Going to truck camper.

[Stuart Carter Brandt]

I really have no intention of taking the truck camper on and off I believe we're going to be keeping it for a while but yes I would do some part-time pulling of RVs and that will be a good thing but yeah I would rather travel more and stay less instead of travel less and stay in war and the fifth wheel you know you can't be moving around like you can a truck camper going to ride around but just my take on the whole thing the fifth wheels nice but yeah we're we're bored of it.
I have been making money and profiting with pulling these little tiny campers but I think it would be a lot better if I had the truck camper and that would help I'm having a very hard time sleeping in the back of the Dodge ram 3500 weave when I set up a little bed in the rear seats and put the seats up.

 

[Stuart Carter Brandt]

the little tiny campers pay a dollar twenty-five a mile as do the 38 foot travel trailers pay is all the mile so I'm getting 13 miles to the gallon with this little camper here in the picture.

 

[Stuart Carter Brandt]

I need to find the weight ticket when I weighed the 3500 just filled with fuel that was it and I think maybe I had the Anderson hitch in the back that was it I've got to look through that other thread and find it or I just basically Wade The naked truck and I think it was like 9890 lb I think????????

 

[NIsaacs]

I recommend you buy a tape measure.

I recommend you do NOT continue to tow RV's for hire if your plan is to haul your home on your truck at the same time.

It will require a 3'-4' extension to clear the back of the truck camper/towed RV. That will de-rate your truck hitch by 3 or 4 times.

Those flimsy extensions are only for towing small trailers not large RV's.

 

[gsbrockman]

I recommend you buy a tape measure.

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[Stuart Carter Brandt]

I understand your point however the units that I am towing are barely 400lb on the tongue and I think they're about 4,000 to 5000 pounds I believe torklift makes a really good hitch extension will see just floating ideas but yeah we're definitely getting rid of the fifth wheel.

 

[DHayden]

Pat, I would like to buy a period (.)

 

[lpennock]

2.5". Reese titan extensions work. How much tongue weight are you planning on? You may need to use the torqlift super hitch if you are over 500lb tongue weight.

 

[R.Taylor]

I’m sure you’ll be fine towing.......

Happy 4th!!

 

[Stuart Carter Brandt]

I do not think that that unit was the size of the little units that I'm pulling with okay no problem I'm going to talk to a friend of mine who is an engineer and see if he's got any suggestions should I go that route.

 

[gsbrockman]

I do not think that that unit was the size of the little units that I'm pulling with okay no problem I'm going to talk to a friend of mine who is an engineer and see if he's got any suggestions should I go that route.

Why waste your breath talking with an engineer if your leasing company will most likely (read : 99.9%) tell you it’s not gonna fly as far as having a slide-in camper whilst transporting tag RV’s?

 

[Stuart Carter Brandt]

what does that have to do with my company couldn't care less as long as I deliver the tiny campers safely and find they couldn't care less if I'm using a bicycle or motorcycle whatever I'm just being funny here but they couldn't care less there's actually two guys already working with the company that I'm working with that are using truck campers on their DUALLYS the most we pull is probably 6000 pounds total weight?????

 

[Stuart Carter Brandt]

I wanted to mention this unit right here the green and white one weighs 4384 lb and I believe the tongue weight is about think maybe 400 pounds not sure but it's pretty light.

 

[NIsaacs]

there's actually two guys already working with the company that I'm working with that are using truck campers on their DUALLYS

What size are they?

The Eagle Cap 1200 has a 12' floor and is 102" wide, base weight is about 5k, that means no options or water or your gear. How are you going to see the RV? I don't think you will like 6k+ weight on the back of your truck. It is not the same weight as pin weight, it is all inboard of the springs/tires. You will really feel the weight now, most of the weight is now outboard of the springs, and top heavy, a whole new ball game. Any quick move will rock the boat, something a king pin/gooseneck ball don't feel.

Have you ever hauled cows in a straight truck? It is a nightmare. Haul those same cows in a semi and you don't know they are there. I advise you to rent one and see how you like it. Make sure it is big and heavy like the 1200 is and tow an RV that you can't see because it is 8' wide and your camper is 8'.6".

