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The only real SRW “One Ton” that isn’t really a 3/4 ton

burningman
Explorer II
Explorer II
Just for the heck of it, here is the only real one-ton single rear wheel pickup ever made that is NOT just a 3/4 ton with a different sticker on it.
The 1973 to 1979 Ford F-350 Super Camper Special. Not just the common “Camper Special” but the Super Camper Special.

These things had a 5355 pound payload. Way more than any new SRW pickup.
Notice the set-back rear axle. They had a special bed to fit. They were made to haul big campers, and that set-back rear axle also let the front end take more of the weight.
No camper center of gravity issues at all.
They came with 12.00 x 16.5 rear tires.
They came with frame tie down points, camper power connectors, trans coolers, and a spare tire under a big door on the passenger side of the bed.
No crawling under.

These were the best single rear wheel camper haulers ever, and the only single rear wheel one-ton pickup that wasn’t just an up-rated 3/4 ton.
2017 Northern Lite 10-2 EX CD SE
99 Ram 4x4 Dually Cummins
A whole lot more fuel, a whole lot more boost.
4.10 gears, Gear Vendors overdrive, exhaust brake
Built auto, triple disc, billet shafts.
Kelderman Air Ride, Helwig sway bar.
35 REPLIES 35

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
deserteagle56 wrote:
rhagfo wrote:

Well I noticed after looking at this picture, while maybe not as extreme the rear axle on our 2016 Ram DRE is about 8" further back than the one on our 2001 Ram 2500.


The longer the wheelbase the more stable the towing/hauling platform. No debate there.


Except it's not. It's an illusion.
3rd/4th/4.5th Gens are 42" axle to back of bed
Using that, to scale, from your drawing, 2nd Gen is "approx" 43-1/4"
Your newer truck has the axle about 1" closer to the back of an 8' bed than the old one.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

deserteagle56
Explorer II
Explorer II
rhagfo wrote:

Well I noticed after looking at this picture, while maybe not as extreme the rear axle on our 2016 Ram DRE is about 8" further back than the one on our 2001 Ram 2500.


The longer the wheelbase the more stable the towing/hauling platform. No debate there.
1996 Bigfoot 2500 9.5 on a 2004 Dodge/Cummins dually

mkirsch
Nomad II
Nomad II
wnjj wrote:
jaycocreek wrote:
Grit dog wrote:
Some of y’all need to get off the couch and find something constructive to do.
Why would you start comparing an antique to a new truck as if it is a viable or even remotely comparable option?


What I got out of BM post,was the payload of 5355# is actually more than a lot of newer DRW and the newer SRW are not even close....I personally wonder why payload went backwards instead of forward in newer trucks.

Mostly because the curb weight of the trucks has steadily claimed, along with the number of seats, creature comforts and safety features. The GVWR probably is quite similar to or lower than modern trucks.


GVWR is what determines a truck's classification, and serves as a "glass ceiling" that many trucks end up bouncing off of. As they get heavier their payload gets smaller and smaller to remain in that same classification.

7201-10000 is a Class 2B. When you hit 10001, you are in Class 3 which is a whole new level of licensing, taxation and DOT requirements if used commercially such as for a contractor.

Putting 10-ply tires on half ton trucks since aught-four.

rhagfo
Explorer III
Explorer III
burningman wrote:
Just for the heck of it, here is the only real one-ton single rear wheel pickup ever made that is NOT just a 3/4 ton with a different sticker on it.
The 1973 to 1979 Ford F-350 Super Camper Special. Not just the common “Camper Special” but the Super Camper Special.

These things had a 5355 pound payload. Way more than any new SRW pickup.
Notice the set-back rear axle. They had a special bed to fit. They were made to haul big campers, and that set-back rear axle also let the front end take more of the weight.
No camper center of gravity issues at all.
They came with 12.00 x 16.5 rear tires.
They came with frame tie down points, camper power connectors, trans coolers, and a spare tire under a big door on the passenger side of the bed.
No crawling under.

These were the best single rear wheel camper haulers ever, and the only single rear wheel one-ton pickup that wasn’t just an up-rated 3/4 ton.


Well, I noticed after looking at these pictures, while maybe not as extreme, the rear axle on our 2016 Ram DRW is about 8" further back than the one on our 2001 Ram 2500.



Russ & Paula the Beagle Belle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 Aisin DRW 4X4 Long bed.
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS, 32' GVWR 12,360#

"Visit and Enjoy Oregon State Parks"

valhalla360
Nomad III
Nomad III
Actually, if we want to nitpick over terminology, isn't it the reverse?

Most SRW 3/4 ton trucks have a payload in excess of 2000lbs (1 ton), so vast majority of 3/4 ton trucks are really 1 ton trucks.

