Article fox 1140 on 04.5

[mfrost]

Have been towing a 2955 Montana but looking at down sizing to a truck camper like the Artic Fox 1140. Never driven a truck with camper so have a few questions.
1. Will the 04.5 hydro formed frame handle the continuous weigh ?
2. Would there be any weird handling that I would experience from my dully.
3. What would I expect for mpg with the camper on. I get about 18mpg unloaded and 10 towing now.
4. I have air bags now. Would there be any other suspension mods that I would need to do?

Thanks, Mike

 

[Powder Extreme]

The Dually will handle it fine, but it will be a new experience. The 1140 is a very heavy camper, I strongly suggest plumb the airbags individually if not already so you can correct the fact that one side of the camper will be heavier than the other. On board air is a nice feature as well. When driving in crosswinds for hours across South Dakota, I would lower the air on one side and pump up the other leaning my truck into the wind, made it much more comfortable. A good set of shocks such as Bilsteins or Rancho RS 9000 adjustables will really help the sway. Adding a sway bar to the rear axle is highly recommended as well. By the time you do suspension mods and put on a good set of camper tiedowns, you will spend the better part of $2,000. I have owned both Happijac and Torklift tiedowns, the Torklift are superior in my opinion, but they are pricier. If you plan to tow, the Torklift receiver and extension is second to none, strongest setup and highest rated out there.

I hauled a 4,000lb Bigfoot pulling a 7,000lb trailer with the above setup on my '01 and '03. Except the '01 did not have the swaybar.

I also owned a 38' 5th wheel at the time, the 5th wheel would consistently get 2mpg better than hauling just the camper.
Much more wind resistance with the camper. Towing the enclosed trailer behind the camper didn't seem to change the mileage much.

 

[EGroeneveld]

Okay, 1st thing I had a 2005 3500 Dually and now have a 2011 Dually and currently have a Arctic Fox 1150 which will be basically the same with the stove/fridge in differnt spots.

These AF 1140 and 1150 are freaking HEAVY. Full of water 50+ gallons and loaded up they can be 5,500 pounds. So you are likely going to be over GVW.
My mileage is about 11 not towing with the camper on. When I pull my 20' Enclosed trailer (quads and a RZR inside) with the camper on I figure on 10mpg barely.
For weight carrying I am running Supersprings. This is my favorite mod for carrying the camper.
I have the adjustable Rancho Shocks and Firestone air bags.
Also have the Hellwig Big sway bar.
I also use the full Torklift, Superhitch setup.
60 Gallon Transfer Flow replacement tank makes long trips a lot better.

I'd suggest going with a slightly light camper. The AF 990 or 992 would be slightly lighter. And will be are ''next camper'' or we are moving to a Ram 4500/5500 flatbed with boxes.
Also the 1140/1150 will unload the front axle of a little weight, 200 pounds or so, the shorter campers will add to the front axle weight and just load a little better.

 

[DonFitzwater]

I ran the same camper on a 2005 3500 dually. I put a set of timbrens on front and rear of the truck and it did great. The best mod was a better set of tires, I'd recommend 19.5's if you haul the camper a lot.

 

[mfrost]

Thanks for all of the good input. Makes me think of researching a lighter camper and maybe a little more aerodynamic.

 

[Shadrach]

I hauled a 9'9" older model camper to Columbus and back last summer ( a 7100 km or 4500 miles trip ) on my 03 SRW long box. Heading North thru Southern Montana I wished I had had a dually.It felt like I was driving on a slope -sideways My total weight was 11,800 lbs, which was way more than my door sticker said I "should " have. I had ladder bars on which meant my axle stops were riding on the brackets for them and I was on the overloads but the truck sat level and rode OK. If I kept my speed to 110 km ( or about 65 mph ) the fuel consumption was OK, about 20% better than towing a 28 travel trailer. Of course this depends on a lot of things.

The main differences I found were :

PROS:
shorter OAL - good for traveling thru cities and easier to park- or on ferries where you pay by the foot
enough space for 1 or 2 people - as long as you get along in close spaces - I travelled alone on my trip so it was OK
less overall weight
fewer tires to be concerned about - a bonus if you are on gravel for long distances, like in AK or the Yukon

CONS:
taller truck ALL THE TIME - remember this - it's not regular height like when you un hitch to go for a day trip
much less inside space especially in "bad" weather
higher center of gravity especially when windy
less storage than I was used to as I normally kept all kinds of stuff in the box of the truck
always taking "everything" with me if I drove somewhere for the day
I had to remove my box mtg fuel tank so a larger replacement fuel tank would really help
watch your head when standing on running board getting in or out -you learn quickly- ask me how I know this
a PAIN changing a flat rear tire


Make sure you get good quality tie downs & have GOOD tires as they now will be carrying more weight. I bought my camper just for that trip and would do it again for special trips, but I do like my TT more overall.
David