New Ram 5500 Build

sbhfs wrote:
Similar to Padres_Chris I am looking at 84" chassis cab with the 8'X11'4" aluminum bed with camper COG over the rear axle, front space and down the sides top and bottom with boxes. Full time use and need the space for all the gear for biking, backpacking, ski and surf/foil...you get the picture.

Will anyone talk me down to a 60" with better turn radius and off road? Is there such a thing as too much storage on a truck camper?

Design questions: What is the gap this group would recommend between the boxes and the side of the camper? The tighter the harder to load, the bigger your are losing valuable storage space.

Considering a Northern Lite 10.2...any advice on fast guns/ tie downs through or with the side boxes?

With an standard 8' bed, rub rails and the width of the front legs you are getting very wide...any advice on tucking in the legs? I have seen pictures of a Douglas custom and looks like they customize a space for the legs but on a stock bed would require notching I suppose??

Any advice is appreciated.

Take all the support you can get under the camper. If you truly use it off road, and it's a longer camper with a lot of overhang, you will break the frame otherwise. I had to reinforce/repair mine due to excessive flexing in the overhang. Between that and storage, the 84CA is a no-brainer. You can overcome the poorer breakover angles with larger tires, careful driving, and stacking rocks when those fail you.

I had a 1" gap on either side of the camper. I wouldn't run tie-downs through the boxes because I store things that need to be out of the weather in them. Check my photos for the arrangement.

The legs fold in so they're not any wider than the awning or other things sticking off the side of the camper. That width is a non-issue.