I have another thread going talking about the door pillar sticker on a 2015 GMC 3500 hd dually I went and looked at. Door pillar sticker says cargo and passengers shouldn't go over 4887 pounds. I drove this truck today. Its an awesome truck. I saw the new Cascade camper from Host at the recent Seattle Rv show and fell in love. I contacted Host about this new Cascade camper and optioned the way I would like, it comes in at about 3750 pounds. I actually didn't pick many extra options. This weight is without propane 100 lbs, batteries 120lbs or water 200ish (not full). So before I put any supplies or myself in the truck I'm down to just over 700 pounds. A truck camper this size with as much storage as it has tends to have a lot of things put into it so I'm thinking that 700 pounds isn't going to cut it. So before a bunch of you say the truck will handle it no problem, I agree, I think it would. The problem is I'm from B.C. where they can and do at times take the truck weight rating seriously. To be fair, I have never seen any of these enforcement setups anywhere in my travels, but they still concern me a little. With this potential enforcement issue in my mind while I try and match a truck to this Cascade camper, I'm trying my best to stay within the trucks weight rating. I think I would own this setup for a very long time so I would like to get it right. In the other thread, someone eluded to the fact that Ram and Ford have higher weight ratings on their 3500 dually trucks. Can someone with a truck from either of those manufacturers in the 2014 to current year confirm this? I'm hoping for a payload in the 5400 pound area or higher so I can load the camper any way I like for any given trip without concern.

It may not help, but I read that GM is coming out with a 4500 and 5500 to compete with the Ford's and Dodge. If I remember correctly they will be out late this year or next.

Yeah, I have heard that too but I try and buy my vehicles a few years old to limit the sticker shock a little. That being said I'm considering paying a crazy amount for a brand new camper so who knows?

My 2017 Ford F350 Platinum has a cargo capacity sticker of 5300, it has a GVW of 14000. I could have got more capacity with a less optioned truck.What is the GVW of the GM?You have to be careful going to a 450/4500 truck as although the truck is obviously more capable it can actually have less cargo capacity because it is a heavier truck but still may have the same GVW. ie. the Ford F450. (unless they are chassis cab)

I believe the GVW of the GM is 13200.

Another factor is insurance. I was going to buy a 4x4 Ford F450 but my insurance company wouldn’t put it on our policy, he said I had to have commercial insurance. Do NOT believe any camper manufacturer or dealer about weight! They all come from some other planet with less gravity. The day a camper doesn’t weigh a whole lot more than claimed will be the day that beer and potato chips are actually good for you. A great day, yes. But it probably ain’t coming.

Host Cascade and suitable truck | Good Sam Community

wnjj
Explorer II
Feb 22, 2018
Kayteg1 wrote:
When I admire wnjj's effort to make members to understand the issue,
I still think estimating 150 lb of Americans passengers is underestimate.

I don’t know. It’s not that far off considering most often only 2 of the up to 6 seats are adults.
Kayteg1
Explorer II
Feb 22, 2018
When I admire wnjj's effort to make members to understand the issue,
I still think estimating 150 lb of Americans passengers is underestimate.
wnjj
Explorer II
Feb 22, 2018
Here's where the camper-specific cargo weight rating comes from:
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-1996-02-14/html/96-3178.htm

(bold emphasis added)

DOT NHTSA 49 CFR wrote:
Sec. 575.103 Truck-camper loading.

