1STGENFARMBOY

yes it was a W250, but I felt like I needed more tire, I am starting to make my front spacers as we speak, I added airbags, helwig bar and removed 2 leafs from each side of the read spring pack, I am also adding some overloads with adjustable stops. all this just so I can get a little better ride but not sacrifice load hauling ability.

thanks for the nice words guys, it's been a labor of love/hate/love kinda thing.


here it is as a SRW.

Will Willard

I just went through this exact same thing. Wife wanted a camper, and I wanted a slide in, I ended up getting the slide in. Its an 11 foot apache that weighs about 1700 pounds dry weight. I strapped this camper on a f150 with rubber bumb stops over my rear Axel. I left Tishomingo Oklahoma and went up interstate 35 to Oklahoma city and hit 40 west and hauled it to the Grand canyon lol. Here is the cool part, I got tired in New Mexico and wheeled it up in a loves gas station and crashed for the night. It has a 40 gallon water tank, fridge, bathroom, shower, 3 burner stove, microwave, everything you need, And when Im driving down the road it charges the batteries in my slide in through the plug at the bumper. The next night we were at the Grand Canyon national forest and state park right at dark. The front desk was closed and all the RV spots were taken up, There was a sign on the window that said closed for the night and to go on in and enjoy your Visit. I drove in like I had good sense and pulled up in lot 4 thats for vehicles only right on the edge of the south rim and right in front of the little country store and coffee shop. I turned my fridge to run on propane , locked the doors and walked to the rim and chilled for a few minutes and went back to the camper and went to bed. No way I could pull this off with a rv behind me, They arent even allowed to park there. I can park in a normal walmart slot or anywhere. I stayed for 2 days and 3 nights and nobody said a word. And did not cost a dime. When we left I stopped at a loves and payed 7 bucks and dumped the grey and black water and drove through the providence mountains and on to Bakersfield and camped in Brother in laws front yard , Then next day lit out to Cambria on the pacific coast where we had a Beach house reserved for 2 nights, Then down the coast to Cyucos , And so on. And then back to the Grand Canyon, and camped wherever we wanted all the way back to Oklahoma lol. My point is with the slide in your just like any other car or pickup. I did this all with a half ton ford gas pickup truck and averaged about 12 miles to the Gallon. Half the time the wife was in the back of my pickup sleeping and reading and had a bathroom , water, refrigerator , stove, microwave, closets, clothes, food, pets. By the 2 day of the trip she was praising me for getting the slide in camper. For 2 adults and 2 small kids it was perfect. One kid even slept in the full back seat of the f150. The only problem I had was hills and wind , And friends thats why Im here at this Diesel website looking to learn about and buy a 3/4 or 1 ton Dodge cummins Diesel. Slide in Campers are wonderful things, Long as you dont have a large family. With a slide in camper it simplifies things.

Danderson

My 8' Northstar popup weighs 1900# wet. You've got a very light 11' hardwalled camper.

Will Willard

You may be on to something Sir, Im new at all this , and Im new here on this forum. Ill try and upload a picture so you can check it out. Maybe you can shed some light on a few things for me because this is my first camper, and this is my first trip like this that I have been on. I need to talk with some experienced folks and learn maybe what Dodge truck would be best for me. Ill get you some pictures on here.

Danderson

Usually there's a product label on the rear of the camper. If faded a run to a public scale will yield you a total weight. Return without the camper and you'll know what it weighs. I'd think 3000# would be more like it.
A 3500 qclb srw will handle the weight better with better shocks and airbags. a dually would be the ultimate.

Will Willard

Will Willard

I sure do admire that truck

Danderson

That's a very aerodynamic nose.

Will Willard

I picked it up off of craigslist for 6 grand. Its in good shape. I think it came from Minnesota so it has no Ac but has very good insulation because if I keep the doors closed it stays cool inside for ours even in the desert. But has a 14/14 vent and 110 plug in ceiling so I'm going to camper world for a Ac. It came fully loaded though, satellite on top, stereo speakers, propane tanks, and a true deep cycle on board. Couldn't go wrong for 6 thousand.

mtdoragary

I've had two Class A motorhomes, two bumper pulls and three truck campers. Truck campers with slideouts and generator have it all over TT's and MH's, but they don't last long! Room? a truck camper with a slideout will make you instantly forget you're in the back of a truck! But a Hi-Low bumper pull will give you the best fuel mileage.

mtdoragary

And with a Cummins dually and a 11' truck camper with slideout and generator, you can handle a family of four easily.

mtdoragary

We used our tuck campers ten times as often as our travel trailers, simply because we could tow behind it!

mtdoragary

I've had tires blow on my dually while carryng my Lance and my Northwoods, and I'm sure glad there was an extra tire back there. I wouldn't even THINK of carrying a truck camper on a SRW.

Will Willard

I kind of figured that they may be built a little lite and may not last long. I am keeping mine inside a barn when not in use, And Im also going to make sure and keep it well sealed. I would think though that TT would have the same Issues though wouldn't they. Do you think keeping it inside when not in use will prolong the life a good bit? I think I mostly have to worry about my roof because the sides are aluminum.

mtdoragary

My loaded Arctic Fox with slide-out weighed 3500 pounds. But it was built before they switched to aluminum frames and the condensation from the refrigerator caused a lot of rot I had to repair. As long as you keep it in the barn, it should last you a long time. But beware of squirrels: the bushy-tailed rats ate the wiring out of my generator and refrigerator.