Truck Service Bodies

Sheriffdoug wrote:
Thank You All, Enjoying your posts.

How does a Truck Service Body lower your centre of gravity?

Hi Doug!

Think of Aircraft Carriers and or Battleships. When the weight above is a fraction of what is on the bottom portion, it lowers the center of gravity. Many truck campers strategically load heavy items in the lower part of their Truck Camper, not on the roof or upper cabinets.

A typical Lance 1191 comes in over 4,500lbs. It also has all the heavy tanks (Potable/Gray/Black/Batteries) in the basement. Framing and construction of actual Truck Camper. These heavy items rest in the bed of my service body. Say this combined weight would be about 2,000lbs.


Let’s do the math;

11,132 lbs Certified Tare wt# submitted to DMV for lic of a truck that is considered a commercial truck, Truck and Service Body combined without any loading of personal items, spare tire, propane, aux diesel fuel, passengers.

2,000 lbsCombined weight of Tanks/supplies/portion of Truck Camper nestled into bed of service body.

1,950 lbsCombined weight of Aux Propane/Tank (100g) and Aux Potable Water/Tanks (140g)(1,462#), & Enclosed Trailer (210# 3 tires/wheels), Tongue weight of trailer (650#), Tools and supplies (1,000#).

15,082 lbs Total Weight

vs.

2,500 lbsCombined portion of upper portion of Truck Camper (above line of Service Body)

Conclusion?
Math wins.


While the visible portion of the Truck Camper is higher, the weight is down low. War Ships, Boats, Semi Trucks and the like have taken advantage of this for years. Oh, yeah. Truck Camper Manufacturers have been doing the same, by putting the heavy tanks down low too. That is why putting Storage Pods, Solar and A/C on the roof of very lite Truck Campers create issues of being top heavy.

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