Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives Truck Camper

Does anyone use a Truck Camper ( Slide-in) for hunting trips? I'm contemplating the purchase of one and would like to hear comments and ideas.
Thanks.

Been using them for 25 years now, for deer, antelope, elk, moose, sheep, turkey, and duck and goose hunts. Both of mine have been Hallmark manufacture, with my current one the Ute LX model, mounted on my Dodge Ram 2500 diesel.

This rig is portable, well built, and with this setup, I can also tow trailers for my boat, UTV, etc.

Just make sure whatever you intend to use to carry it has the HP and springs to do the job well.

I can mirror the above post. I have used this current one for 7 years and have spent more then a 100 nights in it. I too pack it around on a 2500 diesel. The purpose of this is so that I can pull AVT trailer and most important my boat.

A consideration that became critical in my purchase. The truck with a diesel has some limitations. Gross Vehicle weight will be exceeded with all but the smallest campers. It's also has not been practical to remove while hunting to use the truck. It's not difficult to get the camper on and off, but it's nerve wracking on anything but a sound cement or asphalt surface for me. I have never taken mine off in the mountains or even a campground to use the truck. It's spooky with that thing standing up on those spindly legs. Speaking of the legs. There is only one option here. You must get the electronic lift legs regardless of the cost of the option. If you try to hand crank them you only ever have three legs on the ground at one time and it wobbles on those legs. With the electric legs you can move all of them at the same time.

When I upgraded to this, I bought the biggest heaviest jacks made each is 2500 lbs capacity. My camper total weight dry is 1600. It's spooky to have that 18,000 bucks of aluminum and thin plywood 4 foot off the ground on the spindly factory supplied hand crank jacks ( in the wind)

The diesel engine is so heavy that much of your carry capacity is sucked up by engine weight. Even my small unit is at the carry capacity limits. I added firestone Airbags and it's functional.

Ideally the bigger designs with pull outs are packed around on a one ton dually with a gas engine. The stability is by a margin better with a dually. Mine 8 foot camper rides on my short bed with a modified suspension to clear the 38 x 13.50 tires. Power is no problem even with the boat pulled up steep hills. The Cummins is plenty powerful.

As far as the other issues, water capacity is limited and insulation is not as good as a trailer. Also I would strongly suggest you do not buy with an on board generator. They are so loud you cannot use them comfortably. Rather get the Honda 2000iu and 30 foot heavy extension cord. You can relocate the gen and point the exhaust away from the camper. I have this same setup.

With this I can watch a movie in the camper and I cannot even hear the generator. That Honda is worth every penny. Another issue that needs to be addressed is condensation of multiple people when it's below freezing outside. It will get damp and wet with cooking, and breathing. Especially in the upper bunk when you are so close to the ceiling sleeping.

One solution is NEVER use the propane to heat with. It generates a lot of moisture. That heater will suck down the battery as well with the fan running all night. The better option is run a small electric heater off the honda. The Honda will run 8-10 hours on it's one gallon of fuel. Fill it up, set the thermostat on the heater to be warm but not hot. It will be running in the morning and have no additional moisture. Plus, as a side benefit your batteries are also full charged.

I have used the propane heater one time in my camper. I would prefer to just remove it and use that space for storage! I enjoy this camper a lot.

^this guy knows what he is talking about.

For years I used a Four Wheel Pop Top unit in my trucks. I pulled a small trailer behind the truck to haul big game. It was entirely satisfactory and was a great unit for upland bird hunting. It was seldom removed from the truck but easy to do on a concrete slab. I carried a small generator as someone noted above to keep the battery charged. The pop top feature was good as it kept the height down. Mine was on a long bed truck and quite roomy for two people and dogs. I would also agree to be sure you have enough truck to haul the camper and a trailer. Most any 3/4 ton with a 3:73 rear axle or better makes a good unit if it has the trailer towing package. A trans cooler is mandatory in my opinion with the auto trans if your truck didn't come with one.

I have no experienced with large campers that have a fixed roof so can't comment on them.

