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Truck to fit camper

oliver_550
Explorer
Explorer
We are looking to potentially buy a Host Tahoe SB. This TC is specifically for a Short Bed so I was wondering which 3500/350 non dually will fit the bill. Host says it would weigh a little over 4k with the options plus our own "stuff". I would like to add a I know many of the 3500/350 have 11500 GVWR but I am not sure what the real weights of these trucks are. I would think it will have to be a gasser to have the weight capacity although I really would like it to be a diesel if there is one that will work. Does anyone know which truck may have the available weight capacity for this?

Thanks
31 REPLIES 31

TxGearhead
Explorer II
Explorer II
I'd be happy with the High Torque 383 long block for $7500. I had a square body K20 4x4 loaded Suburban I should have kept.
2018 Ram 3500 CC LB DRW 4X4 Cummins Aisin Laramie Pearl White
2018 Landmark Oshkosh
2008 Bigfoot 25C9.4
2014 NauticStar 21 ShallowBay 150HP Yamaha
2016 GoDevil 18X44 35HP Surface Drive

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
But on a serious note, Mrich, I’d love to see and hear more about the turbo 383 pickup!
I’ve got a solid running low mile Mark VI 454, stocker in a squarebody that I’d love to do a turbo “budget build” on!
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
Reality Check wrote:
Mrich0908 wrote:
oliver 550 wrote:
We are looking to potentially buy a Host Tahoe SB. This TC is specifically for a Short Bed so I was wondering which 3500/350 non dually will fit the bill. Host says it would weigh a little over 4k with the options plus our own "stuff". I would like to add a I know many of the 3500/350 have 11500 GVWR but I am not sure what the real weights of these trucks are. I would think it will have to be a gasser to have the weight capacity although I really would like it to be a diesel if there is one that will work. Does anyone know which truck may have the available weight capacity for this?

Thanks

You want a drw Ram 3500 . The stopping power isn't the same between a drw and a srw . Rubber alone you have 6 tires vs 4 .
I own a turbocharged gmt400 chevy with 383 h/c/i a 89 w350 ram 5.9 diesel drw a compound charged 5.9 01 ram 2500 diesel srw and a 08 6.7 diesel ram 3500 drw.with air suspension You want a common rail ram. I've owned allot of trucks in my life. Towed allot . The best setup for what you want is a drw ram with cummins engine preferable the common rail but even a 12v with air suspension is a great truck. You can feel the difference between a srw and a drw . In my opinion a diesel is a must.


lol


You beat me to it!
But on the upside, this could be a good start to the 6 tires vs 4 again!! Lol
Game on!
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Reality_Check
Nomad II
Nomad II
Mrich0908 wrote:
oliver 550 wrote:
We are looking to potentially buy a Host Tahoe SB. This TC is specifically for a Short Bed so I was wondering which 3500/350 non dually will fit the bill. Host says it would weigh a little over 4k with the options plus our own "stuff". I would like to add a I know many of the 3500/350 have 11500 GVWR but I am not sure what the real weights of these trucks are. I would think it will have to be a gasser to have the weight capacity although I really would like it to be a diesel if there is one that will work. Does anyone know which truck may have the available weight capacity for this?

Thanks

You want a drw Ram 3500 . The stopping power isn't the same between a drw and a srw . Rubber alone you have 6 tires vs 4 .
I own a turbocharged gmt400 chevy with 383 h/c/i a 89 w350 ram 5.9 diesel drw a compound charged 5.9 01 ram 2500 diesel srw and a 08 6.7 diesel ram 3500 drw.with air suspension You want a common rail ram. I've owned allot of trucks in my life. Towed allot . The best setup for what you want is a drw ram with cummins engine preferable the common rail but even a 12v with air suspension is a great truck. You can feel the difference between a srw and a drw . In my opinion a diesel is a must.


lol
'16 F550 CC, 4x4 with Link Ultraride air suspension, '18 AF 1150. Just so we can play with our snowmobiles, dirt bikes and fishing boat. And new 20' tag along...kayaks, bikes, mc's and extra water and food!!

