Does anyone have new f350 super duty and an older camper?

[welsteach]

My hubby is intending to buy the 2018 or 2019 f350 super duty with the extended cab (not crew). I am looking at older campers and came across some concerns. Will an older camper (2000 or newer) fit the new bed? I see that Lance had to redesign their campers to fit the new Fords.

[Kayteg1]

Lance come to my new truck 🙂
Should add that my Fleetwood is basement model, when Lance is not.
Basements usually come with higher sides, but beside height, bigger TC also have "steps out" where at the rear it is wider.
When Fleetwood has the step out on 1 side, Lance has it on both sides, leaving me not much more, than 2" clearance in tailgate opening.
I heard some Dodge has narrower opening, so Lance might not fit there.
With so many TC variations, there is no "one shoe fits most".
Keep the tape measure handy.

[rickjo]

Kayteg1 wrote:
it is in reply #2

Ahhh. Thanks. 2002 is a different beast. Lots of trucks got taller cabs right about then and my 1181 was plenty tall on my 2004 Ford. So I assume you had to shim the Lance on your 2006 as well. Or else you purchased it after you got rid of the 2006.

Rick

[Kayteg1]

it is in reply #2

[rickjo]

Kayteg1 wrote:
I had my Fleetwood on 2006 F350 and when sides clear easy, I had to remove truck roof lights as camper overhang would crush them.
I ended up with 2 campers when my 1st Fleetwood show deterioration right before our "vacations of lifetime" last year.
The side entrance Lance was good choice for 7000 miles trip.
I repaired Fleetwood since and tried to sell 1 of the campers, but Vegas is not much RV market and still having rental in California, I left Lance there as my "vacation house".
So once again, Fleetwood fits new truck with about 3/4" shimming, while Lance needs 3". Long bumper on new truck doesn't seem to create any issue.

Wow. You didn't mention the 3" support for your Lance before. What year and model is the Lance. If it is newer than my 2007 Lance 1181, I'll have to start thinking about 3" for mine too.

Rick

[Kayteg1]

I had my Fleetwood on 2006 F350 and when sides clear easy, I had to remove truck roof lights as camper overhang would crush them.
I ended up with 2 campers when my 1st Fleetwood show deterioration right before our "vacations of lifetime" last year.
The side entrance Lance was good choice for 7000 miles trip.
I repaired Fleetwood since and tried to sell 1 of the campers, but Vegas is not much RV market and still having rental in California, I left Lance there as my "vacation house".
So once again, Fleetwood fits new truck with about 3/4" shimming, while Lance needs 3". Long bumper on new truck doesn't seem to create any issue.

[rickjo]

Kayteg1 wrote:
My aluminium bed is not longer.
I measured it at 8' and 2 inches, so both of my campers go all the way in.
What I learn by experience, it is good idea to add a 3" stripe of 3/4" plywood at the very end where tailgate usually go.
The bed ribs end 3" before bed end and don't give good support for end of the camper. One of them dent before I made the stripe.
You have 2 bolt heads sticking up on very end, so you have to carve the plywood to go over them, but then bolts and camper weight hold the plywood in place and having good frame under that part, make very good support.
Factory mat was pretty cheap and looks good, but darn heavy when you have to remove it.

Thanks for the bed length info. I now see from the spec sheets that the aluminum bed is 0.5" longer than my 2004 bed. Previous data was a rumor I guess. Overall my 2004 truck is 262" long where the 2019 is 266.2" long. A difference of about 4". So I am happy to learn that both your campers (wow, how many of us own two TCs?) go all the way in. I momentarily thought that the 4" might be due to extended bumpers. What was your previous truck and do you have any other height compensation besides the 3" strip of 3/4 plywood at the rear?

Rick

[Kayteg1]

My aluminium bed is not longer.
I measured it at 8' and 2 inches, so both of my campers go all the way in.
What I learn by experience, it is good idea to add a 3" stripe of 3/4" plywood at the very end where tailgate usually go.
The bed ribs end 3" before bed end and don't give good support for end of the camper. One of them dent before I made the stripe.
You have 2 bolt heads sticking up on very end, so you have to carve the plywood to go over them, but then bolts and camper weight hold the plywood in place and having good frame under that part, make very good support.
Factory mat was pretty cheap and looks good, but darn heavy when you have to remove it.

[rickjo]

I have a 2019 F350 Crew Cab DRW long bed arriving in mid-month (July 2018). It is on a train right now. In trying to research the fit to my 2007 Lance 1181, I have learned from some that hard rubber Horse Stall mats are the recommended solution for the height adjustment that I will need. Someone did point out that Ford recommended 3/4" plywood in the bed to solve the difference. I will make the choice when the new truck arrives. Personally, I like the plywood with a conventional bed mat solution. My camper has badly damaged the bed on my current truck, because the entire weight of the camper rides on the side edges of the camper and before I added plywood to my damaged bed, the bed became extremely bowed up in the middle at the rear. . The aluminum bed is about 5" longer as well, so the TC will not be against the front of the bed. Sounds like I need a mod to use that 5" of space efficiently .

Next, consider that the aluminum allowed Ford to redesign the frame, making it from fully boxed steel and the result is 24 times stiffer. I'm thinking that I will be able to forego the Lance struts that were necessary with the flexibility of the older frame. My new truck will have a payload rating of about 6500 lbs. Well over the loaded weight of my heavy Lance.

Finally, I went for the gasser for those who know the issues with the 6.0 L diesel I have suffered thru. 385 horses and fairly good torque will be sufficient for my needs.

Anticipation.....

Rick

[Kayteg1]

Ford changed to aluminium beds in 2017 and the rails are pretty tall.
So is the cab, so some campers might need shimming for one, some for other.
From what I remember it is 20' sides height at min, what turns out tricky as aged campers have the sides sag, so 20" at short wall makes 18" at wings.

[Old_Islander]

We have a 2006 Okanagan 9' with slideout on a 2016 F350 (8' box and extended cab -- not crew), and no problem. I wouldn't think there would be much difference between the '16 and '18 F350? Or were planning to get a short box? Don't know what you might encounter there, re older campers.

[Kayteg1]

2002 Lance is having low sides, so I had to add 3" platform under it for my 2017 F350.
Not a big deal when you have wood tools.