Newer Trucks with worse suspension for hauling truck camper?

[jimh406]

Maybe it's an incorrect observation, but it seems RAM owners are more unhappy with their trucks hauling TCs than any other brand. I'm puzzled by this, but maybe it's just a small sample or a vocal minority.

Answer this survey, of the trucks you had, what brand was it and how happy were you with it hauling your TC. I'll go first.

'06 Ford F350 4x4 SRW SC 6.0 (fine for a SRW with minor mods)
'10 Ford F450 4x4 DRW CC 6.4 (seems fine to me with minor mods)

[Geewizard]

2004 Toyota Tundra Double Cab (air bags, E-load tires, Rancho shocks), Torklift tiedowns.
2014 Toyota Tundra Double Cab (air bags, E-load tires, OEM shocks), Torklift tiedowns.

I've been very happy with both of them.

[Flashman]

therobzilla wrote:
Just as a point of reference, I purchased a 2016 Dodge Ram 3500 Dually, Longhorn Laramie Edition, in Feb of 2016. I ordered this truck loaded, however I did not order the factory airbags, or a sunroof, everything else it came with, dual alternators, ... etc.

I now own a 2017 Host Mammoth, I purchased the truck specifically for this camper. Yes the printed weights don't match up... Weight Police, please back off, I'm aware of my liabilities...

As a point of reference, I added upper and lower Torklift Stableloads, and a set of Pacspring airbags. The truck tows the Mammoth with ZERO ISSUES, it stops on a dime, takes off the line like a rocket. I tow it up the mountains in AZ and up the Salt River Canyon road, and then some. No sway, no bounce, the ride is amazing. I don't know where the idea that the rides are bad, however I don't have these issues.

For refrence, I run 30 lbs of air in the bags, and run front and rear tires at 76lbs. This is with a fully loaded Mammoth.

The Ram 3500 is a beast of truck and especially for towing a TC. No regrets on my end and I spend plenty of $ on both the truck and the camper, paid for both in cash, so I promise you I would be extremely picky if the ride was anything but excellent.

I forgot to add, that's also towing my 21' Skeeter bass boat or my rockbuggy.


Hope this helps some with questions of ride quality.

I am thinking of getting the same setup! thanks for the reply.

[Reddog1]

Newer Trucks with worse suspension for hauling truck camper?

Answer this survey, of the trucks you had, what brand was it and how happy were you with it hauling your TC. I'll go first.

Sliding off topic again. Is it really that difficult to stay on topic?

Wayne
Moderator

[therobzilla]

Just as a point of reference, I purchased a 2016 Dodge Ram 3500 Dually, Longhorn Laramie Edition, in Feb of 2016. I ordered this truck loaded, however I did not order the factory airbags, or a sunroof, everything else it came with, dual alternators, ... etc.

I now own a 2017 Host Mammoth, I purchased the truck specifically for this camper. Yes the printed weights don't match up... Weight Police, please back off, I'm aware of my liabilities...

As a point of reference, I added upper and lower Torklift Stableloads, and a set of Pacspring airbags. The truck tows the Mammoth with ZERO ISSUES, it stops on a dime, takes off the line like a rocket. I tow it up the mountains in AZ and up the Salt River Canyon road, and then some. No sway, no bounce, the ride is amazing. I don't know where the idea that the rides are bad, however I don't have these issues.

For refrence, I run 30 lbs of air in the bags, and run front and rear tires at 76lbs. This is with a fully loaded Mammoth.

The Ram 3500 is a beast of truck and especially for towing a TC. No regrets on my end and I spend plenty of $ on both the truck and the camper, paid for both in cash, so I promise you I would be extremely picky if the ride was anything but excellent.

I forgot to add, that's also towing my 21' Skeeter bass boat or my rockbuggy.


Hope this helps some with questions of ride quality.

[zb39]

I am very happy with my RAM truck. I ordered it to haul my TC or 5th wheel. Just got back yesterday from a 4 day trip. The truck is flawless in every respect. But I expected it to be.
I ordered the factory air in the rear and I love it.

