New Ram 5500 Build
We were running over 13K on the rear axle of a 2019 Ram 3500. Despite it handling the load well (with mods), we knew it wasn't responsible to continue with that rig and have spent the last few months ...
Forum Discussion
sbhfs wrote:
Thanks for the details and help. From my own pencil and ruler drawing the design contact patch for a camper on a long bed camper is around 96". Half inch gap to camper bumper and 2" of camper bumper from a bed length of 98.4". To get the center of gravity over the rear axle on the flat bed requires a 101" contact patch. A NL 10.2 has about 102" before you hit some low point drains...so if by magic it seems to work out with a stock 11'4"X8' bed. Should be able to get 3 inches of the widest part of the camper on the bed and be 1" in front of the rear axle. Now if all this actually works in the real world
The 1" gap around the camper seems tight to to get this loaded up especially if you have to do it solo. Will use it as a minimum gap starting point. Other opinions?
How about mounting the spare on a rig like this? Most place it in your storage area or mounted to the front but wondering about finding a way to get it under the rear area of the truck.
Don't worry about having CoG of camper at or in front of the rear axle centerline. Obviously a huge difference like 1'-2' behind the rear axle will remove a much larger amount of weight from the front, but if you do a simple moment diagram, you'll see that having the CoG a few inches behind the rear axle will remove negligible weight from the front. Or think about it this way. If it was a gasser (presume you're going diesel) there would already be about 800lbs less on the FA.
So even if you're taking 1000lbs off the FA, you're still good.
I'd shoot for 2" total clearance from side boxes to camper. 1" each side is reasonable and very doable for easy loading.
