Suspension mods

[mike326]

I could use some wise advice. F150 SRW 4WD w/ trailer package. Mated with NorthStar Adventurer 8.5. Despite assurances from both car & TC dealers - fair amount of sag & sway. While many may say I should upgrade to an F250 - probably not an option at the moment. So looking at suspension mods. I'm thinking of RoadMaster Advanced System (RAS), Bilstein HD shocks, E-series tires - possibly Helwig sway bars. At the risk of being scrushed by criticisms & pinions - what would the TC community recommend or agree w/ the above mods?

Semper Fi - mike 326

[Bedlam]

Your F150 most likely has the semi-floating Visteon Ford 8.8 axle. Since the shafts are supported only on one side with bearings, it only has a 3800 lb rating for the 6-lug version. The semi-floating 9.75 axle with 7-lugs has a 4800 lbs rating. If you can keep less than much weight off the axle, you will be fine.

https://www.fleet.ford.com/TRUCKBBAS/topics/2014/2014F150_techspecs.pdf

Once you get into the F250 and F350, they use a full floating Visteon Sterling 10.5 axle that is rated 9750 lbs - This is why many of the forum members are trying to push you into the next larger class truck.

http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/0112or-semi-floating-and-full-floating-axles/

[ZRX-Steve]

Payload and GVWR ratings may be misleading. The manufacturer can understate them for a variety of reasons (meeting federal / state regulations, competition, stratification between lines, warranty claims, etc.). For instance; I have a 2000 F350 and a 2014 Lance 1191. I weighed it with and without the camper on DOT scales at a Love's station and I'm about 1300 lb's over my GVWR fully loaded with passengers. On the other hand, I'm under on my axle ratings by a few hundred pounds.

What are they trying to avoid by underestimating the ratings? Commercial Vehicle Registration Act of 2001 (F450). Federal Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (F450). I live in Arizona and they have a tax that the F450 falls under as well.

You would be better off in a heavier truck, but I understand sometimes it's not in the current cards. Since you don't have a lot of options at this point, I would get it weighed at a truck gas station like a Loves with the camper on. It costs $10. The will weigh the front and the rear at the same time. Find out what your GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) is for the front and rear. It's typically on a sticker in your door jamb. Don't go over those weights. If you are over GAWR, you're done from a safety standpoint. If you're under, and I suspect you are, then look at your tire rating, I suspect you'll be way over. A good LT E rated tire will have a payload of ~ 3500 lbs which will work. The stiff sidewalls really help.

After that, visit a spring shop and get some extra leaf springs on the rear to help with the sag, plus torklift stableload bump stops. The spring guys will be able to help you with that. I'd avoid timbrens, they will impact your unloaded ride. HD shocks like bilstein or Rancho shocks next. Evaluate the ride and if you need more, then swaybars (back 1st). From the posts I've read, "every 1/8 inch increase in diameter of the swaybar produces a 30% increase in strength". The two main swaybar candidates are Roadmaster and Helwig BigWig. Choose whichever has a bigger diameter bar. I have Roadmaster on my rear and Helwig on my front. Airbags if you are still getting sag.

In summary, your camper says it will fit on a 1/2 ton. Weigh your camper and truck and see where you are on GAWR. If you're under GAWR and your tire weight rating then start your suspension mods. GAWR and tire ratings are hard numbers that I won't exceed.

[Grit_dog]

This all depends what you're comfortable with. I started out hauling firewood stacked to the roof in old trucks that you hoped the tires didn't pop. Turned wrenches and hauled a lot of materials for a landscape co in my teens that would give most on here an instant heart attack. Welded up truck frames when the workers would overload them so bad the frame would split over the rear axle! Twisting off driveshafts, rebuilding axles annually or more, etc. they weren't always the right tool for the job, but I learned well what the physical limits of trucks were.
I don't look the same at 1000lb "overweight" as most.
Btw my wife is totally comfortable driving the truck/camper too, so it ain't that bad!

[Grit_dog]

Guess ill buck the trend here Mike and say that you can haul it relatively safely with the right mods. Coming from a guy with a 4klb plus camper on a 2500 that has logged the Alcan hwy and a bunch of AK back roads without issue.
If your F150 is the 7700? Lb gvw with the goofy 7 lug rims then you are in pretty good shape. They have a heavier rear diff than the std 150s.
Either way, tires are a must. Good OE alloy wheels or steelies. No foofy dubs on it.
Sway bar highly reccomended and then your favorite flavor of suspension mods. Timbrens will do it, add a leafs or airbags.
FWIW, my old '11 F150 made its first 40k mi with the OE C rated tires hauling a constant 800-1000lb in the bed, pulling a 14k deck over trailer with some substantial tongue weights with just timbrens. Truck is no worse for the wear. Just saw it yesterday, 60k and climbing. Not ideal but that's what happens when the district mgr doesn't think you need a HD truck.

[mkirsch]

It says right on the Northstar website:

"The 8.5 Adventurer is 1/2-ton or larger compatible and will fit both long (8') or short bed (6' 6") trucks."

Weight STARTS at 1940 and goes up from there. Typical F150 REAL payload capacities STOP at around 1600 and go DOWN from there. At 1600lbs, the truck is looking SAD in the rear.

What 1/2 ton truck, save for the "fake" 1/2 tons, is going to be able to comfortably haul a camper like this? You're looking at 2500+ by the time all is said and done, 1000+ over your real available payload capacity.

