Arctic Fox 990 on SRW in the Snow?

[Sliding-into-ho]

Hi All,

New member here, excited to be joining your ranks. Less exciting is the prospect of wrecking my new truck and TC.

I have the truck (2017 F-350, CC, SRW, 6.7l, FX4), but not the TC. Reason being the safety factor.

I understand that AF990's weight is roughly 4k lbs. I'll never be carrying more than 1 day of water or LPG. Also opting not to get AC, Fox landing, solar, or any side awnings. I don't need any of the above, and all would save some weight (although I've heard carrying a bit more water can improve handling).

I'll do whatever I need to do on the truck (independent air bags at minimum). I plan on running Nokian LT2 studs (e-rated, and roughly 3600lb per tire). I don't care if they're destined to last only 15k miles, as I feel there's no safer way to transport my family in winter conditions.

Speaking of that, this camper will be used 99% of the time to overnight up on the mountain (5400ft climb from my house). I will have to make the drive every weekend, all winter, regardless of conditions (the first 2/3rds is essentially never snowy, and the last 3rd is highly variable (Mt. Hood, OR).

All of the above brings me to my hang-up. I know I could put everything together in such a way that I stay under my 11,500 GVWR, but given the weight of the TC, it wouldn't be by much. I wonder if I'm going to regret not leaving myself more overhead in terms of payload.

Ultimately, I know I can always slow down enough to make the trip safely, but I don't want to be "that guy" on the road who is holding everyone else up in single Lane sections.

As there will frequently be 2 adults and an almost-teenage man child camping, and since one of those adults is my wife, my impression from reading these forums is that a slide is almost a necessity. Would you agree?


If so, I could also consider a Lance 995 to save several hundred lbs (just felt like the AF had the edge in build quality, and with all the extra weight, it better!). I think I could even save a few lbs in a Host (but not a few dollars).

If not, that would bring Northern Lite into the running, which seems to make a lot of sense as an exclusive winter camper where weight is also a factor (especially the sportsman).

I'm sure if you've made it this far, you get the idea. Thanks in advance for any wisdom you can offer. I look forward to being a part of this community.

[Sliding-into-ho]

I love that last pic! Can't wait to have that problem, although that would be a heck of a 24-hour snowstorm.

I ordered the Nokian LT2s and they should be here tomorrow or Monday. I'll report on them once I've had a chance to see what they can do (since they're slightly different than my last set).

[Grit_dog]

Oh and KO2s are better than most AT tires in snow and Ice. Not counting siped, studded variants.

[Grit_dog]

^ Agree AT3s are decent tires in snow.
Pretty much any tire with good tread is twice as good when siped compared to not.
(That’s what dedicates snow and ice tires are. Lots of sipes. Except they’re also a very soft rubber compound for even more deflection/traction.)
Studs help on ice, just like sipes except better but do nothing for deep snow. Just like snow and ice tires are not great in deep snow. Because they don’t have large tread voids.

Imagine this, there’s no “does everything the best “ tire just like there’s no does everything best RV......

My personal opinion, having been in more differnet or extreme winter conditions than most, is the best overall tire for ALL conditions where the driving surface is white, not black gray or brown, is siped, studded, mud tires.
They give up a bit in fuel mileage and more noise on black or brown surfaces, but excel in any combination of deep white stuff to glare ice.

[jefe_4x4]

Sliding, it looks like you are settled in. I"ve had good luck with my Cooper Discoverer AT-3LT tires (315x75R16 size) in snow much of it because of the sipping. With a 3860 load range it easily carries my Lance around. Unlike most mud/snow tires the tread lasts because there are smaller voids and larger, sipped tread blocks. Not very sexy, but do the job and for a long time...and quiet. I've not had a good experience with a couple sets of BFG AT's as the sidewalls cracked long before the tread was done. Maybe the newer ones are improved.



Good enough to get me out of this:

These come in a lot of sizes.
I have some very stout, truck style cable chains for the rear axle of my truck camper, and sure enough, I've never had to use them.

[Sliding-into-ho]

If the main lot is full (and it often is on Saturdays), there's a snow park 1 mile away. Got the camper installed today, and I don't think we'll even need to put the jacks down.

[smooth1]

Congratulations. Mountain camping at the ski slopes is great & a truck camper is a great way to go. (2) large batteries at a minimum & carry a generator. If you are going up for just Saturday night are you sure you can get a spot. RV lots at the slopes fill up fast in the PNW.

