Looking for Advice on TC

[TxTiger]

I have a 2000 F250 PSD crew cab short bed that has a GVWR of 9,700 lbs, and max payload of 3,500 lbs. I haven't weighed it but I think I'm in the 7,200 lb range with a full tank, giving me about 2,500 lbs of payload remaining. I will be towing a motorcycle trailer with a tongue weight of about 300 lbs, leaving aroung 2,200 lbs of payload. With my remaining payload, larger, fully amenitized units are not going to work.

Also, I won't be using it alot, and mostly by myself, so I am interested in a well made but lower cost TC. Livin Lite and Palamino seem to offer lower cost/lower amenity TC's, but I'm looking for any advice on this matter. I want the standard stuff like A/C, heat, wet bath, kitchen, etc. Not sure if a slide is necessary, as I know that will add weight and cost.

Thanks for any advice and input.

[abslayer]

Just remember no mater what the sticker in camper listing weight states it will end up at least 800 lbs to 1000 lbs more when you have it ready to go camping.
This is something I never believe when told this by others AND guess what my TC with water tanks 2/3 full all my food drinking water and beer must not forget that 24 beer adds weight LOL
When from 3400 lbs dry to over 4400 Lbs :h

[TxTiger]

Thanks for all the great advice. I found Ford's specs for my truck in the link below, so I will look at those carefully and see if I can figure out what I've got to deal with. My truck is a 4x4 and I know that lowers its carrying ability a little bit.

https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas/non-html/2000/BBFSD00A.PDF

[stuckinthesand]

People get caught up in the shopping/tire kicking phase of camper selection, you go looking at a few campers that will suite your need and are within your load carrying capacity and then you peak inside the larger ones just to see how the other half lives, in my case you bring the wife and after she steps in a “heavy” camper it’s game on. You start running the numbers and say to yourself we can keep the tanks half full and only bring the necessities or air bags will work for this. Then 3 years later you’re looking at smaller campers again, I know, I just sold my Lance 835 and every single person that came and looked at it was downsizing from a larger TC. I have never exceeded or even come very close to my payload max on any of my campers. I had a rear tire blowout while loaded on the highway once and I would hate to think about that happening had I been at or over max load, that’s just me and others will see things differently. I had a StarCraft road star on my F-250 and it was an outstanding setup, put a Lance 835 on an F350 SRW and it was equally good, both safe and well within the capacity of the truck. It’s only my opinion but maxing out a truck is not something I choose to do on a regular basis. There’s a difference in putting a yard or two of topsoil in your bed and driving home at 40mph with your flashers on and putting the same weight in the form of a camper and hitting the highways on vacation. Max load is just that MAX LOAD. Look at your camper cert in the glove box, if you got the camper package, it takes into account the COG and other factors and it will tell you not to carry a camper at GVWR. OK, getting off my soap box now. This is only my opinion and the only one it applies to is me so don’t anybody get offended. As always your results may vary and happy camping.

[KD4UPL]

Hardly anyone with a TC is at or under their GVWR. Campers are too heavy and trucks don't have enough rated payload capacity. Trying to use a TC and watching your GVWR will be an exercise in frustration.
Once you get that out of the way you need to start looking at your tire weights, axle capacities, spring configuration, etc.
You've been given some excellent advice about all that in this post.
My personal rig is a dually with air bags, heavy duty shocks, wider tires. I run about 2,000 pounds over my GVWR.

[wintersun]

The rear axle and wheel bearings on your truck is rated by the manufacturer at 10,900 lbs. and minus the weight of the rear of the truck at 3,000 lbs. that leaves a theoretical "payload" of 7,900 lbs. in terms of these components and based on every available seat in the cab having a 150 lb. passenger.

Ford like the other manufacturers calculates the payload for a truck based on the weakest link as that truck is configured at the factory. For every heavy duty truck I have looked at the load limitation has been load rating of the tires followed by the capacity of the leaf springs, both of which are easily upgraded. Easy to verify this for yourself with 10 minutes at a local Ford dealer looking at the different F-250 and F-350 trucks and looking at the payload rating shown in the glovebox.

