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2015 2500 with flatbed, regular slide in camper questions

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My CFO and I have decided a camper on her 2015 crew cab Ram with a flatbed would be nice. We've decided against the class B motorhomes we were seriously considering and shopping for. Don't need any more vehicles to maintain and insure (6 currently).

So, the above said we're looking at a 2000 Lance 815 camper. Anyone see any issues with this camper on a flatbed truck. Bed is 7'x7' steel. This is Lance's brochure on the camper https://www.lancecamper.com/docs/2000-brochure.pdf. I've given up on finding a camper specifically for a flat bed, hard to find and very pricey.

Thanks, RR
 
There is a really good writeup on mounting a slide in camper on a flatbed in the Cab and Chassis Sub Forum. Although its mounting a really big camper on a Ram 5500, I think the securing/mounting is relevant to you. ZB59 added toolboxes in the wheel well space and made it look pretty good.

EDIT: Guys TDR handle I'd ZB39, not ZB59.

Anyhoo, hope that helps.

Cheers, Ron
 
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Ron, THANKS for the link. Great read and package with a 5500 for sure. Would be nice to duplicate it but we're looking at a much more modest setup. The info related to the TorkLift short Fastgun tiedowns was a good little nugget of info since this is all new ground for me. I'd been considering (and still am actually) small ratchet binders.

RonR
 
Ron, THANKS for the link. Great read and package with a 5500 for sure. Would be nice to duplicate it but we're looking at a much more modest setup. The info related to the TorkLift short Fastgun tiedowns was a good little nugget of info since this is all new ground for me. I'd been considering (and still am actually) small ratchet binders.

RonR

RonR,

Yep, knew this was bigger from the gitgo. But the similarities are:

- basic flatbed used. Your biggest challenge is weight, so you could go with an aluminum one, like CM sells.

- Securing it.I'm not sure I would do ratchet straps and go with the special tie downs designed for slide in campers.

- What to do with big spaces on the camper normally that cover wheel wells

- The flat bed is going to place the camper several inches higher than mounting in a pickup bed, effectively making taller weight and potential handling problems.

Anyhoo, looking forward to seeing pics and writeup when you do this project.

Happy Trails, Ron
 
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RonR,
Your biggest challenge is weight, so you could go with an aluminum one, like CM sells.

- The flat bed is going to place the camper several inches higher than mounting in a pickup bed, effectively making taller weight and potential handling problems.


Happy Trails, Ron

The OP already has a steel flatbed. I also think a flatbed is more like a foot taller than a pickup floor. It also appears the 2500 is a short wheel base so there will be substantial overhang. Even going with the small one it is 8.5 ft. long. Center of gravity might be too far back.

We had a 9.5 ft. on our '91 D-250, 8' bed one time...that was enough:)

I might be all wet but I seem to remember when the 2500 came out with coil springs, a overhead camper was not recommended by FCA?

Just some thoughts added to Ron's post, they may or may not apply.
 
The OP already has a steel flatbed. I also think a flatbed is more like a foot taller than a pickup floor. It also appears the 2500 is a short wheel base so there will be substantial overhang. Even going with the small one it is 8.5 ft. long. Center of gravity might be too far back. We had a 9.5 ft. on our '91 D-250, 8' bed one time...that was enough:) I might be all wet but I seem to remember when the 2500 came out with coil springs, a overhead camper was not recommended by FCA? Just some thoughts added to Ron's post, they may or may not apply.
 

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There was a thread somewhere on the internet about a RAM 2500 buy back when the guy bought it to haul a truck camper and had major stability issues. The coil springs were just not up to handling the tall load. I believe that owners manual now includes this warning. Mount it ever higher and you have a bigger issue. Wrong Tool Get a bumper pull TT.
 
The stock leaf sprung shortbed 2500's on 3rd gens came with a warning against slide in cabover campers. I really think it's an unrealistic idea.
 
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Well seems I can post on my phone but not on the laptop. If anyone read the word attachment I was able to attach since I was/am limited. I’m not going to repeat myself too much but we’re looking at campers sized for half ton trucks. No slides, no overhang. Water tanks less than 20 gallons.

The truck already has air bags and If, we follow through, it’ll get upgraded shocks and rear sway bar. The camper we’re considering has been on a stock 4th gen 2500 for thousands of miles. No problem. We’ll be fine if we do follow through.

Fact is I’m vacillating since the I expect the real reason for buying a cabover camper will pass when a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available.
 
Looks like a really nice camper. I would think you could sell it easy when you no longer have a use for it, Lance is popular.

["Weight wise, I’m comfortable with a wet weight of 2400 lbs. This truck usually has a living quarter, 3 horse trailer hooked on."]

Can you just unload the camper and continue to use this trailer? Pin weight is different than camper weight. Pin weight is all inboard of the springs, nice... camper has a lot of outboard weight, not so nice.

["Also if we bought a camper and kept it, then I’m looking at having to buy a aluminum bumper pull 3 horse slant load trailer so the wife could travel with her horses without pulling the big trailer."]

