Which GMC 3500SRW for BIGFOOT 25C9.6

[_1Flyboy]

....Suggestions when we get a Bigfoot 25C9.6 please....Thinking of getting the .6LB & Long Bed truck to keep more of the weight in front of rear axle as opposed to getting the .6SB and a Short Bed truck.....COG is 43”.....Dry 2940#; Wet 4077#.....Would also do tires, suspension, sway upgrades......Your suggestions please...Bonus points if you have a BIGFOOT!!!

[cewillis]

Grit dog wrote:
BUT that doesn’t mean a srw is the wrong choice. Sometimes life is a bit of a compromise.

Thanks for inserting some sanity. Same idea for long/short bed.
Depends on the intended use -- not pre-conceived, non fact based opinions.

[Grit_dog]

Some of you folks crack me up. Some people just don’t want or cant fit a dually into their garage, commute or lifestyle.
Isa dually better? Sure. Would a FL60 and a 38’ 5ver be better? Of course.....more room, you get that big truck feel, etc.

BUT that doesn’t mean a srw is the wrong choice. Sometimes life is a bit of a compromise.

[_1Flyboy]

......Good morning all....Have looked at both NL & BF, But will look at Northern Lite again! We’re not tall, so short queen is OK... So if I get the SRW GMC 3500 Crew Cab Long Box & beef up tires / rims, suspension, sway; looks like I should be able to carry a NON-Slide BF or NL....

[TxGearhead]

For me it was a tossup between Northern Lite and Bigfoot. I had 1 of each in my "sights". The NL was in Washington and the Bigfoot was in Maryland. I went for the Bigfoot. One issue with Bigfoot...the bed is a queen short. So if you're a tall boy your feet might hang over. No problem for me.
I'm thinking I gained a couple hundred pounds on my front axle with the Bigfoot fresh water tank full.
So you prefer to modify a SRW rather than just go to a dually? Any particular reason?

[_1Flyboy]

... Some great answers.... Hope to get a SRW GMC Crew Cab 4WD....Would get bigger rims / tires, sway bars & suspension mods....

[SideHillSoup]

Do you have your heart set on a Bigfoot? Have you looked at Northern Lite. Both made in Canada and about 60 kms apart. Both are Fiberglas and relatively light compared to a lot of other campers of that size.
We did a lot of research before we bought our camper. We are lucky that we live with in 3.5 hr drive of both manufacturers and got a chance to have a look at the products. The only difference was “stuff” the Northen Lite had that Bigfoot didn’t. Now these things were no huge items, but enough little things that we turned to Northern Lite.
We had already own our SRW 2017 GMC 4x4 crewcab shortbox ( GMC calls it a standered box) so we had to fit the camper to the truck.
However we did think about trading in our short box for a long box... ya would have taken a hit... but that’s life...so we did look at long box campers as well, but after the pros and cons we stayed with the truck we had.
The long box truck would have given us a bigger camper, but the more room came with more weight. As well we have long been of the thinking that when we are camping the rig we have is for sleeping, bathroom and some cooking. Meaning we spend 95% of our time outside rather than in the camper, so a bigger one would have been nice to pack more stuff along with us, but for two people it wasn’t worth the change of a vehicle. However your in a different situation, so this is just my thinking.
The NL camper we have sticker weight ( and I did see then weighing campers when they were completed while we were touring the plant in Kelowna) is 2750 lbs dry. We lived out of it for a 6 weeks last fall on the Washington/ Oregon coasts. We lived out of it for 8 weeks at a BLM just outside of Yuma. The only issue we found with the camper in Yuma was all the people in the big 5th wheels laughed at us as we were encircled by them... lol... we got the last light on the cold mornings when they all fired up there generators and propane furnaces to get warm. We put a pot of coffee on the stove..
Anyways... short box club cab with a NL 8-11 camper works perfect for us. Now eight issues or tire issues period. I did add Timbren rubber overload springs which helped to level the truck as it sat about 1 inch from level when the camper was loaded.
Good luck with what ever rig you buy,
Soup.

[Grit_dog]

I agree that if the primary or only use will be for a big TC AND you don't have spacial limitations parking the truck, like too short a garage, then a long bed totally makes sense and a dually is icing on the cake.
BUT, if any of the above don't apply, neither a long bed, nor a dually are necessary and a brand new 3500 short bed will haul 4000lbs giver take just fine.
My ole Dodge has been doing it for 5 years and at least 20,000 miles now.

Long bed vs short though is about 90% a function of how long a camper you want. Pretty much isn't a camper made that's going to lighten up the front end of a pickup with a big diesel anchoring it down. Or a big gas engine for that matter.

[KD4UPL]

If your intended purpose is to carry a TC I see no advantage to the short bed. Really, if you're going to use a truck like a truck, that is hauling things, I see no advantage to the short bed. I would get the long bed every time. No question. You will have more room, longer wheelbase for a better ride, more carrying room when not hauling the camper, probably a larger fuel tank, larger selection of campers to choose from, etc.

[_1Flyboy]

.... Hope to get a crew cab ( pull seat assembly out for storage ) ....Realize I might need a dually , but, I’d love to go SRW drive, if possible..... Great answers so far....THANKS....( Gonna get Wet Bath )

[TxGearhead]

I had a 2016 Ram 3500 SRW. My last trip with the Bigfoot was in the winter and I was loaded as heavy as I thought I would ever be. Stopped at a CAT scale and weighed. I was over payload (4016#?), over axle rating, and right at tire limits. From memory I think the Bigfoot was 4400#+. I drained the water tank down and got right at axle rating. I had a BigWig sway bar on it. I got back home and ordered a 2018 Ram CC LB 4X4 Cummins dually. I swapped the BigWig on to the dually. I've made one 1,000 mile round trip with it. Very pleased.
I would urge you to get a dually. When I was looking at 1 ton SRW's, Ford had lowest payload, Chevy next, and Ram the highest. (Ford may have different GVWR packages). It ain't no fun having to pack light, run with an almost empty water tank, and worrying about a tire failure.
But, the Bigfoot is mighty fine. Great choice. If you go to a dually I would consider the dry bath model though.

[SugarHillCTD]

Are you thinking crew cab, ext cab (GM now calls it a "double cab") or regular cab?
If you really want to have the front carry some of the weight, a regular cab is best but obviously you give up any storage in the cab.

Long bed vs. short? Unless you are trying to fit the truck into a short garage, a long bed truck has more advantages.

BUT given the weights you posted, you might want to give serious thought into getting a dual rear wheel truck . Once you load all your personal stuff into the BF, you are likely to be at 4500+#.

Been there, done that, with a HEAVY TC on a SRW. 😞

[_1Flyboy]

Don.... No I haven’t so maybe you could post a link for this worksheet....Going to be new to Truck Campers; have had 5th wheel, Class C, Class A, Pop-Up, but no TC...TIA....

[donn0128]

Have you actually downloaded the GM camper loading worksheet and done it yet?