Question for the guy's with duallies and big campers

[husky390]

This is purely subjective but eventually I want to upgrade from an F250 with a pop up camper to a hard sided camper. Something similar to an Arctic Fox 1150.

For you guy's with campers that size and duallies, how much body sway do you feel when driving down the road?

Do any of you haul that size camper with a gas engine?

Do any of you tow?

[BradW]

KD4UPL wrote:
I've got a 4,000 pound 11' camper. I hauled it on a SRW 3500 for a couple years and switched to a dually. I only had to drive out of my garage, down the driveway, and onto the street to notice a huge reduction in sway and roll.

Pretty much my story also; 4,000 lb camper on a couple of SRW's for several years. Then the same camper on a DRW; night and day difference. We also tow a 7,000 lb trailer hauling a jeep with a WD hitch. Our truck/camper drives better with the trailer than without it.

Brad

[Jwillvin]

I'm new to truck campers so I'll share a newbies experiences. I had been wanting a truck camper for a long time (I'm 32 so 7-8 years seems long to me). When I finally had the money and wife's blessing to buy one and after spending countless hours scouring the web, earlier this year I bought a mint 93 f350 drw diesel and a few weeks later an even more mint 1995 lance 990 fully loaded. The truck came with the factory camper package and according to the paperwork is rated to haul 3100 lbs in the bed. The camper according to the paperwork is 3700 lbs with all options and full of water. It's probably closer to 4300 loaded for camping. After upgrading the shocks and adding super springs the truck handles the load very well. I still have some roll when semis pass that I'm thinking is due to the 21 year old rubber bushings on the factory sway bars that I'll be changing soon. Being a newbie to driving something this big and heavy I tend to keep it at 60mph and not much higher. Hey for me the adventure begins as soon as I get into my rig so I'm in no hurry to get there. Also, my wife and two small boys are always with me so safety is very important. I have no idea how a srw truck would handle my camper but I'm happy with the dually. I wanted to get a camper big enough to feel comfortable in if we had to spend the day in there due to bed weather. I have never had any white knuckle moments or anything that even felt unsafe so far on our travels. Plus by keeping it under 65 I haven't seen less than 15mpg yet! Even though my dually is older and has a much lower capacity compared to modern trucks, so far it's a great combo and I have less than $10,000 invested in the whole setup. When I do eventually upgrade, I'll stick with a dually as I've yet to find any downside to hauling with one.

[U_F_O_]

I have not seen one real truck with a rolled body metal welded frame!

[jimh406]

Fords are weak, that's why so many of us bought them. Also, of course those frame tests are real world ... We are all wrong.

[3_tons]

Reality Check wrote:

Redsky wrote:


AS to DRW this also puts more stress on the truck frame and I know if I was buying a new truck with DRW it would be either a Ram or a GM truck with their much stronger frames, and definitely not the current Ford F-350 trucks. I know there are many who identify with a particular truck but I have owned trucks from Reo, Willys, Dodge, Ford, Toyota, and GM, and I buy whatever happens to be the best at the time. Blind brand loyalty is stupid to put it kindly.

OK.. I'll bite. What info led you to the frame comment? I own Chevy's, one Dodge (honestly, ugh) and Fords. Grocery fetchers and trucks. I've got my opinions, but I'm curious about the statement.

double post

[CAJW]

Reality Check wrote:

Redsky wrote:


AS to DRW this also puts more stress on the truck frame and I know if I was buying a new truck with DRW it would be either a Ram or a GM truck with their much stronger frames, and definitely not the current Ford F-350 trucks. I know there are many who identify with a particular truck but I have owned trucks from Reo, Willys, Dodge, Ford, Toyota, and GM, and I buy whatever happens to be the best at the time. Blind brand loyalty is stupid to put it kindly.

OK.. I'll bite. What info led you to the frame comment? I own Chevy's, one Dodge (honestly, ugh) and Fords. Grocery fetchers and trucks. I've got my opinions, but I'm curious about the statement.

Probably referencing one or both of these tests. Chevy vs. Ford

Ram vs. Ford

[Reality_Check]

Redsky wrote:


AS to DRW this also puts more stress on the truck frame and I know if I was buying a new truck with DRW it would be either a Ram or a GM truck with their much stronger frames, and definitely not the current Ford F-350 trucks. I know there are many who identify with a particular truck but I have owned trucks from Reo, Willys, Dodge, Ford, Toyota, and GM, and I buy whatever happens to be the best at the time. Blind brand loyalty is stupid to put it kindly.

OK.. I'll bite. What info led you to the frame comment? I own Chevy's, one Dodge (honestly, ugh) and Fords. Grocery fetchers and trucks. I've got my opinions, but I'm curious about the statement.