(a) Scope. This section requires manufacturers of slide-in campers
to affix to each camper a label that contains information relating to
identification and proper loading of the camper and to provide more
detailed loading information in the owner's manual. This section also
requires manufacturers of trucks that would accommodate slide-in
campers to specify the cargo weight ratings and the longitudinal limits
within which the center of gravity for the cargo weight rating should
be located.
(b) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to provide information
that can be used to reduce overloading and improper load placement in
truck-camper combinations and unsafe truck- camper matching in order to
prevent accidents resulting from the adverse effects of these
conditions on vehicle steering and braking.
(c) Application. This section applies to slide-in campers and to
trucks that are capable of accommodating slide-in campers.
(d) Definitions. Camper means a structure designed to be mounted in
the cargo area of a truck, or attached to an incomplete vehicle with
motive power, for the purpose of providing shelter for persons.
Cargo Weight Rating means the value specified by the manufacturer
as the cargo-carrying capacity, in pounds or kilograms, of a vehicle,
exclusive of the weight of occupants in designated seating positions,
computed as 150 pounds or 68 kilograms times the number of designated
seating positions.
Bedlam
Moderator
Feb 22, 2018
When you buy a particular class of vehicle, it is capped to a GVWR due to the class in which it is sold. This does not directly reflect the capacity of the components used. You can even get an identical vehicle with downgraded GVWR so that it will fall under a lower class on regulatory paper yet is materially only differentiated by that tag.

For someone that does not want to do the research, going by the door jam is a safe bet. For those willing to check component ratings, you have latitude beyond that label. I knew what my F250 could do with the right upgrades when I had my Arctic Fox, but I also knew it could not do my Host.
wnjj
Explorer II
Feb 21, 2018
GeoBoy wrote:
Wow! The reasoning that go into how one can justify overloading their vehicle.

OK, I'm thoroughly confused by your comment. I was simply explaining how the manufacturer arrives at the numbers on YOUR sticker. What does that have to do with justifying anything? No reasoning here, just facts.

The fact is, your truck is rated to carry 5,813 lbs. That can be 5,813 of people and cargo or 4,913 lbs of camper and six 150 lb people or even a 5600 lb camper and a 213 lb driver. Your truck only sees the total and that's rated at 5813 lbs.

I thought I was being helpful. Whatever.
GeoBoy
Explorer
Feb 21, 2018
wnjj wrote:
GeoBoy wrote:
wnjj wrote:
GeoBoy wrote:
When a manufacturer states the maximum payload it doesn’t take into consideration that the load is going to be 12’ to 13’ tall. On my truck the maximum payload is 5,813 lbs., but the maximum truck camper payload is listed at 4,913 lbs..

That difference is usually due to the camper rating assuming 150lbs in each seating position where payload does not. Does your truck have 6 seats?

Payload is payload! It doesn’t care if there are people or not, it is the total sum of whatever is in or on the truck.

Yes, but the "camper payload" is listed with the assumption of all seats occupied. It's effectively the "leftover" payload. The "max payload" is everything that goes into the truck, including people. There's a reason they are 900 lbs apart, and it has nothing to do with accounting for tall loads.

I'm pretty sure kaydeejay worked in the industry: http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28410883/gotomsg/28411123.cfm#28411123

Wow! The reasoning that go into how one can justify overloading their vehicle.
wnjj
Explorer II
Feb 21, 2018
GeoBoy wrote:
wnjj wrote:
GeoBoy wrote:
When a manufacturer states the maximum payload it doesn’t take into consideration that the load is going to be 12’ to 13’ tall. On my truck the maximum payload is 5,813 lbs., but the maximum truck camper payload is listed at 4,913 lbs..

That difference is usually due to the camper rating assuming 150lbs in each seating position where payload does not. Does your truck have 6 seats?

Payload is payload! It doesn’t care if there are people or not, it is the total sum of whatever is in or on the truck.

Yes, but the "camper payload" is listed with the assumption of all seats occupied. It's effectively the "leftover" payload. The "max payload" is everything that goes into the truck, including people. There's a reason they are 900 lbs apart, and it has nothing to do with accounting for tall loads.

I'm pretty sure kaydeejay worked in the industry: http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28410883/gotomsg/28411123.cfm#28411123
billyray50
Explorer
Feb 21, 2018
Grit dog wrote:
Somebody please nominate this thread for cluster f ck of the month!

LOL!! Yeah lets close this one out!!
jimh406
Explorer III
Feb 21, 2018
Grit dog, I think you just did. ;)
Grit_dog
Navigator
Feb 21, 2018
Somebody please nominate this thread for cluster f ck of the month!

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