Hauling Camper on Lifted Truck - pics included

Crumm

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It can be done :sweet A few years ago I started a thread asking about hauling a camper with my slightly lifted F350 but no one really came back with much. I tested the theory this weekend and it worked fine.

The truck is a 1996 F350 with a ORU shackle reversal on the front which raises the front about 2.5". To bring the rear up a little so it would match the front I installed a 2" add-a-leaf. Once the truck was up to this elevation the stock tires just looked silly so on went a set of 315/75/16 tires which are 35" tall. The truck is also equipped with a set of rear air-bags.

Back in 1996 when the truck was new I hauled a 94' Lance camper around for a couple of years but at that time the truck was at stock height. Saturday I picked up a 2006 Adventurer camper that has a claimed weight of 2842 without options. I have yet to weigh the unit now that it is on the truck but I am guessing with the installed options it will be around 3500 or a little more-11,000 gross :eek:

When I arrived at the dealer to pick up the unit I only had about 10 psi in the air bags. They did not have a compressor on site so my first few miles were without much help from the bags. To my surprise when we set the unit down on the truck the overload springs did not even make contact with the blocks. I only drove a short distance before finding a air source where I could air up the bags to 50psi but even with the flat bags the truck handled the camper just fine. Once the bags were aired up the handling was improved.

The 300 mile drive home was on a typical Alaska highway with it's fair share of corners, hills and frost heaves. It took about 20 miles to get use to the 12 foot tall elephant on the back of the truck. I did have to reinstall the seat cover a couple of times like when I hit the first 4' frost heave and when we found a good rut in the middle of a hard turn but all in all it was a easy trip. Now that I traveled that first 300 miles I know that the next 100,000 will be a piece of cake. I am going to install some energy suspension 9.9109 or 9.9104 bumps stops on the overload spring perches so that the overloads will help keep the truck stable.

Moral of the story is that a camper can be carried in a slightly lifted truck without a problem. With that said I would not want to haul the camper with anything over 4" of lift.

Pardon the dirty truck, frame and suspension. The roads were a bit sloppy down in the valley.

Overloads with 50 psi in the bags:
Truck-n-Camper051.jpg


Airbags with 50psi:
Truck-n-Camper050.jpg


Side view - hardly squats at all:
Truck-n-Camper023.jpg
 

Maintain

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Do you have 3.55's or 4.10's and looks like there's alot of weight over the cab - looks like a tight rig you got going on there..
 

Crumm

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I just looked through all my pictures and went out and looked at the truck and for some reason that picture above is the only one that looks like that? Must be one of those optical illusions.. If it was going to fold it would have when I was airborne over a few frost heaves on my way home. I did test the tie-downs ;)

Here is one where the lines are lined up:
Truck-n-Camper018.jpg
 

BamaSixGun

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looks sweet crumm. does a camper like that have a good bit of room inside?

i would love to see some pics of the interior if you dont care. thanks.
 

Crumm

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does a camper like that have a good bit of room inside?
This one does have a fair amount of room for a 9'4" camper. It ain't like a T/T but it is fine for overnight trips with the family. Place to eat, sleep and a restroom for the wife. You can see the floor plan HERE. We picked this floor plan as it is one of the few that have a straight floor. With three kids one will be on the floor and most campers have a floor that goes around the bathroom and over to the kitchen, you would have to sleep in a S. There are campers available with a overhead bunk over the dinette but our kids are too big for them, they are made for toddlers. With the front bathroom we can get to it during the middle of the night, with a rear bathroom access is limited when the lower bed is out.

i would love to see some pics of the interior if you don't care. thanks.

Will do once the weather warms a little. I turned the heat off when we got home and I imagine it is a bit chilly in there for a photo opp...
 

Maxtor

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Hey Crum;

How much does your slide in weigh? It looks like your truck does not know it is even on there. It looks very nice.
When my wife and I were in our 20's we bought a truck and slide in Camper, and had a blast. Of course back then, we had a "ice box" not a frig. Also then they had a toilet seat with legs that held a plastic bag to catch the "waste". Very primitive compared to today, but we had fun. It has many advantages over a motorhome or 5th wheel, or travel trailer. You can park it anywhere, and drive at higher speed limits. When going cross country, we would camp two days and stay in a motel on the third day. It worked out great for us.
I hope you have as much fun with yours. Again, it looks great.
:thumbs
 

Crumm

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Hey Crumm;

How much does your slide in weigh? It looks like your truck does not know it is even on there.

Crumm said:
I picked up a 2006 Adventurer camper that has a claimed weight of 2842 without options. I have yet to weigh the unit now that it is on the truck but I am guessing with the installed options it will be around 3500 or a little more-11,000 gross :eek:

I am going to extend the bump-stops on the overloads just so they know that it is there ;)
 

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