Newbie here...

[maria_bettina]

Hi! I have a general question for ya. I don't have a cabover camper for my 2010 Toyota Tundra (6-ft bed double cab 4x4) yet, but I am seriously thinking that I *need* one. 🙂 I have been looking at craigslist and rvtrader to see what is out there, used. I had no idea what cabover campers offered these days. Wow! I am sold on having a toilet/shower because I will be traveling with my 6 year old, and getting up and out of the truck in the middle of the night to get to the campground bathroom doesn't sound appealing.

That being said, I have a 2-part question, or maybe just 2 questions. First, what manufacturer and what model would you recommend; I am hoping to spend no more than $10k on a 2005 or newer model - is that even possible? Second, I have not bought an RV from a dealer and I assume you don't pay what they are asking; it is typical to take off a certain percentage from the asking price (like 10% or 20%) and offer that, or does it vary by region or ? Please school this newbie!

[homefor2]

Well stated bka0721. I hope that people I meet on the highway are thinking clearly when they choose to overload their unit too much.

[bka0721]

mkirsch wrote:
To be fair, the ones running F-350 duallys @ 1000lbs over are a lot less overweight as a % of their payload capacity than a Tundra @ 1000lbs over.

A typical F-350 has 4000-6000lbs of payload capacity. Being 1000lbs overweight is 16-25% overloaded.

A typical Tundra has 1200-1500lbs of payload capacity. Being 1000lbs overweight is 66%-83% overloaded.

Just put the 1000lbs into each empty truck and tell me it's the same. The F-350 will squat a fraction of an inch. The Tundra will squat 3-4 inches.

Sort of like a South Korean Ferry. When operated within reasonable situations and reasonable experienced persons, it won't tip over or push your steering in a corner? I wonder how many times that Ferry operated port to port without ever having issues with it being 66%-83% beyond it's recommended allowances?

While I am greatly within my recommended allowances, it is still a heavy and top heavy vehicle with a truck camper on it, combination. While traveling a dark Wyoming mountain highway, that I have traveled on hundreds of times previously, for whatever reason I just lost track of where I was and what I was doing. Call it driving while inattentive. But suddenly I was into the curve at a greater speed than I should have been. Threshold braking is/was the right response and this is what I did. But, with this type of load I knew I could not cut as quickly as I could in a car, or Ferry, but I did feel the suspension loading and unloading, known as tipping to the outside of the curve. Luckily I have had many years of high speed driving and instructing and let my reflexes react, before my brain could ever engage. But for the remaining drive to camp, I never stop thinking in how lucky I had been, this time. Imagine the circumstances I would have been if I had a load greatly exceeding my suspension and frame capabilities. The load on my rear axle alone is approx. 15,000# and I drive accordingly and remain within my truck’s design specifications.

These are the circumstances why some of us become card carrying "Weight Police" due to we are traveling the very same roads and highways of individuals that sometimes don't make the decisions I would have made under the same circumstances. We all have times where we settle with the choices we make in life. This is whether it is a house, spouse or dog. But settling with the fact you have a truck already and shoehorn a camper to fit it, is why I made a career of picking up the pieces caused by people making poor choices, in irrecoverable situations.

b

[mkirsch]

To be fair, the ones running F-350 duallys @ 1000lbs over are a lot less overweight as a % of their payload capacity than a Tundra @ 1000lbs over.

A typical F-350 has 4000-6000lbs of payload capacity. Being 1000lbs overweight is 16-25% overloaded.

A typical Tundra has 1200-1500lbs of payload capacity. Being 1000lbs overweight is 66%-83% overloaded.

Just put the 1000lbs into each empty truck and tell me it's the same. The F-350 will squat a fraction of an inch. The Tundra will squat 3-4 inches.

[campingken]

Maria we are from Auburn. A friend put a Northstar TC 650 (pop-up) on his new Toyota Tundra and all it needed was airbags. You could also look at Panther brand campers. They are light weight hard sided and made in Washington.

