4500 as truck camper mobile

[Regcabguy]

Keep in mind a flatbed for a camper is tall. You need stairs to get in it. For everything else you mentioned, a 4500 is a great tool. Be advised, they are a serious truck and ride like it. Power is derated if that matters.

A 3500 dually pickup will do a lot of work and ride way better.

Good points. I know a guy with a 4500 flatbed with a sizable cabover. Way too tall and the center of gravity is ridiculously high. Luckily a guy totaled it out and he got another dually 3500 regular cab(just him and his dog). He's delighted with this combo.

 

[Tuesdak]

I disagree, nothing wrong with a tradesman. A new truck is a new truck. I would rather have a new tradesman than a 20 year old anything.

I an surprised at how nice the Tradesman is equipped. Few upgrades on mine over base like carpet. Doesn’t squeak and rattle like a new GM work truck I had when playing the radio at “Feel It!” Levels. Takes GM to the mat for a KO on radio sound quality.

I do miss the tilt adjustment for the seat base and the door panel could use padding on longer trips.

 

[Topzide]

I made a set of elbow "friends" that work well. Raise your elbow up to a comfortable height and the padding is so nice! Use standard foam with a memory foam topper. Similar to what Genos sells. Just had all the materials laying around, and just went for it.

 

[pdxkid]

Thanks for everyone's input. I went and did something totally different after thinking further on the use case for the truck. I found a nice 2018 3500 SRW Bighorn long bed crew cab with about 51,000 miles. I considered that the camper will be on the truck about 1/2 the time or less and I'd rather be driving around in a SRW for the most part. Cheaper to operate. Let the mods and further post questions begin! This is by far the fanciest truck I've ever owned, practically feel guilty driving it.

 

[AH64ID]

Did you ever go weigh your setup?

 

[Regcabguy]

Thanks for everyone's input. I went and did something totally different after thinking further on the use case for the truck. I found a nice 2018 3500 SRW Bighorn long bed crew cab with about 51,000 miles. I considered that the camper will be on the truck about 1/2 the time or less and I'd rather be driving around in a SRW for the most part. Cheaper to operate. Let the mods and further post questions begin! This is by far the fanciest truck I've ever owned, practically feel guilty driving it.

Consider a Hellwig Big Wig swaybar if you haven't already. It'll really cut down on driver fatigue.

 

[pdxkid]

Did you ever go weigh your setup?

Due to where the camper is located compared to the truck, I didn't. Yet. I'll be weighing it this time around for sure. I do know that the new truck has about 1500lbs increased payload over the old truck, so I've got that going for me.

 

[pdxkid]

Consider a Hellwig Big Wig swaybar if you haven't already. It'll really cut down on driver fatigue.

Definitely on the list. I'm going to start with the TorkLift Stable Loads, lower, as they claim this is the best mod one can do for hauling a TC. Swaybar will be next if I'm not happy with that alone.

 

[AH64ID]

Definitely on the list. I'm going to start with the TorkLift Stable Loads, lower, as they claim this is the best mod one can do for hauling a TC. Swaybar will be next if I'm not happy with that alone.

I highly recommend against lower stable loads, they put undue pressure on the springs where it isn’t designed to be. If you’ve ever seen them in action then it’s pretty obvious. You don’t gain as much as the potential damage. There are much better ways to improve the suspension and handling.

Get a set of airbags. Allow the leaf springs to compress about 1.5” under load and use air to hold that height. This will give you the best ride and handling, plus the airbags will provide an anti-sway characteristic that the lower stableloads wouldn’t.

 

[NIsaacs]

Thanks for everyone's input. I went and did something totally different after thinking further on the use case for the truck. I found a nice 2018 3500 SRW Bighorn long bed crew cab with about 51,000 miles. I considered that the camper will be on the truck about 1/2 the time or less and I'd rather be driving around in a SRW for the most part. Cheaper to operate. Let the mods and further post questions begin! This is by far the fanciest truck I've ever owned, practically feel guilty driving it.

Does it have auto level? Is it HO or SO?

 

[pdxkid]

Does it have auto level? Is it HO or SO?