I've had two of the biggest campers Lance makes on my Dodge 2500. They weigh in at about 3,500 lbs. Never had a problem. Even got the 3 1/2' hitch extension to pull a trailer behind. The Lances had a solar battery charger on the roof, which goes a long way to keeping the battery juiced. The on board generators are indeed noisy. I agree that a 3,000-4,000 watt off-board generator is more useful.

I dropped my Lance campers on every hunt. That frees up the truck for trolling for elk, deer, or antelope. The Lances are an easy one man job to drop from and reload on the truck. Plus they have a microwave, AC, and nice bathroom for the ladies. That can be a very big deal.

We've gone back to fifth wheels for the much greater floor space and comfort. That does significantly limit how far we go into the mountain two tracks. Our Arctic Fox is the cat's azz for late season hunts. Extremely well equipped and insulated.

Wow, this has been very helpful. Thanks to all of you and JJHACK, you should consider writing a book. Very, very helpful and it's much appreciated.

Taz, how long is the 5th wheel and do you feel limited in any way, other than skinny mountain road travel?

i have an 8' 3" lance slide in camper sitting on my heavy duty
3/4 ton chevy short bed pickip. the bed is 6'6" and i leave
the gate down which brings the camper even with it. i called
the lance factory before buying it and was told it was made for short bed trucks. my truck has a vortec gas engine and it does a fine job pulling it. 2 years ago i took a 6 week trip
west towing my 06 jeep wrangler. i covered much of montana
wyoming and colorado without an incident with a truck having
over 100.000 miles on it when i left home. gas milage averaged
8 mpg on that trip towing the jeep. towing my 18' boat at home
in fl. is like nothing is back there. puting it on and off
the truck is easier with 2 people. i dont have power jacks
but do have a power drill i use when electric is available.
my unit is very comfortable for one person. 2 people means
one sits down while the other moves around. privacy could also
be a factor for women. frankly larger units are pretty much the same. i can visit friends without feeling im infringing
if you know what i mean. best thing i ever bought for me at this point in my life. im alone and now 78.

My fox is the 26-5 model, meaning it's 26.5' long in the interior. Exterior length is at least 29'. It's a heavy rig, but the only true 4 season 5th wheel made.

I loved my Lance campers. Very easy to get into the tightest mountain areas. Had to do some occasional gardening to get through tight spots with trees and brush. Very well set up units and its truly a one man loading and unloading job with the wired or wireless remote control. The wireless makes it just that much easier. You can do it all from the front seat of the truck. Arctic Fox also makes truck campers.

The biggest consideration with top line truck campers, such as Lance and Arctic Fox, is their very high price per linear or square foot versus that of a 5th wheel or bumper pull trailer. They are very proud of those campers. The Hallmark, made right up the road from me in Brighton, CO are substantially lower cost, but a little more space and comfort limited by their pop up design. They are definitely lighter, lower in profile, and therefore much easier to get into the deep and dark.

Its all what you want and what you are willing to compromise. If there is a lady involved, it will make your travel life much easier to ensure good bathroom facilities. In addition, as mentioned somewhere above, the take a number to move around the camper gets to be a real irritant on long stays. Most campers have such limited floor space that its mandatory that one person moves around at a time. Unless you like pushing each other around. That is the greatest benefit of a 5th wheel or bumper pull trailer. I had 8 folks around a 6' folding table in my 5th wheel for several evenings dinners during a recent antelope season. Slide outs are wonderful things! Try that in a camper, especially a pop up.

truck camper forum

Check this out for a good place to research a little more in depth. Lot of good info. I have a Lance 815 and like it quite a bit though as my two boys are growing we are outgrowing the camper and may be upgrading to a trailer soon.

Thanks for that link and good information.

Here's a pic of my Hallmark camper, Ute LX model.

Don't know what kind of truck you have. My friend has big a cabover camper with jacks. On a 3/4T diesel with a horse trailer behind, it was real nervous in the wind. He got a dually that works much better. You'll be using this for hunting and likely in the mountains or at altitude. For that, turbo diesel power is the only way to go.

