Heavy Truck Campers

[brholt]

With all the discussion about heavy truck campers and weights I thought the Truck Camper Magazine review of the Adventurer 116DS was timely:

Adventurer 116DS Review

The relevant comment is:

"According to Adventurer’s inside weight sticker, the 2014 Adventurer 116DS under review was 4,624 pounds. Let’s put that weight into Truck Camper Magazine’s wet weight equation and see where we end up.

Adventurer 116DS: dry weight (with options) 4,624 + 38 gallons fresh, 316.9 pounds + 6 gallon full hot water heater, 50 pounds + 2x 20-pound full propane tanks, 40 pounds + 2x batteries, 130 pounds + stuff, 500 pounds = 5,660.0 pounds.

In reality, 500 pounds is probably a little low for stuff weight on a camper this big. To be more realistic, I would add another 250 pounds for stuff putting the total at 5,910 pounds. While nearly 6,000 pounds is nothing to sneeze at, you can easily find long bed dually trucks with more than 6,000 pounds of payload; if you spec them right"

While normally I like his reviews and honesty about weights this was going a bit to far. Finding a 350/3500 with 6,000 pounds of payload for just the camper, not even considering the passengers and the stuff in the truck, is going to be far from "easy".

When I bought my truck I looked at the payload capacity of lots of trucks at dealers. It was very rare to find 6,000 lbs or the 6,500 pounds you probably need for this one. Forget diesels and the sunroof.

In Ford my 14,000 GVWR F350 gas in Lariat trim (which I had to special order because we couldn't find anything) had a door sticker of 6,230 pounds. Maybe I could carry this camper but it would be a push as just the three of us easily use up all the spare capacity. (No jokes about how much we weigh :)) To be safe you probably need to drop down to a XL or at least XLT if you want to be under GVWR. Maybe not a CC either.

These campers are really F550 (or F450's with 19.5 wheels) and equivalent territory and people need to be upfront about it.

I predict though we will be hearing from someone about how to make it ride better on their SRW one ton that the dealer told them could carry it. 🙂

[sleepy]

Marshfly wrote:

sleepy wrote:
Can I think "Aerodynamic nightmare?"

Where will I take it when it breaks down or needs warrenty work... I don't think we have a dealer in my neighborhood...

The Isuzu website says that there's one just 11 miles from Oak Ridge, right there. In Knoxville.

I don't know about you... but we travel for months at a time anywhere in North America north of Mexico.

When we are at home the truck is seldom used... the likelyhood of breaking down in East Tennessee is very remote. Our truck exists only to haul the Truck camper on extended trips.

I do have an Isuzu engine though... and parts and skilled mechanics are easily available.

How many people that have actually read this thread have an Isuzu Truck with a truck camper on it? Come on, don't be bashful... fess up... We can see your signatures. Yeal...I know, it'll be your next one.

BTW... I worked in the field of aerodynamics extensively... all billboards are't aerodynamically equal... the bumps and protusions make a difference... do you have data to share?

[Marshfly]

sleepy wrote:
Can I think "Aerodynamic nightmare?"

Where will I take it when it breaks down or needs warrenty work... I don't think we have a dealer in my neighborhood...

The Isuzu website says that there's one just 11 miles from Oak Ridge, right there. In Knoxville.

[Bedlam]

Once you put a TC on a truck, I don't think the nose will make one difference in your mileage. You are now pushing a wall into the wind no matter how well you round the corners.

[Jfet]

sleepy wrote:
Can I think "Aerodynamic nightmare?"

Where will I take it when it breaks down or needs warrenty work... I don't think we have a dealer in my neighborhood...

Are you referring to Isuzu trucks? Finding an Isuzu mechanic and/or parts worldwide is probably easier than finding Dodge parts.

As for aerodynamics, drive slower. 🙂

[sleepy]

Can I think "Aerodynamic nightmare?"

Where will I take it when it breaks down or needs warrenty work... I don't think we have a dealer in my neighborhood...

My bank and credit union said "You want a loan on "What!"

Might be why most people won't go in this direction...

And a few will swear that this is the best idea ever (of course they won't have one either)

The rickshaw camper makes about as much sense after studying the subject and confering with many others by PM. Couldn't get a load on the rockshaw either.

[Jfet]

GULFMAN wrote:
Has anyone give any thought to cab and chassis ISUZU?
Still would have to purchase a flatbed just like a F-550.

Gave it some thought.

[Bedlam]

Most of the models imported to the US are designed for local delivery. The engines are smaller and ride comfort is not as good as a Class 5 pickup or van chassis cab.

[GULFMAN]

Has anyone give any thought to cab and chassis ISUZU?
Still would have to purchase a flatbed just like a F-550.

[headinsouth]

nice looking truck though

[okan-star]

Anyone care to guess what this camper is doing on a SRW on Adventurers website?

Maybe is all good with the no option dry wt of 3794 ;)LOL

[okan-star]

It`s great to see more layouts , instead of camper builders just copying someone else`s , good for the industry
I guess theres no way you getting into that camper with the rear slide in though, or do you think you could crawl through the gap and over the sofa?

[sleepy]

The report inthe link was very well done. It took me a long time to read everything and really examine the pictures.

I agree with the TCM writer... on the limited storage in the cabover area. I'm not sure of the mirrored closet in the cabover in any camper.

I think that I'd be pleased with a queem bed (which is what we have in our camper now.}instead of the Calif King

We have a king bed at home and like it too... but our bed room is a lot larger than the cabover.

Janet and I talked about the California King bed in this camper... we don't really need the 4" extra length over a regular King... bedding is hard to find for the Calif King and when you do it is very expensive, We use fitted sheets on all of our beds... and we make up our beds every day... Calif King isn't for us.

To the OP... thanks for sharingit with us.

sleepy

[bighatnohorse]

tad94564 wrote:
Until they actually weigh that camper, any weight they come up with will be suspect.

I truly do not believe it's a 6.5k lb camper fully loaded.

The Adventurer/Eagle Cap factory uses industrial scales to actually weigh each camper.
It's your right to remain suspicious, but this one is very likely to be fairly accurate.

[tad94564]

Until they actually weigh that camper, any weight they come up with will be suspect.

I truly do not believe it's a 6.5k lb camper fully loaded.

[Bedlam]

18k lb GVWR is standard and the 19.5k lb rating is an optional package that gets you the Dana 130 instead of the 110.