ALL the TC manufacturers do this. How can they in good conscience? Answer is they don't have a conscience. Business is business.

[SubVet]

You'd be far better off saving the money you would spend on upgrades and get an appropriate truck. I would certainly explore confronting the truck dealer if they told you that truck could carry that camper.

[Peg_Leg]

OK Marine, time to hunker down and bite the bullet. At 1800 lbs DRY and no options all you need to think about is not putting anything in the TC or any other people in the truck. Not much of a camping trip.

Do you want to haul your family into a unsafe situation? I think not.

You could put the TC on a trailer and tow it behind you until you can upgrade the truck. I'd also put a sign on it stating not to believe a salesman.

[twodownzero]

Advise: skip the F250 which only has a few hundred more pounds of payload than your 1/2 ton and buy an F350 or bigger.

Your semi-floating rear axle is not meant to support a camper and nothing you can do to the suspension will change the fact that the axle shafts in your rear axle are supporting the weight rather than the housings like those of us with heavy duty rear axles.

Most of the modifications you mention will be virtually unnoticable. If you want to do anything, you need to install much stiffer rear springs before you waste your time and money doing anything else.

[dave17352]

mike326 wrote:
1. Already insured 🙂
2. Tires for sure (something else I did not know when buying the truck ...)
3. Probably agree about an F250 - but too far in the hole w/ both truck & TC (longish story).

tkx everyone ...

If you like TC's go with a F350 or bigger next time!

[mike326]

1. Already insured 🙂
2. Tires for sure (something else I did not know when buying the truck ...)
3. Probably agree about an F250 - but too far in the hole w/ both truck & TC (longish story).

tkx everyone ...

[billtex]

Well...I'll tone it down a little. You will be overweight...way overweight...but understand you have to work with what you have!

#1 Insurance on the TC and truck (obvious...but I don't see how this will help you haul better?!)
#2 Tires/wheels...E rated
#3 Airbags or supersprings. I have both. Skip the bags...go right to SS.
#4 Sway Bar if necessary after doing #3.

BTW; you will not be the only one overweight here. One rule you should NOT violate is the tires/wheels.

Good luck, others are doing what you are...be smart and you will be OK.

Don't be surprised if you are shopping HD trucks in a couple of months...

Bill

[sky_free]

mike326 wrote:
I could use some wise advice. F150 SRW 4WD w/ trailer package. Mated with NorthStar Adventurer 8.5. Despite assurances from both car & TC dealers - fair amount of sag & sway. While many may say I should upgrade to an F250 - probably not an option at the moment. So looking at suspension mods. I'm thinking of RoadMaster Advanced System (RAS), Bilstein HD shocks, E-series tires - possibly Helwig sway bars. At the risk of being scrushed by criticisms & pinions - what would the TC community recommend or agree w/ the above mods?

Semper Fi - mike 326

Assuming you need to stick with that truck, I think the order of upgrades should be:

#1 Insurance on the TC for total loss
#2 Tires (!)
#3 Airbags or supersprings. I think you meant "Roadmaster Active System", which I admit I've never heard of or seen before. Looks a bit crazy to me. Airbags will be more versatile so you can use the truck unloaded without affecting the ride, but springs are better to avoid sway.
#4 Sway Bar if necessary after doing #3.

I think the biggest concern I would have is the axle rating for that truck, but then again I see 1/2 ton trucks going down the highway totally overloaded with cardboard or whatnot all the time and they seem to survive.

[SugarHillCTD]

I can add some input here- we used to have the pop-up version of the Adventurer on a 3/4 ton truck and there was no way that I could forget what was in the bed. (BTW, we are currently using our 4th TC, so I do speak from experience)

The TC you are contemplating weighs just under 2000# dry and without any options. I cannot imagine that you will be under 2500# even if you keep personal items to a very bare minimum.

I think that you are going to be unpleasantly surprised at how much that weight is going to affect your truck. You are looking to increase the suspension on a truck that wasn't intended to carry that weight- relatively lightweight rear axle, brakes, and frame.

Take a look under a 3/4 or 1 ton truck and compare it to yours. The difference is very evident.

Best of luck with your decisions.

[jimh406]

Not sure about the actual weight but Northstar suggest that camper is made for a 1/2 ton truck. http://www.northstarcampers.com/online-catalog.php?view=item&parentId=15&catId=16&numId=37

All of those mods should help, but might not be enough. I'd go to a scale and see how heavy it really is before you move along too far with mods to your truck. It may be cheaper to trade.

If it is 2000 lbs, you are marginally over. If it is 3000 lbs, I wouldn't even start down the path.

[sonuvabug]

Holy Moly Mike. I have an F250 (diesel) and I couldn't and wouldn't even try to carry that TC on my truck regardless of the upgrades (even though it is possible for me to do it with some serious upgrades).

I suspect with your F150, you are way over your weight limits.

IMO, if the transaction(s)/ discussion(s) were recent, I would contact both the RV dealer and the Ford dealer (write to the Dealer Principals), outline the situation and tell them it is their problem so solve, give them 5 business days to work something out between them, and state if you haven't heard from them with a solution that is satisfactory to you, then YOU are going to go to your local DOT people and get them involved.

You got very bad, misleading advice (probably just to make a sale) and you should not be the one taking the risks or paying the proce for this bad advice.