1996 2500 SRW 2wd cummins - Truck Campers weight

[systemlcp]

Bought my first Truck and am looking to get a slide in truck camper but am seeing a wide range of opinions on what I can get away with weight wise. It has air bags on the back and I just put new e1 rated tires that have a load cap around 3k lbs. Looking to see what people think the biggest camper I could get without hating myself is. Thanks in advance.

 

[SnoKing]

Around 3300-3400 pounds based on empty rear axle weight and a max of 6084 for the two tires and the camper configuration(that is amount of over hang front and back of the rear axle). To know for sure you need to weigh the truck. If you are concerned about GVWR which is 8800? lbs, then with a 6000-6500 truck you can do that math. Be careful of overloading the front axle with a short camper with long front overhang.

Should have gotten a dually!!!!!!

SNOKING

 

[systemlcp]

Around 3300-3400 pounds based on empty rear axle weight and a max of 6084 for the two tires and the camper configuration(that is amount of over hang front and back of the rear axle). To know for sure you need to weigh the truck. If you are concerned about GVWR which is 8800? lbs, then with a 6000-6500 truck you can do that math. Be careful of overloading the front axle with a short camper with long front overhang.

Should have gotten a dually!!!!!!

SNOKING

Yeah, realizing that DRW would have been better at this point. Going to have to make due with the SRW for now. Thanks for the advice man. The ones I'm looking at are the lance 990 and 980 which have some overhang on the back that hopefully will keep more weight on the back. Was also looking at a lance 1120 but get the impression that would be bad call.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Yeah, realizing that DRW would have been better at this point. Going to have to make due with the SRW for now. Thanks for the advice man. The ones I'm looking at are the lance 990 and 980 which have some overhang on the back that hopefully will keep more weight on the back. Was also looking at a lance 1120 but get the impression that would be bad call.

I hauled a '94 Lance 990EC (Extended Cabover) for thousands of miles on a '00 Ram 3500 dually. With the camper on the truck and loaded for travel (fresh water tank less than half full and both waste water tanks empty) it was over the truck's GVWR. I wouldn't want to haul a Lance 990 on anything less than a dually.

Bill

 

[Mingoglia]

If I were to run one a single wheel I'd likely start looking at some 19.5" wheels/tires. DRW makes such a big difference in stability on a tall heavy weight like that, but some of this could be compensated for with the stiffer tires, not to mention the much higher load carrying capacity. I couldn't imagine the "fun" of losing a tire on the back of a SRW truck run at it's limits.

 

[Shadrach]

I had an older 9'9" on my 3500 SRW long box and it was about 2000# over door sticker weight. It sat level because it was resting on the over load springs. I wished I would have had a dually when driving thru Wyoming, Montana and Southern Alberta with the wind coming off the mountains. Stay about 8' or 8'6". David

 

[wyosteve]

You might also consider a pop up style. They generally weigh in the 1300 to 2000 range.

 

[SnoKing]

As we tell you all this!!! Maybe we should talk about things we did in the past.

#ad

 

[SSteilow]

You might also consider a pop up style. They generally weigh in the 1300 to 2000 range.

I was thinking the same thing. Pop-up would be a better camper for the 2500 SRW.
Hallmark, Northstar and Polomino are some of the Pop up mfg's.
Just my 2 cents. Best of luck.
Scott

 

[Dieselnerd]

I have a 2012 Lance 850, it's the smallest long bed camper that Lance makes. I originally had it on my 2005 RAM 3500 SRW and I was just under my load limits when fully loaded for a trip.

I also had a 1996 Dodge RAM 2500 similar to yours except mine was a 4x4. I carried a 1994 9.4 Lance Squire Lite that weighed about the same as my current 850. It weighed in just under the tire and axle limits when loaded and was over the factory GVW. I never had any problems with it and I didn't use air bags or any other modifications.

Any current Lance that is bigger than the 850 would probably be well over the limits of your truck. I now have a DRW so my Lance 850 is a light load.

 

[Cummins12V98]

I would most concerned with stopping the combo! The brakes are marginal at best on these trucks. I advise going to the 1 1/4" rear GM wheel cylinders.

 

[Dieselnerd]

I would most concerned with stopping the combo! The brakes are marginal at best on these trucks. I advise going to the 1 1/4" rear GM wheel cylinders.

Yeah, I forgot about those brakes! My 1996 2500 with the rear drums and just vacuum assist was a real bear to stop quick with a camper on board!

 

[Mingoglia]

I would most concerned with stopping the combo! The brakes are marginal at best on these trucks. I advise going to the 1 1/4" rear GM wheel cylinders.

Couldn't agree more on this upgrade. I put them in my '01 dually and it made a world of a difference. I think they were only about $30 from the auto parts store. Actually made the rear drums contribute something to the stopping of the truck.

 

[systemlcp]

I hauled a '94 Lance 990EC (Extended Cabover) for thousands of miles on a '00 Ram 3500 dually. With the camper on the truck and loaded for travel (fresh water tank less than half full and both waste water tanks empty) it was over the truck's GVWR. I wouldn't want to haul a Lance 990 on anything less than a dually.

Bill

Well the 990 sold so now the only thing decent near me for sale is an 1120 and at ~2750lbs dry that probably isn't going to work, unless I want to have my new top speed be 50mph and be scared to death the whole time. Guess I'll just keep waiting on a 915 or something similar to pop up in my price range. Seems like most of the TCs on craigslist are totally junked out or are just too heavy for my truck.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Well the 990 sold so now the only thing decent near me for sale is an 1120 and at ~2750lbs dry that probably isn't going to work, unless I want to have my new top speed be 50mph and be scared to death the whole time. Guess I'll just keep waiting on a 915 or something similar to pop up in my price range. Seems like most of the TCs on craigslist are totally junked out or are just too heavy for my truck.

Be patient. A truck camper you can easily haul and in good condition will eventually show up. Have you looked at RVTrader ? There are several Lance 915s listed.

Bill

 

[systemlcp]

Be patient. A truck camper you can easily haul and in good condition will eventually show up. Have you looked at RVTrader ? There are several Lance 915s listed.

Bill

Yeah RVT seems to be the best place other than CL to look. I'll keep watching/waiting... sounds like good advise.