Im thinking about purchasing a camper for my 2012 ram 2500.
I have never owned one before and know very little about them.

Any comments as to brand ,size ,safety issues ,hauling issues orwhat to look for would greatly be appreciated.
thanks

 

Truck campers are great, I've had a few over the years. Here's what I learned...

Pluses: Easy to get into/out of tight camping spots (just watch for trees), usually less expensive than a trailer, but there are some nice ($$) ones out there too. Usually way cheaper to register, if required at all. Can tow your boat or other toys behind. No tires or axle bearings to worry about.

Minuses: More difficult to "hook-up" and go (loading and unloading takes a little more time than a trailer). Need to install camper tie downs- these can get a little pricey for heavier campers. Lots of steps- better have good knees- both to get in and out of the camper and climbing into bed. Tighter quarters compared to a trailer.

I don't know of any "bad" brands personally, just be picky about construction. If mpgs are a factor you might want to look at pop-up truck campers (Palomino, FourWheel, SixPack) but those are more difficult to find with a potty ("self contained").

Oh, and you might get more recommendations by posting in the towing hauling/RV section.

 

There are some good rv forums out there. rv.net is one, also google Lance Owners of America, it is very good, mostly Lance stuff discussed but good basic info also.

I you dig a bit you will find most people are over their payload of the truck especially with a single rear wheel set up. With your 2500 you will be more limited yet.

Good brands IMHO:

Lance--most campers sold in the world, make both non slide and slide models-what I bought

Artic Fox-heavy but good quality and well thought out

Northern Lite - Canadian, good quality, no slides

Big Foot - Canadian built, good quality, most do not have slides

Alpenlite-(Western Wilderness) - out of business in 2007-aluminum framed

There are many other makes that are good, but the ones listed are above average, alot to learn.

If I had to do it again would have bought a dually since I would have had alot more to choose from.

Wife loves ours, much nicer than sleeping in a tent.

 

Two words: Eagle Cap!

The benefit of truck campers are great, while the shortcomings can be a little steep. For example: Room in any truck camper is limited. While they have all the amenities these days (or at least can be ordered/found that way) they still are very compact. I recommend researching what you really want and need, then find brands/models that have those options.

Truck campers are all cargo - every ounce is load on the truck. You can't do anything much about distributing load, or adjusting the hitch to improve handling. Get a truck camper that fits payload well, and think about the Center of Gravity when loaded. My camper is awesome, but it wasn't suited well to my Mega Cab. My 3500 dually crew cab handles it like they were made for each other!

My camper is actually in the classifieds here, but look at all your options. If you have young kids, the various brands work well. If you have teens or taller family members, then getting the longest dinette / bunks are important. My wife and I love the queen bed in the cabover, but my sons are getting too tall for the other sleeping areas now.

As mentioned, dually pickups are best for heavy campers and allow the most options for you. If I were to do it over, I might have bought a pop-up model with much lighter weight strictly for boondocking. Of course, my wife and kids love the bathroom and amenities of the camper when it is really cold or raining, so maybe I would have bought this one anyway.

I love having the flexibility to drive into the back country to camp, vs. limiting our excursions to a campground/park with room for a trailer or fifth wheel.

 

Slightly off topic, but pertinent to the discussion. My 2012 1ton SRW came with a slip in the owners manual that said it wasn't recommended for a slide-in camper... Didn't explain why, but I would guess it's the lighter gauge sheet metal being used... It sure seems a lot lighter than my older trucks. Anyone else see that with theirs? Any real issues with this or do you think it is just a legal maneuver to limit liabilities down the road??

 

Every time I look at mine another dent appears . No wonder so many guys go to a flatbed if their truck is actually used like a truck.

Back to campers, a direct-to-frame tie down (e.g. Torklift or even HappyJac) seems like it wouldn't hurt the bed any.

 

I have a 2010 CTD LB SRW, bought it used so did not get to see that piece of paper. I think it is a legal move on Dodge's part. The payload limit is around 2900 pounds, this information is available if you want exact.

I have a Lance 950S which as delivered weighs 3125 pounds with water and both black & grey tanks dry (Lance has a confusing weight sticker). But with water, some camping gear and options it scaled out more like 3800 pounds. My rear axle was about 6500 pounds on a scale. The camper slowly is gaining weight as it ages like all of us so those number probably are 100 pounds or so a tire low now.

My truck has airbags, Hellwig rear sway bar, TOYO 285-70-17 E 126 tires rated at 3750 pounds each at 80 psi.

The only unknown is the rims. I have tried getting an answer from Dodge and the Manufacturer Fumagalli and just get "that information is unavailable".

That said, the truck handles the load fine, you do have to be aware and drive safely, leave room to stop.

Not sure how much either the airbags or the Hellwig helped. I find that if I use high pressure in them the truck sways more. The Bigwig did make the truck corner flatter but does not make it a sports car.

Tire change did not notice real difference but had BFG TA ko's in stock size E rated at 3195#, they were very good. But knowing the extra tire capacity gives some peace of mind.

Get a good system to tie your camper to the truck either Torklift or Happijacs are very good.

Hope this helps some.

 

The qcsb's all came with the disclaimer in 2007. I believe the reasoning is the imbalance due to so much load aft of the rear axle.
I've got a standard cab and the load is almost perfectly balanced. The same camper on a shortbed with tailgate down on a friend's reflects a 2000# difference between the front and rear axles when weighed.
The salesguys will tell you anything.
As mentioned,the rv forums are the Bible on this subject.

 

I have. Adventure 90fws. I have 200lbs to spare on the front axle. I will always own a truck camper. Before committing to the camper have them load it up and weigh the thing. The sticker weight and true weight can be off by a few hundred pounds.