How big (heavy) of a camper can I safely put on a 93 D250.

I was told by a dealert that i shouldn't go with one with popouts or that extended much over the back.

I will be towing a boat (3500lbs)

I have air bags already, what else would I need to make it ride correct.

Thanks in advance.

 

Well, the GVWR is 8510 lbs, and the truck probably weighs around 6400 lbs empty. So technically you only have 2000 lbs to work with, and that includes all the crap you have to pack in the truck and camper when you go on a trip.

I think you ought to convert it to a dually and upgrade the rear brakes, then you have home-built a D350 which has a GVWR of 10,100, giving you 3500 lbs for the camper and cargo.

The trailer doesn't really enter into the equation, you will be under the GCVWR with only a 3500 lb trailer as long as the camper doesn't put you over the GVW.

 

flyingd, i'm not sure on slide in campers,but if you look at your GVWR posted somewhere on the door jam it will give vehicle weight, combined weight (GVWR) pulling a trailer or travel trailer,boat etc. and gross weight what you can carry in bed. If you have any more questions i know Bruiser that is on here has a slide in and pulls a trailer with his rockcrawler jeep and accessories. I don't know why dealer told you not to buy a unit with slide outs??? It's all the same when you figure in GVWR. Also if you look on the forums for RV'S farther down the page below the 1st. gen forum i'm sure some of those guys can help you out. Just remember whatever goes in,on,or towed is part of the weight of the vehicle. Augie Dog

 

One issue with towing and a camper that extends too far out the back is the distance between the axle and hitch. The bigger the distance, the easier it is to get sway. Been my experience that boats are less prone to sway than camping trailers. If I were approaching the GVW and or GCVWR I would make sure that I had all the benefits of sway bars on the rear.

If approaching the limit, Wanna has the best suggestion - double up the rear wheels. It is amazing what that does.

I use to tow a 24' travel trailer with an adequate 3/4 ton extended van. Being extended cuasing long axle to hitch combined with no way to get stiff enough tires made the whole experience bad for my wife and I - she got to the point where she wanted to sell everything. I got the truck - a D350 - and now she loves going as well as driving it. She loves the stability of the rig.

I guess what I am saying is be careful. Watch your weights and how you load. I have seen too many improperly loaded/overloaded towing units off the road twisted they were at the limit and everything worked fine until a nasty crosswind hit.

 

Will I have to change the springs to reach the 10k gvw?

 

If you don't convert to duals, keep in mind the weight capacity of of your tires. Another option might be to upgrade to single 19.5" tires.

 

How many leaves do the rear springs have and do you have overloads?

The softest springs you could get on a D350 were only rated at 5000 lbs, they were used with 1800 lb overloads to get the needed rating.

You may need to add leaves (or a set of air bags) to get the truck to sit level with the camper on board and the boat trailer hooked up. It's not so much a GVW issue as it is a handling and ride quality issue.

 

I have a 67 travel queen that im fixing up, sits on my flatbed, about a foot higher than it should due to the lack of wheel wells. 10 ft long, not sure of the weight, has to be around 3k. I haven't had it loaded up yet, water, extra fuel cans, tools, food, just stuff. empty my truck does it fine, sways a little, but not bad, less than when i carry a cord of oak, so maybe it is less than 3, i don't know. I do know that i intend to also tow our subaru outback behind it, with all our posessions up to alaska next spring, and with out a doubt, im doing front and rear sways, and the 4 leaf helliwig overloads. And i do have brand new 4k stengel bros rear springs. make sure that your front end is in order, nothing like a little deathwobble, down a 7% with 12k in tow to teach a guy that[

 

Wannadiesel, I'd estimate his truck's empty weight at closer to 5500, as my 91 D350 weighed 5000# empty. I think my mom's D350 xcab weighs about 5600. Take off duals, and it is around 54-5500.

I think a 4x4 xcab would be around 6500, though. Had a reg cab 4x4 that was 5950. Have to weigh my 93 W250 to see for sure.

I wouldnt put more than about a 2500# camper, due to the fact you will be at or near your GVWR by the time you add stuff into it. You will have to look around, but there are load range F & G tires in 16" sizes if you are on a budget, or dont want to convert to duals or 19.5s. I'd definitely get a sway bar on the rear, too.

Once you tow and haul with a dually, you will never want to go back. Night and day differnce. Like going from a NA 6.9 Ford to a hopped up CTD Ram. No comparison. Will a SRW tow adequately? Most of the time, yes. Is a dually nicer? Heck yeah.

Daniel

 

the g-rated tires that i have for my trailer are rated @ like 3042 lbs each.

 

I would agree on the 2500# mark..

here is my setup..

'92 W250 with '74 bed camper and 16 foot trailer with Jeep on it..
my bed camper is only about 1250lbs when fully loaded.. the entire thing inside is fiberglass.

 

I think you all are being WAY too cautious! I used to have a 1984 D150 regular cab longbed with a 318. I put a lance camper on there, dryweight 2200 LBS. Stock truck with Timbren rubber blocks under the axle. I drove 20,000 miles all over Texas in three years time, absolutely no problem--sure it was a real pig, but come on! Also, I'm a carpenter and the amount of overloading of any truck I've ever owned is just crazy--like three tons, I'm very sure. So I'm just saying, I think you can put any camper ever made on a diesel D250 and do anything you want, for as long as you want to--I'd head for west Texas tomorrow!! just do it!

 

Estimating 4000# for the Jeep, and 2000# for the trailer, plus the 1250 for the camper, you are within your limits. Isnt the GCVWR around 14K for a 3/4 ton? I'll look in the manual with one of my "new" 1stGens and double check. I'd say make sure you have one axle's worth of trailer brakes, if for no other reason than to keep things straight in a panic stop. I had a trailer jacknife on me one time- ended up costing me $20K in the long run (LOOONG story).

DP

 

i think too many people worry about everything,look a a motorhome on a one chassis with 10 ft of overhang and wonder whos overloaded.