payload

[VincentL]

I have a 2009 GMC 2500hd diesel. The door sticker indicates a GAWR RR at 6064lbs and GAWR frt at 4860lbs. I am interested in buying an artic fox 811 truck camper with a dry weight of approximately 2873lbs and gross weight of approximately 4000lbs. Will my truck handle this and do I have make modifications. All info is very appreciated...Thanks

[deltabravo]

jaycocreek wrote:

My opinion is that an AF 811 belongs on a DRW.

I couldn't agree more for those that have carried big/heavy campers buttttt,there are those that will tell you on the internet there 811 on a 3/4 ton is as stable as a go cart...

And another point,it has been said here on the net many/many times the AF 811 overloads a modern dually as far as GVWR goes..

YEP, and I'm one of those that says my AF811 overloads my 2009 dually.

On the way home from the dealer, with 2/3 tank of water, two batteries, full propane tanks and ZERO of my stuff in the camper, it weighed 11920.

Not meaning to sound harsh, but there's no way I'd put an 811 on a 3/4 ton GM truck of the same era, which I believe has a GVWR of 9200.. but people do it a lot, and that's one of several trucks the short bed 811 will fit on.
GM doesn't make a short bed 3500

[VincentL]

I would like to thank everyone for the information. It was extremely helpful in making an informed decision and somewhat different than I was getting from the dealership. I will be passing on the truck camper and staying with my travel trailer for now. This forum is very helpful...Thank You, Vincent

[Frank_Mehaffey]

It is almost comical how both the pick up truck manufacturers and the truck camper industry have played a shell game with making trucks look like they could move and launch ICBM's, and the camper manufacturers moving camper weights around in their separate reality in gravity and physics. Why get a diesel, when you need to move up to a 250, 350 or more to haul the engine around. 4 tires are not enuf....get an extra 2 and try driving around corners at warp 2. I pity the poor smucks just getting into the fun of having a TC, who are trying to navigate inaccuracies and outright lying the 2 industries put out. My tc manual tells me that my camper weighs 2300, when I weighed it at close to 2800 with just the propane filled, no water in the tank.. The trucks nowadays are built smarter and stronger and more powerful than a locomotive, but I seem to remember seeing 150's and 250's hauling or towing around the campers of 40-50 years ago with trailing arm suspensions on coil springs with 4 ply bias tires. We are living in a world of regulation, safety, and correctness in virtually everything we buy. Why can't we just ask(perhaps rather strongly) the two industries to stop misrepresenting their products, and could the RIVA put some pressure on tc manufacturers to put correct weights on their products.
ps, I am 300-400 lbs over my load limit with air bags, Bilsteins, the stuff we bring, a "camper package" set of springs, and a nice big sway bar and don't miss a minute of sleep. Does that make me a liability when I drive slow around corners? Ok, I could go on a diet...............

[mbloof]

jaycocreek wrote:

My opinion is that an AF 811 belongs on a DRW.

I sure would not take any of them to heart within a few hundred pounds, which is crucial to some that are reading there post.

Question is a few hundred pounds of what?

• GVWR?
• GAWR?
• Axle Rating?
• Tire Rating?

While everyone has their own "trigger points" IMHO "a few hundred pounds" of tire rating is WAY to close and not enough margin for safety.


- Mark0

[Camper8251]

I have an 08 Duramax 2500 with the 811. I have airbags and 19.5" tires on it.

I Went with 19.5 cause of safety reasons. Overall the truck will carry the camper ok, it is not a perfect setup by any means. I would suggest doing something else to the suspension as I have air bags and to this day don't really like the way the camper fits. I have had the camper about 8 years and have put about 40K in miles with it.

The biggest problem I have and am concerned about is the brakes. The thing warps rotors like crazy. I have even bought some pricey ones. I weighed the camper once and it wasnt 100% loaded with gear but the weight sure made my eyes open. Hence the Tires.

[Optimistic_Para]

S Davis wrote:
I drive over 20,000 miles a year, the truck drives great and nothing has exploded and I have not been arrested for being over the yellow sticker.

A comment from someone who may admittedly be overly cautious.

Just because you haven't been arrested for being over the sticker weight doesn't mean the vehicle's GVWR has no legal significance.

Worst case scenario: You're in an accident, and somebody else dies. Let's stipulate it wasn't your fault, and it couldn't have been avoided.

But the Highway Patrol goes into full investigative mode and decides you were WAY over the GVWR. Are you absolutely positive that:

1. The police won't decide you were recklessly negligent and charge you with Involuntary Manslaughter?

2. You won't have to a civil suit that you can't win that is going to cost you your house, your retirement, and your kid's college funds?

I'm not, which is why I don't treat the GVWR as a mere 'suggestion'.

Of course, everyone else here is free to do so if they want to.

[S_Davis]

With mods it will work, if you are ok with being over the GVWR. I haul a 3800lb commercial cap on my 2013 2500 HD with supporting mods. I went with 19.5s for 9000lb tire capacity on the rear, upgraded Bilstein 5200 shocks, extra springs to carry the weigh and air bags for leveling only. I drive over 20,000 miles a year, the truck drives great and nothing has exploded and I have not been arrested for being over the yellow sticker.

[jaycocreek]

My opinion is that an AF 811 belongs on a DRW.

I couldn't agree more for those that have carried big/heavy campers buttttt,there are those that will tell you on the internet there 811 on a 3/4 ton is as stable as a go cart...

And another point,it has been said here on the net many/many times the AF 811 overloads a modern dually as far as GVWR goes..