I will be buying a truck and it will be daily driver. Part of my research is to make sure that a truck camper is what I really will get the best use from. I like the idea of not having to pull an additional trailer but unless I buy a pop-up, such as a Fourwheel Camper or the like, I may have to go with a 3/4 ton pickup. I will call different manufacturers to see if there are any hard side campers that can be fitted to 1/2 ton pickups without causing an unacceptable lack of performance.

Hmmm. Not my experience(s) at all JJ. I've had my camper since 1997. I use it on all of my hunting trips. I'm posting from it now in my hunting camp. I've spent as long as 8 weeks living in it in cold down to -20.
First of all, a diesel engine doesn't weigh much more than a gas engine. Just a few hundred pounds. And, more important, it's on the other end of the vehicle.
My camper weighs 2700 lbs. dry. Add a full load of fuel, water (300 lbs. plus) and all of my gear and were well over the gross vehicle weight of th truck.
When I ask the sales people about this, they said the axle on my 89 Dodge was plenty strong enough. The tires would carry 3000 lbs. each. Only the springs needed helps. Air bags do that quite well. I've carried for hundreds of miles every year since. Sometimes in really nasty, high winds. Handles fine. My current truck, an 06 Dodge diesel does even better. My GVR is 8550 lbs. Singel rear wheels.
Insulation is a problem with yours ? Not in mine. The guy next to me paid $52,000 for his 5th wheel. His water system froze overnight in 20 degree weather. It's takes -10 to freeze my hot water. And -20 to loose my cold water. Lance makes them with all sorts of insulation and ducts some of the heat from the forced air system to make this work.
The battery dies in cold weather over night ? Not in mine, even in single diget weather. Group 27 battery and fours hours of generator time keeps it up.
Built in generator too noisy ? That's funny. I can hardly hear mine. When it's running, a red light inside the camper is on to warn me it's still on so I won't go to bed with it running. It burns less than a quarter gallon of propane per hour at full load, that's running the AC at full power, etc.
Moisture buildup, especially in the overhead sleeping area ? Not me. The forced air heating system ducts warm air into that area. The fan equipped overhead vents in both the bathroom and in the main living area handle that just fine. Just use the vents when any indication arises. Even when raining.
You can't take the camper off by yourself and use the truck for hunting ? Did that for a number of years. You do need a fairly level spot and jack pads that can be stacked to do a proper job. Just do a little at a time and it works fine. Make sure it stays nose high when doing it. You lower the camper to within 8 inches of the ground when off of the truck. Camped in high winds, etc, just like that. Mine is wired for the electric jacks. Haven't bothered to have them installed.
I'm convinced I couldn't stand doing my one man hunts for extended periods of time if I didn't have this camper. Hot shower every night, high quality fresh food, forced air heating, etc. Yes ! E

Well, if you're gonna use any kind of camper that you can live in, don't even think about 1/2T. Really, a 3/4T has more capacity plus bigger brakes gears etc and it just better to have anyway. Once again, don't mess with gasoline. Diesel is the way to go with any kind of load and you'll really notice it in a headwind or going up a grade. Diesels have gobs more torque where you need it, plus they're turbo'd and altitude doesn't affect them near as much. But altitude just sucks the life out of a normally aspirated (gasoline) engine. My diesel is a daily driver, there's no problem with that. It's the way to go with a pickup truck. Put it this way...... I know lots of people who drive diesel pickups every day and they all love those things. None of them, not even one, would rather have a gas truck.

like most things we buy there is seldom a perfect answer for
all people and all situations. i had tow benind units by way of 30 plus ft holiday ramblers for more than 30 years. for
family use i would reccomend the larger units over the pickup
campers. at this point i have no family to satisfy so the camper fits the bill nicely.
as for the diesel yes they have more power and torque. but theirs a price to pay for everything.
i have towed large heavy trailers over the rocky mountains on long trips west a number of times.
all the way to jasper nat park. the gas engines were never a problem even once. fact is some guys
simply want a diesel. they own them with no valid reason for them other than liking them. will it pull
a heavy trailer better yes it will. is it a must have to pull one no it isnt and dont be told it is.

Outfitter manufacturing apex 9.5 for the wife and me.