Be careful with the overhang of the 4'+ extension, on a dip going into McDonalds you will drag the fancy electric jack off the RV

 

[Tuesdak]

So get a smaller LIGHTER camper to do this that doesn't overhang the back of the truck. No need for hitch extender then. The one you started off with is going to be at or over the limit of your truck ALONE. And that's figuring ONLY 500 LBS of your stuff. Many can load a ton of stuff in a camper... Some of us on here hauled or haul RV's commercially and it's a whole new DOT Commercial use ball game over "for fun". Weight matters at a weigh station when you are hauling RV's for Profit. Out Of Service: "Park it till you fix it." And how are you going to fix a overload situation with a camper that overloads your truck alone?

No one really cares for RV use (unless you are in a wreck). Commercial use: you can be inspected at a rest stop.

My 2018 weighs 8660 LBS with full fuel, 2 people, and a dog. (F/R axle 5280/3380. Limit 6000/7000) GVWR 12,300 LBS. It will not haul ANY of the campers I listed as it has 3640 LBS before it maxes out IF I don't overload any axle first. (Maybe as cargo, but, not with water or my stuff in em.)

Your Rear GAWR is 9750. Your GVWR 14,000 LBS giving you a guess of 5340 LBS of cargo or camper carrying ability. This is biased off my weight, but, your rig will be heavier with DRW.

You could deliver this but not live in it... (Refer to the camper guide for lighter models.)
Eagle Cap 1200:
Dry Weight 4,930 pounds
Wet Weight* 6,150 pounds
*dry weight, 4,930 pounds + 60 gallons fresh, 500.4 pounds + 6 gallon full hot water heater, 50 pounds + 2x 20-pound full propane tanks, 40 pounds + 2 batteries, 130 pounds + stuff, 500 pounds = 6,150.4 pounds

I would suggest not bothering with hauling RV's because it's going to crimp your style, wear out your truck, for little money. If the commercial insurance, dead head miles, etc. doesn't eat it up. Now if you can go with a lighter camper and are doing this just for fuel money... Do you really need the aggravation for the fuel money?

 

[NIsaacs]

I understand your point however the units that I am towing are barely 400lb on the tongue and I think they're about 4,000 to 5000 pounds I believe torklift makes a really good hitch extension will see just floating ideas but yeah we're definitely getting rid of the fifth wheel.

The Torklift extension will only fit the Torklift hitch, (it has 2 receiver's) it won't fit your oem hitch.

400 lbs of hitch weight at 4' will add 1600 lbs at your receiver, so now your truck 9500 lbs, plus camper 6k plus, plus 1600 lbs hitch weight, gives you 17k gvw or Ram 5500 territory. I am not the weight police, I am the worst offender, just pointing out something to think about.

All that rear weight will unload the front axle by several hundred pounds and add it to the rear axle so now you will have about 12k on it.

 

[lpennock]

I understand your point however the units that I am towing are barely 400lb on the tongue and I think they're about 4,000 to 5000 pounds I believe torklift makes a really good hitch extension will see just floating ideas but yeah we're definitely getting rid of the fifth wheel.

With the length of the 1200 and the 400 weight you are at the limit of what a regular hitch extension will do. The Reese 45018 which is a 48" that can be cut to be a 41" is rated at 400lb or 600lb with an equalizer hitch. It is possible you can make it using it cut down to 41" so the capacity goes to 500/750lb. I used this extenstension in the 41" length to tow my car trailer but I spent a lot of time doing measurements to make sure everything was within limits. You are going to do that kind of effort for a one time tow but really need to with every trailer.

Compare this to switching out your hitch to a Torklift Supermagum with their 48" SuperTruss extension. With that you get a rating of 600/1200 which will give you margin if you were incorrect about the tongue weight. Torklift also makes a 60" extension that is rated at 500/1000 incase the 48" isn't long enough.

Bottom line if you are going to use the EC1200 and tow you really need to get the Torklift superhitch and extensions. (And they are very proud of them $$$)

 

[SnoKing]

If this is all about just getting out on the highway to drive, go buy a Volvo class 7/8 tractor, and build a camper box on it. And enjoy your "little" trailer delivery hobby in comfort.

 

[Cummins12V98]

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She's HOT!

 

[Cummins12V98]

I understand YOU are "THINKING" of trading for a Truck Camper.......what does the Wife think?????

You will be taking it in the shorts loosing a LOT on your 5er in trade.