Heck,I have a not so new dually('94 F-350) and the AF 811 challenges my rear axle ratings and the 990, if you believe what is posted about there actual rear axle weights,takes it to max..I have seen some post the AF 990 weighs 82-8300 on the rear axle and others around 7800..Who to believe for a new guy?

I still wonder how everyone on an internet forum gets there axle weights to be exact or very close too, without some guidance from qualified people on weights and measure on a public scale and where to stop and go in getting there readings on said scale.I sure would not take any of them to heart within a few hundred pounds, which is crucial to some that are reading there post.

[FireGuard]

I had a 17 Ram SB 3500 with a 4000 lb payload and carried a Lance 865 with a wet wet below 3000 lbs. It was a good match and felt safe and solid, but I knew there was a big load back there.
I would Not want to carry a 4000 lb plus camper on a SB srw truck. Besides the heavier weight, it is much taller than my 865 adding a more unstable feel.
In the past, I carried a Lance 981 on a 03 Dodge DRW and the ride stability with a dually is incomparable.
My opinion is that an AF 811 belongs on a DRW.

[jaycocreek]

Sometimes I wonder about the axle weights posted on the internet and if the taker of those reading knows what there doing..

Example:As an old semi driver mostly for logs but wintertime flatbed use,I have weighed a million times on state scales..They do not let you do your own as in pulling up to where you "think" you should..They have stop lights to guide you to the proper place on the scales.You do not enter the scales until the light turns green,then very slowly you move forward until the red light flashes to stop..You do that for every axle until they give you the green light o go on in your travels or pull over for a lip lashing and ticket...Had a few of those..

My point is,Arctic Fox 811 and 990 rear axle weights are all over the board on the internet.I follow them because my wife is in love with the AF truck campers..

To the op...There are a ton of folks with the 811 on similar rigs as yours with a bunch of mods to make it better..Your truck will carry that camper with the mods suggested by others who have done it and it will carry it without any mods but beware the way it might handle without them...Double beware(laughing)

I have hauled worse without mods on a 1957 1/2 ton towing a two horse trailer with a very large palomino and an Arabian with hay on the roof and tack room and all the gear for two weeks hunting Idaho Elk on one of the most wash boardy roads Idaho has..Never broke an axle or blew a tire and the tires were considered heavy duty back then at 6 or 8 ply.

The guy saying you would be a danger to us all is showing his inexperience doing anything similar in my opinion..

[JIMNLIN]

VincentL wrote:
I very much appreciate the info from jimh425 and twodownzero, but azdryheat comments "Get the proper truck and keep the rest of us on the roads safe" was uncalled for. I was interested in getting information not commentary

Yeah... comments like that are completely uncalled for and are no help at all.
Your 2500 GM has a 6084 RAWR that will be carrying most if not all weight from a truck camper. The 6084 is the lessor of a tire/wheel or rear spring pack.
As cewillis says the truck will need some serious upgrades in the rear suspension from the ground up such as 19.5" tires and wheels.....air bags.....beefed rear spring pack or both. The 11.5" AAM axle won't have any issues with a 4k camper.
Run some numbers at ya' shows your trucks rear axle may weigh in the 2900-3000 lb range leaving it with around 3000 lb payload in the bed.

A 3500 SRW has a 7050 rawr and is good for around 3500-3700 lb payload in the bed.

GM 3500 DRW trucks have a 9375 rawr
Ram 3500 DRW has a 9750 rawr.
and Ford F350 DRW has a 9800-9900 ? rawr.

These trucks are good for 6k + in the bed payloads all depending on actual scaled axle weights.

[Grit_dog]

VincentL wrote:
I very much appreciate the info from jimh425 and twodownzero, but azdryheat comments "Get the proper truck and keep the rest of us on the roads safe" was uncalled for. I was interested in getting information not commentary

Good luck w that here.....I guess that was commentary though, lol.

Real world experience, been hauling the same camper as yours essentially on a short bed 2500. Sway bar, air bags, home made lower stable loads. No problem.
I’ve only been running OE couple differnet type wheels with tires rated 3600-4000lbs.

Yes I’m aware I’m dipping a little into the factor of safety of the tires and wheels, not specifically condoning it for you but after almost 30 years in construction, I’ve seen and done much worse with pickup trucks that leaves me comfortable with the wheel decision.

Is a 2500 the ultimate best 2 ton truck camper hauler? Nope. If I was putting on a lot of miles a year or the camper lived on the truck, or I didn’t need to have a srw truck for daily use, would I get a dually? Probably.

Do I feel unsafe? Absolutely not. I’m hauling a 2 ton “pallet” of camper that is 12’ high. I expect reduced cornering ability that comes with it. All the weight cops who are within limits, tell me your rig can corner as fast with a 8ton fiver hooked up and I’ll eat my shorts. Y’all slow down more in the curves too compared to running bobtail.

JMo

[jimh406]

I agree the keep the rest of us safe was uncalled for, but maybe from someone with blinders on. I’m sure that 36 ft toy hauler is never overloaded, but even if it wasn’t, why not buy a smaller toy hauler to keep us safe. :). Then, there’s the guy with the truck that’s over 20 years old. That thing could fall apart any time, right. Joking mostly, but hey ... I want to stay safe. 🙂

[SidecarFlip]

VincentL wrote:
I very much appreciate the info from jimh425 and twodownzero, but azdryheat comments "Get the proper truck and keep the rest of us on the roads safe" was uncalled for. I was interested in getting information not commentary

Uncalled for? I don't see that at all. He's telling you that running what you have with that camper makes you a liability on the road, nothing more.

I see a lot of overloaded truck with TC's every day. I'm not one of them.

[VincentL]

Also Buzzcut1 comments were very helpful...Thank You