Newbie Question on removing small Lance
Thinking about buying a small Lance camper. My need for it will be occasional. How hard would it be to take it off and put it back on the truck?
Forum Discussion
Some food for thought, is to take a look at the "dry weight" of these so-called "half ton" campers on Lance's website and then look at the payload capacities on "half ton" trucks like the F150 (yellow sticker inside the driver's door frame).
You're starting off in the hole.
The 650, Lance's smallest lightest, dry weight is 1700lbs.
The typical F150 or 1500 series pickup has a payload capacity of 1500lbs. Yes, there are max payload packages that increase that up to 2000lbs but you are not likely to find something like that on a lot.
You're already 200lbs over the truck's payload rating, and your camping trip consists of sitting in the dirt, naked and hungry.
This is the one time dry weight is NOT meaningless. It only goes up from there. The camper off the lot will be heavier just from optional equipment and basics like propane and battery. Then you add water, food, equipment you use for whatever you do while camping...
I'm not saying that any of this is a non-starter. There are many people out there happily hauling 2500-3000lb campers on half tun trucks that will tell you it's much ado about nothing. The flip side of that coin is we do not know how their rig actually handles, and if what is acceptable to them would be acceptable to any of us.
Just don't go in blind.
You're starting off in the hole.
The 650, Lance's smallest lightest, dry weight is 1700lbs.
The typical F150 or 1500 series pickup has a payload capacity of 1500lbs. Yes, there are max payload packages that increase that up to 2000lbs but you are not likely to find something like that on a lot.
You're already 200lbs over the truck's payload rating, and your camping trip consists of sitting in the dirt, naked and hungry.
This is the one time dry weight is NOT meaningless. It only goes up from there. The camper off the lot will be heavier just from optional equipment and basics like propane and battery. Then you add water, food, equipment you use for whatever you do while camping...
I'm not saying that any of this is a non-starter. There are many people out there happily hauling 2500-3000lb campers on half tun trucks that will tell you it's much ado about nothing. The flip side of that coin is we do not know how their rig actually handles, and if what is acceptable to them would be acceptable to any of us.
Just don't go in blind.
