Advice on truck and camper purchase

[Spikeman]

Greetings I have been reading and learning at the Forum for the past 3 years taking notes. I finally decided to buy a truck and camper. Like many of you I face the following dilemmas off-road ability vs. style and comfort. or spending big bucks for something I may not be crazy about for years on end. Having almost ruled out a popup camper. I am considering making the following compromise decision advice and criticism please.
2019 RAM 2500 4x4 Crew Cab Tradesman 8ft box 6.4 gas Hemi
PAYLOAD 3190.00LBS Off-road package ,Anti-Spin Differential Rear Axle, Electric Shift-on-the-Fly Transfer Case LT275/70R18E OWL On/Off-Road Tires 3690 payload, Hill decent ,off-road shocks Ground clearance 8.6” Many components from the Power Wagon will be adding rear progressive Sumo Super springs Please advise?
Palomino HS750 hard side dry weight with options about 2150lbs H 8'2' W 86” FL 8'2 Solar panels 200w,2x Battery Group 24 12V AGM Battery, Tie Down Package-4 Torklift Brackets W/4 Happijac Turnbuckles & Chain, rubber bed mat. Palomino now has all aluminum frame with upgraded interior small but doable for a single man
Question how much 4 wheeling will I be capable of ? Forest roads only Burr Trail or Mogollon Rim trails like or something more extreme. Should I buy a Pop-up instead? Thanks

[lonegunman]

Most of the advice you get here is bad. You do not need a dually to buy a truck camper and it is possible to drive down a dirt road with a non-pop up camper. Air bags are always a plus, they do get that right.

I've been hauling my Arctic Fox on my SRW truck since 2015, between 5 and 10K miles a year, including plenty of trips into the national forests for hunting seasons with zero issues. Zero issues on three, cross country, three week road trips. I 4-seasons camp, so a pop-up is not ideal. Occasionally I wish my camper wasn't so tall, but I never wish is was less comfortable.

If I had listened to the weight wonks here, I'd still be in the driveway with them. This is a web site ran by a company that sells **** for campers, if you bought everything recommended you would go broke and never see actual camping.

[Spikeman]

No I was ridiculing the want be's on regular dirt roads. The dilemma has resolved itself! I purchased the Ram 2500 with off road package at a big discount yesterday and it is huge. It has the lift and stance of a Power Wagon!
top of the cab 80"
top the bed 60"
wheel diameter 33"
22' feet long
ground clearance 12"
Much too tall for a hardside camper going to buy a Palomino HS 1500 popup camper 72" tall 450lbs lighter thanks for all of your input and advice

[jimh406]

It depends on the type. Alaskans are hard sided popups. Look at the websites for the popup you are interested in or give them a call.

As far as height is concerned, that’s up to you. If you mean that you will go down roads that a typical rental car will go down, that’s hardly off-roading.

If you don’t know, you are looking at the most expensive per sq ft RV. If you buy new, it’s likely to be the one you lose the most money on if you choose wrong.

[Spikeman]

Do popups still have canvas like sides that need to dried out before lowering?

[Spikeman]

Thanks for the advice of course now I am undecided again (for the last two years) Some more info the off road package with all the goodies is only available on the 2500 Series a lot of it is Power Wagon grade. My plan to off set the inboard location and sway and rocking of the large coil springs is to use outboard rear progressive Sumo Super Springs a two pc. model rated 2600lbs with progressive loading replaces bumper stop.Anyone use these or have an option of them? The Bilstien shocks are well rated with progressive staging The height issue non basement Model 750 is 98” tall other hardside campers are 110” to 118” still too tall? Weight wet would be about 2750lbs. Getting a really good deal on both need to decide by 9/9. My opinion of popups more noise more heat more cold more trouble less privacy than a hardside. Agree or disagree? Would buy one if necessary. My mention of Burr Trail and Mogollon Rim was tongue in cheek I have seen rental cars on both.

[jmtandem]

I owned an Alaskan pop up camper. Not cheap in quality or price but it was the only camper of the three I owned that I felt could go off road, handled well on the truck on pavement at highway speeds, and since they are actually a hard side pop up did not have to mess with fabric getting wet in the rain, etc. And it held it's value very well. If you like the ambiance of the inside of a sailboat, the Alaskan has that feel.

Lastly, the 6.4 Hemi in the Ram is quite an engine. You will not be disappointed in it. Just remember gas mileage is not a strong suit in any of the big three gas engines.