My priority for the equipment is the ability to insure for loss. Where I'm at much of the time the possibility of loss from a whole plethora of natural causes exists.

Your insurance will never know the "match" between truck and camper until you have a problem. At which point they will deny all coverage for this claim when you have knowingly exceeded the Gross vehicle weight.

Sure it's done all the time. However I am an ultra conservative guy. And I had the advice on this from the dealer I purchased at based on his experience of folks being denied coverage for both the camper damage and the truck.

As far as the Generators go? our tolerance to noise must be different. The onboard gen sets I have heard are a problem for me? My little honda 2000 20 -30 feet from the camper is nearly silent.

I have an '08 Ram with the 6.7 diesel and a 6 spd manual, quad cab, long bed and air bags. The payload rating is 1860. I haven't had a camper on it but I've hauled close to a ton of hay many times easily.
My hunting partner has the exact same truck in an '07 with the auto tranny. He hauls a Lance camper and pulls 2 horses behind it. He just cruises. This truck will easily handle a large camper if you don't get carried away with the size.

You know what. I'm not sure I have the background, experience or the qualifications to provide any insight or advice to this thread. I would delete my post right now if I could. So for your piece of mind and decision making going forward. Please ignore what I wrote. The thoughts on Generators, electric jacks, condensation, insulation, removing from the truck while off road, etc. etc.

Those are things I have learned and experienced. However they do not match up with others here with more experience and time spent with these units. I've only owned one, and used 3 and driven with one of them the lance 815 on my own truck for 7 years. I seriously do not think I'm in any position to provide insight and guidance on this.

Please listen to the folks here with the time spent and the much different results. Also call your insurance and the camper folks who do this for a living. There are things I can help with in other forums and on other topics which I do know a lot about. This subject is not one of them. As I said if I could delete my post now I would. Sorry for the direction and the disruption to this thread.

For my '08 Dodge 2500, the difference in payload between the diesel and gas is about 600lb.

What I did when I bought my camper is I called my insurance company, told them what I bought and asked for additional coverage for it. My insurance company said that since it was seldom used, and only road on the truck a few days a year, my current policy covered it. I gave them the price I paid for it, etc. The agent I talked to made sure of this by discussing this with his supervisors, etc.
There is no wsy I'd own a camper w/o insurance on it. E

Unless my camper was nearly new or extremely valuable (or financed where the bank REQUIRES insurance) there is no way I would carry insurance on a camper. After a few years, call them and ask what the value of your camper is (I.e. how much is the book value of your camper if you totaled it). Then subtract your deductible from that. This is the amount of asset you are paying to insure.

Suppose they will pay $5,000 on your 5 year old camper and you have a $750 deductible. You would get a $4,250 check if your camper was totaled. If your insurance bill is $425 per year, you could drop coverage and afford to replace a totaled camper every 10 years (or more as the bill probably will not decline but the value you are insuring always declines with the passage of time).

Unless you are not financially capable of absorbing a $5000 loss in the extremely unlikely event you total the camper, I would drop the insurance. This is ESPECIALLY true with a camper or other toy (motorcycle) as they depreciate fast and the loss can be absorbed by simply not replacing the item if you cannot afford it. Unlike a car where you HAVE to replace it to get to work, school, stored, etc., no one really has to have a camper, so you can delay repurchase until finances are better.

Even if you feel you have to replace it in the unlikely event of a loss and cannot afford to spend the cash, you can always finance one, thus spreading out the payments. If you were really clever, you would drop, the insurance and make "insurance payments" into a camper savings fund to be used to replace a totaled camper or buy a new camper when you want, or to be used as other emergency savings.

What yo say is quite true. However, in my case, I found I had to pay nothing additional as my camper was covered with the policy I already had. Probably because they do loose value rather quickly.
BTW, mine, when I bought it, was just over $16,000.
The other thing is that I understand the IRS considers them "homes." So, any interest you pay is tax deductible. I just priced a new Lance for a 6 ft. bed, 3/4 ton truck. Equipped like mine, around $30,000.
If I ever buy another one, it will carry insurance, even if I have to pay extra for it. At least for the first few years. E

Your forgetting that when the rubber meets the road and your 45,000 pickup is totaled with the camper on the back the pleasant sounding helpful sales guy is going to be singing a different tune.

