[Jay S]

Originally Posted by chuckies76ta

I looked up the specs on the Camper in original post. It appears to be a Eagle cap. I took the specs from what I believe is there heaviest camper. I came up with 6200 pounds with water and propane. Maybe someone could figure out GVWR of Dodge truck and Payload.

I looked up the GVWR and payload of a 2022 GMC 3500HD dually. Curb weight is 8300 pounds. Payload is 5662 pds. GVWR is 14000 pds. So this camper would be to heavy for this truck?
https://media.gmc.com/media/us/en/gm...2022.tab1.html

Wow! Those campers are freaking heavy!

[Mr Anonymous]

Some friends that do repowers have come up on what they call the "right truck", which is a cummins powered F350. Cummins for the engine, ford for the front suspension.

Those GM 3500HD "cab and chassis" combos have that spacer between the bumper and grille because thats the difference in frame height between a standard frame and an HD. I had a HD with an extended cab, was a 6.5 truck. Sold it to a guy who was gonna repower it with a cummins (that would be damn near indestructible), and it sits to this day exactly where the wrecker delivered it to him. What a shame. An ext cab HD is a bit of a unicorn.

['ol Pinion head]

Originally Posted by Jay S

Wow! Those campers are freaking heavy!

What a monstrosity!
if a RV company product designer wanted to layout the heaviest most massive Brick of an inbed camper, overload the truck's chassis, have the absolute worst coef of drag & absolutely kill MPG, he succeeded.

[chuckies76ta]

I did a little more research. I don't know the Dodge trucks platform. I drive the GMC brand and are more familiar with them. So I came up with the Dodge payload max for Crew cab 4x4 at 6700,5850 or 5590 depending on engine. Crew cab at 6630, 5670 and 5400. Only other Dodge platform in Crew cab 4x2 drive is 7050 pounds.

In my opinion too much weight of camper for truck. One large dip in the road would test this unit.

https://www.ramtruck.ca/documents/ra...rochure-en.pdf

[Jay S]

When we hauled 5500 lbs with our 97 dodge dually it was pretty much bottomed out on all 4 corners!

In addition to the 97 Dodge dually we also have a 97 F350 dually with a 7.3 Powerstroke. There is basically no difference in load capacity between our Ford and Dodge that I can tell. Both have 5 speeds and 300K miles. The Cummins is turned up and has at least 150 HP on the 7.3. All of us here wish the Ford was a Dodge, the cab and interior much nicer and roomier on the Dodge, and the Powerstroke 7.3 versus the cummins is not in the same league. Right now the 7.3 barely runs and needs $1200 worth of injectors.

I don’t think any of the 350 trucks other than these current trucks probably 5 years old or newer would handle those 5K+ Lb campers, and I am pretty skeptical that is a a good idea even on those new trucks that have enough payload rating. We also have a 88 F450 diesel, I think it would hold up those big campers, but it is a 450. It’s suspension and frame is built like a tank. Lol…it also rides like one. It rides so rough empty you get bruises from the lap belt when driving across across rough roads. I get a knot on my head from wearing a ball cap from my head hitting the roof. We have replaced the pop metal bracing under the dash several times because it rides so rough it can’t hold the steering column up, fatigue cracks all over the cab. Ford tough. Lol

[62cat]

Before all the regen and def the dream truck was a Cummins Engine "Ram" , Ford Cab and Chassis with a GM interior. I own a 2006 Dodge 2500 Cummins powered megacab since new. Thought about selling it a few times. Its never let me down.

[62cat]

In the mid to late 90's I used to often replace chassis in the 3500 dually GM for just this reason. This is before they added those reinforcing plates to the chassis.

[misterp266]

Problem is, trucks have turned into luxury family sedans with tiny beds. If they’d put the money into making real trucks again instead of all the “frills”, maybe these things wouldn’t happen.

[455dan]

Originally Posted by 62cat

Before all the regen and def the dream truck was a Cummins Engine "Ram" , Ford Cab and Chassis with a GM interior. I own a 2006 Dodge 2500 Cummins powered megacab since new. Thought about selling it a few times. Its never let me down.

We have 2 of the 3rd gen Rams with the Cummins both first year 2003 models. Dodge advertised that the new frame was stiffer than the old gen 2 trucks.

First year of hydro formed fully boxed (not C channel) 50 KSI steel IIRC.