[work2much]

ajriding wrote:


Lastly, my best advice is to get a flatbed 2500 truck and get a flatbed TC on it. These are so much more robust and off-road worthy, and you do not lose the space of the bed rails. I have never seen a used flatbed TC for sale, so you might have to go new (sounds like your plan)

Something like this could be a ton of fun. Opt. 54 gallons fresh, 30 pounds propane, room for plenty of solar. This could make a very nice overland camper while still being reasonably comfortable.

https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/news/2018-alaskan-flatbed-side-entry-camper/?singlepage=1

[Tom_Barb]

jmtandem wrote:
Get a one ton truck. Dually will handle the truck camper better. Been there done that.

YEP! and if you must off road,, pull the toy.

[ajriding]

I would disagree on the dually for off-roading. Besides the extra rear tire there is little difference in 2500 and 3500s, it is really just the extra leaf in the rear, AND yes, the leafs are superior to coils for TCs. Duallys are not considered the best option for off-roading by off-roaders, but that all depends on what you plan to do. You could get a dually and modify it to be a 4 wheel truck and have the best of both worlds, many off-roaders do this (basically a wide stance SRW setup).
One tons come in SRW configurations too.
Duallys will sway less than a SRW, but that does not disqualify a SRW for still being easy to drive.

Consider a two-piece fiberglass TC, there are 3 brands that I know of. Two are obtainable, and the third which I have, hard to find. Fiberglass construction will shake, rattle and roll less, so less likely to tear apart.
The weakness will always be the tie-down system (on both camper and truck end). A big hit can bend your truck frame or tear the mounts out of the camper.

I would look seriously into an Alaskan camper. You do not have an indoor shower unless you are able to modify the bathroom - take out cass toilet and mod up a shower pan, BUT it does fold down which is good for off-roading. Less height, less sway, and will fit under tree branches and rock over-hangs. There are used ones out there for around $8k. If there were ones for sale at the time i might have gone this route.

Looks like you have money to spend, so probably can afford the gas expense difference in folding vs full height camper mpg.

Biggies for off-road are the full size has a high center of gravity, and full size are typically heavier (800 lbs at least), and of corse height clearance.

I agree on the regular cab, keeping wheel base short will help for ground clearance, but TCs are not known for storage space, and I make great use of the extra space my extra cab offers. I would personally not want a regular cab.

I know if you wanted to do serious off-roading you'd be in a Jeep or FJ Cruiser with a tent top (dumb) or off-road trailer, so I assume you mean to do off-road light.

Getting down un-maintained dirt roads is just slow going with a big TC on back compared to unloaded. You will need to air down tires, so will need a way to air back up yourself.

For full size TC there is no perfect set-up for off road.

Lastly, my best advice is to get a flatbed 2500 truck and get a flatbed TC on it. These are so much more robust and off-road worthy, and you do not lose the space of the bed rails. I have never seen a used flatbed TC for sale, so you might have to go new (sounds like your plan)

[deserteagle56]

You have to take into consideration whether the off-highway trails you take are tree lined. I've found that to be the biggest limitation of a tall cabover camper. The shells of those campers are not very stout - tree limbs can dent them or tear them apart. Mounted on a tall 4x4, a cabover camper can reach 12-13 feet in height so if trees are in your future consider a pop-up. Not to mention the pucker factor on an off-camber section of road with a tall camper...its what made me go dually.

[work2much]

If it was just me I would definitely be looking for a pop up with a small lift and 35" tires. Maybe an Alaskan on a Ram 3500 4x4. Something like the power wagon but with real payload capacity.

No matter what hard side you get you will limit yourself with height if that matters where you want to get off road and even where height isn't an issue the lower center of gravity on a pop up will make travel easier.

With the wife and 2 dogs we went with a large camper but tow a jeep to explore.

[cewillis]

Burr Trail or Mogollon Rim trails are very tame. My suggestion is to decide what you really want - off-road capability or more room/comfort. A compromise is not going to be great for either. If off-road is your goal, a popup camper (there are some very nice ones) on a shorter wheel base would be better. (of course, a much smaller camper on a smaller truck would be even better for off-road).
I'm 6-3, 190 and had many extensive (and comfortable) off-road trips in my pop-up.
Take a look at my and Whazoo's setup and trips for one good way to do it.

[jmtandem]

Get a one ton truck. Dually will handle the truck camper better. Been there done that.

[markchengr]

X2 on 3500. I don't know why they even sell 2500's. You either get a grocery-getter 1500 or a real hauler, in other words a 3500. No suspension enhancements required.

[Grit_dog]

#1Flyboy wrote:
Dually.....

For the small camper the OP proposed? For off road? Please.....

But burningman is right. Get leaf springs, pick your favorite truck, but not coils or air ride ram. Leaf springs in the rear ftw.