[sign_man]

AMEN BROTHER! Thanks for sharing!

[tonymull]

I am also running a Tundra just like the one above with a cabover that comes in @ around 1000 over. I already had e series tires and the axle can handle it. I was leary of brakes as we travel through cascade passes a lot. I added air bags. Run em at 80lbs. Handles curves and rides great. There are no problems climbing with the truck fully loaded and letting the engine help with braking was a piece of cake even on steep passes in the north cascades. I'm not off roading with this setup, just car camping type places. But it does just fine. That all said, when I retire next year and start traveling up and down the Alcan each summer I will be upgrading to a GM 3500HD, but right now that Tundra is no far over weight than many of the rigs I see with triple slides etc. Probably less.

[sign_man]

I've got E-rated tires and air bags and thats it. I'm not saying it's for everyone, i'm only sharing what i have. Thanks

[mkirsch]

Yes sign man, but how much did you have to spend on modifications for the Tundra in order to get it to where you "don't even know it's back there half the time?"

You are easily 1000lbs over the truck's manufacturer specifications on weight, not to mention well beyond the rated capacity of the stock tires.

Just because it can be done does not mean everyone should do it. Frankly it takes a special kind of person to slap a 2500lb camper in a 1/2 ton truck and hit the road, and I mean that in a POSITIVE way.

You've got to be a da*ned good driver.
You've got to have a good technical and analytical mind to determine what you need to add to the truck to handle the load.
You've got to be good with tools to install all the add-ons.
You've got to be patient and expect it will take you a little longer to get from A to B.
You've got to have an overwhelmingly positive attitude towards life.

Frankly, I got sick of the mushy, sluggish handling just towing around a 3500lb trailer with my 1/2 ton pickup. I couldn't imagine trying to haul a 2500lb camper.

[sign_man]

[sign_man]

I have a 2008 toyota tundra 5.7 and carry a 2006 lance 815 with no problem. has all the amenities and then some. Fully loaded weight is approx 2300lbs. i swear i dont even know its back there half the time.

[maria_bettina]

kknowlton wrote:
Ouch, Maria. Fellow Tundra owner here; I don't think you're going to find one that has everything you want. Even that last one will probably put you over your truck's limits once you get your gear loaded & fill up with water. Tundras are great for towing, but the frame under the bed of the truck is a C-channel, lighter weight and less sturdy than the frame that's under the engine or even the cab. That helps the truck weigh less and get better mileage but doesn't serve well for a truck camper.

You may want to rethink your plans. Good luck!

Boy, the things I wish I knew when I was looking at a new truck 4 years ago, before I bought the Tundra. Oh well. Guess that saves me $10k for now. Haha! I think I'll go be a troll over at the pop up tent trailer forum. :C

[kknowlton]

Ouch, Maria. Fellow Tundra owner here; I don't think you're going to find one that has everything you want. Even that last one will probably put you over your truck's limits once you get your gear loaded & fill up with water. Tundras are great for towing, but the frame under the bed of the truck is a C-channel, lighter weight and less sturdy than the frame that's under the engine or even the cab. That helps the truck weigh less and get better mileage but doesn't serve well for a truck camper.

You may want to rethink your plans. Good luck!

[maria_bettina]

Carb Cleaner wrote:
Here's an example CLICKY.
Camplite 5.7 Ultra Lightweight Aluminum Truck Camper. It's listed as 1,100 pounds dry weight. No water closet, but it gives you an idea of what's up.

Thank you. Yea, I'm realizing the Tundra is pretty weak 😕 I think I need a Plan B for my xc trip. If I can't have the full bath, then... yea, I dunno. We have a travel trailer but I don't want to haul it xc with just my son on board. Bugger.

[Carb_Cleaner]

Here's an example CLICKY.
Camplite 5.7 Ultra Lightweight Aluminum Truck Camper. It's listed as 1,100 pounds dry weight. No water closet, but it gives you an idea of what's up.