They will refuse to pay for the truck because you had it overloaded.

Your mileage may vary, I wish you all well on this and hope that a claim like this never occurs for any of you!

My dad's experience with a camper:
This was back in the 60's. Dad had a '64 3/4 ton Chevy and put a 10' camper on it. He was north of Boise going down a long hill at 60 when a wheel came apart. I don't mean the ring came off the split rim. A dinner plate size piece tore right out of the center of the wheel and the tire and outside rim went down the barrow pit. He never figured out how he kept it on the road other than God's hand holding him on the pavement.
The very next day, literally, he got a recall letter from Chev on those wheels for exactly that problem. He immediately went to Chev and got 5 new wheels. They found another one cracking when they replaced them.
A week after that, he got a 2d letter from Chev saying they were only replacing the ones that showed signed of damage. Good thing Dad didn't wait.

I thought of that JJ. I have the camper listed on the policy and it's uses by me. If they want to refuse to pay any claim, they can always find an excuse not to do so. That's another reason why I documented the camper with them.
In order to win a case like that, they would have to be able to prove in court that I wasn't using it properly. I can find all sorts of good witnesses that could testify that the truck was properly modified to take the extra weight. And I could go after them for punative damages because they refused the claim w/o proof.
It's kinda nice having an extensive legal background, a life long friend who is a retired attorney as well as a daughter that is a member of the bar. E

I want to thank everyone for their thoughts and opinions of truck campers. All of you have been beneficial in offering experiences and opinions that I will take seriously as I evaluate my direction. I consider everyone who posted on this thread to be knowlegable on the topic at hand and appreciate your thoughts. As I move forward through this decision process I'll keep you apprised of my positions.
Thanks again for your time.

A lot of good info on here.

I missed seeing this post before. If you have any idea of hauling a camper, don't even think about a 1/2 ton. True, the new 1/2 tons are much stronger than then old ones, but the 1/2 will severely limit what you can put on it. If you have any idea of getting a Tundra, they'll tell you how great it is if you overload it but don't go beyond its rated capacity. They don't make it in a 3/4 ton but I've had dealers try to tell me that it can be used like one.

Also, a truck camper only shines when you pull a trailer. If you don't intend to pull one, go with a camp trailer of some kind. With a truck camper, you're very limited while hunting because your truck is tied up all the time unless you unload it, not to mention the instability of having all that weight up high. You can pull a good sized trailer with a 1/2 ton, too, saving you some money over a 3/4 ton.

If you get happy jack electric jacks loading and unloading is a breeze. Your truck is the free for you to use. Like this..

I've been convinced that if I'm going to buy a hard side truck camper, I'll need to buy a 3/4 ton pickup. If I'm going to buy a 3/4 ton pickup, I'm going to buy a diesel. if I'm going to buy a diesel, I'm going to buy a Super Duty.

This forum can cost you a lot of money.

Me too, and after I totaled it all up, I decided I couldn't afford it.

Isn't that the truth!

When I bought my camper, I had a diesel 3/4 ton for work. Back then, since I was putting 30,000 miles a year on my truck, a diesel made alot of sense.
The other thing about 3/4 ton trucks is they are built really tough. If you do alot of off roading on poorly maintained roads and trails, that's nice to have.
No doubt, trailers and 5th wheels have alot more room. However, trying to find one that will function in really cold weather is tough to do. Hunting seasons tend to be that way.
I really like my setup. I tow a Jeep for hunting. If I break the Jeep on a hunting trip, I can use the truck to tow it into camp and all the way home. E

I have discovered via this thread that there is no ONE perfect solution but many imperfect ones, all with the attendant caveats and consequences. You have all been beneficial in helping me see the ins and outs only experience can speak to. Thank you.