Mrich0908
Explorer
Explorer
oliver 550 wrote:
We are looking to potentially buy a Host Tahoe SB. This TC is specifically for a Short Bed so I was wondering which 3500/350 non dually will fit the bill. Host says it would weigh a little over 4k with the options plus our own "stuff". I would like to add a I know many of the 3500/350 have 11500 GVWR but I am not sure what the real weights of these trucks are. I would think it will have to be a gasser to have the weight capacity although I really would like it to be a diesel if there is one that will work. Does anyone know which truck may have the available weight capacity for this?

Thanks

You want a drw Ram 3500 . The stopping power isn't the same between a drw and a srw . Rubber alone you have 6 tires vs 4 .
I own a turbocharged gmt400 chevy with 383 h/c/i a 89 w350 ram 5.9 diesel drw a compound charged 5.9 01 ram 2500 diesel srw and a 08 6.7 diesel ram 3500 drw.with air suspension You want a common rail ram. I've owned allot of trucks in my life. Towed allot . The best setup for what you want is a drw ram with cummins engine preferable the common rail but even a 12v with air suspension is a great truck. You can feel the difference between a srw and a drw . In my opinion a diesel is a must.

StirCrazy
Navigator
Navigator
JimK-NY wrote:
JIMNLIN wrote:

You guys are not on the same page. There is a big difference in axle mfg rating and the truck mfg rawr.


The wheels and tires almost always define the overall CCC and load ratings for each axle.

For a SWR truck, depending on the exact size, tires will have a load rating of about 3500#, 7000# for both tires. The base weight of the truck will be about 3500# on the rear axle, leaving about that same amount for cargo. That means a SWR truck can carry a relatively light hardsided camper in the base weight range of about 2000#. Again that means a relatively light rig, no slides, and no more than about an 8 or 9 foot camper.

A larger camper with a slide or slides is almost certainly going to require a DWR truck and the heavier camper models even exceed that capacity.


that depends also on the truck, for examble mine came with the heavy GVWR option which included different tires and such and a higher rear axel weight and when scaled I have about 4300lbs of room on my rear axel on a single rear wheel. granted my same truck in a dually would probably have 7 to 8000lbs. that leave me at about a 3000 to 3300 lb base weight I would probably be ok going up to 3500lbs but thats me and I know how I pack when I go camping. I don't know if it is different in the US but the name plates here will state, the caper weighs 3230lbs when containing 35 gal of water and two 20lbs bottles of propane. now that dosen't include the weight of options, or batteries though, so so you have to look at that. so the one camper I am looking at is 3375 lbs but that weight does include the water, propane, refridgerant and all factory installed options. so if I on average take about 300lbs of stuff (food, lawn chairs, axe, cloths and supplies.. ) so I should still be about 500lbs under minus what ever the batteries weight. right now I have a 10.5 foot which is a older light one so its 2600lbs when full of water, propane, refridgerant.... and with all my stuff loaded in it and the old 6V batteries I had in it, I was about 3100lbs heavier when empty on the scales.
2014 F350 6.7 Platinum
2016 Cougar 330RBK
1991 Slumberqueen WS100

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
Now the Jim’s are talking in circles….
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

JIMNLIN
Explorer
Explorer
For a SWR truck, depending on the exact size, tires will have a load rating of about 3500#, 7000# for both tires. The base weight of the truck will be about 3500# on the rear axle, leaving about that same amount for cargo.

Yeah...some seem to think those big 4000- 44xx lb payload stickers on some 350/3500 srw trucks is what we use for carrying a truck camper/heavy GN or 5th wheel hitch loads....and ignore the trucks rawrs. Those big payload sticker numbers come from the newer gen high gvwr's but the truck mfg's are still using older gen 7k-ish truck mfg rawr.
"good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" ............ Will Rogers

'03 2500 QC Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs Westach
'97 Park Avanue 28' 5er 11200 two slides

JimK-NY
Explorer II
Explorer II
JIMNLIN wrote:

You guys are not on the same page. There is a big difference in axle mfg rating and the truck mfg rawr.