Most bumper pull horse trailers are 6-7' wide, I assume the camper is 8' wide, you won't be able to see the horse trailer, plus you will need a hitch extension, they have their own issues.

With a camper you are now blind for rear window use, everything is now mirror time. No problem if you are both truckers:D Don't mind me...just throwing around some things to think about.
 
Air bags work great for campers until they do not. They need separate left and right fills. What happen when one fails on the outboard side in a corner???? The lines feeding them are a bigger issue than the bag it's self.

Two years ago we roofed our 5th wheel and left it in our Washington State membership park, and bought a 2019 Laredo 225MK TT to commute back and forth to Arizona. It has made two round trips now. It is easy to tow, has really good storage for it's size, is well made with 4400 axles and has an outside kitchen that is our bar. We can set it up and go exploring in the truck without breaking camp!

Over the years I and now we have had many camping rigs. Two TT's early on in the 70's. Three different truck campers in the 80's, one being a large Lance. And then three 5th wheels. The 5th wheels were eases to deal with regarding, hooking, setting up, and breaking camp. Even with the larger Lance floor space was very limited along with tankage for extended use. The Lance was bought original by an older couple to go South for the winter, as they did not want to tow a large trailer, after the first winter they realized that was the wrong tool for extended stay. I learned shortly after purchasing the Lance that the truck needed new rear shocks.

Picture.jpg
 
Picked up the camper below. A very seasoned 2000 Lance 215. Everything works as it should with several nice details inside to include a dozen or so ninch shelves and storage spots a TV with swing out, convection oven and a few other items that I don't recall at the moment. He threw in two Truelock Fast Guns and two EZ Springs tie downs. All greatly appreciated.

The camper will require a bit of structural work, going to peel back the exterior corner siding and replace all structural pieces needing attention. Plan is to use 1 1/2" galanized or coated steel for the hidden corner main load bearing pieces that hold the jacks. I'll also install 3" angle iron on the lower edge of the sides that will have new tie down points welded on. These new pieces will get the tiedowns off the jack stand brackets.

Also the current plan is to finish out the bottom of the camper on both sides with white or aluminum diamond plate drop down doors, and have partitioned space behind said doors for storage. This will obviously give the package a more finished look but more importantly provide a lot of secure storage space.

According to the Lance owners manual included with the camper, it should weight 2,200 lbs as sold with all the dealer installed equipment and all expected liquids.

I weighed the truck and camper today at a truck stop on Cat Scales. Steer axle 4240, Drive axle 5540 total 9780. Door sticker shows front gvwr of 5,000 lbs, rear gvwr of 6,000 lbs. So currently, we're good weight wise. However, the truck only had about a 1/4 tank of gas, all camper tanks were empty and we had no personal stuff on board.

A few weeks ago the truck was weighed when we were cleaning up a bit and selling some junk iron, with wife and I onboard it was 7200 lbs. Today it was 9,780. Looks like the camper is 2580 lbs. and not the suggested 2,200 lbs.

I can easily see the total weight going up 500 lbs wet and ready to roll. To help a bit I plan to relocate the deep cycle battery from the back of the camper to front of the flatbed along with anything else possible to improve the rear axle load. We'll also carry personal items on the bed over the cab when it makes sense.

Now for the important stuff (not that the above isn't), on the 150 mile drive home the truck wallowed like a overloaded scow in a hard blow. Side to side as many have reported due to rear coil springs. I was running 50 psig in the airbags. Today on the drive to the scales, 80 psig was in the bags and the roll was cut by over 50%.

I've ordered a Hellwig 7306 Big Wig 1.25 in. Adjustable Rate Rear Sway Bar that according to all reports I've read is the cure for camper sway/roll on a 2500 Ram. We'll see if the air bags and bigger rear bar do the trick. I'll report how the Big Wig Bar performs, hopeful in the next few weeks.

We're going to make a trial camping trip next week to Lake Ouachita as a shake down trip. Then as time permits move on to the rehab/upgrade piece of the project.
Camper.jpg
 
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Back from the trip and a Fine One it was. Changed location to Lake DeGray for anyone who knows the area. Lows in low to mid 60’s, highs in low 80s and low humidity. It doesn’t get any better in August in Arkansas.

camper was pretty good. I didn’t check the shower drain and it was clogged. Lights indicated black tank was near full (in fact it was not). Since a nice shower/restroom was near and the campground was near empty we just used it.

Got home last evening and the Hellwig Bigwig was there. Only took 45 minutes or so to install. It was a easy project. Has 3 load settings and I went with the middle one.

A short test drive says it’s money well spent. Between the Hellwig air bags at 80 psig and Bigwig rear bar all the sway from minor road imperfections is gone. Obviously the laws of physics still apply and respect for the top heavy load is required. But I believe it’s now going to be a OK driving package.

The real test will be when we drive to PoleBridge in Glacier Park and hit the two track to the lake north of the store. Last time we did it was in a Jeep. Would sure like to wake up to one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen, set by the cold Alpine water with a early cup of coffee!
 
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