Just ordered new Lance

[jeepit]

After 2 years of looking at used campers and not finding what we wanted or the conditon we wanted, we ended up ordering a 835 today. We are excited to get back into camping again. Both son and daughter are out of the nest now so it is our time to to have some relaxation.

 

[Grizzly]

Congratulation on your Lance order. Lance are great, but heavy. What size camper is an 835 and how much does it weigh? I ask that because you have a 2500.

 

[jeepit]

It's an 835 Lite series 8. 5 ft model. 2,000lbs weight. I realize this is dry weight. I do have the camper package w/overload spring which should help. Plan to put on adjustable 9000 Ranchos also.

 

[Grizzly]

You will be find with that camper. You could be pushing the GVWR with the camper loaded. The Ranchos will help.

 

[chazj]

I thought about getting a camper or 5th. wheel before deciding on the purchase of a bumper-pull trailer for my 02 2500 Ram. I weighed the truck at a CAT scale and found that my unladen weight (full fuel tank, NO passengers) was 7300 lbs.

Adding 2 people at 150 ea. ave brought my total weight to 7600 lbs.

Thus a Real 1200 Lb. payload capacity before exceeding the GVWR of 8800 lbs.



A far cry from the advertised 2200 lbs... .

 

[Jumbo Jet]

I go way back to the 1964 LWB Dodge 150 that we hauled up to 60 bushels of peaches 50 miles one way, sometimes 3 times a day. 60 bushels of peaches weighed approx. 3,000 lbs. I had overload springs on the shocks, a 225 Slant 6, and ran 65 mph on a 2 lane road.



It amazes me when people agonize over a 2,000 lb. camper on a 2500 LWB. I know we live in a crazy sue happy world, but I would be completely PO'd if my 2500 could only haul 1,200 to 1,500 lbs. And especially behind a 305 HP Cummins diesel.

 

[chazj]

I remember working on the farm & loading my uncle's 1953 F-3 Ford (with sideboards on) with soybeans weighing in around 3 Ton plus at the elevator.



I agree with Jumbo Jet in that indeed we are living in a "sue happy world". I just figure, in this day and age, if one were to get into an accident (even not your fault) an insurance company would try to find a way to deny your claim or even worse... blame you... if you were found to be technically overloaded... :-(

 

[Grizzly]

I remember working on the farm & loading my uncle's 1953 F-3 Ford (with sideboards on) with soybeans weighing in around 3 Ton plus at the elevator.



I agree with Jumbo Jet in that indeed we are living in a "sue happy world". I just figure, in this day and age, if one were to get into an accident (even not your fault) an insurance company would try to find a way to deny your claim or even worse... blame you... if you were found to be technically overloaded... :-(

Why take chances when you don't have to. Either get a lighter camper or a heavier duty truck. My life and my family's lives are worth more then "Taking Chances".

 

[jeepit]

You will be find with that camper. You could be pushing the GVWR with the camper loaded. The Ranchos will help.

Grizz, It appears you do ok with a 2500.

 

[TowPro]

My Shadow Cruser is around marked as 19?? lbs. I used to haul it in my 98 2500 with helper springs with no problem. I think my 2wd QC was 6800 lbs, plus 2000 is 8800. never felt to heavy. Just slow down on the corners with all that weight up high.

 

[Grizzly]

Grizz, It appears you do ok with a 2500.

My truck is a 3500 dually. My 95 was also a 3500 dually. I'm not saying you will have any problem, however with the camper loaded you are at about the limit.

 

[litespeed]

After 2 years of looking at used campers and not finding what we wanted or the conditon we wanted, we ended up ordering a 835 today. We are excited to get back into camping again. Both son and daughter are out of the nest now so it is our time to to have some relaxation.

That is a nice unit! Good choice... ... . I like the Lance. That is a good layout too.



Get some airbags and you'll be fine. If you dont have the tow package, a rear sway bar would be a must. You already have the good brakes (2002) but you may want to consider upgrading to "top of the line" pads. And never trust the emergency brake on that setup (drum in disc). Wheel chocks are always a good idea with slide ins. Especially with the newer e-brake.



You got me looking at them again!! :-laf



AJ

 

[jeepit]

My truck is a 3500 dually. My 95 was also a 3500 dually. I'm not saying you will have any problem, however with the camper loaded you are at about the limit.

My mistake I thought you owned a 2500.

 

[Grizzly]

My mistake I thought you owned a 2500.

I understand. Thanks for the acknowledgment.

 

[Dane]

We've had a 8' Lance lite since 2000 and love it. Ours is 1550lbs dry. Our 2001 Dodge/Cummins with airbags at 80psi barely knows it's there Been on many Baja trips and could not be happier. We ordered ours also.

 

[Rman]

I have a 1030 which I haul with a 4x4 2500. It's managable as I like to put it. It doesn't handle like a corvette, but I also don't drive it like one either. I've seen what my truck can do with 20 tons of gravel behind it, 4k of camper doesn't even bother me anymore. Just be courteous and cautious. As for the on going arguement about safety, everyone takes a risk when driving, it's foolish to think otherwise. It's a risk worth taking to me, to some it may not be. Enjoy freedoms while we still have them, the way things are going many of them won't be around much longer.