Buying EC1160 - having weight anxiety ...

[BoilerEE]

I know, I know, not another "I'm intentionally overloading my truck - tell me it's OK!" thread, but yeah, that's where I'm going ... sorry!

OK, that being said, I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on an '07 Eagle Cap 1160, and I was all ready to accept that it was going to be heavy, but then I read Boatycall's weight thread saying his 1160 weighs like 7500# (!) Now, I know his rig is a bit different (batteries made of neutron star or something), and a newer model of 1160, but if this '07 is anywhere near that heavy even I'm going to be well past my comfort limit.

So, my rig is an '07.5 3500HD, D-max, dually, stock other than RS9000's, Firestone 'bags, and I just ordered the StabilLoads to add as well. Have TL tiedowns on it.

The GVWR of the truck is only 11,300, which I've exceeded in the past with minimal problems - I've been up and down the AlCan multiple times with the setup you seen in my sig which was just shy of 25k# GCVW. Before my previous adventures in overloading, I decided my personal limit was to stay under the wheel limit, which Accuride says is 2440/ea, so no more than 9760 on the rear, which is over GM's GRAWR of 8,200 but under the AAM1150's design load and under the tire limit (even though it's got the silly looking tiny 215/85/16s).

So I guess what I'm saying is, does anyone have experience with the same(ish) setup (like pre-'11 GM dually) or, ideally, a weight ticket for an older EC1160? Again, I was all ready to jump on this thing, but that "my EC1160 weighs 7500#s" is keeping me up at night.

BTW, the reason I don't just go try it out and drive over a scale before buying is that there aren't any big TC's up here in Alaska that I can find, so I'm doing this all long-distance down in Seattle and will probably have to make a decision with only my brother having put eyes-on it.

Thanks!

[egarant]

I bought the truck you are looking at...I was going to buy the truck (non-commercial) with the highest GVWR and the truck you are looking at has that.

With my Eagle Cap in the sig I am just north of 14,000 lbs.

[BoilerEE]

Oh yeah, also love having dedicated winter tires, which I can get in the 235/80-17 on the 3500, but not in a 19.5" rim ...

[BoilerEE]

So after a couple more trips I've got a new thought on what my next truck will be, and I think I'm leaning toward Ram 3500. I was thinking about a Ram 5500, but after my recent success being able to air-down my LT tires for beach driving, I'm not too keen on the 19.5's. Plus, the new Ram with the 14k GVWR is darn near the payload capacity of the Ram 4500 ... probably higher real world since the 4500 would require a heavy steel bed of some kind.
Anyone know if the '16 Ram is going to have an increase in GVWR? I see that the GCWR is going up by 1200# or so. I think the unloaded weight of it is about 8200, so with my rig + family would be right at the 14k, which is a heck of a lot better than the 2600# OVER I am right now!

[av8rds]

My weight slip says 8400 for the truck And 13460 for an empty camper. I thought I had one loaded also, guess not, have to try on my next trip.

But that math says 5000lbs almost exactly.

[Bedlam]

That doesn't surprise me. I was around 12k lbs with an AF811 on a F250. I want a bigger camper, so I upgraded to my Ram 5500. When finances recover, I will be looking at the large Eagle Cap, Host or Chalet with expectations of over 6k lbs but at least have the right truck waiting for that load.

[805gregg]

OK, so here's the update - I finally got around to running the rig over the scale and it was eye-opening, to say the least! With me and my two young boys, full water, fuel, propane we weighed in at 13,560! Truck with me and the boys is roughly 8200, so the camper is 5360, which is darn near 1k heavier that I had guessed. I did end up getting the Hellwig BigWig sway bar last summer and it made a huge difference, but now that I know my true weight I will not be doing any towing and will start shopping for a Ram 5500

For the money you are going to spend on 5500 truck and camper I would have a 40' catamaran and sail the world

[Boatycall]

The Mad Norsky wrote:

Truck Camper Magazine, in their buyers guide, figured 5,735 pounds for a 2015 EC 1160 wet weight.

Nope... Still no where near. 7,200 on the DOT scale by my house.

My AF1150 scaled out at about 5,200 loaded for bear. I could immediately feel the difference the minute I put the EC on, the scale then verified my Butt-O-Meter. Fully 1 ton heavier.

It was only after getting the EC that I then put a lot more money into the truck - Front and rear RoadMaster Sway bars, Rancho 9000's, and StableLoads.

Running an AF1150 I was happy the way the truck was with just my springs. The EC, top heavier than Dolly Parton and the 'ole truck needed some help.

And worth noting - it isn't just the weight, it's almost a foot taller than my AF was due to the floor being over the bed rails.

[The_Mad_Norsky]

av8rds wrote:

805gregg wrote:
I don't know how that camper could weigh 7500#. Unless he was hauling gravel inside at the time. 4500# would be a real stretch.

Sticker weight with out extras and personal gear on the EC is 4700#

My 2015 EC1160 is stickered at 4400ish. "Build your own" with my options give me 4900lbs. I''l have to dig up my scale tickets as I forget the numbers off the top of my head

Truck Camper Magazine, in their buyers guide, figured 5,735 pounds for a 2015 EC 1160 wet weight.

Link: TCM Eagle Cap Buying Guide 2015

[Boatycall]

No where near that on mine.

[wnjj]

BoilerEE wrote:
OK, so here's the update - I finally got around to running the rig over the scale and it was eye-opening, to say the least! With me and my two young boys, full water, fuel, propane we weighed in at 13,560! Truck with me and the boys is roughly 8200, so the camper is 5360, which is darn near 1k heavier that I had guessed. I did end up getting the Hellwig BigWig sway bar last summer and it made a huge difference, but now that I know my true weight I will not be doing any towing and will start shopping for a Ram 5500.

Looks like this post was pretty darn close:

U.F.O. wrote:
2009 ec 1160 is suppose to weight approx 3580dry 4180 wet plus options. the newer models are 4in wider and the floor is over the box rails a different design My weight on my 950 are preaty close to the plate 4000lbs full water and gear and food. the 1160 should be around 5200lbs ready to roll.

[av8rds]

805gregg wrote:
I don't know how that camper could weigh 7500#. Unless he was hauling gravel inside at the time. 4500# would be a real stretch.

Sticker weight with out extras and personal gear on the EC is 4700#

My 2015 EC1160 is stickered at 4400ish. "Build your own" with my options give me 4900lbs. I''l have to dig up my scale tickets as I forget the numbers off the top of my head

[805gregg]

That will take all the fun of driving and getting there out of the equation, without a 4500 that's a tough haul, TC is about smaller and easier RVing not about how much******can I put in the bed of a PU truck, in this case less is definitely more.

[805gregg]

I don't know how that camper could weigh 7500#. Unless he was hauling gravel inside at the time. 4500# would be a real stretch.

Sticker weight with out extras and personal gear on the EC is 4700#

[BoilerEE]

OK, so here's the update - I finally got around to running the rig over the scale and it was eye-opening, to say the least! With me and my two young boys, full water, fuel, propane we weighed in at 13,560! Truck with me and the boys is roughly 8200, so the camper is 5360, which is darn near 1k heavier that I had guessed. I did end up getting the Hellwig BigWig sway bar last summer and it made a huge difference, but now that I know my true weight I will not be doing any towing and will start shopping for a Ram 5500.