A note about the fiberglass campers and winter camping is the top needs to be cleaned of new snow over an inch or so before you head home. If not the snow will slide off the top of the camper roof and land on the windshield when you apply the brakes. This could be dangerous if it is too much snow for your wipers to handle.

Non clam shell/fiberglass designed campers have a raised seam on the front of the roof where the nose cap and roof join & the rubber roofs have better friction than fiberglass, so this does not happen on those campers.

Climb up and down the ladder for practice with a broom and when it is wet, & make sure your boots have good traction on the fiberglass as it gets slick.

[rider997]

Looks like you've already made a camper choice...

We carry an Arctic Fox 811 on a 2015 1-ton Chevrolet SRW and are quite pleased with it. We're a bit over GVWR when fully loaded- including 50 gallons of water- but under tire, axle, and wheel ratings. I removed the heavy appliances that we don't need for winter camping - generator, A/C, microwave. We can easily dry camp for a week, in weather with low temps around 0 deg F, while keeping the tanks from freezing, on two 18-lb propane tanks (composite tanks for massive weight savings over the two steel 30-lb bottles the camper is supplied with). The 990 is actually very similar in layout and space to the 811. The dinette bed is a few inches longer on the 990, and the bathroom also has a few more inches of length to it. If you're counting pounds, the 811 might be the better choice while requiring few compromises.
We love the extensive cabinetry for storing all of our ski gear for the whole family. I have 200w of solar along with a good quality MPPT controller that will provide me with all of the power I need for weeks as long as it's not snowing the entire time.

The truck/camper combo handles great in the snow. The camper is well insulated, spacious, and convenient, and we'd probably buy the exactly the same setup again if we were to decide from scratch.

[brholt]

Instead of chains I carry these:

auto socks

much easier and lighter to carry. They seem to be acceptable substitutes for chains in all states. Disclaimer: I have never had to actually use them so I don't have experience with them.

[Bedlam]

kayco53 wrote:

Sliding-into-home wrote:
Thanks for all that awesome feedback, especially on the tires. I had ko2's on my tundra for all seasons and then Nokian studs. No comparison.

I've heard mixed things about air bags though. Seems some love them, others regret. I'm going to start with the stable loads and then add a big wig if I feel like I need help with sway. At least that's the plan for now, but I'm nothing if not suggestible.

Check for clearance on the Stableloads that go between the leaf springs. Took mine off as there was no clearance for tire chains. If you get airbags make sure they are independent of each other truck is stiffer that way (less sway).

Mount the lower StableLoads inboard on the springs if they don't clear your chains.

[Sliding-into-ho]

I'm just getting the uppers. And I hope I'm never in a position to need to put on chains, because that would mean I was stuck.

[kayco53]

Sliding-into-home wrote:
Thanks for all that awesome feedback, especially on the tires. I had ko2's on my tundra for all seasons and then Nokian studs. No comparison.

I've heard mixed things about air bags though. Seems some love them, others regret. I'm going to start with the stable loads and then add a big wig if I feel like I need help with sway. At least that's the plan for now, but I'm nothing if not suggestible.

Check for clearance on the Stableloads that go between the leaf springs. Took mine off as there was no clearance for tire chains. If you get airbags make sure they are independent of each other truck is stiffer that way (less sway).

[Sliding-into-ho]

Thanks for all that awesome feedback, especially on the tires. I had ko2's on my tundra for all seasons and then Nokian studs. No comparison.

I've heard mixed things about air bags though. Seems some love them, others regret. I'm going to start with the stable loads and then add a big wig if I feel like I need help with sway. At least that's the plan for now, but I'm nothing if not suggestible.

[kayco53]

Pretty much do what you are doing as I work at a ski hill on weekends.
Lucky enough to get plugins mostly. I have a 2017 Chev 2500hd with a camper that I built for winter.I have dual pane windows and they are worth it.Also I have foam for covers for the roof vents. I'am close to GVW but not over. I have dual 6 volt batterys and carry two 20lb propane cylinders. Just had my new Nokian L2 studded snows out on a icy road and can safely say they are way better than by KO2 tires which I had been running for years. Didn't feel ice at all. Other guys I patrol with said the road was quite slippery. Ditched a truck with KOs last year but that was on wet ice.
I do hear that the duallys are worse on bad roads.I would lighten the camper to stay under the GVW. In BC they do road blocks once in a while and weigh camper etc. Mostly Northern BC. It is a great way to ski being at the hill overnight. Also put airbags on and they help the ride with a camper or towing my trailer. I'am under the payload but they still help.

[Sliding-into-ho]

Thanks Wyo, do you feel like you need your air bags with that set up?