Short camper in a long bed

Depends on the camper. If it's got rear overhang and you can't slide it all the way forward, then you have a really screwy center of gravity.
Looks horrible too.

That one in your photo looks like it might slide up forward, if it all fits inside the tailgate.

The "problems" can be considered advantages.

1. You have to have something to prevent it from sliding forward. You can use the space for storage or build a box to stop it from moving.
2. It looks odd. (personal preference)

COG is similar to a short bed truck with respect to the rear axle which is the most important consideration. However, the weight is farther from the front wheels than it would be on a short bed truck. The difference is probably similar to the effect of having a Super Cab vs a Crew Cab with the same bed length.

There are a few members here who have or have had short bed campers on long bed trucks. One built a very cool storage compartment in the truck bed, between the camper and the cab, a creative use of the extra space. :)

burningman wrote:
Depends on the camper. If it's got rear overhang and you can't slide it all the way forward, then you have a really screwy center of gravity.
Looks horrible too.
...

Not true on the stated COG opinion. COG from bumper to ear axle is the same regardless of short bed or long bed. The rear half of the truck bed is the same length whether short or long. The difference is the cab to axle measurement between SB and LB. The CG of the camper will be the same when sitting on either bed.

As to how it looks, well that is subjective. I am doing the SB camper on a LB truck... that extra space is welcome for storage and for my generator:





I built a simple frame to place between the front of the camper and the truck bulkhead. It is custom fit to keep my generator in place.

I did it with no problems. I agree it looks a little funny bUT works just fine.

On some makes/models/years of pickups, the short bed and long bed do have the same distance from bumper to rear axle. All the bed length difference is between the cab and rear axle.

However, on some makes/models/years, both the cab to axle distance, as well as the axle to bumper distance, are shorter on short beds, versus long beds. This circumstance will change the COG point by a small amount, if the camper is loaded forward to the same point in relation to the bumper of both trucks.

Looks like it's easier to fuel up! A lot of truck/camper combinations have the tie-down (only Tork Lift?) blocking the access. The cab-over part still looks to scale.

I think the cabover looks better, since it's not sticking out so far over the hood, as it would be if the camper were loaded all the way forward. I never liked the look of the north/south bed cabovers on any truck with a cab size shorter than a full crew cab.

Frank...that is sweet. Our next rig will be LB truck with our SB camper.

P.s.; you missed a great 4th! Weather was beautiful....

d3500ram wrote:

burningman wrote:
Depends on the camper. If it's got rear overhang and you can't slide it all the way forward, then you have a really screwy center of gravity.
Looks horrible too.
...

Not true on the stated COG opinion. COG from bumper to ear axle is the same regardless of short bed or long bed. The rear half of the truck bed is the same length whether short or long. The difference is the cab to axle measurement between SB and LB. The CG of the camper will be the same when sitting on either bed.

As to how it looks, well that is subjective. I am doing the SB camper on a LB truck... that extra space is welcome for storage and for my generator:





I built a simple frame to place between the front of the camper and the truck bulkhead. It is custom fit to keep my generator in place.

X2

My short bed TC even works on a 9' flatbed deck and CG is right over the axles.