The wheels and tires almost always define the overall CCC and load ratings for each axle.

For a SWR truck, depending on the exact size, tires will have a load rating of about 3500#, 7000# for both tires. The base weight of the truck will be about 3500# on the rear axle, leaving about that same amount for cargo. That means a SWR truck can carry a relatively light hardsided camper in the base weight range of about 2000#. Again that means a relatively light rig, no slides, and no more than about an 8 or 9 foot camper.

A larger camper with a slide or slides is almost certainly going to require a DWR truck and the heavier camper models even exceed that capacity.

JIMNLIN
Explorer
Explorer
wjlapier wrote:
mkirsch wrote:
wjlapier wrote:
I find it interesting that when a manufacturer mentions max payload they don’t say anything about rear axle ratings, tires and rims.


That's what they're talking about where it says "properly equipped." It's hard to spend 5 minutes prattling on about axles, tires, and rims in a 15-second commercial.

"Facebook Guy" went by the maximum payload in the advertisement not realizing his truck was not "properly equipped" and ended up with a broken frame. Despite the fact that he was under the axle manufacturer's rating on the rear axle.


That’s what I was eluding to. Try to tell the manufacturer that even though you were over the sticker payload you were in fact under the rawr and see if they will accept your claim to fix the truck under warranty.

You guys are not on the same page. There is a big difference in axle mfg rating and the truck mfg rawr.
"good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" ............ Will Rogers

'03 2500 QC Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs Westach
'97 Park Avanue 28' 5er 11200 two slides

wjlapier
Explorer
Explorer
mkirsch wrote:
wjlapier wrote:
I find it interesting that when a manufacturer mentions max payload they don’t say anything about rear axle ratings, tires and rims.


That's what they're talking about where it says "properly equipped." It's hard to spend 5 minutes prattling on about axles, tires, and rims in a 15-second commercial.

"Facebook Guy" went by the maximum payload in the advertisement not realizing his truck was not "properly equipped" and ended up with a broken frame. Despite the fact that he was under the axle manufacturer's rating on the rear axle.


That’s what I was eluding to. Try to tell the manufacturer that even though you were over the sticker payload you were in fact under the rawr and see if they will accept your claim to fix the truck under warranty.
2019 Chevrolet 3500HD LTZ DRW
2023 Host Everest

mkirsch
Nomad II
Nomad II
wjlapier wrote:
I find it interesting that when a manufacturer mentions max payload they don’t say anything about rear axle ratings, tires and rims.


That's what they're talking about where it says "properly equipped." It's hard to spend 5 minutes prattling on about axles, tires, and rims in a 15-second commercial.

"Facebook Guy" went by the maximum payload in the advertisement not realizing his truck was not "properly equipped" and ended up with a broken frame. Despite the fact that he was under the axle manufacturer's rating on the rear axle.

Putting 10-ply tires on half ton trucks since aught-four.

Hardscrabble
Explorer
Explorer
I like the diesel for several reasons, one for sure is the high mountains, with the turbo diesel we just cruise up hills. I like the exhaust brake going down steep hills, never really need to brake.

All depends on where one will drive it most of the time.

Travel well!
2019 Northern Lite EXSE, wet bath, 2019 Chevy Silverado 3500HD SRW Duramax w/ Bilstein 4600s, Torklift Stableloads/Fastguns, Timbren Severe Duty Bump Stops, Ranch Hand Grille Guard, WeBoost drive reach rv cell booster.

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
^Axle ratings, both vehicle mfg and axle mfg, as well as tire and wheel ratings are available. Although rims are hard to find, but they’re always 3500-3600lbs ish for OE wheels on all the newer trucks I’ve looked at.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold