Towing truck camper (expecting first experience today)

[bobbolotune]

I am stuck in a Walmart parking lot with my truck that won't start. So unless it turns out to only be the battery (which I doubt from the way it suddenly went totally dead) I am going to have my first towing experience today.

The manual for my RAM 3500 4x4 says that for 4WD models flatbed is the best towing method. However, with the camper on the truck I question if the height of the truck camper and flatbed combined would exceed height limits. So this is my question. Is flatbed tow of a truck camper possible? The manual says the other acceptable method is flat tow on 4 wheels.

The manual says the wheel lift is not acceptable.

I am concerned if I am going to have to argue with the tow truck about this. A while back I asked a friend of a friend who owns a tow business about this and he said "Ah, I would probably just lift it". Well the manual says lifting the front or back will cause "severe transmission and/or transfer case damage".

I have Good Sam towing. Does anyone have experience with this? Do they know enough to send someone with the proper equipment?

Finding someone to fix the truck is the next question. I believe that Good Sam only says whey will tow to the nearest repair facility. Well, what if that facility can't work on it for 2 weeks? Or even if only more than 1 day is a problem because I am traveling alone with my dog. Unless they let us sleep on their lot it will be a mess what to do. Dog friendly hotel?

So I have been googling and calling local mechanics trying to find someone who will work on it today, or at least let us sleep on their lot if it can't be fixed same day. Since I have been calling on Sunday I have no responses yet.

Any suggestions how to approach this are welcome and appreciated. But my main question is about the towing and what to expect from Good Sam.

[SoonDockin]

Its not uncommon for a battery to not work then work a tiny bit after setting overnight. Just get a new battery and install with cleaned terminals. Then you will be on the road. I am not sure how your truck and camper are tied, its usually only feeding power when the truck is on. I don't believe the power from the camper feeds the truck unless a special circuit has been installed.

[Lwiddis]

A new battery and a wire brushing the cable ends is where I would start. Wish you well.

[Buzzcut1]

the only way your camper batteries can run your truck is if you pull them from the camper and put them in the engine compartment in place of your dead batteries.

[bobbolotune]

I'm the original poster.

So from these responses maybe it is only the battery. At first I thought not because the dash lights up without struggle. But maybe turning the engine takes much more power.

Another hint that made me think it could be the battery is that this started at night. The next day in daylight with the solar panel pumping in some power the engine turned slightly versus the night before I was getting nothing.

My understanding is that the camper batteries are connected to the engine batteries. There is a shutoff which prevents the camper from running down the engine batteries, but I thought not in the other direction. So if the engine battery is dead I would think the camper batteries would turn the engine. The camper batteries are showing fully charged. But maybe deep cycle camper batteries don't have enough cranking power to turn an engine???

A service of my Good Sam towing is battery replacement. So if it's the battery they should be able to get me going. But I still have to be prepared for if I need to get towed.

I left voice mails at a couple local mechanics on Sunday. One called back and left a voicemail this morning. I'm about to call them then Good Sam. Wish me luck.

[kirkl]

bobbolotune wrote:
I am stuck in a Walmart parking lot with my truck that won't start. So unless it turns out to only be the battery (which I doubt from the way it suddenly went totally dead) I am going to have my first towing experience today.

The manual for my RAM 3500 4x4 says that for 4WD models flatbed is the best towing method. However, with the camper on the truck I question if the height of the truck camper and flatbed combined would exceed height limits. So this is my question. Is flatbed tow of a truck camper possible? The manual says the other acceptable method is flat tow on 4 wheels.

The manual says the wheel lift is not acceptable.

I am concerned if I am going to have to argue with the tow truck about this. A while back I asked a friend of a friend who owns a tow business about this and he said "Ah, I would probably just lift it". Well the manual says lifting the front or back will cause "severe transmission and/or transfer case damage".

I have Good Sam towing. Does anyone have experience with this? Do they know enough to send someone with the proper equipment?

Finding someone to fix the truck is the next question. I believe that Good Sam only says whey will tow to the nearest repair facility. Well, what if that facility can't work on it for 2 weeks? Or even if only more than 1 day is a problem because I am traveling alone with my dog. Unless they let us sleep on their lot it will be a mess what to do. Dog friendly hotel?

So I have been googling and calling local mechanics trying to find someone who will work on it today, or at least let us sleep on their lot if it can't be fixed same day. Since I have been calling on Sunday I have no responses yet.

Any suggestions how to approach this are welcome and appreciated. But my main question is about the towing and what to expect from Good Sam.

My cousin did this exact same thing couple years ago and he got his lifted truck and camper on a flat bed tow truck.

[midnightsadie]

been there on a fishing trip battery just died. your at wall mart have them put a new one in. gonna be lot cheaper than the tow. p.s let us know how it ends.

[C_B_]

Buzzcut1 wrote:
medium duty wrecker , rear drive shaft removed, front wheels lifted. That's how BKA got towed. with his F550 and his TC in the bed

Above is your answer. With rear drive shaft totally removed.
The transfer case and transmission will not be turning.
Wheel lift from the front.

C.b.

[SoonDockin]

Batteries do fail and also connections get corroded and drop connection. It may be a simple fix, so hope a hand helper shows up and finds the issue and can avoid towing. A volt meter is a handy thing to check the battery.

[CA_Traveler]

Batteries fail w/o warning, load test it, observe headlights while starting, buy a battery, rent a car, etc options, may/may not resolve. See if you can pay the tow truck for alternate delivery. You may have to remove the camper but I would not leave it at Walmart. May have to find alternate sleeping arrangements. Maybe a mobile mechanic.

Just saying be prepared, but hopefully resolved easily,

[Tvov]

Just posting here to see how you make out. Good luck!

[Buzzcut1]

medium duty wrecker , rear drive shaft removed, front wheels lifted. That's how BKA got towed. with his F550 and his TC in the bed

[JRscooby]

Back decades ago when most to truck only had a sling we often carried dollies to carry 1 end of a vehicle. Only lifted a few inches. Most likely your camper would be too heavy, so we would pull rear driveshaft.

[BigSwick]

Where are you? maybe somebody on here could bring a load tester to check your battery? Is it the original battery in the truck? If so, I would guess that it could be your problem.
I would think you would be way to high to be on a flatbed with the camper.
Could you unload the camper in the walmart until truck gets fixed?