[Bedlam]

Was that a SRW or DRW? My F250 was close to that GCW when packed for a big trip, but ran upper and lower StableLoads, Firestone airbags @ 50 psi, Rancho adjustable shocks and 19.5" wheels to do that safely.

[finsruskw]

Just got back from Des Moines yesterday (176 mi) pulling a 20' enclosed trailer w/five Cub Cadets + attachments. Trailer gross 7200, truck & trailer gross 20,280.

Handled like a dream all the way.
Helwig Big Wig
lower s/lifts
air bags pumped to 60 PSI

MoPar all the way, been that way since 1962

[Rubiranch]

My 2011 Chevy 2500 HD carrying my 4000+ lb camper with no upgrades.

[Reddog1]

Newer Trucks with worse suspension for hauling truck camper?

jimh425 wrote:
Maybe it's an incorrect observation, but it seems RAM owners are more unhappy with their trucks hauling TCs than any other brand. I'm puzzled by this, but maybe it's just a small sample or a vocal minority.

Answer this survey, of the trucks you had, what brand was it and how happy were you with it hauling your TC. I'll go first.

'06 Ford F350 4x4 SRW SC 6.0 (fine for a SRW with minor mods)
'10 Ford F450 4x4 DRW CC 6.4 (seems fine to me with minor mods)

The above is the OP.

I am getting very frustrated with people making off topic post. It appears to be the same members in almost every thread they post in. Later this evening, I will delete the off topic posts in this thread. I will delete most of the responses to the off topic post. It is not open for debate.

I will delete off topic posts in other threads made by those members that habitually post off topic. Off topic post will happen on occasion, but it has got out of hand.

Wayne
Moderator

[brholt]

2013 F350 DRW CC 6.2L. Truck has a 6,200 pound payload ratings and easily handles an AF1150. Only modification was upper stable loads.

[jimh406]

Kayteg1 wrote:
That said, I am making cross-country trip with no spare on my dually just for that reason.

Quite a bit of thread drift to consider the truck camper COG and spare tire, but that doesn't sound like a reasonable tradeoff to improve handling to me.

[finaddict]

My thoughts are that all three will carry a camper, and that none of the three will do it right. Trucks (2x4 or 4x4) are designed to carry the weight within the bed rails and below the cab height. I have an 08 F350 SRW and I only carry a 2500 lb. Alpenlite. Did it do the job stock? of course, but I wasn't happy with body roll on roads with potholes that allowed the camper sway to take over. Solution? stiffer coils in the front, air bags and torklift suspension on the overloads in the back and Bilsteins all around.

Much better. It could still use heavier sway bars, but I am happy with it now. The lesson is drive it if your ok with it and its within the legal limits, and modify it if you are not happy with it, or you need a little more ooooomph if its overloaded. No matter what you do, remember to drive it like it has a couple of tons of burden above the bedrails and slow the hell down. It isn't a Ferrari you are driving.......

[12V_Cummins]

Ram went away with a upper over load spring in 2010 on their SRW 3500s and that greatly effected how they handle a truck camper. The coil 2500 is just horrible for carrying a TC.

The DRW Rams have the overload spring.

[TxGearhead]

I've put a BigWig on mine. Can't tell much difference. With the camper on it, it sits level, which means the headlights are high. I don't drive much at night so I haven't addressed that. I am thinking about StableLoads. I'm wondering about high winds on western trips.
Our first RV was a cabover. Back in the early 1980's. I had a light duty 1982 F250...cast front Twin I-Beams but a F150 rear end. I bought a 3rd hand 8foot Tejas brand cabover. Wood framed, aluminum skinned. I had no idea what it weighed. I never heard of a CAT scale. After almost turning it over in high winds in Oklahoma I put a set of overload springs on it from JC Whitney or maybe Sears. After that it went on hunting trips in Texas and Colorado, and vacation in Yellowstone. That old truck had a 300 cubic inch straight 6 cylinder with a 4 speed, granny gear, transmission. It held up for several years until the rear end started making noise and the transmission started jumping out of gear. I sold the camper and the truck sometime later.
All the trucks have their good points and these days not too many bad points.