Total novice camper weights question...

[ramyankee]

Have a 2002 Silverado 2500hd, 8.1, long bed, crew, 4x4... Have been towing 5th wheels for ~10+. Now have a 34+ foot Cougar. The hitch weight max on my truck is 2100# or under.
Now Patti is contemplating a camper. Possibly much easier to carry around and would fit probably anywhere. Would my max weight be the 2100#? Suggestions... Advice... Again, total camper novice here.

Either that or maybe as an example, the largest Jayco Hummingbird..

Appreciate any and all input...

[JimK-NY]

Sadly the 2100# payload will not do. Not even close. Take that 2100# subtract the weight of the passengers, subtract weight for water, food, clothing and you will be down to close to zero.

A modest hard sided truck camper with an 8-9 foot bed and no slides is going to weigh about 2500# wet weight with water and propane. A generator and/or solar plus food, clothing, upgraded foam mattress, cooking gear, and a couple of passengers can easily bring the weight up to 4000#. That will top out or exceed the capability of a 1 ton diesel crew cab pickup. Typically a 3/4 ton is identical to a 1 ton except for the suspension. Many of us upgrade the truck suspension to carry the weight. The limitation is often wheels and tires which can also be upgraded.

[jaycocreek]

ramyankee wrote:
Have a 2002 Silverado 2500hd, 8.1, long bed, crew, 4x4... Have been towing 5th wheels for ~10+. Now have a 34+ foot Cougar. The hitch weight max on my truck is 2100# or under.
Now Patti is contemplating a camper. Possibly much easier to carry around and would fit probably anywhere. Would my max weight be the 2100#? Suggestions... Advice... Again, total camper novice here.

Either that or maybe as an example, the largest Jayco Hummingbird..

Appreciate any and all input...

Your payload number makes sense..My son has a 2002 2500 HD/6.0 extra cab and his payload is like 3000#(memory)before people tools ect, so 2100# makes sense with the larger engine and crew cab..

So a smaller TC is in order to stay at 2100# or below..There out there like maybe the smaller Lance and a few others and ofcourse,the pop up truck campers..Finding one that is 2100# ready to camp might be tough but I'm sure there out there..

[Grit_dog]

ramyankee, this question will provide a multitude of responses, and a healthy, umm debate.
Good news is, this has been asked about 10000times on this forum alone. So you can have some good reading while you wait for the debate on your thread to unfold.

[ramyankee]

Lwiddis wrote:
What is your truck’s payload number? Max hitch weight and max payload are different.

But the 2100# is my payload. 9900#-truck-gas-passengers/stuff=2100#. Isn't that correct?

I would think if I would want a camper I would want to know my payload capacity and get one that fits those numbers. Thus my question, I would need to know the weight of said camper + what I believe I would carry in it. Sorry if I am making this difficult.

[_1Flyboy]

.... Before you figure out if your truck can handle a camper you need to figure out which camper you’re gonna get?..If you get a hard side camper and it has a slide you’re gonna be over; published weights are before ANY options or mandatory factory specs; batteries, propane, water AND your “stuff” is in place ( clothes, cook/eating, food, alcohol, tools, hoses, cords, hobbies, chairs, etc)... And when you figure out which TC you’re gonna get go to the FB page for that brand. For me it’s the Arctic Fox Truck Camper FB page....

[MitchF150]

So, are you asking if you can haul as much as you can tow??

Dunno, because payload is payload, right? #2100 pin/tongue wight or #2100 of slide in camper in the bed? Or #2100 of gravel, or dirt or whatever in the bed of your truck??

Sure, you can exceed the "payload" number on your truck.. But, in the end, that's up to you and YOU alone..

Good luck!

Mitch

[Lwiddis]

What is your truck’s payload number? Max hitch weight and max payload are different.