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COG educational thread

Kayteg1
Explorer II
Explorer II
The topic about COG got closed for reasons I don't have to understand, but IMHO it shows how little owners understand the technical issues.
So big TC owners are between truck manufacturers who recommend camper COG in front of rear axle and camper manufacturers who build big campers with COG behind rear axle.
I am pretty observant with loading and even with all heavy tools, water and other heavy stuff in truck cabin, having only light cloths in camper rear cabinets, my COG still comes behind rear axle.
With empty holding tanks in the rear and full water tank of front the camper takes 200-300 lb from front axle.
That doesn't seem to create immediate problem with my dually, who seem to handle perfectly without modification, but leaves me no margin for carrying waste water as single try proved significant difference in handling.
I understand that we are small group in whole industry but is there anything we can do, like sending group email to truck manufacturers?
I think Ford's "camper package" for dually actually lowers the safety of using the combo and I simply take it that Ford engineers have never seen heavy camper on their design?
We do have good number of educated people on the forum, who COULD make a change.
So shall we?
100 REPLIES 100

Kayteg1
Explorer II
Explorer II
jim taking weight off front wheels always make a difference.
Would you take present F350 with light engine, put long camper, stinger and heavier trailer and without WD bars you might be pretty close to have front wheels in the air. Got it?

jimh406
Explorer III
Explorer III
NRALIFR wrote:
I want the the COG of my camper to always be in front of the rear axle. Not on top of it, and definitely not behind it.


But, why? :). It could make no difference.

'10 Ford F-450, 6.4, 4.30, 4x4, 14,500 GVWR, '06 Host Rainer 950 DS, Torklift Talon tiedowns, Glow Steps, and Fastguns. Bilstein 4600s, Firestone Bags, Toyo M655 Gs, Curt front hitch, Energy Suspension bump stops.

NRA Life Member, CCA Life Member

Bedlam
Moderator
Moderator
Go to a flat bed deck on the rear of the truck to avoid wheel well issues. The problem with chassis cabs is the primary 50+ gallon fuel tank aft of the rear axle.

Host Mammoth 11.5 on Ram 5500 HD

NRALIFR
Explorer
Explorer
Jim, in simple terms: I want my F450 pickup with the rear axle moved aft about 6” closer to the bumper. It’s not just a particular wheelbase I’m wanting, I want the the COG of my camper to always be in front of the rear axle. Not on top of it, and definitely not behind it.

But unfortunately, my camper wouldn’t fit because it would run into the wheel wells before it touched the front wall of the pickup bed. Nobody makes a TC like that because they are all designed to fit the beds as they are now, and most of the big ones use that area between the wheel wells and the tailgate opening.

So I’m SOL I guess. I still think having the rear axle closer to the rear bumper would be better for both towing trailers and hauling TC’s.

:):)
2001 Lance 1121 on a 2016 F450 ‘Scuse me while I whinge.
And for all you Scooby-Doo and Yosemite Sam types………..Let’s Go Brandon!!!

burningman
Explorer II
Explorer II
There’s still a little bit of not-getting-it.
New regular cab Fords do have a one inch longer wheelbase than the old Super Camper Special, but it’s because the cab is bigger. The camper still hangs further off the back than it did on the old Super, it won’t achieve the balance and front-end weight transfer an old Super will.
I can’t imagine it makes sense for Ford (or whoever else) to make such a truck because the percentage of buyers using them for slide in campers has to be very low.
Also anything that makes the bed non-standard (such as wheelwell placement) causes things like campers to have fitment issues.
You can still buy one, it’s just sold as a cab & chassis, without the modified pickup bed.

Yes, we all know the new truck has more power, more brakes, more everything... the old F350 Super Camper Special is just an interesting truck because it was the only pickup ever specifically designed for the campers of its day with a reduced overhang to compensate for the campers, oversized “super single”’ rear wheels and tires, and an extremely high payload for a SRW.
It really was a great camper carrier, in some ways still unmatched.
The heavy diesel engine up front in most of our trucks makes up for the balance and I wouldn’t trade my diesel dually for an old F350... but, they were cool trucks especially in their day.
2017 Northern Lite 10-2 EX CD SE
99 Ram 4x4 Dually Cummins
A whole lot more fuel, a whole lot more boost.
4.10 gears, Gear Vendors overdrive, exhaust brake
Built auto, triple disc, billet shafts.
Kelderman Air Ride, Helwig sway bar.

jimh406
Explorer III
Explorer III
jaycocreek wrote:
I think the point of this thread was why Ford or any of the others do not build something similar to the old super camper special for those monster TC's with a farther back COG/axle.


As I’ve been pointing out, they do. It just doesn’t say Camper Special or Super Camper Special on it. If they did, I guess they’d get 99 mpg with Regular like the older model does.

In the real world, COG still doesn’t matter since there isn’t a 7000 lb TC either!

'10 Ford F-450, 6.4, 4.30, 4x4, 14,500 GVWR, '06 Host Rainer 950 DS, Torklift Talon tiedowns, Glow Steps, and Fastguns. Bilstein 4600s, Firestone Bags, Toyo M655 Gs, Curt front hitch, Energy Suspension bump stops.

