# CAMPER ON F350 WEIGHTS



## Helmsman38

GOING TO GO OVER LOAD 101 REFRESHER COURSE

Truck is an 2008 F350 Super Duty 4 door cab long bed 6.4L diesel with automatic SRW  and full tank of fuel, 360lbs of humans in the cab, Raider Phantom canopy (I will be taking of the canopy of course, might it weight 260lbs) and with an after market front brush guard with a total weight of 9260lbs. The current front axel weight at the scale is 5440lbs and the rea axel is 3820lbs with that canopy.

The tires (SRW) are E load range 3750lbs. GVWR is 11500.  That would leave me with 2500lbs max weight for a camper right ?  Now I know the tiers can take up to 15,000lbs at 80 psi max pressure.... BUT  GVR rules right ???

Regardless I would install the FIRESTONE RIDE RITE AIR BAGS, WIRELESS HD COMPRESSOR and maybe ?  but even then I'm still only going to safely/legal have a total  wet weight with gear camper of 2500lbs. Thats not a very big camper....I know buy a dually truck (not going to happen). Is there more to the story ? What am I missing out on here I want the bigger camper....


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## Av8r3400

Why waste your time with a little girly truck with minimal capabilities, that costs 4x as much as building one of these?

http://rvhaulers.ca


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## Alaska Snow Cat

Your GVW is determined by the manufacture of the vehicle not necessarily the tire manufacture. You really need to follow the recommended tire size, load rating and pressure, plus keep it at or below GVW, plus at or below axel ratings to be safe. If you stray out of any of those limits then you are experimental at that point.

Braking and steering are the key elements of all of the above. Payload is a distant third. Airbags and helper springs are for ride control only, they don't increase GVW.


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## Helmsman38

Av8r3400 said:


> Why waste your time with a little girly truck with minimal capabilities, that costs 4x as much as building one of these?
> 
> http://rvhaulers.ca



Yes I see it now.  Honey take the truck and pick up a gallon of milk..... LOL  Nice RV hauler. Im not that serious !


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## NorthernRedneck

Lol. My in-laws had a single axle freightliner rv hauler. Not quite as big as that but still big. They said it was great for hauling but once you get to where you're going you're stuck with it. And they winter in Arizona. So once they get there they have to drive it around all winter. They decided to sell the hauler and leave their fifth wheel set up permanently here then bought another one down there as they full time it. 

Sent from my SM-N915W8 using Tapatalk


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## Helmsman38

Looking at the 2016 F350 super duty long bed dually & 2015 F450 super duty long bed dually both about the same mileage and very good condition. Imagine hauling a 5k camper while towing a 8K snow cat Or the 5K camper towing the 9.5K boat....  Big toys require big trucks...


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## Av8r3400

Either of those and you still have the running gear of an F250, for the bargain basement price of $60 - $75k.  

The RV hauler I posted has the same wheel base, turns sharper (55º cut angle), has a real engine that will last more than 50k miles (sorry the last good chicken choker engine Ford sold was the 7.3), and an automated 12 speed tranny with no clutch peddle, all for the economy price of $30k or less.  Licensed as a motorhome, it will cost $200 or less to insure and $50 every two years to register.

Not only will it pull (three times) what you propose, but it will stop it and steer it when some dim bulb pulls in front of you.  Not to mention it will go DOWN a mountain pass under control.

Seriously, if you compare the footprint of an RV hauler to a dually crewcab you will see the hauler is no bigger.  As to not driving it as a daily driver, it's still no bigger than the 350 or 450, and you could do this with a little Smart For2:


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## JimVT

show us yours.


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## Av8r3400

JimVT said:


> show us yours.



I'm currently looking for one.  I will post up when I finally find one.  I've looked at and driven several of them so far.  I passed up two "perfect" trucks due to being smoker owned trucks.  That smell never goes away and my wife is allergic.  I've been doing the research and due diligence for the last 5 months.  

My first thinking was to go with a used ($75-100k new for me is not an option!!) Kodiak C4500/5500 or F450/550 to suit my needs.  Here are a few reasons why I decided to bypass a used MDT (medium duty truck) and go straight to a used HDT (heavy duty truck):

For the money you have into an MDT, you have the same Isuzu-max or Chicken-choker motor found in a 3/4 ton, only they are detuned from the pickup level of power.  These will be geared very high (4.56 or higher) in order to pull well.  This will make the fuel mileage less than what the class 8 would be with twice the power.

You may get larger brakes than an LDT and you may get an "exhaust brake" but these are nothing compared to a real "engine brake" and the large Class 8 brakes.  

You will most likely get a stripped down commercial interior of vinyl seats, rubber floor, crank windows, basic radio and little if any noise insulation.  Nothing even comparable to the comfort and amenities of a class 8 sleeper cab.

It will need to be registered and insured as a truck.  When looking at 25,999 gvw truck, to stay under CDL, this become very costly.  A HDT can easily be registered as a Motorhome in most states, eliminating the need for a CDL and airbrake endorsement.  (This assumes it is for your private, noncommercial use.)

Used MDTs are going for the same money if not more than HDTs.  More money for less capability, less comfort, less fuel mileage, less durability, higher cost of ownership, higher cost of use.

I have also spoken with several people who have gone through this process.  Many who have gone from LDTs (250-350 trucks) then progressed to the MDT (450-650s) and finally to a HDT.  They all say the same thing, the smaller trucks are a waste of time and a huge waste of money to get it to do what you need in order to pull a heavy (15-20k) trailer.  They were all of the opinion if they were to do it over, they all would go right to a HDT.


