Grandby (1999) on 2007 Tundra (6.5ft bed)?

[mtnras]

anyone know for certain, one way or another if it'll work? I've been told that the critical measurement is at the tailgate, which is 60" on my Tundra but I noticed that the width at the wheel well is narrower 50".

mark

 

[Barko1]

My Grandby , a 98 I believe, is 59 5/8" wide, a tight fit. As important is payload and balance. A Tundra has about 1600# available. I imagine my Grandby when heading out may be near 1300#. Add dogs, people, tools and crap I carry and I was over capacity on my F150. I supersized.

 

[mtnras]

My Grandby , a 98 I believe, is 59 5/8" wide, a tight fit. As important is payload and balance. A Tundra has about 1600# available. I imagine my Grandby when heading out may be near 1300#. Add dogs, people, tools and crap I carry and I was over capacity on my F150. I supersized.


with airbags and improved suspension, shouldn't it be able to handle the job. don't plan on keeping it on all the time... only when i'm road tripping.

m

 

[generubin]

with airbags and improved suspension, shouldn't it be able to handle the job. don't plan on keeping it on all the time... only when i'm road tripping.

m


Handle the job? Don't forget the Toyota has a very light duty rear axle, non floating axle bearings, 1/2 ton chassis and the most dangerous part, 1/2 ton brakes. You'll have to plan on your stopping well in advance. Imagine an emergency stop?

 

[NWCamper]

Last I checked, the difference between a the dry weight of a grandby and hawk is only 100#. The longer camper on a shortbed will cause the back to squat on the 1/2 ton but the airbags will take care of that. Dont exceed your payload on the truck and you will be fine.

 

[UglyScout]

Last I checked, the difference between a the dry weight of a grandby and hawk is only 100#. The longer camper on a shortbed will cause the back to squat on the 1/2 ton but the airbags will take care of that. Dont exceed your payload on the truck and you will be fine.


But, last time I checked who runs at dry weight?

My grandby weighed in at about 1500 pounds when fully loaded and ready to go for a week with supplies and water for 2 guys... Just sayin'

 

[NWCamper]

But, last time I checked who runs at dry weight?

My grandby weighed in at about 1500 pounds when fully loaded and ready to go for a week with supplies and water for 2 guys... Just sayin'


Im just sayin that a Grandby will be fine on a 1/2 ton if you have airbags and don't exceed your truck payload. Lots of guys on this forum suggest that a Grandby should automatically be on a 3/4 ton. I guess I just dont understand why if it only weighs 100# more? Buying the longer camper certainly does not mean you should exceed the truck payload. Buy a 3/4 for sure if you plan on bringing more than 900# of gear. Air bags and new suspension wont help you.

 

[Barko1]

Im just sayin that a Grandby will be fine on a 1/2 ton if you have airbags and don't exceed your truck payload. Lots of guys on this forum suggest that a Grandby should automatically be on a 3/4 ton. I guess I just dont understand why if it only weighs 100# more? Buying the longer camper certainly does not mean you should exceed the truck payload. Buy a 3/4 for sure if you plan on bringing more than 900# of gear. Air bags and new suspension wont help you.



Grandby would be fine if you didn't exceed payload but what us being said is that it is almost impossible not to. UglyScout weighed his at 1500 loaded up. As soon as you get in the cab it is over. It can do it but lots of things will be strained and as generubin said the 1/2 tons don't have the brakes of a 3/4 ton. I hauled mine around on an F150 with airbags for a year or so and no failures or emergency braking situations, and that was on a long bad so it fit, but you could always feel it was overloaded. So I found a older 7.3, gave it airbags and new springs there is no more strain. I wish I could have just kept it on the 150 but parking is not an issue for me so I have both.

 

[UglyScout]

Buy a 3/4 for sure if you plan on bringing more than 900# of gear. Air bags and new suspension wont help you.


I don't think the 900 pounds was all gear. I think the actual camper weighs a lot more when outfitted with the options most people have than the listed dry weight everyone tosses around. Does the dry weight count a full propane tank, a full water tank, a battery, a 3-way fridge, a heater, etc? I don't know.

But I also agree a 1/2 ton truck can be a great option for some people to haul around a grandby. Just not me

 

[NWCamper]

I don't think dry weight includes propane and water etc. My point is that a hawk and a grandby with the same options and same amount of gear differ by only 100#. Not much in my opinion. It is a personal choice in the end.

 

[griz]

You can do anything you like but remember, a 1/2t is a 1/2t. I know for a fact that if you are over weight your playing with fire with insurance companies. If there is a way out of paying they will find it.??????

 

[krj]

I've got an '89 Grandby on my '03 Tundra -w/ air bags- and haven't had any problems. The truck doesn't feel it and braking has not been a problem (I had brakes checked before and after the trip). Is it slightly over weight? Yes. I weighed it on the way to Baja and was 100+ lbs overweight. I think your 2007 has 100-150lb higher GVWR than my 2003. I put close to 7000mls on that trip and had no problems.
The air bags help ride but do nothing to help axle shaft or wheel bearings. My suggestions would be to check bearings more often (I'm guilty of not doing that) and be prepared to replace an axle shaft in the field.
Keep weight down where possible. For instance, I removed the rear seat, which I would guess weighs 35 or 40lbs. I also built a flatbed which shaved 40lbs off the weight of the stock bed and gave much more storage room. Keep weight as far forward as possible. With this in mind, I will be moving my water tank from the back to under the storage at the front of the camper.
On that same trip I met multiple people with Tundras and MUCH larger campers than ours - Jescos, Hallmarks, even some hardsided units. Some were on their third trip with out any problems. Not to mention all the early 80's hilux's carrying 2 horses in their beds! All this doesn't mean you won't have any problems, so don't come knocking if the s#@t hits the fan!
For me, part of the beauty of our campers is the ability to use them with 1/2 ton trucks. If I had a 3/4 ton truck, I would have a much larger slide in popup. Just my 2 cents.
I say put it in and enjoy both the camper and the best 1/2 ton truck out there!

 

[mtnras]

well i pulled the trigger. 2002 Grandby, all the way from San Diego to Boise, Idaho this past weekend. fit was perfect w/ a platform. Truck drove just fine w/ an empty camper. Braking, acceleration almost like an empty truck. very little sway w/ turning. i did have a spring kit added to my truck yesterday which allegedly adds about 800# to the carrying capacity.

gas milage took a bigger hit then expected. 16mpg to 10mpg! any advice on fairings?

m

 

[chnlisle]

I could be wrong (I often am)and I know nothing of fluid dynamics or aerodynamics but I think your fuel efficiency has more to do with weight than wind resistance. I base this on my truck and I have almost no difference in milage with or without the camper.

I really don't recall here on WTW or a couple of other sites where guys with wind deflectors have definitive figures that show they work. Further, it seems to me, that without a wind tunnel keeping all things equal its just a crap shoot on the results. I would love to be able to increase fuel efficiency with a wind deflector but so far I don't see a lot of evidence they work.

 

[Barko1]

i did have a spring kit added to my truck yesterday which allegedly adds about 800# to the carrying capacity.




Allegedly In reality doesn't add a pound but should keep the sag to a minimum and keep your headlights pointing down the road. You can help it out by making sure you have tires that are rated better than your load which will be a good 6500#.