I pack a LanceLite 815 on my 96 Dodge 3/4 Cummins longbed. It's right up there against the total GVWR. The Lance 815 probably weighs in wet at about 1,800 lbs. Air bags help a lot. A lot heavier camper would be dangerous. The truck will pull it no problem. Stopping it coming down a 7% grade like Molas Pass or other steep Colorado pass or any western moiuntains is the problem.

I really like what some of you guys are doing here with your rigs. Maybe when I grow up...

I'm bad to just throw a high rise camper shell on the back of my pickup with a bed in it and light out. I run 2x4's across the truck bed to get my mattress up and have floor space for storage underneath. I can pull over in truck stops and get a great night's sleep back there on my way out West and then hunt from my truck when I get where I'm going. I'll hit a motel or shower every few days or whatever is needed but I sleep like a baby in my truck and stay super mobile.

In fact, I am looking for a new camper shell for my old 1997 Chevy short wheel base if anyone knows where there's one for sale.

Keep up with the posts fellows, this is good stuff!

I get ticked at the guys who say use an outside generator with a 30 ft cord then you don't heart hem. Yea but everyone else camped around you does. Pretty inconsiderate.

You don't need a generator. You can add a marine grade deep cycle battery, wire it so it won't drag your truck battery down, but you can still charge it from the truck. A simple solenoid with a switch in the cab to turn it off/on will suffice.

After this pats year, I have completely changed over my hunting rig. I'm moving from a wall tent to a pop up slide in camper for a short box pick up and I have sold my 20 ft gooseneck stock trailer for a 3 horses slant horse trailer for my mules.

Years ago I had an 8 ft slide in cab over that I mounted on a 70 Dodge 2WD 3/4 Ton. It had no heater ,and an ice box.

With todays vented heaters in campers, you do not get the moisture. You get more from cooking and body moisture than anything. That is what the overhead vent is for.

You do need a3/4 T pick up though. A half ton isn't going to cut it, especially if you plan to drag any type trailer with it.

This little pop up slide in I just bought is 1500 lbs

what brand and model did you purchase, Saddlesore?

OSU_Sig, out of all that's been said here, I can tell you from experience and personal witnessing that JJ Hack is spot on and dead center in his posts.

The extreme weight, overall height and high CG are big negatives to a cab-over camper. A well made, smaller trailer is a joy to tow and is generally more comfortable, has more storage, and is easier to deal with.

I bought a 99, StarCraft, 6 &1/2 ft. It fits completely in the bed of my truck with no over hang. Yesterday, I picked up a 2002 Circle , 3 horse slant load, bumper pull trailer to go with it.

You've never owned a Honda inverter generator, have you? You are dead on with the 3/4 ton truck recommendation.

No I don't own a Honda gen. But I have been camped beside them and what I said rings true.If they don't make any noise why did JJhack say to get a 30 ft extension.

It's the A$$ holes that run them that are the problem. If some one needs a generator,they need to leave all their electric goodies at home and figure out how to camp without them.
I have done it for many, many years and don't have a problem.


Can't understand why you say I'm dead wrong about a 3/4 T when every 1/2 ton is way over grossed putting a camper on it unless it is one of the especially made light weight ones. Hell my slide in weighs 1500 lbs and I had one that was a cab over that weight 1800. That alone grossed out a 3/4 T. Yea ,there are a lot of guys out there that brag they haul 2 tons in a 3/4 T pick up and then complain when they don't last. Probably why your user name is K1500

My camper weighs 1500 lb, truck weighs a shade over 8,000. 36 gal of diesel adds another 175 lbs or so. Two people another 350 lbs. Add water, gear, food etc, your break 2000 on the camper fast So your running down the road grossed at 10,500 or so. Not many 1/2 tons will work very long at that range. Then I add a 3000 lb trailer and 3000 lbs of mules, water hay, grain and gear. I'm running at about16,000 gross. Find me a 1/2 T that will do that. Most guys that buy a camper will eventually add some type of trailer behind it, like a utility,etc.

It's not only what is in the truck bed, it's the total GVW loaded and going down the road, or climbing a 10000+ ft pass then going down the other side, knowing you have enough truck pull it up the grade or to stop if things gets bad.

He said you were dead on, not dead wrong on the 3/4 ton recommendation.