I would not want a newer RAM Cummins because these have no emission system other than CR injection.
No regen, DEF, DOC, Cooled EGR, CAT, or DPF. 2003 only year built that way

Both trucks have been great so far mine just passed 165k

[67drake]

Originally Posted by misterp266

Problem is, trucks have turned into luxury family sedans with tiny beds. If they’d put the money into making real trucks again instead of all the “frills”, maybe these things wouldn’t happen.

Yeah, try finding an 8’ bed. They’re out there but getting rare.

[Scarebird]

Originally Posted by 67drake

Yeah, try finding an 8’ bed. They’re out there but getting rare.

I tried that just now.

Closest GMC 1/2 ton 8' bed is 643 miles away in SoCal (not TX or Denver???).

$41k for a 2WD 5.3 work truck

But no way it would hold the fat 3 ton camper...

[Jay S]

Originally Posted by 455dan

We have 2 of the 3rd gen Rams with the Cummins both first year 2003 models. Dodge advertised that the new frame was stiffer than the old gen 2 trucks.

First year of hydro formed fully boxed (not C channel) 50 KSI steel IIRC.

I would not want a newer RAM Cummins because these have no emission system other than CR injection.
No regen, DEF, DOC, Cooled EGR, CAT, or DPF. 2003 only year built that way

Both trucks have been great so far mine just passed 165k

We have a 6.7 2008 mega cab 4x4, my brothers daily driver. For the first 230K miles it average 15-16 mpg, the fresh oil would be black as soon as it was started up. Then one day the service engine light came on and the code was for the EGR. Ever since the light came on, it gets 22 to 23 mpg, and the oil looks like new between oil changes. That does not speak very well for that EGR system.

I have averaged nearly 30 (29.7 mpg on the interstate) on a 350 mile round trip with my 2003 4wd 2500, 4 dr short box, usually gets 24 to 25. From what I have heard with my friends running new Diesels the DEF system is an improvement over past emissions equipment, and fuel economy is almost up caught up to our older trucks, I have not heard of anything quite as efficient as the 03 truck though.

[242177P]

Originally Posted by Jay S

... I get a knot on my head from wearing a ball cap from my head hitting the roof.

Can't help you with the ride, but I can save you some pain. Spend a little time and strip those little buttons of off the top of the baseball cap. Pretty sure it's purely cosmetic, I have two ancient button-delete caps that have shown no ill-effect from this operation.

Slice and tear fabric off the button. Pry cap off. Bend little tangs. Garbage can. Your skull will thank you for it. And if you didn't slice/stab yourself you'll be a happy... camper. [pun intended]

[lfdsteve]

Well y’all don’t think the reason why the Chrysler muscle cars are so pricey is because they were great? They’re worth so much because they are rare (because they were built like garbage). Scarcity drives the market. A bit off topic but to
Illustrate they haven’t improved much in the rust department….

[gtokid1968]

Had a 2001 Dodge
2 wheel drive dualy, cummins whit all kinds of performacnes stuff done to it!
2003 Dodge 2 wheel drive dualy cummins
2010 Dodge 3500 4 wheel drive single rear wheel cummins
2016 RAm 2500 4 wheel drive cummins
Still driving the Ram 2018 2500 4 wheel drive Cummins
All with 8 foot bed!
no real problems with any of them!
And have towed why more weight than i should have with all of them!
Have a new Ram 2023 2500 4 wheel driveCummins on order as I text!
Its a GREAT engine in a fair truck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JM2C's!

[72projectbird]

The emission equipment on all my cars/trucks seems to mysteriously fall off. I blame it on all the potholes around here.

[indymanjoe]

Mopar isnt helping the guy.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/auto...ac708860a79b99

[TAKerry]

A 6.4 hemi reg cab has more payload than a 6.7 cummins dually? That stretches it for me a bit. Especially when it looks like the truck in question is at least a 2500(or whatever ram calls them).

One would have to have better knowledge of the payload and factory specs of the exact truck though to know for sure, But if everything was well within standards warranty should def. kick in.

[misterp266]

I’m gonna side with not covered under warranty. I did not realize that it was not an 8’ bed. Only an idiot would buy a short bed truck to put a camper in. It puts the axle too far forward. It sounds as if the dealer told him it would work. Anything for a sale I guess.

[Tom Vaught]

MOST crew cab vehicles, if not all, have the shorter bed, DOH!

Not sure if I have ever seen a Ford Crew Cab vehicle ever offered with a 8 foot bed.
Post up some pictures and I will learn something. IF one is truly made.
Most manufacturers follow the same pattern of cab to bed configurations.

Tom V.