[Redsky]

With a gas engine it is important to get 4.10 gears for heavy hauling and or towing. I have always had to special order American trucks and SUV's to get these gears. Only Toyota puts low gears standard on their 4WD trucks.

You need DRW to support the load of a very heavy camper. 4 tires rated at 3,000 lbs. per tire will support 11,000 lbs. (the limiting factor becoming the axle and wheel bearings) and subtracting 3500 lbs. of truck weight at the rear axle that leaves capacity for 7500 lbs. of camper. With SRW the best you can do is go to 19.5 rims and tires with a total tire load capacity of around 8800 lbs. or about 5300 payload maximum.

Take the published camper weight by the manufacturer and add 400 lbs. to get a true dry weight and then add 1000 lbs. to get a ballpark number for the likely load the truck will be hauling. With a trailer you then need to add in the weight of the weight distributing hitch, the stinger or extension, and the tongue weight of the trailer. What is borderline with SRW is not a problem with the additional 2 tires with DRW.

AS to DRW this also puts more stress on the truck frame and I know if I was buying a new truck with DRW it would be either a Ram or a GM truck with their much stronger frames, and definitely not the current Ford F-350 trucks. I know there are many who identify with a particular truck but I have owned trucks from Reo, Willys, Dodge, Ford, Toyota, and GM, and I buy whatever happens to be the best at the time. Blind brand loyalty is stupid to put it kindly.

[54suds]

I sure miss having Jponder add his expertise:B

[mike_mck]

sleepy wrote:
With an unlimited amout of money life would be different for most of us...

But, when I choose between buying special hub caps or lighted steps I'd save the money for LED lights for the camper.

I would put solar panels on the roof of my camper before I'd put a cow catcher brush gard on the front of my truck or a winch "just in case"

The question is...

Are you really using the truck to haul a camper, pull a trailer, or a boat?

Or, is your truck camper a lawn orniment for all but a week or two a year every few years?

A ton truck or a 450 can be a grocery getter if you aren't camping

I'll be the first to agree that Truck size is important, truck set up is important... but remember... it's not just about not having enough truck...

... oversize has it's negatives too... extra fuel, higher maintaince costs, more expensive tires at replacement time, maybe even insurance or registration cost increases.

We see extreme rigs on U tube or face book...We have all seen monster trucks... that have wheels that look to be 8' in diameter... but in reality they are still 1/2 ton grocery getters. How often will we see a monster truck camper hauler driving over a row of camping trailers.

..............

Note: I see trucks and SUV's from the getto with floresent lights under them... I think, what a waste of money

I'd rather use my money to install an inverter in my truck camper than have lighted steps...

I'm just rambling in the night... I'd got up with Janet, she had a catrarct replacement surgery yesterday...

Promise yourself.........

To go camping, traveling, to the lake every time you get a chance.

The answers on the forum are always interesting.

Especially when someone feels a wedgie of their own making.

BTW, Jumbo... I've always viewed you as a thoughtful expert who looks at the long range ourcome.

Sleepy

Sleepy
I will offer some real life experience. I went from a 94 F350 Dually to a 99 F550 dually.
Sold the F350 for $4500.00 Bought the 99 F550 for $7000. First item bought was tires. 6 H rated 19.5 245's $1100.00. I'm into it $8100.00
Hauls my 96 Caribou like it's not there. 94 didn't. Went down the road fine. Cornering was a different story. Pulling out of a parking lot on to a busy street was always an adventure. I won't go into all the items that make it the F550 but suffice to say plenty of truck for the job and more.
Cost of maintenance F350 to F550. In the year or so I have owned it No real difference in cost. It uses the same drive train. 7.3L powerstroke. Difference is the Dana 135 rear end and 4.88 gears. Not a huge differenc3e in MPG from the 4.10 gears in my F350.

I can only say the cost to upgrade for me was minimal and the piece of mind priceless.

If buying new well whole different set of questions cost wise but then it becomes a question of monthly payment.
Just my opinion

[AKSuperDually]

I'm finding that in the large truck camper world....you just can't have enough truck...and similar to when I owned the ocean boat...2 more feet of length always seemed like a good idea. For my experience, eliminating weak points in my truck has always been my focus, systematically upgrading each weakpoint as they arise or as money allows.

I agree with sleepy about brush guards and winches, etc....if you need those things, get them, if you don't...it's a lot of $$ and weight. My brush guard bumper has saved my bacon already twice.