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## Helmsman38

Av8r3400 said:


> I'm currently looking for one.  I will post up when I finally find one.  I've looked at and driven several of them so far.  I passed up two "perfect" trucks due to being smoker owned trucks.  That smell never goes away and my wife is allergic.  I've been doing the research and due diligence for the last 5 months.
> 
> My first thinking was to go with a used ($75-100k new for me is not an option!!) Kodiak C4500/5500 or F450/550 to suit my needs.  Here are a few reasons why I decided to bypass a used MDT (medium duty truck) and go straight to a used HDT (heavy duty truck):
> 
> For the money you have into an MDT, you have the same Isuzu-max or Chicken-choker motor found in a 3/4 ton, only they are detuned from the pickup level of power.  These will be geared very high (4.56 or higher) in order to pull well.  This will make the fuel mileage less than what the class 8 would be with twice the power.
> 
> You may get larger brakes than an LDT and you may get an "exhaust brake" but these are nothing compared to a real "engine brake" and the large Class 8 brakes.
> 
> You will most likely get a stripped down commercial interior of vinyl seats, rubber floor, crank windows, basic radio and little if any noise insulation.  Nothing even comparable to the comfort and amenities of a class 8 sleeper cab.
> 
> It will need to be registered and insured as a truck.  When looking at 25,999 gvw truck, to stay under CDL, this become very costly.  A HDT can easily be registered as a Motorhome in most states, eliminating the need for a CDL and airbrake endorsement.  (This assumes it is for your private, noncommercial use.)
> 
> Used MDTs are going for the same money if not more than HDTs.  More money for less capability, less comfort, less fuel mileage, less durability, higher cost of ownership, higher cost of use.
> 
> I have also spoken with several people who have gone through this process.  Many who have gone from LDTs (250-350 trucks) then progressed to the MDT (450-650s) and finally to a HDT.  They all say the same thing, the smaller trucks are a waste of time and a huge waste of money to get it to do what you need in order to pull a heavy (15-20k) trailer.  They were all of the opinion if they were to do it over, they all would go right to a HDT.




AHSOO ! HUMMMM.... Yup I think the F450 would be the stopping point for me. Likely enough to handle the 5500lbs camper and tow 10,000lbs trailer with a cat on it ( my cat and trailer weigh about 6200lbs).  I am sure I will never tow over 10K  and if there's a load over 10K someone else will have to do it. Heck  Im trying to reduce my loads not increase them lol.... 

I see what your saying about the bang for the buck  you got me thinking.  I miss the cabin and the neighbors but got tired of driving to it and sold it. I thought might be interesting. A camper just brings a different set of problems.. LOL its a circle.


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## Av8r3400

Slide in campers are tough on pickups.  Especially when in combination with a heavy trailer.






Food for thought:


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## Alaska Snow Cat

I have a 379 Pete like the green one pictured and drive it all summer long towing belly dump and side dump trailers and there is no doubt it is one tough truck. But even with air ride suspension, air ride cab and an air ride seat, my for F-350 and class A motorhome are far more comfortable/easy to drive down the highway. I'm just not sure I would want one for a camper or motor home.


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## Helmsman38

The misses brought me to our new camper today. 2011 Northern Lite 10.2 and it turns out it was a bank repo. The seller had a price 6K below anything like it on the internet. On top of that it was in Canada. Great exchange rate.

Now I need the truck to go get it. No pressure right ! Lol.....

I had to laught at his display truck.  He just used it on the farm to move it out of the cover shop


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## Helmsman38

Oops!


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## JimVT

marco
my pistenbully on the  gooseneck weighs close to 11thousand. I have 1800lbs of it on my truck as hitch  weight.
what is the weight of the kristy if that's what your towing?
your camper is nice
jim


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## JimVT

I just reread everything 6200 is your trailer.
jim


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## Av8r3400

Be careful with that.  You will need a very long receiver in the hitch to clear the back of the camper and that will put the coupler for the trailer WAY behind the rear axle.  With any substantial weight on the trailer, this rig is going to be a handful to drive.


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## Helmsman38

JimVT said:


> marco
> my pistenbully on the  gooseneck weighs close to 11thousand. I have 1800lbs of it on my truck as hitch  weight.
> what is the weight of the kristy if that's what your towing?
> your camper is nice
> jim




We decided to stay in hotels rather than try and tow the cat with a camper in a big ass commercial truck. Looking to use the camper for winter ski camping at Mt Baker/ Stevens Pass  and summer trips to Winthrop/ Manson.

Just saying I do not have a requirement to have a camper and the cat at the same time hotels are great for that. That being said its going to be fun in McCall Feb 24~26th 2017 staying in a hotel.

Now back to shopping for a dually for the camper. Rob said it best 5500 lbs camper wet load a dually one ton will get the job done. I will add air bags regardless


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## Helmsman38

Av8r3400 said:


> Be careful with that.  You will need a very long receiver in the hitch to clear the back of the camper and that will put the coupler for the trailer WAY behind the rear axle.  With any substantial weight on the trailer, this rig is going to be a handful to drive.



Yup    I should have mentioned in the photos post my intention to tow with a camper had been dropped.   Yeah what a train reck that broken cab in the previous post   Some people don't know or care to rear the rating sticker on the door jam of the truck.....


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## Helmsman38

Just got home with the F450


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## JimVT

that should pull your boat and kristy just fine.


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## Helmsman38

http://www.visualsc.com/tc_calc.htm  check this out


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