Ordered new 4000+ pound truck camper, Help me choose my Dodge

[Archive]

Ordered my new 4000+ pound Arctic Fox 1150B truck camper w/full slide today. I know I want the 3500/Cummins. Please help me choose my truck and options. I will also be towing a 17 foot Key West. ALL INPUT WANTED !!!!
Oh... I almost forgot, tell me about bed liners and truck campers ????
------------------


[This message has been edited by Altexp (edited 07-13-2000). ]

 

[Archive]

If it was me I'd go for a 5 or 6 speed manual trans. 2 wheel drive,towing package&driftwood color. The luxury items are up to you as is extended or reg. cab. Spray in bedliner. I prefer Alaskan Campers,because of their low profile,they lower to the level of the cab with hydrauics.

------------------
95' 25004X4,AT,Driftwood,Banks,Warn fender flairs and running boards(Play truck)95 3500,5 speed,driftwood,Banks&phscotty,30,000 GVW apple and tractor hauler(work truck)

[This message has been edited by illflem (edited 07-13-2000). ]

 

[Archive]

I've seen those campers, BIG. Do you want a regular cab 2x4 or a quad cab and 4x4? What do you think about an f550?

if the camper is 4k, add about 1500-2000 for your stuff, food, fluids, batteries, etc. My 1700 lb camper and 7200 lb truck weigh 10,500 loaded to go.



------------------
tedstruck 2500qc, no leather or abs
bigfoot & other travel pics 1500 bigfoot, no auto waterheater or microwave.
Cool Summit Pass Pics, & Alaska Journal

 

[Archive]

tenn kid, looking for quad/4x4. The four k figure was wet with all options, so just bodies and food etc... I just read in the 2001. 5 group that there is a factory bedliner, should I get this or the "x" I hear everyone talking about. Someone feel free to mention an axle ??

 

[Archive]

Get a bigger truck!! That's one whopper of a load - I wouldn't want to carry a load like that any more than VERY intermittently. You will be WAY over the GVWR (if not the GCWR) of the 1 ton Dodge. Sit down with a pad and paper and seriously look at the load you're considering. Just my $. 02 worth.



------------------
-Steve St. Laurent - President of the Great Lakes TDR, Chapter Forums Moderator
'98 Quad Cab Long Bed (CMNSPWR), 4x4, ISB, 5sp, 4. 10 LSD, Prime-loc remote fuel filter, boost & pyro gauges, TST Powermax, muffler eliminator, 5" chrome tip, BD Exhaust Brake, Isspro turbo temp monitor, Permatech spray in liner, Grizzly stainless nerf bars, Stull SS grill & bumper inserts, Front Draw-Tite receiver, BFG 285/75R16 AT KO's

 

[Archive]

I'm with Steve, you will most likely be very unhappy with that high centered load on ANY pickup. I hauled a 10. 5 foot Lance for two years and learned that those things don't make happy driving experiences. Local dealer hauled the same Arctic Fox you're buying to a show here last Spring, on a 3/4 ton Chev. It had no air bags to carry the load, and that truck was 1/2 inch away from bottoming the rear springs. No people or gear aboard. IMHO, buy an Arctic Fox (or whatever) fifth wheel or travel trailer and you'll be much happier.
Ron


------------------
'99 QC SLT 4X4, Forest Green, long box, camper/trailer pkg, 3. 55 axles, auto, CD/cassette, power seat, heated mirrors, HD xfer case, Two meter Radioshack ham transceiver (license KC7MME),Proud member of the vast right wing conspiracy!
'98 Arctic Cat 300 4X4 ATV
'00 Honda Recon ATV
'99 Grand Cherokee
NRA Life member

 

[Archive]

Steve/ol ron, Your making me nervous. DC publishes the payload at 4220. I was told that the ride rite airbags rated at over 5000lb/pair would increase payload capabilities. I had my heart set on this Ram/Cummins combo thinking It would be a breeze?? I went back and added the options on the camper 3843 fully loaded except water, 4225 if I was Crazy enough to fill the tanks. As of right now, me the wife and the kid barely weigh in at 300lbs. CAN WE MAKE THIS WORK ??????

 

[Archive]

Alt, my shadow cruiser goes 3250 "wet" plus our "stuff". My 3500 handles it fine. Only change i would make to the truck would be the six speed vs. the five speed. I'm serious. The 3500 will take this camper in stride. Do your self a favor a spec an E- brake into the deal or order one and have it ready to put on as soon as you get it home. We tow our Jeep with this setup. Jeep and trailer and "parts" go 7500 lbs. Towed through CO mts twice before the E-brake, Scarey. Now with the E-brake I Usually have to fuel it going down the passes to maintain speed. The E-brake WILL BE the single best "BOMB" you put on.