As I'm seriously saving for 19.5" wheels, I find myself pondering the idea of an F550 or even F650. I need to carry more than I do now, and I more room in the cab. The need to haul 15-20K lumber packages is coming our way soon as well. I can do that with my current truck, but not with the camper. I bought the camper to be able to live in it while building remotely....but as sleepy pointed out....the weight and maintenance issues with a much larger rig, are something to seriously consider.

I don't have good answers.

I know that overloading is bad, I know from experience...its costly and dangerous. Traversing across extensive back country areas where phones don't work...is awfully tempting to bring every tool and spare part you can fit. Awfully heavy also.....

[sleepy]

With an unlimited amout of money life would be different for most of us...

But, when I choose between buying special hub caps or lighted steps I'd save the money for LED lights for the camper.

I would put solar panels on the roof of my camper before I'd put a cow catcher brush gard on the front of my truck or a winch "just in case"

The question is...

Are you really using the truck to haul a camper, pull a trailer, or a boat?

Or, is your truck camper a lawn orniment for all but a week or two a year every few years?

A ton truck or a 450 can be a grocery getter if you aren't camping

I'll be the first to agree that Truck size is important, truck set up is important... but remember... it's not just about not having enough truck...

... oversize has it's negatives too... extra fuel, higher maintaince costs, more expensive tires at replacement time, maybe even insurance or registration cost increases.

We see extreme rigs on U tube or face book...We have all seen monster trucks... that have wheels that look to be 8' in diameter... but in reality they are still 1/2 ton grocery getters. How often will we see a monster truck camper hauler driving over a row of camping trailers.

..............

Note: I see trucks and SUV's from the getto with floresent lights under them... I think, what a waste of money

I'd rather use my money to install an inverter in my truck camper than have lighted steps...

I'm just rambling in the night... I'd got up with Janet, she had a catrarct replacement surgery yesterday...

Promise yourself.........

To go camping, traveling, to the lake every time you get a chance.

The answers on the forum are always interesting.

Especially when someone feels a wedgie of their own making.

BTW, Jumbo... I've always viewed you as a thoughtful expert who looks at the long range ourcome.

Sleepy

[AKSuperDually]

thejustin wrote:

JumboJet wrote:
I saw a person pulling a light weight 18-20' camper trailer the other day with a DRW. I said to myself that some camper dealer told him he needed that dually to pull that camper!

A 3500 SRW with proper equipment can carry some rather large TCs safely. How would I know - I did it for 8 years and thousands of miles.

My new to me DRW (I am now an instant DRW expert BTW - thanks Sleepy) does a great job. The DRW does the job I purchased it for when I hook up the gooseneck and tow my Case 450B dozer.

Nothing wrong with using a DRW to pull a lighter trailer. It is always a good thing having more truck than trailer than vice versa. I've seen a few pop-ups here on the Seward highway being pulled by a DRW truck.

I bought my truck for the trailer/boat I hoped to own someday. Then a few years later I bought a boat...which could have been pulled by a 1/2 ton just fine...but it was easy money for my one ton. Then I finished paying off my 1 ton....and bought a travel trailer (30' cimmaron) that could have been pulled by a 3/4 ton, but still had the bed to pile******in (under a leer 122). Just about 1 year ago, I finally bought a truck camper (AF1150) which would utilize a 1 ton DRW diesel truck. Then I put a trailer behind it. I owned the truck for over 10 years before finally using it's capacity.

No regrets.....

...plenty of times I was very happy to have more truck than I needed.

...and I was pleasantly surprised to finally task my truck to its limits this last month....and have nothing break. 10K of trailer behind over 5K of camper & people/gear. 15mpg over 3K miles up the alcan. Still love my truck. It's been paid off for 5 years now.

Living debt free is awesome (another thread...), having confidence in what your truck can do, and being able to rely on it is priceless. Especially in the middle of nowhere.

[3_tons]

thejustin wrote:

Nothing wrong with using a DRW to pull a lighter trailer.

I agree, I've even parked my duallie at a Holiday Inn!...(No difficulties to report...)

[thejustin]

JumboJet wrote:
I saw a person pulling a light weight 18-20' camper trailer the other day with a DRW. I said to myself that some camper dealer told him he needed that dually to pull that camper!

A 3500 SRW with proper equipment can carry some rather large TCs safely. How would I know - I did it for 8 years and thousands of miles.

My new to me DRW (I am now an instant DRW expert BTW - thanks Sleepy) does a great job. The DRW does the job I purchased it for when I hook up the gooseneck and tow my Case 450B dozer.

Nothing wrong with using a DRW to pull a lighter trailer. It is always a good thing having more truck than trailer than vice versa. I've seen a few pop-ups here on the Seward highway being pulled by a DRW truck.