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?

[thejustin]

I read some of these posts and just shake my head. People talking about 75-80+ mph with their camper. You people actually drive that fast carrying a load? I prefer to go a little slower. The lake will still be there when you get there if you drive a little slower. I suppose the road conditions would determine if that was a safe speed as well. I would never be able to safely achieve those speeds on my drive from Anchorage to Kenai or Homer. It is a windy, twisty road, speed limit 55-65 mph, and many turns have posted speed limit signs of 40-50 mph. I'd like to see what would happen if one of these nascar camper drivers took one of these turns at 80 mph in cruise control, lol.

As far as gas vs. diesel, the topic has been debated to death, I can only share my own personal experience. Yes, the gas mileage does suck, but my 6.2L F350 DRW handles my behemoth 5500 lb. wet Host Everest camper up the aforementioned crappy Seward Highway from Anchorage to Kenai. I lock out 6th and keep it in 5th for the majority of the drive. Steep hills require me to drop down into 4th if I want to maintain the speed limit (the near vertical climb just before Summit lake is the worst part of the drive), but I can still do 60-65 up a steep grade. I never exceed 65 mph hauling my camper, rather drive safe. Only suspension mods are upper Torklift stableloads and Firestone ride-rite airbags. Truck has "camper package" with OEM sway-bar. Was going to upgrade to a bigger sway bar but I have no perceptible sway so put that on the back burner. I still want to get a set of Rancho 9000's, that is next on my to do list!

[mike_mck]

gitpicker2009 wrote:
huge difference with the dually, even more so when I went from the 3500 to the 4500. Simply no comparison. Corners like a sports car with NO lean, no porpoising, etc. With the 3500, I was within specification, but barely, and truthfully, didn't know the difference till I went to the 4500. A whole different truck.

x2
No mods required. I went with the F550. Had a 1 ton was looking for a newer one and the F550 came up. Bought it and never looked back. Piece of mind. Buy enough truck to get the job done.

[Moose10]

All great replies! I have an AF 1150 and tow a 24' enclosed trailer too or just an open 8x12 flatbed. Mods are 19.5 Vision's, Bilstein 4600's, Superhitch with 48" extension, home-made stable loads and airbags which I might ditch. This setup goes even better than my last RV which was a 38' triple axle toyhauler with the same truck.
I'll try to get some pics up asap!

[mike_mck]

husky390 wrote:
Thanks again for all the input guy's. Looks like dually is the way to go.
My current truck has air bags and I like them, even if one has a slight leak. If I get a truck with a pickup bed, I definitely will want one with the frame mounted tie downs since mine are bolted to the bed and they suck.

A couple more questions if I may.

Why the rubber mat between the bed and camper?

What system are you using to extend the hitch beyond the back of the camper to pull your boats or heavy trailers?

Again I believe in overkill.
I don't use a rubber mat I used 4x4's covered with 3/8th plywood so cab over clears the running lights.

Super hitch with 48" extension. Torklift frame mounted tiedowns with happijack turnbuckles

Super hitch compared to 12K Reese.



mounted on the F550


48" extension



with 4" platform in Bed to clear running lights.

[husky390]

Thanks again for all the input guy's. Looks like dually is the way to go.
My current truck has air bags and I like them, even if one has a slight leak. If I get a truck with a pickup bed, I definitely will want one with the frame mounted tie downs since mine are bolted to the bed and they suck.

A couple more questions if I may.

Why the rubber mat between the bed and camper?

What system are you using to extend the hitch beyond the back of the camper to pull your boats or heavy trailers?

[mike_mck]

husky390 wrote:
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?

Husky
Not sure if your plans include new or used but One more situation to consider.
I had a 94 F350 dually 7.3L diesel and a 11.5 foot 94 Caribou. Just under 4K lbs empty 5K lb loaded. No problem running straight down the road. Making turns I would get some sway. I could have made a few thousand dollars in Mods and eliminate some of the roll but to me it was a matter of I didn't have a truck made to do what I needed it to do. The search began.
I found a F550 with a pickup bed 7.3 powerstroke Dana 135 rearend with 4.88 gears. H rated 19.5 in tires. Also found a 96 Caribou with on board Gen set. A little heavier probably 5500 lbs loaded. When I loaded the caribou on it the first time the truck didn't squat at all. I found the truck made to handle what I need. No Mods required. 15 mpg hiway empty flat ground. 12 climbing out of Phoenix to Flagstaff loaded.
Sold the F350 for $4500 bought the F550 for $7000.

In short my advise is buy the truck designed to do what you need to with no concerns. I bought used to fit my Budget but could not be happier.
Even with the diesel climbing a 7% grade with Camper pulling a 14 ft trailer Yamaha Rhino. 20 gallons of gas and 30 gallons of water. 45 to 50 MPH 3000 to 3500 RPM's. Flat ground or slight incline 2500 RPM's (sweet spot. 65 mph 2750 RPM's takes you to 70 MPH. Any faster and Mileage plummets.