If you think about what is different between towing 13,000 lbs. and putting 3300 lbs. in the bed in terms of the stress on the truck, it comes down to the frame, suspension mounts, leaf springs and the dampeners (shocks), the rims, and the tires.

I would bet the stock tires have a maximum load capacity for the rear pair of 6400 lbs. which after the truck weight is subtracted gives you the 3500 lb. payload figure.

Get a camper that has a published dry weight of 2200 lbs. or less and you will be fine with your truck as it is. It is likely the weight after extras like a battery are added will push the unloaded weight up another 300 lbs. and food, gear, and drinking water can easily add another 400 lbs. to put the total load at 2900 lbs. plus the weight of a hitch extension and the tongue weight of the trailer.

An option remains to upgrade the payload capacity of your truck by putting on higher load rated tires. I replaced my tires rated at 3195@80 PSI with one rated at 3750@80 PSI for a gain of 1110 lbs. of extra capacity at the rear axle. Going with 19.5 rims and tires would have increased the payload capacity even more. Adding Supersprings and possibly a rear anti-sway bar can help. All are commonly done mods on trucks to support the extra weight of campers.

[tktplz]

gandydancer2010 wrote:
I noticed that your from North Texas so you might want to check out Princess Craft RV in Pflugerville as they have many brands and models to choose from. Livin Lite Camplite and Palomino Maverick are two of the brands they carry. You might want to check out Travel Lite as this is a good brand that they also carry. The 890SBRX with a dry weight of 2050lbs would be a suitable companion for your three quarter ton truck. It has all the amenities that you are looking for without being overly priced. I didn't see one on their inventory but I'm sure that they can get one for you.

X2 on www.princesscraft.com PJ is very nice to make a deal with and I love my Travel Lite 690FD on my 1999 Tacoma extra cab. Good crew of employees too. They know their stuff.

[Bigimac]

Check out Capri in Bluff Dale (sw of Ft Worth) http://www.capricamper.com/index.html

Basic, low weight, very reasonable, quality hand built.

[TxTiger]

Thanks guys, great stuff. I will check out what has been suggested. It will get me started.

[bobndot]

A slideout unit is going to be too heavy if GVWR is your concern.
Look at northstar campers. The Liberty and Freedom are hardside TCs.
They will offer you what you are looking for with relatively low weight.
http://www.northstarcampers.com/online-catalog.php?headerbar=1&view=subs&parentId=15
Look at the following link to get an idea of how the weight increases from DRY wt. to Wet wt. most of the weight gets carried by the rear axle. NOW ADD ALL YOUR STUFF to that wet weight avrg, = 500# more.
http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/truck-camper-buyers-guide/northstar-camper



I would be more concerned about watching my rear axle being overloaded opposed to the GVWR.
You might need to upgrade the tires to a 10 ply E rated tire in a size that will offer you 3400-3700# each. ex: 265/75/16 E 3415#
compare weights of various sizes...http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=BFGoodrich&tireModel=All-Terrain+T%2FA+KO&partnum=6...
OEM hub centric stock wheels should work, see if they have a stamp for their wheel weight rating. It might written in code where you will have to read it at a truck/tire shop.

If you are using aftermarket lug centric wheels with a hub spacer, then you need to look into that with truck professionals and make a decision. Your are carrying a lot of weight hauling a camper, its not the same as towing the weight.

Good luck, Bob

[exhaustipated]

I noticed that your from North Texas so you might want to check out Princess Craft RV in Pflugerville as they have many brands and models to choose from. Livin Lite Camplite and Palomino Maverick are two of the brands they carry. You might want to check out Travel Lite as this is a good brand that they also carry. The 890SBRX with a dry weight of 2050lbs would be a suitable companion for your three quarter ton truck. It has all the amenities that you are looking for without being overly priced. I didn't see one on their inventory but I'm sure that they can get one for you.