How much truck camper is too much truck camper?

[underpowered]

Hello all! I am brand new to this thread and truck campers in general, BUT I BRING EXCITEMENT!

I have a very novice question for you all, sorry. I searched this thread a bit today, and I think I mostly understand, but I couldn't find a direct answer exactly, so here goes:

I have a compact truck (2006 ford ranger v6) with a 1200# payload (seems pretty standard for a compact truck). I see a lot of pictures on this forum and else where of FWC and ATC on compact trucks that I assume have a similar payload. Seems like with a modest amount of gear (two adults, bikes, dog, food, fuel, etc.) I would end up needing a camper that weighed 600 pounds to stay under payload. I understand that airbags and load rated tires are a must for these small trucks, but even that technically doesn't increase payload. So my question is: Are y'all just running over-full? What are the dangers of that? How much is too much?

 

[LuckyDan]

I’ll share my thoughts. While I have a full sized Grandby and truck, I also own a Ranger. With the weights listed for applicable models running 935 to 1045lbs, and I’m assuming that’s for the regular, not shell, your discretionary payload is a few hundred pounds or so. I’ll venture that most of these configurations you see going down the road are at or a little over the GVWR. As for the other questions, I’ll leave it to others who may actually have that combo to share. I will add that a LOT of Rangers and Tacomas are FWC equipped and perform well. In my area they are popular and I don’t read about them crashed on the highway or see them flipped on their top out in the brush. I can recall only one of the aforementioned scenarios around here, and it involved a full height hard side on a Ranger not a pop up. I know of a similar accident occurring in BC, but IIFC, it too involved a full hard side.

As for the GVW and camper weight topic, a search of the camper section should turn up several threads on it. In my history here it’s been discussed repeatedly.

Good Luck.

 

[Sleddog]

I don't think it is safe to assume that all compact trucks have a payload similar to your Ranger. I had a 2003 Tacoma extra cab with 1600lb payload, some models have even higher capacity.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

I sold my 2007 Ranger (4.0L V6) and ATC Bobcat, but thought both were excellent. The biggest reason for selling was my inability to limit the amount of gear I was taking. I literally drove myself out of room in the camper. It’s surprising how much room an 85 pound wirehair pointer can take up.

If doing It over, I would probably go with another Bobcat, but a bare shell, maybe with a furnace. My camping gear would be minimized in size and quantity to backpacking levels, and activities like cooking would be done outside.

The Ranger did feel somewhat sluggish with the camper on, especially on climbs, but it was able maintain reasonable speeds. Better said, I didn’t have to stay in the right lane and follow the semi trucks.

You will want good tires and airbags on your truck. I went with Airlift bags, as they were the only fit for my truck. The tires were C or D rated Cooper Discoverer AT3s. My opinion is you don’t need an E rated tire. When I had E rated Toyos, the extra rolling weight seem to make the truck even more sluggish to accelerate.

 

[JaSAn]

My advice would be to load up your truck with what you will take: people, pets, bikes, gear, food, water, et.al. and get it weighed.
Then you will know what you have to work with on payload. We all underestimate what our gear weighs.

My opinion is that one is best served by staying under GVWR, but many here run slightly over. You just have to be aware of stopping distances, brake fade on long downhills, side winds, etc.

jim

 

[rubberlegs]

I had the same concerns. We are backpackers and know how to go light. No dogs or bikes and our Tacoma is up to 600 lb above GVWR. Nearly all the weight is on the rear axle.

 

[rando]

I would wager that the vast majority of campers you see on 'small' pickups are over GVWR, and a large fraction on 'mid size' truck are as well. But I would qualify this by saying that GVWR is not some magic number where everything is fine when you are below it, and goes to pot if you exceed it. Weight is a continuum, performance decreases with increasing weight, regardless of the GVWR.

With a smaller pickup (ranger, tacoma, frontier etc) you will need to do some suspension work and should probably replace the tires even if you are not over GVWR, from the factory they are biased towards comfort with light loads. Your truck will be slower off the line and in the hills, the stopping distance will increase and the center of gravity will be higher with a camper. Of course this is true for all vehicles and any load.

There are endless discussions of these points on this and other forums, but take these for what they are, folks BSing on an internet forum. That said, we have been happy with our overweight Tacoma (with upgraded tires and suspension) and have had no inclination to switch to something larger.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Welcome to the cult, Underpowered.
I started my pop up camper experience with a 2009 ATC Bobcat full camper
on an 2006 3.0 V6 Ranger Super Cab. The truck had c rated LT truck tires,Supersprimgs rear.
They were the only mods.

