Idaho Guy

After years of camping in a Nash 19B TT, the wife and I have decided that we'll be buying a new Arctic Fox model 811 sometime this winter. I figure it'll weigh about 3800lbs wet and loaded.

We have a 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 CTD, bone stock. Before we purchase this heavy camper, I'll be installing Firestone airbags, buying new E-rated 285 tires on my stock wheels, and the dealer will be installing FRAME-MOUNTED tie-downs.

Anyone here hauling this camper or a similar one on a SRW truck? If so, are you happy with the way your truck handles the load? Any regrets? Any advice?? Thanks.

CTDinMT

I had a 8.5' Lance for a few years on my SRW 3500. Definately get the airbags. They, along with the Hellwig sway bar on the back helped A LOT! If you haven't driven with a slide-in before, it's an experience. You'll probably white-knuckle the wheel a bit in the beginning, because even with the sway bar and air bags, you'll have some side to side sway and porpoising. My next investment into the truck had I not traded my slide-in on a toy hauler was a Lorenz leveling kit w/ the 23% increased spring rate to reduce some more of the sway.

kaywt

3800lbs is way to much for a Ram 2500 - you definately want to stay under 2500lbs.
My Bigfoot weighs in at 2300lbs dry. I've added Rancho 9000XL shocks, a Helwig sway-bar, and a set of PacBrake air springs. Sets nice and rides good. The air springs really helped with towing a trailer with ATV's.

This picture was taken before I had the air springs.

Fueling around

I have a 2,000 lb (DRY WEIGHT) camper and sometimes that is a handful (of steering wheel) to drive.

A buddy of mine has a camper and I think the weight is around 3,500 pounds. It was too much for his ¾ ton even with airbags & sway bar. He finally got a newer truck with training wheels and is very happy.

Remember, dry weight is pretty conservative. Loaded weight adds another 500 to 1,500 pounds.

diesel96

I just bought a 2001 Arctic Fox 1150. I haul it with a 96 duelly. The dry weight posted in the literature is a little misleading. you have to add all the options as well. Our capacities are very similar, except for black water, which is not a factor, because you do not travel with black water anyway.
When i weighed my truck/camper combination, no fluids, no cargo, only a full tank of fuel, i weighed 12000 lbs. Granted, my camper is loaded, nearly every option available. The trucks GVWR is 11000 lbs. I am a 1000 lbs. over weight, with no cargo, or fluids!
The truck seems to handle the weight OK, enough brakes and power, and i did have to install air bags which i inflate to nearly 100 lbs.
The previous owner had a 1 ton SRW, but had to sell the camper because he kept blowing out rear tires on the truck.
I would suggest you carefully determine your actual,( going down the road ),weight.........As a side note; the Arctic Fox, is a beautiful camper!!
Good luck............Terry

J&L

I have a '03 2500 2wd Dodge. We have a 6000 RAWR on these trucks. My trucks empty rear weight is 2800 lbs which leaves me 3200 lb for a max payload before going over my stock RAWR/tire caps. Your 2500 4x4 rear empty axle weight is close to 3000 lbs which leaves you around 3000 lbs for a max payload. Your going to need a 3400-3500 lb capacity E tire and wheel for that 3800 lb camper. The stock wheels are most likely rated the same as a 3500 SRW as their the same wheels. 3800 lbs is a lot of weight so move up in tire capacity if possible.

silverbullet02

So who all's got one. I see this thread is a couple years old. I'm going down to look at one this weekend. I've got Rancho 9000's, Roadmaster sway bar, Firestone bags, and Rickson wheels with Michelin 225/70 R19.5. And if you have one, how do you like it?

bigwheels94

I have a Okanagan 90W that brings my actual weight up to 12K# on my 3/4 ton SRW. But I have made several mods to accommodate it. It rides fine. I haul it over 3K miles a yr hunting, & cross several mtn/ passes in the process. I wouldn't mind converting to duals but just to get a set of spare wheels back there in case of a blow out. But I haven't needed them. I have 3500# rated wheels, & the Toyo 285's are rated for 3600#+. I run about 70-80# in the bags, & with the Helwig sway bar, I have no problems. Pics are in my gallery if you want to look.

gorms

I used to have a 72 Amerigo 11' slide in. I really miss it, much easier driving around. But a tree fell on it 2 years ago, so we eventually replaced it with a 27' trailer. This thing was HEAVY though, had a pop out bed in the back, and the previous owners really liked oak! All trim and cabinets were oak, oak floor, and real wood paneling inside. White knuckle first trip to say the least, back before I had the front end straightened out! All the truck has is stock camper package, did handle the weight fairly well. A good dip in the road would make it teeter totter a bit, but nothing uncontrollable with a safe speed.

And actually, thinking back, we got the truck because of the camper! My dad was given the camper for something, and he had no need for it and my old 1500 had no chance of moving it around. So we drove around a few small local dealerships and found black betty!

Busboy

Don't forget GVWR. Gross vehicle weight ratio is the maximum the truck combined with everything can weigh. This is 8800lbs or 9000lbs on some years. A 4X4 extended cab truck with full fuel and two people weighs something like 7200lbs. That only leaves.... not much.

Richard Hillman

works fine with Firestone 5000 airbags, torqlift load levelers, bilstein 4600 shocks with rear specified for Camper (575 last three on serial number). Truck is 5400 plus 3500 for loaded Camper equals 8900 and max is 9000. Truck maxes out at 6100 over rear wheels. So all seems good at maxing out specs...

Rich-Bungee

Gordsram

You will be wayyyyy over loaded! Other than the white knuckle driving experience, you will be overloading your back tires. With the AF you are in dually territory.
For more info ( and lots of responses from the weight police .....LOL ) check out Camper Forums on RV. Net.
And yes we have done extensive RVing with a 9.5' Bigfoot. First with a 3/4 ton GMC, which wouldn't cut it and upgraded to a 2004 ram dually. World of difference. We are now towing a 27T Arctic Fox and are waiting for delivery of our new Ram 3500 long box.