NEW GUY Looking for Best Hard Side TC for light off roading

[Scars1989]

So here is my story i am 25 ill be buying a Ford F-350 Dually Super Cab (or extended if u prefer basicly not a 4 door ) with a 8' bed
i am 100% noob to truck campers but not to trucks and off roading but i am also not calling my self a expert
before i get into campers i would like to know what is more important having super light weight how much would be to much with a 6k payload and COG... how do the 2 specs come in to play with off roading i know the COG need to be at or forward of the rear axle beyond that i don't know much
i would like to define the off roading ill be doing it will mostly be on trails but if i need to i would like to be able to travel off trails if i need get to the right camping spot but no MAJOR rock crawling or mud bogging
that said i would like to also have a 6'' lift and 3'' body lift for when i do not have the TC with me. would this lead to way to tall and unstable.
also what is too tall too
as for camper i know i want a hard-side i like them best and ill be going to mostly cold climates. with bears and other not so friendly wild life (i know they got collapsible kinda and the clamshell like the Alaskan dont like dont want i would rather not be able to do or go certain places then not have the hard side.
i would like but not need a dry bath but the toilet has to be the flushing kind
i dont need a slide but if i found one light enough it would be a +
and lastly i would take a larger fridge with the freezer attached over a oven

any imput and info would be great

[dadwolf2]

Dually's are not the best offroad vehicle choice either.

[sue_t]

Maybe consider a trailer designed for off-roading. Off-road "caravans" are popular in Australia.

Here's one option:
http://www.conqueror.co.za/commander.php

[Scars1989]

sky_free wrote:

~DJ~ wrote:
This is my truck with a 4" BDS suspension lift on 35" Toyos. It does jsut fine for "light" off roading. :B

Nice, but he was asking about a hardside.

i like that setup kinda what i am going for i would go with a dully though and a more square bumper like the old ranch hands

[Scars1989]

Rexsname wrote:
Please reconsider the amount of lift you plan for the truck. It's usually best to have the largest tires you can fit with the least amount of lift. Body lifts are the wrong way to do a Camper. Think it thru....the camper, with all of its weight, is in the bed of the truck. That bed is now supported by the body lift brackets, resting on the frame. Now take it off-road and the twisting really begins.

I really don't intend to come across as a grumpy old man but, reconsider....think it thru... and please let us know what you end up with.

REX

your fine REX thats why i am here i had not considered the body lift and the flexing of the frame at all. sometimes i think my truck is invincible then a wise man like you brings me back to reality haha
the idea was i could take or leave the camper at home or camp ground if i wanted but also take it with me i wanted to go OFF the Grid if u will but with factors like what u pointed out looks like ill be making more compromises

[Scars1989]

~DJ~ wrote:
Why such a drastic lift for "light" off roading?

the drastic lift was for when i wanted to leave the camper behind but i wanted the option to bring it with as well if i wanted to go OFF the Grid if u will having said that with all this im put i am re thinking my set up for sure

[_DJ_1]

sky_free wrote:


Nice, but he was asking about a hardside.

Hardside or pop up makes no difference in ground clearance. I am just showing what a truck is capable of with a 4" lift.

[Scars1989]

Reddog1 wrote:
I think Butch50 made every point to consider. Personally, I would not even consider what you are want to do. Sometimes you cannot have it both ways. I can't help but think the lifted truck is for bling-bling. I suggest you load the TC you want and run it a while, before you do as lift. I think you will then understand what we are talking about.

definitely am rethinking thank you for your input thats why im here its cheaper to ask around before i make a dumb rookie mistake haha
and the idea behind the lift was so that i could leave the camper behind go do what ever crazy stuff i could find then come back but also have the option of going Off the Grid if you will if i wanted to and bring the camper with

[Scars1989]

Butch50 wrote:
When you are talking off road and 3" body lift and a 6" suspension lift just doesn't go together for a hard sided camper. Then you will probably want to go to bigger tires which raises you even more. With stock tires that big of wheel wells are gong to look really screwy, so that means either 35 or 37" tires. Now you have added another 2.5 to 3.5" in height. Do you realize how high your center of gravity is going to be. With a setup like this you are asking for sway problems going down the road with no cross winds at all. Also when you are going down any kind of trail if there is any slight side slope to it the rig being this high is really going to lean over.

Most of the time when you raise the truck you are getting softer suspension. This is going to compound your sway problems.

You are also gong to have problems with the camper jacks not being able to take the camper off the truck without putting additional blocking under them and when you pull out from under the truck that sucker is going to be way up in the air. You are going to have to make sure you are on level ground and that there is no wind blowing when you want to load or unload the camper.

With any camper especially one with any basement (which most of the 4 season campers have a heated basement) you are going to be pushing 13' tall. My NL on my stock Ram dually is over 12' tall to the top of the AC. Add another 9" or more on top of that and you are at 13' and that is without bigger tires.

Please rethink what you are planning to do.

This is IMO

But bottom line it is up to you.

no i completely agree with you and that was my fear the it would be to unstable i trying to do to much with one truck is what it looking like
i wanted a lift like that so when i got where i was going i be able to leave the TC behind go where i want and so on but it is looking like my fear is coming true so ill be rethinking my set-up for sure but thank you for your imput

[sky_free]

~DJ~ wrote:
This is my truck with a 4" BDS suspension lift on 35" Toyos. It does jsut fine for "light" off roading. :B

Nice, but he was asking about a hardside.

[_DJ_1]

This is my truck with a 4" BDS suspension lift on 35" Toyos. It does jsut fine for "light" off roading. :B

[rexlion]

Having a TC and a lifted truck is kind of like trying to use a tree for both shade and firewood.

[CptnBG]

Northstar, Lance and I'm sure some others, make a 7' wide camper which is a plus in my opinion for off roading. But if you run large oversize tires, they may not fit between the jacks without some modification. Something to consider.

[Reddog1]

I think Butch50 made every point to consider. Personally, I would not even consider what you are want to do. Sometimes you cannot have it both ways. I can't help but think the lifted truck is for bling-bling. I suggest you load the TC you want and run it a while, before you do as lift. I think you will then understand what we are talking about.

[Rexsname]

Please reconsider the amount of lift you plan for the truck. It's usually best to have the largest tires you can fit with the least amount of lift. Body lifts are the wrong way to do a Camper. Think it thru....the camper, with all of its weight, is in the bed of the truck. That bed is now supported by the body lift brackets, resting on the frame. Now take it off-road and the twisting really begins.

I really don't intend to come across as a grumpy old man but, reconsider....think it thru... and please let us know what you end up with.

REX

[sky_free]

Before you buy a TC you might try loading 3 or 4,000 lbs in the bed and take it for a spin on some roads similar to what you are planning to do. The biggest problem I have (other than height) is the momentum that several thousand pounds exerts. Although actually rolling it is probably not going to happen, all that weight makes bumps and sway motions much worse, so the ride isn't all that inspiring or fun unless the road is smooth.