^This. Back to the gens, the first time I saw a Honda in action, I couldn't believe how quiet it was. I camp all over the West and rarely have to use mine, but when I do it is quiet enough it does not really disturb the surroundings. I think the best use of the cord it to get the generator away from the neighbors, not yourself.

I have been in NF campgrounds where guys used construction site generators and the noise was so bad I actually had to leave. As in get in the truck and drive away for a few hours. Same campground a week later and the guy in the same spot had a Honda inventor generator and it was so quiet I could hardly tell it was on.

I didn't own a generator at the time but told my wife if I bring home anything other than a Honda to kick my ass. Lots if $ for a small eu2000i but they are super quiet. I hardly have to use mine because we run two batteries and are easy on the electricity, but it is nice to have if you want to extend your stay at a campsite without hookups (I have a TT, not slide in truck camper). On a month long trip I may use it 2-3 times total, for about an hour at a time but it gives me peace of mind. Two years ago I was out a month and didn't use it once.

I like to have it in case I need it and I can now run power tools when working outside away from juice. I will also run the fridge and a light to save the groceries when the power goes out.

Sorry,I apoliogize for misreading the "Dead on with 3/4 T PU." Sometimes my brain does not process corretly what my eyes see.

No worries, and you got in an opportunity to explain a WHY it is vital to have a 3/4 ton plus when using a slide in

Part of the problem is weight distribution. A camper that hangs out farther than the back of the bed is going to need a lot more load capacity in the truck. The total weight might be under the load rating but where is that load resting? A marginal load is going to be way over marginal when the truck takes a few good bounces. 500 lb hanging out the back end will be several times that when you hit a good bump and toss it a bit.

I own both the 2000 and 3000 Honda inverter genertors..The 3000 is quieter...While they are both quiet,the 2000 gets louder with a load.If I had neighbors( and I never do) where I camp,I would use the 3000...

Campers...Owned probably atleast 10 pickup slide in/overhead campers on mostly 3/4 ton trucks but.........

This old 3/4 ton Ford F-250 has a door sticker almost identical to my 2008 F-150.The new F-150's can now haul more than the old 3/4 tons with payloads over 3000 lbs and towing to 12,000 lbs plus...



Jayco

" This old 3/4 ton Ford F-250 has a door sticker almost identical to my 2008 F-150.The new F-150's can now haul more than the old 3/4 tons with payloads over 3000 lbs and towing to 12,000 lbs plus..."

They might be rated at that, but they don't have the weight. Do they actually rate 12,00 towing or 12,000 lbs total truck and trailer.

I finished checking out my new hunting rig.

My 98 Dodge 2500 Cummins weighs 8800 lbs, Slide in pop up is 1528,Water, fuel, food, passenger, gear brings it to 10,980pounds.

Horse trailer 3515 lbs empty, two mules, 6 bales of hay, 60 gallons of water, gear/tack, grain comes to 6525.
Total for both is 17,443. I'm still running 1744 pounds over gross. I still have to put a Class IV receiver hitch on it (1000 lb TW 10,000 lb load) to replace to Class III, I have on it now (500lb TW, 5000, lb load)

I'd bet a 1/2 ton weighs in about 6000 at least, add the camper, gear, food,water, etc at about 2200 and you are at 8200. Leaving 3800 for a trailer. I couldn't imagine going down the road towing 12,000 pounds with a 6000 lb truck if in fact they rate the 1/2 T as capable of pulling 12,000 pounds.

That would also require a Class IV receiver and I doubt the truck itself would berated for a 1000 lb tongue weight.

Not arguing, but all the published data sometimes doesn't fit the reality

You will find that most folks who talk about how much their trucks tow or haul are kind of like guys with trophy fish....neither are found near accurate scales.

I have seen how much a Northstar popup squats a 2011 Ram 2500HD, I can't imagine it on a 1/2 ton anything.

Regular Cab 4x2 145"whellbase 5.0L V8 -8200 GVW and 3120 payload....Right from Fords site.....

Jayco

Wow, that's a high GVWR and payload capacity. The 2011 ram reg cab 4x4 gas truck has a GVWR of 8,650 and a payload of 2,600.

