Great article on Hallmarks

[smlobx]

Enjoy!

http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/off-road/adventures/truck-camping-edge/

 

[Vic]

neat article and they are really out enjoying that camper. Hope to take ours to some of those places too.

 

[Bigfoot]

Interesting that they--and Hallmark--put it on a Power Wagon which Ram specifically forbids. They did add airbags and a rear sway bar although I'm sure the combo exceeds the GVWR and returns dreadful fuel mileage. The combo must work okay given how much they use it.

 

[smlobx]

Bigfoot-
Don't you think that every TC that uses a Tacoma is over their GVW? For that matter most half tons exceed their gvwr's as well..

Life is a trade off sometimes.

 

[enelson]

Interesting that they--and Hallmark--put it on a Power Wagon which Ram specifically forbids. They did add airbags and a rear sway bar although I'm sure the combo exceeds the GVWR and returns dreadful fuel mileage. The combo must work okay given how much they use it.

I know what you're saying. That rig came by us on I70 on our way to Moab this past spring. I thought, that's a Power Wagon and it has a camper hanging off the back even. I paced the rig for a bit but he was going over 80mi/hr and my gas mileage falls of a cliff over 75mi/hr so I backed off. I read that the truck has air bags and a rear sway bar. I think Andy at Hallmark had a Power Wagon for a while and had the camper on for their Moab pics. The Power Wagon is an amazing rig but a stock 1ton would be a better choice 99% of the time.

 

[Bigfoot]

Bigfoot-
Don't you think that every TC that uses a Tacoma is over their GVW? For that matter most half tons exceed their gvwr's as well..
Life is a trade off sometimes.

There's trade-offs and there's risky choices. The Taco is a tough little truck that can take some extra weight. I borrowed one that was 1500 lbs over GVWR and although it was woefully underpowered it drove okay (it had suspension mods). In contrast the Power Wagon is intended for off-road articulation, not load, and can be dangerous with a camper. Suspension mods would help but go against the design.

 

[sourdough]

Overloading? Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

 

[DoGMAtix]

I have to concur with Bigfoot, but that Power Wagon sure does look like a great truck for off road driving. We're getting our 2500 CTD prepared for more rugged terrain, unfortunately we'll have to get skid plates custom fabricated to protect the gas tank and transfer case (they factory make them for power wagons, but not 2500s ). And the winch in the Power Wagon's front bumper is pretty slick, too. For now we're packing a compressor to air down when things get rough, and a shovel. Maybe a winch is in our future. No regrets about going with a 3/4 ton diesel truck and slightly smaller camper (Hallmark Guanella). Maybe if we didn't have 3 year old twins we'd be in a Power Wagon with a Flip Pac on back. That setup would off-road like a dream. 15 years till the urchins are fledged, then we'll see!

 

[UHAULER]

There's trade-offs and there's risky choices. The Taco is a tough little truck that can take some extra weight. I borrowed one that was 1500 lbs over GVWR and although it was woefully underpowered it drove okay (it had suspension mods). In contrast the Power Wagon is intended for off-road articulation, not load, and can be dangerous with a camper. Suspension mods would help but go against the design.

So you are saying that a Tacoma 1,500# over gross is ok while a power wagon with huge axles,brakes,frame,etc. is not suitable, even with the suspension modified to haul a camper ?

 

[enelson]

The point is that removing the flex from the suspension in order to carry a camper is counter to what the Power Wagon is really good at, rock crawling. The article says they remove the camper and use the truck that way during trips. This makes more sense for a Power Wagon than full timing the camper on.

 

[buzzman]

I love their photos! Makes mine look really mediocure.

Buzz

 

[Bigfoot]

So you are saying that a Tacoma 1,500# over gross is ok while a power wagon with huge axles,brakes,frame,etc. is not suitable, even with the suspension modified to haul a camper ?

The Tacoma was not okay IMHO but it did show me to what extremes the truck can be pushed. The Ram 2500 can certainly carry the weight of a moderate slide-in camper especially with suspension mods. However, a 2500 Power Wagon has extra height and a soft suspension purpose built for off-roading, characteristics that make a camper dangerous. To be sure the Power Wagon suspension could be custom modified to carry the weight, but that sacrifices some off-road ability (and probably part of the warranty). Owner's choice but if it were me I'd more likely keep the truck stock and tow a small, rugged travel trailer.