Form 2009/2011 we put on about 20k miles with trips to Yellowstone and Alaska.
Actually the main issue was the 3.0 V6 under powered.
Also the over the road ride,on mainly concrete ones left a lot to be desired.
So on the final trip,Alaska 2011 we said enough of the under power and comfort.
We found a great 2002 Tundra AC 4X4 and after another 35K miles it solved all out issues.

There are several members with the combo you are referring to.
Ski has a Ranger , ATC Bobcat combo with the 4.0 V6 and goes everywhere with it.

As for over GVW well I am sure most of us have that problem.
That issue becomes a more personal thing.

Frank

 

[underpowered]

WOW, This is such an excellent forum. I can't believe the amount of help and feedback y'all provided in one day (the third of July no less). Most other forums I have been on would have said "google it bro" to a question like this! Thanks!

I totally hear you frank, the older I get the more of a personal issue my weight problem becomes....

I appreciate all the excellent experience keep it coming.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

On the GVW issue ,I have no problem being a bit over weight.(truck weight,not me)
but that's as I said a personal thing.

We all bring our personal choices into our travels/camping.

Check out my blog to see the 2 different trucks and how the camper is on each one.

One of the great things about this site is all the collective knowledge and the willingness to share.
Happy 4th.
Frank

 

[rubberlegs]

I would have appreciated a thoughtful answer to the overweight question when I was purchasing, so I will expound a bit. I used to design aircraft including a little bit on landing gear, which means I know enough to be dangerous, but no expert. We ordered our 4WC Fleet, then while waiting for delivery bought an off-road 2018 Tacoma (GAWR: Front: 2910 lb; Rear 3280 lb. GVWR: 5600 lb). We weighed it with two smaller people and a full tank. Front: 2700 lb; Rear: 2000 lb. We were already at 4700 lb, which means only 900 for the camper "wet" left. The truck looks so dang big (I'm a Prius driver) and has less than a half-ton payload. Hmmm.

The day we got the camper, we put 1/4 tank of gas, a few gals of water, (5 gal), removed the sliding bed since we're short, one of the propane tanks, added a nights worth of stuff and weighed it: Front: 2700 lb; Rear: 3150 lb. Right off the bat we are at 92% front and 96% rear but 104% for the total truck. Oops.

Our heaviest weighing so far: 96% front and 109% rear, 113% total (i.e. 2800 front, 3600 rear, 6400 total). That's with two people, about half or 3/4 full water tank, full gas, 2.5 weeks supplies. Yikes.

I try to minimize water en route and fill up only when we need it, like in Death Valley. I drive slow (and walk fast!) and am pretty gentle in rough terrain.

This overweight of 600 lbs really bothered me, but here's how I'm rationalizing.

• The stock kevlar P-rated tires still have quite a bit of margin -- 125% of derated (that 1.1 factor using P-rated tires on trucks). We've been using E-rated tires which have much higher capacity*, and are good for desert rocky travel, but would still use the P's on pavement and forest service roads in Washington.
• Brakes are designed for towing so are probably ok (plus we rarely drive at 70 mph, use low gears on steep downhills).
• Suspension upgrade is just the black Sumosprings which have worked great on all terrain and re-leveled the back end.
• Engine is designed to tow a heavy trailer, should be ok (plus we don't drive 70 up hill -- ok I often drive 50 or less up hill -- what's the rush!).
• The rear axle is loaded about 10% over specs, so I'm drive gently and "hope" the safety factor should cover our bases. Folks really abuse trucks so hopefully Toyota has been conservative.

* We pump up or E-rated tires to 45 psi front, 55-60 psi rear. That's a whole 'nother story I put here:

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Thanks rubberlegs.Your info and comments are very interesting.
IMO the weight thing is a personal thing.
My view similar to yours a bit over works for me.
I have a 02 Tundra with TRD package and airbags.
With a ATC Bobcat full camper.
Frank

 

[WillTheThri11]

This can really be a truck/camper combo specific question. I know Toyota axles are considered a little better than a Dana 40 I believe (this is anecdotal...they break less often according to the internet). If you have good axles and wheel bearings and beef up the suspension and have properly rated tires well the next thing is probably frame twist. You can mostly avoid this issue but driving sensible and not pushing it too hard off road. You can also consider boxing the frame or reinforcing it somehow. Tacomas have a weak shackle mount so some folks put a beefed up one in when doing the suspension. When looking at suspension, remember that stronger springs have to be mounted to the same truck unless you make the truck stronger too. Everything has been designed to work together with factors of safety that aren't published by the manufacturer, but I'd guess 1.5x factors of safety are likely the minimum (someone with automotive experience may know more here). Keep in mind though a 10% increase in payload could lead to a 40% increase in the load on certain parts due to the geometry, moment arms, etc...

As someone else said, towing is usually much higher than the weight of the camper so engine and transmission should have no issues with the weight.

but ya, google it bro