[bens170]

If you're looking for a truck with duallies, make sure the truck has a camper package, tow/haul mode, a Class V hitch, either Timbrens, Super Springs Anti-Sway stops or Torklifts system, an air bag suspension. On a large and/or heavy Truck Camper use the Torklift Frame mounted tiedowns and turnbuckles. A thick rubber mat between camper & pickup bed. Make sure the tires are E rated or better.
Ben

[Bedlam]

I'm at about 19K lbs GCW and 12K lbs GVW with my diesel 4wd SRW and it handles the current setup well. However, I plan on moving to a larger TC and trailer in the future, so the first thing I will be upgrading is the truck to a 4wd class 5 DRW. Although I love my current diesel, I have not been able to make the economics of my next purchase justify that surcharge and will be going back gasoline (I even considered dropping 4wd to buy a 2wd diesel).

In my case, I really want a short Super C but the cost is outrageous. The only way I can get heavy towing capacity and 4wd within my budget is using a truck and TC.

[jimh406]

My F450 is marginally better handling with my camper the way I used to carry it on my modified SRW. However, I no longer make sure I only carry what I absolutely need. In that respect, it is significantly better. The mileage of my 6.0 with 3.73 is also quite a bit better (3-4 mpg) compared to the 6.4 with 4.30s. However, the 6.4 is still currently stock with not even a minimal engine update.

I bought a drw F450 because I didn't need a SRW any more. Also, my thought is that eventually I might add a fifth wheel as well.

[AKSuperDually]

I wouldn't even consider hauling a large camper without a dually.

Many reasons, most mentioned here already.

Having towed in severe crosswinds, the dually is what keeps you able to be on the road.

[gitpicker2009]

huge difference with the dually, even more so when I went from the 3500 to the 4500. Simply no comparison. Corners like a sports car with NO lean, no porpoising, etc. With the 3500, I was within specification, but barely, and truthfully, didn't know the difference till I went to the 4500. A whole different truck.

[sleepy]

My Lance 1161 is 11' 11" ( 12' ) long... 20' overall

The only modification to our 2003 GMC Duramax/Allison crew cab dually is air bags. We have never had a minutes with the airbags in 11 years and I've never known anyone that has.

The camper came with the Lance struts (dampers)

There is no sway, no roll, no porporsing

My wife drives most of the time when we are on the interstate highways... especially crossing the plains states... I tend to get sleepy. She enjoys driving the rig.

We have had in 10 years and traveled 1081 nights.

---------------------------------------
We have been hauling truck campers since 1970.

We had a 3/4 Chevy Longhorn for 33 years... We had a 10' camper on it... it swayed, bucked, porpoused, with the wind... when a bus passed

---------------------------------------

There is no way that we would every try to haul a TC on anything but a dually again.

If you happen to be close by please visit... I'll let you drive our 1 Ton dually

A few others have

Sleepy

[Boatycall]

gpascazio wrote:
I haul an Eagle Cap 1160. Fully loaded it is about 5,000+ lbs.

Same camper - I recently re-weighed it loaded and I'm @ 6,400lbs. They must have recalibrated the scales because it used to weigh out at 7250.

Same as others have said - Dually is a must-have for heavy TC's. I saw big improvements by changing to Roadmaster Sway bars, Stable-lifts and Rancho 9000 shocks.

I'm bag-less. Case and point, went camping with family last week. One was a Dodge on bags, bags were flat after sitting for 3 days.

[Grit_dog]

8mpg at 70 mph is one reason not to get a gasser in a 1 ton dually. Another reason is resale. No one wants the biggest baddest truck on the road with the smallest engine available. Another reason is you live in CO. Unless you plan on camping in NE and KS only, your 400 hp gasser at sea level will be a 280hp dog going over every pass in the mtns. Say hello to 2nd gear wound out to maintain any speed.
For your sake and everyone stuck behind you going up Monarch, Hoosier or RedMtn pass, don't get a gasser! Haha

[Sparky87k5]

husky390 wrote:
Thanks for the input guy's. That was more than what I was expecting and I'm glad to know I'm on the right track. What are your speeds when driving through the mountains? My F250 is a 90 with a 5.8l and with the camper (1,500 empty weight)and a trailer pulling two atv's the best I can manage on steep Colorado mountain grades is 35-45mph. The engine in this thing is beyond tired.

I tow a 7500# boat while hauling a 3500# camper on a DRW V10 powered 1 ton truck and 4.30 gears. No problems with sway and having hauled this camper on a SRW 3/4 ton truck I can honestly say the difference is night and day. Hauling just the camper I cruise mostly speed limit thru mountains. Never seem to lack for power and pull most hills at speed limit.

I used to own an 89 Ford 3/4 ton 5.8 engine with 5 speed manual and 4.10 gears. I hauled a 3000# Lance TC and it did an OK job but couldn't compare to the V10 I now own. Your performance pretty much echos my results with the 5.8 engine.