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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.