No auto level.

HO or SO? Not sure. High Output? I don't think so

 

[pdxkid]

I highly recommend against lower stable loads, they put undue pressure on the springs where it isn’t designed to be. If you’ve ever seen them in action then it’s pretty obvious. You don’t gain as much as the potential damage. There are much better ways to improve the suspension and handling.

Get a set of airbags. Allow the leaf springs to compress about 1.5” under load and use air to hold that height. This will give you the best ride and handling, plus the airbags will provide an anti-sway characteristic that the lower stableloads wouldn’t.

Interesting take. I've read a lot of threads on various forums about the best truck camper stability ad ons and haven't come across this one yet. Most folks really love the stable loads and I haven't heard any drawbacks.

 

[AH64ID]

Interesting take. I've read a lot of threads on various forums about the best truck camper stability ad ons and haven't come across this one yet. Most folks really love the stable loads and I haven't heard any drawbacks.

Just look at the point that Torklift warranties the leaf springs. Why would the warrant a product they didn’t design, manufacture, or install if their product wasn’t capable of damaging it.

Do really want a leaf spring to fail from a mod you did to improve your capabilities?


Even if they weren't hard on the springs, what advantages do they have over airbags?

 

[Regcabguy]

I highly recommend against lower stable loads, they put undue pressure on the springs where it isn’t designed to be. If you’ve ever seen them in action then it’s pretty obvious. You don’t gain as much as the potential damage. There are much better ways to improve the suspension and handling.

Get a set of airbags. Allow the leaf springs to compress about 1.5” under load and use air to hold that height. This will give you the best ride and handling, plus the airbags will provide an anti-sway characteristic that the lower stableloads wouldn’t.

Airbags simply elevate the load. When one side compresses the other doesn't resist extending. Swaybars keep the axle and the body in the same plane.

 

[AH64ID]

Airbags simply elevate the load. When one side compresses the other doesn't resist extending. Swaybars keep the axle and the body in the same plane.

They certainly are not a replacement for an anti-sway bar, but they do have anti-sway characteristics.

Going around a corner the inside bag will compress and increase spring rate (resisting compression), while the outside bag expands and decreases spring rate (resisting expansion). This action helps control sway.

That’s assuming they are plumbed independently, which is how one should plumb them especially with a high CG load.

While not the primary purpose of supplemental airbags, it’s a benefit that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Also to add, the two most common mistakes with airbags are plumbing them together and running too much pressure so not enough weight is on the main suspension. Both reduce the overall effectiveness of the airbags.

 

[bcbender]

Have had air bags on all my trucks and they do help with heavy loads, cannot really say anything negative.. Would not rule out a sway bar for a high CG load, but would start with bags as they are inexpensive and effective, then add the sway bar if needed. As mentioned plumb separately so you can level the truck side to side for the inherent unbalanced load of the galley, and then try it out.. I have Firestones on my 20, had airlifts on my 04, never had an issue with either, but the axle mount bracket seems beefier on the firestones, (the offset bracket airlift had for the AAM11.5 springs allowed the base plate to bend slightly on my 04)

 

[brillmtb1]

Im still waiting to see if the 2025 5500 will come with ZF transmission

 

[brillmtb1]

Airbags a no go IMO with camper set up like you see in my pic. Excellent for my 5th wheel but sway was a nightmare. Its overload springs, good shocks and large sway bar or a lighter camper or bigger truck. Campers just too heavy for even the 3500 once they get to 4K

 

[Regcabguy]

Airbags a no go IMO with camper set up like you see in my pic. Excellent for my 5th wheel but sway was a nightmare. Its overload springs, good shocks and large sway bar or a lighter camper or bigger truck. Campers just too heavy for even the 3500 once they get to 4K

Yep and camper salesguys will sell you anything.

 

[brillmtb1]

Yep if I knew what I know now it would be 5500, liquid springs and any camper I want. Love the truck camper set up but unless you go real light then you need to build a rig that is more dedicated. Yes expensive but look at the price of the diesel camper vans, 5th wheels these days, etc. If you love camping and do it a lot this is a good option