2011 silverado 2500hd diesel crew cab regular bed...GVWR 10,000 payload 2,792.

2011 Silverado 2500hd gas regular cab 4x2...GVWR 9,300 payload 3,704

I saw on TV the new Dodge 1500 can tow to 12,000 but I can't find it on the net....Although the Ford F-150 tows to 11,300 with the eco boost 6...My particular Crew Cab states 9200 lbs for Max towing.

It gets me too because I have towed and hauled all my life and back when,towing started with a 3/4 ton..Not anymore...Some 1/2 ton engines have the same Horse Power as the old Chevy 454, I had in a 3/4 ton.

I go over Whitebird hill faster in my 5.4 then I did in the old 390 pulling the same weight.

Times are changing.....Hard for some of us old coots to swallow....

Jayco

I get real nervous when what I am pulling with a bumper pull weighs more than the vehicle I hauling it with. It can end up with the tail wagging the dog so to speak. A gooseneck or 5th wheel changes that somewhat.

Somewhat yes..I pulled a 35 ft Jayco fifth wheel all over Idaho with the truck pictured above.A regular F-250 with a 390 in it.It was where I lived,working....

But...With a travel trailer,use an equalier hitch and sway bar and there is not a bunch of difference.

I hauled a 40 ft Mobile home around with a GMC 3/4 ton with helper springs and a 454 engine,I also lived in that....Just gotta be aware of things more...

Even though mine is rated at 9200 lbs,i wouldn't hesitate to pull 10,000 or so the way I have added to the factory tow package.

A friend bought a canadian made 9.5 ft over head camper and slapped it on newer 1 ton Dodge and does nothing but complain about the sway it has...wished he had got dual tires in the rear.Over head campers sway period-some worse than others...There fricken heavy...One of the larger Canadian overhead campers ways 4700 lbs dry..10.5 ft I believe..What do you put that on..A F-450?

Jayco

I plan to put an equalizer hitch on my rig next spring.
Dullies do help the sway, but only add about 300lbs to the payload capacity.

Speaking of Fords.I had a 1985 Ford 3/4t with a dully conversion. 460 engine, 4:10 rear, 4 spd, 4WD.

That was the last year they put carbs on them.
Darn thing couldn't pull a sick prostitute off a pee pot

I pulled a 20 ft gooseneck w/4 mules, tack ,gear,etc. If we could make 10mph going up pass in 1st gear we were lucky. Best mileage was 3MPG pulling that rig, 8 mpg empty. Even luckier if it didn't vapor lock less than 1/2 way up. It was rated to pull 16,000 lbs GVWR

I had a nice bucket that racers use and an extra electric fuel pump on the frame to fix it, which totaled three pumps.

Now I get 22mpg empty with my Dodge, 14mpg pulling the same rig before I sold it last week. I hardly ever had to hit 2nd gear going up passes and a lot of times I hit the top still in4 th if I am only hauling two mules and that is with a 3:55 rear end,5 sp, 4wd.

Sunday, I went down to Trinidad( 160 miles each way) to pickup this other bumper pull trailer and averaged 17mpg for the round trip. Empty going down, pulling trailer back home

I have an '08 Dodge 2500 with the 6.7 Cummins. A couple days ago I was hauling hay so I scaled it - 7660 with a half tank of fuel. They must have added more plastic since yours was made.

I seldom camp with anyone else around. Not a problem.

I thought maybe I made a mistake, but I check the door placard and that is what is on it. I also remember weighing it before I loaded it with gravel and that is about what came up on the scales.

Same with me dry camping at a hunting location is always absent of other campers. It is inconsiderate of the squirrels. Would never consider for a moment running a generator in a public campground. But I don't hang out there a moment more then needed to shower and dump tanks.

I've never had batteries last me 7-10 days in the bush. But running that little honda keeps them topped off and life is good. Although I stated 30ft cord. I usually have the generator under my trailer out of the weather. That puts it about 8-10 feet away maybe?

I hate short cords that always fall just shy of what's needed. 30 foot gets me connected in every case so far.