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Match truck and camper

Louisi
Explorer
Explorer
We have been sailors for many years and are now interested in truck camping. We are looking at a Lance 855s and a Ford 250 supercab short bed with a camper package. Although we would prefer a crew cab, the super cab fits in our garage and the crew cab does not. We are concerned that since the cab is shorter it may cause some instability in the truck or perhaps another problem we have not thought of. We would appreciate comments on this match as well as any comments on the Lance 855s itself. Thanks
16 REPLIES 16

DWeikert
Explorer II
Explorer II
d3500ram wrote:
I had to look twice but me thinks it is an optical illusion... there is only 1 top overload spring.

You're right. I zoomed in and it's the streak in the dust my eyes were seeing as the end of a shorter leaf. Never mind...
Dan
2008 Chevy D/A 2500HD ECSB
2010 Northstar 8.5 Adventurer

Bedlam
Moderator
Moderator
The top spring is a single metal leaf. As the main spring pack compresses, the upper overload spring is pushed against the upper perches and resists further upper movement once it contacts the pads. I found that the upper StableLoad pads do more to reduce sag and the lower StableLoad wedges do more to reduce sway.

My Ram 5500 is set up the same way, but has two upper leaf springs.


Host Mammoth 11.5 on Ram 5500 HD

d3500ram
Explorer III
Explorer III
I had to look twice but me thinks it is an optical illusion... there is only 1 top overload spring.
Sold the TC, previous owner of 2 NorthStar pop-ups & 2 Northstar Arrows...still have the truck:

2005 Dodge 3500 SRW, Qcab long bed, NV-6500, diesel, 4WD, Helwig, 9000XL,
Nitto 285/70/17 Terra Grapplers, Honda eu3000Is, custom overload spring perch spacers.

DWeikert
Explorer II
Explorer II
Thanks, but I'm specifically curious about the part of the upper overload spring that doesn't contact the Stableload in the pic I copied. It looks to me like that spring would be pushing down, not up. I'm actually thinking it might be a way to reduce sway.
Dan
2008 Chevy D/A 2500HD ECSB
2010 Northstar 8.5 Adventurer

Bedlam
Moderator
Moderator
A typical F250 does not have the upper overload spring and perches with pads. If you have the camper package or a F350 the upper spring will be there but requires over 3" of sag before it is engaged. The front half of the spring will engage the pad before the rear to give you a more progressive spring rate when loaded. Using the taller upper StableLoad pads engages the upper overload in 1/2" to 1", so it uses your overload suspension sooner (like a preload setting on a motorcycle shock).

The lower overload is on both the F250 and F350. Until you compress the arch out of your spring pack, this spring does little. The lower StableLoad wedges are actually three wedge plates bolted together. This allows the lower overload spring to engage sooner and preserve more of the main spring pack arch. Based on the number of plates you use, you are also changing the preload on the lower overload spring. When this lower spring is engaged while you are unloaded, it results in a very harsh ride. Torklift created the wedges with a swing out hinge so you can disable your lower preload wedge when not carrying a load.

The photo you saw previously is the forward half of the spring and you can see the stabilizer bar end. This what the rear half looks like:



BTW: These photos were taken with my 4000 lb TC loaded, but only 5 PSI in the air bags and no trailer hitched up.

Host Mammoth 11.5 on Ram 5500 HD

DWeikert
Explorer II
Explorer II
Bedlam wrote:


To carry 7000 lbs level on the rear of my truck only required upper and lower StableLoads:





My apologies for the thread hijack, but can you explain what I'm seeing there. Is that a heavier leaf sitting on top of the leaf that engages with the Stableload? Do they separate as your springs compress?
Dan
2008 Chevy D/A 2500HD ECSB
2010 Northstar 8.5 Adventurer

lonegunman
Explorer
Explorer
A camper package, heavy duty suspension F-250 is absolutely identical to an F-350 underneath, same everything. That being said, the difference in price between an F-250 XLT with camper package/heavy duty suspension and a the exact same options is usually nothing or a couple of hundred dollars tops. If you get it with an F-350 medallion you get about 1,800lbs more GVWR on the sticker and maybe 18" wheels and tires.

