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What is the minimum clearance I need between the truck cab and camper overhang?

Sterling1
Explorer III
Explorer III

I'm getting a 2024 Ram 3500 DRW long bed crew cab truck for my 2000 Bigfoot 10.6 truck camper.  My measurements show I'll have about 1.5" clearance between the truck cab and camper overhang at about the center of the cab.  I'll have about 1/2" at the shark fin antenna but I plan on relocating that.  I'll have a better idea of the clearances when I get the truck.  

What is the minimum clearance I'd need at the center of the cab and at the very front of the cab to accommodate frame flexing?  

Thanks for any input

2000 Bigfoot 10.6 Truck Camper
2024 Gas Ram Big Horn DRW long bed crew cab with Auto Leveling
19 REPLIES 19

I have about 4, i could get away with and feel comfterable with 3. 

frame flex doesn't mean it is weak, a fram that will flex in most cases will usaly be stronger to a point as it is able to adsorbe slight movment where as a ridgid fram can't and will be work stressed and eventual fail.  now we will probably never see thins in our picks ups but just wanted to put that out there. 

the major issue you are going to see is if the brand crowns the bed for weight handling, this will let the camper rock back and forth more which lets the cabover get closer and farther away from the cab roof when hitting bumps and even accelerating and braking.  some people have made up for this by shimming a bed suport up to make a flat surface for the camper to sit on but then your defeating the purpose of the crown, so I am not sure what the answer is in this case, maybe some one with a crowned truck can chime in on this one, but it is a good idea to get a knowen strait edge the length of you bod and see if the bed is crowned or not then you know.  

2014 F350 6.7 Platinum
2016 Cougar 330RBK
1991 Slumberqueen WS100

As far as I know the crowned bed is limited to GM trucks but I'll verify the Ram bed isn't crowned with a straight edge.  

2000 Bigfoot 10.6 Truck Camper
2024 Gas Ram Big Horn DRW long bed crew cab with Auto Leveling

GM pickups have much less flex than a Ford, you can search frame flex videos and see the drastic difference.  A standard rubber bed mat will also provide cushioning while helping hold the camper firm, the problem lies in many go cheap and heavy by using horse stall mats that are three times thicker and offer plenty of rocking potential.  My setup is a standard rubber bed mat and an aluminum superstructure camper with minimal movement up top, but it still does move some.  

2014 Wolf Creek 850SB
2012 GMC Sierra SLT 2500HD 7,220# Truck/10,400# Camper Fully Loaded

Fords were flexy until the 2017 Super Duty chassis. Before that they still had a c channel frame where Dodge and GM went fully boxed in the early 2000s new models. 

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

I really wanted to make a GM truck work since they will let you get a gas engine in any trim line.  The problem I ran into was the 2024 Truck-Camper Loading guide was completely wrong for the cab height.  It showed the cab height as 40.8" but I just happened to measure the cab height when I was taking some other measurements and it turned out to be 44" and that didn't include the shark fin antenna.  I'm glad I found out before it was sitting in my driveway although I could have dealt with it.  The ram is 42.5" which was enough to sway me that direction (among some other things).  Ford was higher than I even wanted to consider.  

I'm hoping to be able to trim my current K3500 bed mat to fit the Ram.  I'm also hoping that the Ram frame flex is low enough to let me get away without building a platform.  

 

2000 Bigfoot 10.6 Truck Camper
2024 Gas Ram Big Horn DRW long bed crew cab with Auto Leveling