For those that posted get a 5er, did you see he was also towing a boat? My only concern here is the hitch set up. We stayed with a 9 1/2' slide in to minimize hitch stress. A longer camper will demand some type of reciever extention. Which in my humble opinion is taboo. DC already has a recall out to brace their reciever (it cracks, seen them, also seen the frame crack... UGLY) With an extention on the reciever to get you back far enough to clear the back of the camper you WILL compound this weakness. Be Carefull!! and inspect regularly. Watched a guy up in Yellowstone last weak with an eleven foot slide in and about a three foot extention try to back a trailer into his site UGLY. Could not control the trailer because of the flex and slop. Not to mention the tongue of the trailer working up and down as he pulled out and made anothe trip around the loop to get lined up again. This was at an idle, couldn't imagine what was happening going down the highway at speed. Can you say BROKE frame, hitch... trailer passing you.

Good luck. Later, BOB

P. S. (edit) Almost forgot. Stay away from the "plastic" type bedliners. I'd go spray in. Either way also put one of those rubber bed mats in. The slide in will stay right where you put it.

------------------
TOWER: '99 3500 4X4, White, 3. 54 LSD, 5spd, CMPR&TRL package. Glass shell or 9 1/2' Shadow Cruiser slide in. Geno's combo gauge. DynoMAX, K&N RE 0880, Jacob's E-Brake. PUTCO Max Boss boards and Flaps.
TOWEE: '82 CJ-8,Lime Light, Injected 440, 727 T flite, IH Dana 300, Dana 44 frt, Dans 60 rr 4. 88's & Detroits, 38. 5 X 14. 50 TSL/SX's, 15 X 10 Eagle 589's. Full soft top and full length cage.

BIGGER IS BETTER!! MO POWER

[This message has been edited by Scrmbld4X4 (edited 07-14-2000). ]

 

[Archive]

Bob, thanks for the good words. Now, about the hitch. I am ordering the tow package to get HD flasher and wiring factory, and then unbolt the factory hitch. Go check out www.torklift.com this is what has been recomended. It's called the super hitch, and it uses two class 4 receivers welded together and two arms, supposed to be great. The reason I don't want Reesce Titan 5 is because it has a 2. 5" receiver tube, and then none of your other tow stuff fits.
Next. . I was planning on automatic, I live in florida where we camp 90+ and the biggest grades we have here are in the driveways. Maybe a trip to Georgia and the Carolinas once in awhile.
The tongue weight on the boat is around 150-200 lbs. Keep the Ideas coming!!!!!

 

[Archive]

Sorry to scare you Alt. First off I didn't realize a Key West was a boat - I was thinking 17ft enclosed trailer (not a boat person) - so I was thinking a much higher tongue weight than 150 lbs. Here's the way I add it up - I'm estimating the truck weight based on my truck - 2500 QC 4x4 @7300lbs with me (200 lbs) and full fuel - I'm guessing a 3500 4x4 qc at around 7300 lbs with full fuel and no passenger's and using your lightest numbers plus a small allowance for "stuff" (probably too small):

7300 lbs - truck w/full fuel
3843 lbs - camper
150 lbs - tongue weight on the trailer
300 lbs - passengers
100 lbs - clothes and stuff
--------
11693 lbs
-10500 GVWR of truck
--------
1193 lbs over gross (11% over)

If you take the tongue weight up to 200 lbs plus use a more realistic 250 lbs of stuff (clothes, food, beverages, chairs, etc, etc) your now looking at being 1400 lbs over gross. The advertised payloads are based on a totally stripped base model truck with no fuel in it (230 lbs in fuel alone), no A/C, etc, etc. If you go into the dealer they have a camper guide that will give you a little more information. One thing not taken into consideration above is that they rate the truck at less than the full GVWR when the weight is a camper because the center of gravity is further from the suspension creating a moment arm (leverage). I had the camper guide at one time but can't find it right now to know what #'s they give in there. The air bags will help with the suspension handling the weight but doesn't change the GVWR of the truck at all - if you ever had to pull into scales or got weighed (I've been weighed before in Texas) you would get a ticket and probably be forced to unload some stuff to get under GVWR. Keep in mind that MANY people run over gross in these trucks and I have as well (WAY over gross once pulling a farm trailer - but I was only doing 20 mph and traveling 5 miles) - so take this for what it's worth. If you do decide to go this route I would echo Scrmbld's recommendation to get an exhaust brake - one of the weaknesses on our trucks are the brakes (2001. 5's will have rear discs which should help some). Going down hills with my exhaust brake makes it a breeze - there were some scary moments before. Along with that if you are going to use an exhaust brake I'd recommend getting a 5 speed or 6 speed - you can read about the exhaust brake and auto debate here on the site. As to the hitch another option is the Draw-Tite ultra-frame Class V - that's what I put on my truck and it's rated to 10,000 lbs weight carrying and 11,500 weight distributing and is still a 2" receiver - it's a great hitch and looks better than the stock one too - most of it is tucked up behind the bumper. Again sorry to scare you, I just want you to go into this with your eyes wide open!

