Truck campers -- awesome, right for a family of 4?

[DazedNConfused]

Good afternoon, everyone. So we had a popup for 2 years and are on our second season of our 40ft 5th wheel. She's loaded -- bath and a half, 50Amp, two A/Cs, outdoor kitchen. Has it all. Also has too much of a good thing. 6 fluid tanks, lots of time to empty/clean two black tanks, lots of time to clean 40 feet of camper and roof, so much interior storage we have to pad with paper towels, towels, etc. so stuff doesn't shift. Kids are 10 and 12. We are weekend warriors that score 8-10 trips per year for 4 days, on average, per trip. We also found that we spend very little time in the camper except to sleep. We go places we want to explore...and even on rainy weekends we find things to do. I'm just sort'a tired of dealing with 40 feet of camper, having a difficult time shoe-horning myself into some spots at campgrounds, etc.

I find truck campers so incredibly cool. The newer multi-slide ones are particularly interesting -- especially those with a dry bath. I live with 3 girls (including wife) so I have to pay attention to what will keep them happy.

Part of the deal will be to get a new truck -- likely a 2014 Diesel DRW. Seems like the going rate for payload in these trucks with a 14K GVWR and a 9600 lb GRAWR is roughly 5,300 lbs. I'd have to drop to a gasser and have less options to bump that up. Some of the biggest truck campers will certainly push the limits of these numbers.

We will still visit commercial campgrounds. But I'd like to do some boondocking, plan some multi-week or month-long trips to explore the big national parks, etc. I don't have much interest in getting a Class C -- but some have suggested that would be the way to go. I don't have anything to tow (boat, Sea Doos, etc.) right now...but I like having the option to put something out back should that ever materialize.

I'm curious if others have stuffed a family of 4 into a truck camper and how successful that has been. Coming out of a 40-foot fiver will be a bit of a shock for everyone. Looking at couch models of Lance, Host, Chalet, and Eagle Cap. I know the biggest truck campers will limit my ability to do any real off-roading...but there are plenty of options off the beaten path that won't require us to carry a small/lightweight shell to get there.

Can someone give me an idea of what kind of fuel mileage I can expect out of a late model DRW with 5,000 lbs of camper sitting on its back?

All options are on the table for us right now. Entertaining a smaller fiver, possibly a 28-foot air stream, a truck camper, etc. My current truck and camper will keep us camping this season if nothing else solidifies...so I have time to research. Just looking for some opinions. Unforutunatley central NC isn't a big area with lots of dealers carrying truck campers -- so seeing them first-hand will be challenging...and I worry about dealer/repair support.

Thanks in advance,

DNC

[DazedNConfused]

jimh425 wrote:
The difference is for weight of passengers.

I thought they did away with that calculation when they figure available payload...and that payload is determined by weight of truck plus a full tank of gas plus driver subtracted from GVWR -- but no passengers? Geez...now I'm even contradicting myself! Hmm....8,000 lb truck. 275 lbs of diesel. 180 lb passenger. That's 8,455 lbs. 14,000 - 8,455 = 5,545 lbs. That's pretty close to 5,300 lbs. I'm sure someone will laugh at my numbers and set the record straight. 🙂

[jimh406]

The difference is for weight of passengers.

[DazedNConfused]

Thank you for everyone's input....it is really very helpful. Had we come out of a popup and headed toward a truck camper, this would be far easier than trying to move form a 40-foot fiver to a truck camper. The reality is that I'm really the one that has to deal with such a big rig. My wife won't drive the truck when we're towing...so I have to pull, back in, maintenance it, wash it, etc. So for them...all the space you could want, dedicated bunk house, two bathrooms, etc. -- it's a sweet deal. So we'll have to see how this pans out.

I did find a truck I'd like...and I did work some numbers with a dealer that are palatable -- including the amount they'll give me on trade for my existing truck. I am a little confused by the weight stickers, though -- and was hoping someone can help me determine where the weak link is in the truck.

Truck has a 14K lb GVWR. Right before it got onto a delivery truck to be brought to the dealer, the truck was weighed in at 7,934 lbs. Let's just call that 8,000 lbs. My math shows the available payload should then be 6,000 lbs. Sticker on the door shows 5,300 lbs. So where is that extra 700 lbs going? If the tank is mostly empty -- and it holds 37 gallons -- that could make up 275 lbs of it. So then where would the extra 400 lbs be going? Truck is equipped with 17.5" wheels, but I'm not sure which tires. Am sure it's whatever Ford puts on all of these 17.5"-equpped duallies. Any input to the mystery here? Is there a weak link somewhere that is keeping that truck form reaching its full potential? Axle is rated at 9,650 lbs, btw.

Thanks again.

[Bedlam]

We went from a toy hauler to a truck camper with enclosed trailer. With just two of us, it has been a big adjustment due to the lack of floor space. We do like flexibility of the TC with detached garage, but will be looking at the mega TC's once I have a bigger truck. The weight adds up fast - 6K+ lbs for the largest TC's when filled with water and personal items before you add the weight of people, towing tongue weight or extra items stored on a flat bed or utility body.

