New Silverado 4500 w/ TC

[SpeedRacer350]

Has anyone seen or heard of a new medium duty Chevy truck with a truck camper? I Googled and couldn't even find a picture. There were lots with the old Kodiaks, but none on the new platform. I'm daydreaming about a rig like that to use as a toterhome and wanted to visualize it.

thanks.

[SpeedRacer350]

Update: Despite the low frame height of the GM 4500/5500, the problem is that the frame to cab roof distance if much higher than a 3500. I don't have the exact measurements, but you can easily see this just by looking. So, your custom bed would probably have to be at lease 12 inches thick. This would enable you to have a nice storage area under there, but the overall rig would be very tall. And climb-in height would be terrible. So, I guess this is a not a great plan after all.

[Grit_dog]

Grit dog wrote:

Troutguy wrote:
Saw a Northern Lite on a new Chevy 4500 flatbed It was very tall.

And that alone makes them a poor to horrible choice.

Based on speedracer's post, I could be all wet on this one...
That, and saw one this morning with a service box on it and it "looked" fairly low profile.

Quick check, Ram 5500 CC 60" CA 4wd is 35.5" to top of frame rail, so these Cheeebies are a fair bit shorter.

[SpeedRacer350]

According to the GM Upfitter guide, the 4500-6500 4x2 has a loaded frame height of about 29+ inches. This doesn't account for any cross member or bed floor thickness though.

The bed lift-in height of a 2020 3500 is around 39" unloaded- probably about 36" loaded. So, it sounds like the 4500 is close or even shorter depending on how thick your custom bed floor is.

A Host Yukon is 118" tall. So, that large camper on a 4500 would still be under or close to 13' tall in total. That doesn't seem too bad unless my math is off or I'm forgetting something.

sources:
GM Medium Duty Upfitter Guide
2020 3500 Press Release
Host Yukon specs

[Grit_dog]

Troutguy wrote:
Saw a Northern Lite on a new Chevy 4500 flatbed It was very tall.

And that alone makes them a poor to horrible choice.

[Troutguy]

Saw a Northern Lite on a new Chevy 4500 flatbed up in a Mackinaw City campground last month........it was very impressive! Didn’t have my phone with me to take a picture and nobody was around to talk to about. It was very tall. That’s all I can tell you about it but they do exist.


TG

[SpeedRacer350]

wintersun wrote:
GM is supplying these to manufacturers including Coachmen for their Class C motorhomes. Great to have a 20,000 lb GCWR.

Finally! I can't wait to see something other than a Ford chassis. Both my father and grandfather have driven Chevy as long as Chevy has existed. I'm not about to change that now.

[wintersun]

GM is supplying these to manufacturers including Coachmen for their Class C motorhomes. Great to have a 20,000 lb GCWR.

[darkmind25]

SpeedRacer350 wrote:
Has anyone seen or heard of a new medium duty Chevy truck with a truck camper? I Googled and couldn't even find a picture. There were lots with the old Kodiaks, but none on the new platform. I'm daydreaming about a rig like that to use as a toterhome and wanted to visualize it.

thanks.

Haven't seen one.

[cptqueeg]

Grit dog wrote:

cptqueeg wrote:
It's a great way to go right now as there are 450/4500's available at mid-trim levels reasonably optioned. Put a TC on a flatbed and fill the empty spaces w tool boxes.

Mid optioned CC/4wd with a detuned engine and old 6 speed (which is probably ok if you're geared for pulling and not 80mph on the highway) and a flatbed is still a $70k rig and they basically come in any color you like as long as it's white....
You're right, they're available still, even last year's models.
GM still cant get it right with med duty trucks save for very limited use profiles.
Heck, I love Duramax trucks and the new (not new new, 3rd year of production, about to be 4th here soon) med duties are still a turd in Chevy clothing.

As long as it's not black or red w a moonroof I'm good.

[Grit_dog]

rjstractor wrote:

Lwiddis wrote:
Here’s a bad boy

That's an old Kodiak, circa 2005ish.

Almost did this back about 8 years ago. Saw a screaming deal on a luxury cc 4wd diesel Kodiak with really low miles.
Checked out the truck, it was sweet.
Did the math and camper would have been about 14’ high and required an escalator to get to the back door!

[Grit_dog]

cptqueeg wrote:
It's a great way to go right now as there are 450/4500's available at mid-trim levels reasonably optioned. Put a TC on a flatbed and fill the empty spaces w tool boxes.

Mid optioned CC/4wd with a detuned engine and old 6 speed (which is probably ok if you're geared for pulling and not 80mph on the highway) and a flatbed is still a $70k rig and they basically come in any color you like as long as it's white....
You're right, they're available still, even last year's models.
GM still cant get it right with med duty trucks save for very limited use profiles.
Heck, I love Duramax trucks and the new (not new new, 3rd year of production, about to be 4th here soon) med duties are still a turd in Chevy clothing.

[cptqueeg]

It's a great way to go right now as there are 450/4500's available at mid-trim levels reasonably optioned. Put a TC on a flatbed and fill the empty spaces w tool boxes.

[rjstractor]

Lwiddis wrote:
Here’s a bad boy

That's an old Kodiak, circa 2005ish.

[Grit_dog]

New model, and not good for a TC as they are still taller than a reg pickup cab. In person they appear shorter than the old Kodiaks but still poor choice for a TC.
Given the appeal and relative popularity of the class 4 and 5 Fords and Dodges, it didn’t make sense to me that GM produced another basically commercial use only med duty.
I’ve only seen maybe 2 of them on the road. But seems you see new F and R med duty trucks more