-Steve

[This message has been edited by Steve St. Laurent (edited 07-14-2000). ]

 

[Archive]

I vote with Steve "Get a Bigger Truck". His estimate on the boat tongue weight is probably light. Have you thought of buying a F650 with Cummins power?
BTW - DC's payload of 4220 was for a BASE pacakage without any engine upgrades or extented cab options or radio options or cruise control or leather or 4x4 so if you want Quad Cab take off 150# and 400# for the Cummins and another 100# for the, air conditioning, cruise, PW, PDL and such and then another 900# for 4X4 so you just lost 1500# (+/-100#).

Forgot the other option for you. Since my camper put my 2500 way over gvw I decided to sell and go with a travel trailer and put the boat on the truck since the weight of the boat and trailer tongue weight is less than the camper. One system that you might consider is called the Lift-N-load (406)961-3429 (sorry no web site). Another company that makes a top-riding boat system is A&C Fabrication Enterprises (541)440-8989. Still trying to get Phone/Contact info for yet another company that makes Smiths Boat Tote.

PS: If you go with a slide-in camper, do not use a drop-in bed liner - go with a spray-in or nothing at all and then use a rubber pad to keep it in place.

[This message has been edited by BV (edited 07-14-2000). ]

[This message has been edited by BV (edited 07-14-2000). ]

 

[Archive]

Thanks for all the info, you all have know idea how disapointed I am. But better now, than going down the road right? I am seriously considering cancelling my order on the camper. BV if you have any more time explain the lift system to me for the boat. That's how this whole camper thing got started in the first place, I wanted to have a boat with me. Thanks again to everybody, and keep all the good info on this coming.

 

[Archive]

I'd hate to see you avoid a great truck! These truly are amazing beasts just that there is a limit as to how far they can go (legally is one, practically is another). You just might have to reconsider things slightly - a smaller truck camper maybe. Also you may want to consider pulling double trailers - it's legal in most states, how heavy is the boat? If you had a smaller TT and the boat it shouldn't be a problem - just that you can't back up, have to pull straight through on everything. In my case I pull a flatbed with a Jeep on it as well and I want a truck camper too. Since mine is a 2500 (had to get the 2500 because of parking considerations) I'm going to get a lightweight pop-up camper. I'll still be a little over gross but within my comfort level.

-Steve

 

[Archive]

Steve and I agree again. First, adding air suspension "springs" DOES NOT increase payload!! They simply raise the rear suspension to normal height. Second, when raised via air bags, the ride becomes very unstable in cross winds. Kind of like horizontal porpoising.
Third, you can pull a boat or other vehicle behind your travel trailer in most states; the only limit in our state is the total length, not to exceed 72 feet.
Been ther, done that, hate to see you go through the drill after spending a lot of money.
Ron


------------------
'99 QC SLT 4X4, Forest Green, long box, camper/trailer pkg, 3. 55 axles, auto, CD/cassette, power seat, heated mirrors, HD xfer case, Two meter Radioshack ham transceiver (license KC7MME),Proud member of the vast right wing conspiracy!
'98 Arctic Cat 300 4X4 ATV
'00 Honda Recon ATV
'99 Grand Cherokee
NRA Life member

 

[Archive]

Steve and olron, I would really appreciate your comments on the topic NEED HELP SPEC'ING TRUCK. I know BV doesn't approve, and he is welcome to his opnion, but I would like to get a few more opinions before I decide. BV, again, thanks for your input.

 

[Archive]

Steve/ol ron, thanks for sticking with me on this. Called my Credit card company today after reading all your thoughts. 2500. 00 billed today for deposit on ordered camper@#$!@#. I'm sure the 550/650 is financially out of the question, even though I have know idea what they cost... besides I already paid my dues here to talk with all you Dodge Boys. Talked with mfg of the airbags, and they said (not that I take this as the gospel) that once the 5000lb bags take the load, the DC system becomes secondary, and the total load starts to go the the tire ratings. 6 X what ever factory tires are rated at. So to you I ask where did the 11,000 lb GVWR come from that is std with the 3500 4x4. Does none of that have to do with rear spring capacity?? I'm not trying to rationalize this, (okay maybe a little, I WANT MY RAM) but I may have to make the best of it. To make things worse, I called the mfg of the camper, and they have a 99/quad/4x4/drw/cummins, that they lug there top of the line camper on AND tow the TT that they mfg to all the shows out west. He said they have a Ford and Dodge, and everyone loves driving the Dodge rig. SALES JOB maybe, but all there customers on driving 1 tons. I called the local highway patrol today about the double trailer idea, it appears a NO GO in florida. Non commercial units must not include more than two units linked together. I'm still going to call the DOT on Monday, but my chances are slim. If I end up hating this set up, and least I'll own a new 3500, and then I could go 5th or TT, and skip the boat or try the ideas mentioned earlier. Okay fire away at me!!!!!!!!!