With your family, look at going to a F550 or 5500 immediately so you can get a 12' triple slide TC that has enough room for all of you. If you decide you want to take something in tow later, you will have the capacity. Surprisingly, the class 5's are not much more than class 3's. You can get a comfortable crew cab gasser for under $50k new or a diesel for less than $60k but expect to add the cost of a $3k-5K flatbed to the rear.

[twodownzero]

I have just the gf and two dogs (one medium, one small) and let me be the first to say.......a TC ain't for you.

Get yourself a 25-30' 5er and be happy! I love my TC for what it is, but if I could have bought a decent-sized travel trailer or 5er for what my TC cost, I would love to have it. If I could only have one, I'd have the TC, because it is more fun for the adventure sort of camping that only a TC can do. But a good size trailer is so comfortable, that other than the adventure sort of camping, it just can't be beat for comfort.

40' is a bit much, though.

[toedtoes]

Jim - thanks. I've seen comments like that before and wondered if it was common at campgrounds outside of California to not allow tents. With Anutami's comment, it sounds like it is mostly RV Parks and similar where they are cramming a lot of folks into a very small space. Which is probably why I haven't come across them - I like "real" campgrounds with trees and separation between campsites. 🙂

Bubtoofat - that could have been our family when I was a kid. It never dawned on us that the TC was too small for our needs - we just did it.

[Bubtoofat]

Met a family in Wyoming with an old TC, no slides, and stuffed inside with him was his wife, four daughters, and two very large dogs. They all seemed pretty happy. I'd try it. You can always go back to another FW.

Mike

[anutami]

Yes it can be done and there are many doing it, but sounds like you are going from one extreme to another. We were always tent campers and We pretty much decided tents are only for backpacking trips and then we moved into the TC. Not sure if you will like going from a 40 footer to a 10 footer :). I think you just have to gauge your family and see if you can all live in eachothers space or not.



On another note... Silver strand state beach in CA only allows self cotained campers, and no Tents. No tents link...but you are basically camping in a parking lot.

[dave17352]

We just came back from a TC trip from Nebraska, all over southern Utah for a week and half. Up and down and Up and down. Got exactly 13.5 mpg, traveling at 62 mph on the highway with the rig in my signature. We are TC converts now that the kids are all grown. Still have the fiver as it would be great for a destination vacation. But boy it was sure a breeze parking the TC and setting up for the night. I am sure 4 will be crowded at times but it sounds like you are willing to spend the big bucks on a multi slide TC. In that case I think you will be fine. We once to a 5k trip with 3 of our kids in a short box camper with a 10 gallon holding tank. We had a good time but we were cramped!!!!!!! They only thing I think to consider on a slide TC is the ease of getting in and out when the slides are in. I was talking to a fellow TC guy when fishing this spring. He actually regretted the slide on his TC for just that reason. But I am sure most love their slides. JMHO

[RamTC]

I'm camping now as a family of four. I have a 14' Diesel DRW, and could haul just about any TC, payload is just under 6000 lbs. Hand calc'd MPG is 12.5 on my trip in progress.

[jimh406]

toedtoes wrote:
I don't know of any campground that doesn't allow tents. I do know of many RV Parks that ban them, but I don't consider them "campgrounds".

Terminology, I suppose, but the point is that there are places that don't allow tents but allow self-contained RVs.

[rickeoni]

Going the opposite direction, getting a 26 foot fifth wheel, but not even considering selling the TC. There are many places that only a truck camper will do, day trips to the beach, kayaking, fishing & several remote sites that a trailer would be out of the question. How ever 4 in a camper can get old very quickly, especially as the girls get into their teens. We did not get our TC until the kids stopped coming with us & now that the grandkitties want to tag along we are looking for something bigger.

[toedtoes]

jimh425 wrote:
A concern with a tent is that not all campgrounds allow them which can be limiting

I'm not disagreeing with you, but I'm curious as to this comment. I don't know of any campground that doesn't allow tents. I do know of many RV Parks that ban them, but I don't consider them "campgrounds". Even though I have my small Class C, I can't imagine camping at a campground that bans tents - tent campers are what made it possible for me to camp in my C.

[ZRX-Steve]

I have an 11 year old daughter and had an Lance 1161 for 6 years. She slept on the dinette. She outgrew the dinette bed, plus we wanted her to be able to take friends. We traded the 1161 for a new 2014 Lance 1191 with Tent this year and it really fits the bill. The main bed, the tent, and the super-slide are all queens or very close, plus the drop down bed over the dinette. The super-slide creates huge floor space and we really like not having to take the dinette up and down to convert it to a bed. She's had a friend sleep with her in the tent area a half dozen times and they love it. They have a 24" 12v TV and 12v Wii in the tent area too.

We lost a lot of storage moving from the 1161 to the 1191. If there were just the wife and I, the 1161 was a great fit. For the family, daughter, and friend, the 1191 with tent is superb.

[wrigley615]

I have 2 kiddos and we found our truck camper to be too cramped so we switched to a travel trailer. There's definitely pros and cons to each as many have noted. I don't have a slide on my Lance either which would make a huge difference. Btw, I can't believe that Host is a truck camper, that thing is HUGE!

In terms of mileage I have an 05 Ram 3500 DRW. The Lance fully loaded approaches 4000lbs. and I get around 10 mpg. I'll bet a new Dodge would do a little bit better.