If anything this truck is a SRW "Duece and a Half" truck.
Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and RV

valhalla360
Nomad III
Nomad III
deserteagle56 wrote:
valhalla360 wrote:

In the past 10yrs, I've changed 1 flat. Ironically, it was the day after getting new tires. The bead was properly sealed. It's rare enough problem that I'm not going to get too fussy over it. If it bothers you a lot, you can get a front bumper mount to keep from dragging it out from under the truck.


?? You must live and drive on pavement only.

Most pickups around here carry at least two spares, as do I. Driving roads like this, a flat is only a matter of time.


Probably 98% of pickups are mostly used on pavement...A big pothole at 70mph is a lot tougher on a tire than tooling along a 20mph on rough roads.

Grew up on dirt roads and didn't get flats all the time and the trucks aren't set up for 2 spares under the frame anyway.
Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and RV

specta
Explorer
Explorer
jaycocreek wrote:
I just sold my '76 a few years ago...





I just bought a '76 a few months ago but it will never see a camper in the bed.
Kenny
1996 Jayco 376FB Eagle Series TT
1997 Jayco 246FB Eagle Series TT
1976 Ford F-250 4wd Mercury Marauder 410 - 4V
Regular cabs. The best looking trucks.

deserteagle56
Explorer II
Explorer II
valhalla360 wrote:

In the past 10yrs, I've changed 1 flat. Ironically, it was the day after getting new tires. The bead was properly sealed. It's rare enough problem that I'm not going to get too fussy over it. If it bothers you a lot, you can get a front bumper mount to keep from dragging it out from under the truck.


?? You must live and drive on pavement only.

Most pickups around here carry at least two spares, as do I. Driving roads like this, a flat is only a matter of time.
1996 Bigfoot 2500 9.5 on a 2004 Dodge/Cummins dually

wnjj
Explorer II
Explorer II
jaycocreek wrote:
Grit dog wrote:
Some of y’all need to get off the couch and find something constructive to do.
Why would you start comparing an antique to a new truck as if it is a viable or even remotely comparable option?


What I got out of BM post,was the payload of 5355# is actually more than a lot of newer DRW and the newer SRW are not even close....I personally wonder why payload went backwards instead of forward in newer trucks.

Mostly because the curb weight of the trucks has steadily claimed, along with the number of seats, creature comforts and safety features. The GVWR probably is quite similar to or lower than modern trucks.

jaycocreek
Explorer II
Explorer II
Grit dog wrote:
Some of y’all need to get off the couch and find something constructive to do.
Why would you start comparing an antique to a new truck as if it is a viable or even remotely comparable option?


What I got out of BM post,was the payload of 5355# is actually more than a lot of newer DRW and the newer SRW are not even close....I personally wonder why payload went backwards instead of forward in newer trucks.
Lance 9.6
400 watts solar mounted/200 watts portable
500ah Lifep04

jimh406
Explorer III
Explorer III
From the first post ... "These were the best single rear wheel camper haulers ever,". So, is it a surprise that newer trucks came up?

'10 Ford F-450, 6.4, 4.30, 4x4, 14,500 GVWR, '06 Host Rainer 950 DS, Torklift Talon tiedowns, Glow Steps, and Fastguns. Bilstein 4600s, Firestone Bags, Toyo M655 Gs, Curt front hitch, Energy Suspension bump stops.

NRA Life Member, CCA Life Member

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
Some of y’all need to get off the couch and find something constructive to do.
Why would you start comparing an antique to a new truck as if it is a viable or even remotely comparable option?
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

jaycocreek
Explorer II
Explorer II
I just sold my '76 a few years ago..Not a camper special or super,but one of the best camper haulers I have had..Put a pair of Helwig springs on it and hauled everything including my 35ft Jayco fifth wheel and some 10ft truck campers.And with the 390 ford rebuilt from top to bottom including the tranny to handle heavy stuff..





Great trucks back then and I can only imagine how the super camper special was...
Lance 9.6
400 watts solar mounted/200 watts portable
500ah Lifep04

StirCrazy
Navigator
Navigator
deserteagle56 wrote:
StirCrazy wrote:

but man were they ugly compared to the normal truck of that year, and they sucked on fuel like a pig at the slop trough. as much as I am a ford guy, I would just keep walking by that.


On a scale of 1 to 10, in my book the importance of "looks" would rate about 15.

Stick a Cummins under the hood and fuel mileage improves dramatically. So does the ability to climb a hill without shifting.


I think a cummins would be the last motor I would think about dropping into a old truck like that.. haha.. we had a 1976 "supercab" version of that truck with the 460 auto. was a good truck but it's a good thing fuel was real cheep back then... but to be honest they are probably my least favorate of all the generations for the looks, and like new trucks they always came out of the dealer weighing more than the brochure said they did, so you still had the same payload issues.
trailers did weight a lot less back then though. if I had to have one again I would probably do a LS swap on it.
2014 F350 6.7 Platinum
2016 Cougar 330RBK
1991 Slumberqueen WS100