NRA Life Member, CCA Life Member

Kayteg1
Explorer II
Explorer II
jaycocreek wrote:

I think the point of this thread was why Ford or any of the others do not build something similar to the old super camper special for those monster TC's with a farther back COG/axle.


That too, but too often we have new members coming with question if having 7000 lb payload on dually they can load 7000 lb camper on it.
With the axle in front of COG it ain't so.
Most of the time 6000lb long camper will overload rear axle if you don't observe loading distribution.

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
Kayteg1 wrote:
jaycocreek wrote:


So a person has to dish out 50K for a pickup then start putting aftermarket mods on to haul a modest TC.

Last time I check - loades Superduty retails above $120k :e


Only the ones that get 60mpg.... The rest are like $50k-$75k ish.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

jaycocreek
Explorer II
Explorer II
Camper Special wasn’t that special if you compare it to newer models. If you would carry a 5000 lb camper on the Camper Special, you can do the same with the newer Ford.


If your talking about the regular camper special,then your right..But we are talking about the super camper special with the longer wheelbase aka axle farther back which has a "5,000 lb+ payload"..None of the new SRW trucks come even close to that, last time I looked..

I think the point of this thread was why Ford or any of the others do not build something similar to the old super camper special for those monster TC's with a farther back COG/axle.
Lance 9.6
400 watts solar mounted/200 watts portable
500ah Lifep04

Kayteg1
Explorer II
Explorer II
jaycocreek wrote:


So a person has to dish out 50K for a pickup then start putting aftermarket mods on to haul a modest TC.

Last time I check - loades Superduty retails above $120k :e

jimh406
Explorer III
Explorer III
burningman wrote:
Irrelevant, the old Super was a regular cab and you’re comparing it to a four door.


Even the regular cab wheelbase is longer in 2018 at 141.2.

It seems you guys are implying the model from the 70s is ready to haul the largest camper. Apparently, you also haven’t look at the overhang of them. Even a Super Cab requires a shorter antenna or some other mod to keep from hitting the overhang.

Nice to think of the good old days, but they weren’t all that ... Camper Special wasn’t that special if you compare it to newer models. If you would carry a 5000 lb camper on the Camper Special, you can do the same with the newer Ford.

As far as COG goes, it still doesn’t matter since it is something you can’t impact other than moving your stuff around when you pack. All Long Bed TCs are still designed for Long Bed trucks.

'10 Ford F-450, 6.4, 4.30, 4x4, 14,500 GVWR, '06 Host Rainer 950 DS, Torklift Talon tiedowns, Glow Steps, and Fastguns. Bilstein 4600s, Firestone Bags, Toyo M655 Gs, Curt front hitch, Energy Suspension bump stops.

NRA Life Member, CCA Life Member

jaycocreek
Explorer II
Explorer II
Would Ford, or any other manufacturer build camper special dually


They should, but I doubt they will.The demand for a pickup to haul a truck camper has never been higher, than it is now. Every time I see a thread with someone buying a brand new truck and then having to ad this or that just to haul a truck camper,makes my skin crawl when something similar to the Camper Special would take care of it.

To this day I have never seen a 3500 series SRW with the payload (5,000+) that the old super camper special had.It's a shame, because so many don't want to deal with a DRW for daily use.

So a person has to dish out 50K for a pickup then start putting aftermarket mods on to haul a modest TC.
Lance 9.6
400 watts solar mounted/200 watts portable
500ah Lifep04

Kayteg1
Explorer II
Explorer II
Yeah, 8 pages and how big role COG plays in rear axle correlation is still hard to understand :e
Would Ford, or any other manufacturer build camper special dually, I think those members who had to go to 550/5500 series with their sets could think "lighter"
Shortening the distance from rear axle to trailer hitch would make for much more comfortable pulling as well.

burningman
Explorer II
Explorer II
Irrelevant, the old Super was a regular cab and you’re comparing it to a four door.
Ford did make four door cabs in the ‘70s too. I had one.
The point of the Super was how far rearward in the bed the axle was, and it was further rearward in the bed than any other pickup. It resulted in less rear overhang than any other.

Sure a 2018 crewcab will compare well... although that old Super probably had more payload!
Compare it to a new Ford regular cab, and though the new one does actally have one more inch of wheelbase, because the cab is bigger, the old Super will actually distribute the load of a long camper better.

It’s not superior in every way, but it did balance campers very well.
2017 Northern Lite 10-2 EX CD SE
99 Ram 4x4 Dually Cummins
A whole lot more fuel, a whole lot more boost.
4.10 gears, Gear Vendors overdrive, exhaust brake
Built auto, triple disc, billet shafts.
Kelderman Air Ride, Helwig sway bar.

jimh406
Explorer III
Explorer III
140 inch wheelbase is shorter than most Crew Cabs by a lot ...

The Ford for 2018 is 176 inches. https://www.thecarconnection.com/specifications/ford_super-duty-f-250_2018_xlt-4wd-crew-cab-8-box

Next ... 🙂

'10 Ford F-450, 6.4, 4.30, 4x4, 14,500 GVWR, '06 Host Rainer 950 DS, Torklift Talon tiedowns, Glow Steps, and Fastguns. Bilstein 4600s, Firestone Bags, Toyo M655 Gs, Curt front hitch, Energy Suspension bump stops.

NRA Life Member, CCA Life Member