MtTop,
There have been so many folks that have come to this site with the idea of putting a truck camper on their current 1-series, F150/1500 pick up truck. Everyone who replied to your quest has had 1st hand experience at their attempt to put 5 quarts in a 4 quart jar. You'll notice in their sigs most operate 3 and 4 series trucks.
The problem is perspective. Paradigm. Carrying a TC is SO different than pulling a trailer. With a trailer you drag the weight. It has it's own brakes. It's cheaper, per sq. foot than any TC. F150 owners are just hoping, hoping that they can use their current tow rig and downsize the whole operation. The woe is that in downsizing to carry all the weight on the rear axle one must upsize the:
carrying capacity, engine power, braking power, axle shafts and bearings, axle housing, drive shafts and U-joints, transmission, transfer case, suspension/shocks/anti-sway, maybe beef up the frame, and steering. When i was a writer for the Jeep section of Off-Road.com I received many questions about upgrading axles, drivetrains and suspensions. A little tweaking is fine, but upgrading a lot of current drivetrain and suspension parts on ones rig gets very expensive, very quickly, and in the end is not worth it. Too many parts are interconnected: endless "pulling on that string".
It's just physics. "Form follows function is a principle associated with modernist architecture and industrial design in the 20th century. The principle is that the shape of a building or object should be primarily based upon its intended function or purpose."
Most of the weight you potentially add with the addition of a truck camper goes right over the rear axle. I have had a Ford 8.8 L.S. axle from an Exploder and found out it had a single outboard bearing, semi floating, C-clip axle. That means if you snap an axle, the shaft and wheel will work itself right out of the housing. How do I know? Yes, I've been there. I did like the housing, certainly more robust than the Dana 44 axles ( of the same size). But, you can get the D44 in non-c-clip.
If you want to upgrade to a truck camper you must look at the whole picture to find out if indeed it is actually worth it. Most of the time it is not. I know of one person, Now-less-stuff who has made it his quest in making his TC smaller, lighter with....less stuff.
regards, jefe
'01.5 Dodge 2500 4x4, CTD, Qcab, SB, NV5600, 241HD, 4.10's, Dana 70/TruTrac; Dana 80/ TruTrac, Spintec hub conversion, H.D. susp, 315/75R16's on 7.5" and 10" wide steel wheels, Vulcan big line, Warn M15K winch '98 Lance Lite 165s, 8' 6" X-cab, 200w Solar