You may as well get it as an F-350 and be done with it.

billtex
Explorer II
Explorer II
Louisi wrote:
Thank you so much for the thoughtful very helpful comments, and the pictures, . Since we don't own a truck yet, we are going to look more seriously at the F350, it looks like that may be the way to go. Hope to see you on the road.


You will not regret getting a 1 ton...
2020 F350 CC LB
Eagle Cap 850
25'Airstream Excella
"Good People Drink Good Beer"-Hunter S Thompson

Louisi
Explorer
Explorer
Thank you so much for the thoughtful very helpful comments, and the pictures, . Since we don't own a truck yet, we are going to look more seriously at the F350, it looks like that may be the way to go. Hope to see you on the road.

Bedlam
Moderator
Moderator
There is no problem with that camper on a short bed extended cab truck. This is an AF811 on a F250:



Get the camper package and 18" wheels whether you get a F250 or F350. The F350 will come with rear overload springs and 18" wheels standard but still need the camper package to get the rear stabilizer bar. The rest of the F250 is the same as the F350.

To carry 7000 lbs level on the rear of my truck only required upper and lower StableLoads:



Air bags, shocks, 19.5" wheels and SuperHitch were added so I could tow my 8000 lb trailer behind the camper.


Host Mammoth 11.5 on Ram 5500 HD

NEOK
Explorer
Explorer
We have a camper made for a short bed truck and have been very satisfied with the combination. Our truck is a crew cab 2500 and the camper was actually designed for 1500 series trucks. We chose a short bed because it fit our space requirements for parking at work and home.As many have said you do get more flexibility in the nunber of campers that fit an 8' bed 3500 but you know the parking space you have to work with. I would give careful consideration to the dry plus loaded weight of the camper for 2500 truck. The Lance you are considering might be a stretch for a 2500 truck, especially when fully loaded with your gear and occupants.
neok
2009 GMC 25000HD Short Bed 6.0 Gas Engine Crew Cab SLT 4x4
2008 Bigfoot 15C9.5FS
Torklift Talons, Fastguns, Stableload Quick Disconnects, Superhitch & SuperTruss

Steve_in_29
Explorer
Explorer
If you haven't bought the truck yet go with an F350 over the F250.

Our 2007 F350 SRW carries our fully loaded Outfitter Apex9 (3000+lbs) and still sits slightly tail high without any suspension mods.
2007 F350,SC,LB,4x4,6.0/Auto,35" tires,16.5 Warn,Buckstop bumpers
2007 Outfitter Apex9.5,270W solar,SolarBoost2000e,2 H2K's,2KW inverter,2 20lb LP on slide out tray,4 Lifeline AGM bats,Tundra fridge
95 Bounder 28' ClassA sold
91 Jamboree 21' ClassC sold

dave17352
Explorer
Explorer
I have had two short box campers and now a long box camper. It is about as long as they get. 11 foot 6". I so much like the bigger everything. It makes a huge difference. Especially if you plan to stay in it a lot of nights. But of course that is only my opinion. But I agree with the other poster who said if you don't have a truck yet and want to get into truck camping I would get a long box also. It leaves all your options open. Long and short box. I had a one of my short box campers on my long box truck and it worked great.
NOW 2017 Leprechaun 260ds
2005 Forrest River Cardinal 29rkle FW
1998 Lance 980 11'3" TC
2017 CHEVY 3500 SRW 6.0
B@W turnover ball @ companion Hitch
Honda eu3000 generator mounted on cargo rack
Crestliner 1850 Fish Ski boat mostly fishing now!

mkirsch
Nomad II
Nomad II
Assuming new truck and new camper.

Lance 855S shows a "wet weight" of 3084lbs. Assuming that means with full fresh tank and propane, but nothing else like food or your stuff.

That's an awful lot for an F250. A typical F250 has a rear axle rating of 6084lbs, limited by the tires, and weighs in the neighborhood of 2800-2900lbs empty. So with just the bare essentials, you will be exceeding your tire ratings right from the get-go.

At the very least you will need some sort of suspension add-ons, and bigger tires right off the lot. To me, it's ludicrous to throw away brand new tires off a brand new truck, when you can just get the truck with the right tires to begin with.

If you upgrade to a single rear wheel (SRW) F350, you will not need the tires at least, and may not need suspension add-ons.

Putting 10-ply tires on half ton trucks since aught-four.