Need truck guidance - Short bed pickup for slide-in?

[nipster]

I got out of RV'ing about 15 years ago due to financial issues, I had an older Coachman slide-in and my vehicle was a 1996 F350 crew cab with 7.3 diesel. Great rig. Due to circumstances out of my control, I had to sell it all. I am back on my feet, and have the itch again. I currently drive a F-150 long bed with the max tow package and air bags, borrowed a buddy's slide-in to feel out whether or not my truck is going to cut it, and it isnt happening.

So I am in the market for a truck. I live in a community that will not allow me to park my truck in the driveway (I know...), so I need something that will fit in my garage. My F150 barely fits, I measured and a F250 SuperCab shortbed will fit.

My question is, I will probably be buying a used slide-in of some kind, is it ok to buy a normal one and just have it stick off the end of the bed a little? Or will this cause damage. I did a little looking and it seems they make specific units for short beds, but I think that would limit me in the long run.

Need recommendations, thanks.

[jimh406]

I don't know if you checked the height of a F250/350, but they are kind of tall.

[Mello_Mike]

I'd buy an F-350 Shortbed with the supercab to get you more payload. You can get some nice shortbed campers with a truck like that. You can get slideout campers like the Arctic Fox 811 and the Lance 855s or ones without a slideout like the Northern Lite 811Q and 85Q, Wolf Creek 840 and 850, and Northstar Arrow 8.5.

[jefe_4x4]

SB vs. LB?
You will, no doubt read the usual suspects with their viewpoint, but let me lay out the reasons I bought a short bed, extended cab truck and a Lance camper that would fit.
1. It would fit in the L.A. Music Center underground parking Garage, spiraling down 8 floors. A long bed or a dualie would not fit between the curbs in the spiral.
2. I originally bought a SB as I wanted a tug for my jeep-on-car-trailer.
3. I looked in the Recycler one morning and found a 3 yr. old Lance Lite with the long snout; the extended cab version; called the guy; shortly after met him; we went to the bank; I gave him $6500 cash; he gave me a bill of sale (no registration needed in CA); he gave me all the hardware i needed; after securing hardware, a couple days later I picked it up at a storage yard, loaded it up, cranked up the jax, and drove it home. We've camped over 200 nights in the box.
4. I can make very sharp turns with the 139" WB, which my bro with a LB Ford had to triple pump to make. Part of that is that we have coils and 4 links in front and my bro has leaf springs which limit your turning radius.
5. @ 20 feet, loaded it will fit in a regular parking spot in a lot or along the curb.
6. You gain a very small amount of storage in the 'wings' at each rear side.
7. You actually don't loose much space inside with an 8'-6" box, as 18"-24" variously hang over the end of the bed.
8. You can use that 'hangover' space to put your utility aluminum rack in the receiver hitch for more storage yet.
It's just a compact package that has worn well for us, even in the XTC mode. Don't fear the Short Bed.
What ever you wind up doing, make it fit your circumstances;
the old, form-follows-function. Here we are last week in Afton Cyn. near the start of the Mojave Road:

jefe

[NEOK]

We have a Bigfoot camper made for a short bed truck. It works great on our 2500HD truck.

[NMace]

They make a short bed F-350?

Edit

They do offer one, I think a DRW with 6.75' bed would be super. The last dually I had you needed a lot of room to turn it around, I mean like, as they used to say, a 40 acre field.

Thanks

[NMace]

What are going to do with the camper when your truck is in the garage? Can you also store the truck there? Or is it a daily driver?

There are a good many campers for the 6.5 beds, not many for the 5.5s.

Good luck.

[nipster]

hedge wrote:
Of course there aren't as many truck campers made for a short bed but there are still quite a few. I happened to buy and Adventurer, they make quite a few models that fit short bed trucks.

I am finding this, need to do more research.

The other issue is that you should consider a 350/3500 instead of the 250. They're essentially the same truck but the 350 has better payload capacity.

Yes, regarding the 250/350, I may indeed end up going that route, it's only marginally more money. From what I know, having owned trucks my whole life, the 250 and 350 are the exact same vehicle, Same frame, tranny, axles, everything, but the 350 has a higher GVWR rating. Which is 100% a paper rating. I guess if you ever get pulled over it might matter.

[hedge]

Of course there aren't as many truck campers made for a short bed but there are still quite a few. I happened to buy and Adventurer, they make quite a few models that fit short bed trucks.

The other issue is that you should consider a 350/3500 instead of the 250. They're essentially the same truck but the 350 has better payload capacity.

[nipster]

805gregg wrote:
Long bed will give more camper choices and more camper space, why buy a heavy duty truck and limit your capabilities, I made that mistake once

I hear you, but I dont have much of a choice other than to move, which isnt happening... So standard cab long bed, or supercab short bed. I cant fit a long bed supercab in my garage, and cant park it in the driveway

[Redsky]

The center of gravity is placed over the rear axle by design. It is different for a long bed versus a short bed truck. The camper will hang out past the rear of the truck by 18" or more for the models with a head.

In good used short bed models there are the Lance 830 and 845 models and others like the 850 from Wolfe Creek. Lance has brochures with specs online for prior year campers so you know when you see a used one for sale what the layout is like, size of fridge and holding tanks, ballpark weight, and dimensions.

[805gregg]

Long bed will give more camper choices and more camper space, why buy a heavy duty truck and limit your capabilities, I made that mistake once