let the Weight Police here scare you like I did when I first started, these trucks are more than up to it. I worried for nothing for about a year over that.

I have found that we use the camper a lot for road trips even when not pulling anything, great for keeping ones sanity during family visits.

Phil