artic fox 811 on 2005 dodge ram 2500 diesel short bed??

[lizwood71]

Hi, we need some advice as we can not get a straight answer. We just bought an 811 Artic fox camper for our 2005 Dodge Ram 2500 quad cab diesel short bed truck. The artic fox dealer says it is a fine truck for this camper. But upon further research it seems to grossly exceed the GVWR weight capacity. Even if we upgraded to a 3500 Ram it seems to exceed this. How can this be possible? What part of the equation are we missing? What truck is capable of hauling this or do we listen to the dealer that our truck is fine? Just wanting to be safe. Thanks for the advice.

[Vinsil]

lizwood71 wrote:
Thanks everyone. We are really bummed out. Love camper and love truck.., both paid for
We Could maybe return camper and pick another. haven't told rv center yet. Really ill they let us drive away w/o knowing. You think they would be liable if in an accident . Or could buy another truck but even an upgrade to a 3500 would not work. Grit dog, how did you decide the excess weight was a risk you could live with. It's good to know it's worked out for you.

My take on it as I ignored the gvrw as did grit dog.

These trucks can do more. The tires and wheels are pretty much the limiting factors as he pointed out. Having said that and not speaking for grit dog....I know what my truck can pull and what it is rated for in that capacity. To me, this is important to understand. This is where your numbers can make more sense. Consider your truck is a 3500 of the same year, your truck is just missing the overloads from the factory. Your truck can pull a 12k or so trailer....I believe this puts it at a rated 17k combined weight. Upgrade your wheels, tires and do some suspension upgrades and your truck can safely carry that TC in my opinion. You'll be about 10-11k in weight...which is NOTHING that your truck can't handle with the right mods.

However...if you want to go buy the numbers and not modify your truck.....you will need a factory dual wheel truck.

That is how I see it and I pull a 4k trailer as well. It cost me $$$$ to setup my truck but like you...I did not want to sell my truck and spend 50k on a new one....

[lizwood71]

Thanks everyone. We are really bummed out. Love camper and love truck.., both paid for
We Could maybe return camper and pick another. haven't told rv center yet. Really ill they let us drive away w/o knowing. You think they would be liable if in an accident . Or could buy another truck but even an upgrade to a 3500 would not work. Grit dog, how did you decide the excess weight was a risk you could live with. It's good to know it's worked out for you.

[Grit_dog]

You're not missing anything. That camper is overweight in every category except the real mfgs rear axle rating, which is 10klb not 6-7klb like shown by the OE specs for srw trucks.
I've hauled my 860 around, same camper basically, around 4500lbs wet/ready to camp.
No problems to date including a HEAVY trip up the Alcan.
You will be over every rim rating unless you go to 19.5s. But I've been running on OE Ram aluminum rims and 3950lb rated toyos.
You'll need supporting suspension mods too. Minimum some extra capacity for the rear springs. Sway bar adviseable too.
Don't freak out, you can haul it safely with your truck but you'll need to spend some $ to make it haul that much well.
All that said, 3500 long bed srw or dually are more appropriate choices. Any srw trucks though will have the same limitations based on tire, wheel ratings.

[Old-Biscuit]

Your 2005 2500 (IF 4X2)
GVWR 9000#
Payload 2507# (GVWR minus base 6493#) Total before passengers/cargo
Rear GAWR 6010# (base weight 3868#) So only 2142# on rear axle before any cargo

Your 2005 2500 (IF 4X4)
GVWR 9000#
Payload 2187# (GVWR minus base 6813#) Total before passengers/cargo
Rear GAWR 6010# (base weight 4140#) So only 1870# on rear axle before any cargo

You didn't state year fro that AF 811
2016 has a dry weight of 3468# (961# over 4X2 MAX payload & 1281# over 4X4 MAX payload) That is w/o even putting anyone in truck or a roll of TP in camper.
2016 has a GVWR of 4569# (2062# over 4X2 MAX payload & 2382# over 4X4 MAX payload) Again that is w/o even putting anyone in truck or a roll of TP in camper.

Nice truck
Nice camper

Not a good combo..........

[GeoBoy]

I have a new AF 990 and it is slightly larger than your AF 811. My AF 990 weighs 4880 lbs. ready to go with water and I carry it on a 1 ton dually. So yes your 3/4 ton truck is too small for your AF 811.