 

[Archive]

Go for the 3500 Dodge. Just add some Hellwigs & or airbags, a VA, & Pacbrake. You'll be fine.

Drove a 69 Chevy C/20 w/ hellwigs carrying a 12. 5 ft weekender camper for years, and never took the camper off. That baby went everywhere without any probs. Probably went 250,000 miles before we sold it. By the way, it weighed in at 11,000 lbs loaded. Also pulled an 18' boat behind. The truck was rock solid and stopped fine. Just used alot of gas when the Q-jet carb was opened up on the grades. You won't have that prob. You'll probably get from 12-14 mpg's. I prefer the 4x4 though.

------------------
2000, 13k miles,4x,qc,6sp,3. 54,285/75r16 bfg/at's, VA, popup cmpr, 9000 lbs,14. 5-16. 5 mpg, WB6BFD for ID.

 

[Archive]

Altexp, As far as gvwr you can always declare a higher weigth in Florida,you also pay more sometimes. I have mine declared at 9,999 lbs just in case. (actual 8800 lbs)
I check with DOT about double trailers I'm sure I have seen them out on the highway.
I have a next door neighbor who had a 35'Air Stream after about two years of backing it in to places, he put a hitch on the front and pushed(steered) it in.

------------------
Missouri Mule 96 White 4X4 ST club cab,(grey int. ),5 spd, 3. 54 reg dif, 8 ft bed, 1 ft high cheater boards, front and side of bed,Pofile V bug shield,
99 Freight liner FL60 blue Cummins 24v 215 hp, 520 torgue,6 spd 3. 59 no spin rear, 16 ft dry box (white) 19. 5 low profile tires,Weight 11,000, gvw 23000, 11 to 12 mpg
Bill Thomas (Wild Bill)

 

[Archive]

I cooked the brakes going to May Madness on my 96 2500 4x4. I was carrying a Lance 11'3 camper that weighs in at 4000k lbs. I was also pulling a 10ft. trailer behind me. To make a long story short, I purchased a 2001 x-cab,4x4,3500 at Carson Dodge and now I can hardly tell the camper and trailer are on and behind me. The six speed made all the difference in the world.
When the camper went on, the truck dropped almost 2 1/2 inches and now looks level. The first leaf just barely touches it's contact.
Airbags= no thanks. I bent 3 sets of brackets on my 2500. One was R. R. and the other two Firestone. No offroading was involved.
I better stop here because I'm RAMbling on.

3. 55 diff. 6spd. 3500

 

[Archive]

Go for it Altex, the truck will do fine. How many rollback Dodge wrecker's have you seen running around carry suburban's,truck's etc. ??? Quite a few I would imagine, I know i have. Wrecker driver's are not exactly slow driver's either. I dont get worried till I get over 5000lbs on my truck. With the monorail weighing 1100 that puts it at 6000 + lbs. , truck does fine. Loaded a Frac tree thursday that weighed 7200lbs, pulled the front tire's off the ground while loading it. Had to block under the bumper, then made a 200 mile run with it back to Corpus. Did not like doing that , but sometime's thing's like this happen. Point is these truck's are tough. Put some overloads of your choice on the truck, drive it like heavy truck when the camper is on. One more example I carry 1271 Detroits for a company on 600-900 mile runs on a regular basis. Motor's weigh in at 4500 + monorail @ 1100lbs= 5600lbs. No problem's on the last 2 years of doing this. Still have the stock suspension.
Good luck with your new truck

------------------
97 Dodge cab/chassis 1 ton,Allison at 545 4spd auto, Brown-Lipe 3spd auxillary, 4. 10's,11'flatbed w/ monorail, bd injectors, K&N filter,Cobra 29 CB, Wilson 2000, electcric & V/H brakes, 50 gal. aux tank, pulling 20' 12 k cap tag-along flatbed trailer,
214,000 miles and counting
86' ford 1 ton,4 spd, 4. 10's, 6. 9 non turbo,("slow motion"),4spd ,90gal. aux tank, elecric & V/H brakes, pulls 40' G/N flatbed w V/H brakes
187,000 and counting