Ram Truck Not Recommended For Slide In Camper

[Dphillip]

My buddy has a 2011 Ram regular cab 3/4 ton truck and he's been in the market for a slide in camper. While doing research he found a warning sheet in his owners paperwork that says "this vehicle is not recommended for a slide in camper". What could that be all about? This is a big massive 3/4 ton truck, perfect for a camper.

 

[Beach]

Could be something about how the bed is constructed, the newer truck beds are pretty flimsy or it might be just to gives them an out if you do mount a camper and then there is an issue with the truck.

 

[Ace!]

Manufacturers often offer a "camper" package (maybe a sway bar, add-a-leaf). If it doesn't have a camper package it is not recommended you put a slide-in camper on the truck. His truck probably isn't recommended to be converted to an ambulance either.

 

[Squatch]

A lot of trucks have come with that in the manual over the years. It's a legal way out for them if something goes wrong.

I think the super deep beds they are putting on trucks these days are sorta the same thing. Too many boneheads just throw stuff in the back without lashing it down properly. Then they fly out on the highway. I had a gas grill launch out of a truck in front of me a few years ago. A lot of folks hit the ditch and the driver just kept on going. Make the bed deep enough and most stuff can't get loose.

 

[Vic]

Is it a Power Wagon? I believe all of the Power Wagon's were labeled as 'no camper' due to the softer suspension for articulation (although many many folks have found it to be a good platform after all)

 

[Dphillip]

It's not a Power Wagon but does have 4 wheel drive with a snow plow package.

 

[norcalhawk]

It all comes down to Payload. Depending on your truck set up, options, heavy motors, snow plows, Power Wagon's etc....Payloads (2500/3500) vary from ~1400-4000+ pounds.

 

[iowahiker]

My understanding is once-upon-a-time a guy plowed snow with his camper on the truck and destroyed the front end of the truck which was repaired under warranty. And so... if a truck has the snow plow package, then something will say no camper, if a truck has the camper package, then something will say no plowing.

 

[srileo]

I have read on here somewhere that the warning in that manual was an out-of-date edition. I think it was for either Ram or Chevy. I wouldnt worry unless it is a PowerWagon

 

[Backroad Joe]

BS! That's a lawyer label. How can they possibly reach that conclusion without knowing the camper attributes. Campers come in many, many different weights and sizes. The link below is their own Camper Application Guide. The blue highlighted models are not recommended for campers. It includes almost the entire 1500 line, even some 2500 4x4s. What a joke!

Notice their legal council carefully crafted that to read "not recommended" as opposed to "the user shall not..."

I don't recall this prior to Fiat taking over Chrysler.

https://www.ramtrucks.com/download/pdf/manuals/2015-RAM_15_25_35-Camper-Guide-3rd.pdf

 

[Ace!]

How can they possibly say you can use it for a camper without knowing the camper attributes. Campers come in many, many different weights and sizes. How can a truck manufacturer tell you your truck can possibly haul a camper without knowing the camper attributes.

It boils down to the consumer, not the manufacturer, needing to determine if your truck can haul any given camper.

It's not a lawyer label, it's a common sense label.

Just as I posted above, the manufacturer sells a camper package with a set of additional parts. If you don't get the camper package they aren't going to tell you the truck can haul a camper. Common sense.

 

[2tallDA]

A shortbed,4door Dodge carries that warning due to the tail heavy nature of a cabover. A QC Longbed or regular cab like mine doesn't carry that warning.
My friend has an 8' Northstar TC800 shortbed model. I would guess that the rear axle load is 2K# over the front.
It's all about load distribution.
My truck has axle loads of 4400# front and 4000# rear. Nearly perfect weight distribution.

 

[Dphillip]

My friends truck is a regular cab 8 foot bed. After some research it appears the problem is his snow plow package. Apparently Ram attorneys are afraid people will be plowing snow with a camper mounted in the bed. I suppose it's happened, thank goodness there are people to protect us for ourselves.

 

[JHanson]

I don't recall this prior to Fiat taking over Chrysler.

Don't be too sure. At least 15 years ago my friend Jack Dykinga had a camper on a new Dodge truck, and the bed's sheet metal began splitting within months. When he took it in the company tried to claim the truck was not meant to carry a camper. He prevailed in the end and got a new bed, but sold the truck shortly thereafter.

 

[Ace!]

What bothers me is that people don't take responsibility when they don't use common sense. It'd be one thing if people put a camper in the bed then a snow plow on the front, but they want to sue a truck manufacturer for not telling them they shouldn't do it. That's why auto manufacturers have attorneys and why they have to put a no camper (for dummies) sticker somewhere.

 

[2tallDA]

Don't be too sure. At least 15 years ago my friend Jack Dykinga had a camper on a new Dodge truck, and the bed's sheet metal began splitting within months. When he took it in the company tried to claim the truck was not meant to carry a camper. He prevailed in the end and got a new bed, but sold the truck shortly thereafter.

I'm on the Dodge forums and have never read that but anything's possible. Guy's have got some heavy,large cabovers on there. All the sheetmetals getting thinner and thinner from all the manufacturers.
The newest Tundra's tailgates were collapsing with the weight of ramps used to get the owners motorcycles/atv's into the beds. I remember the article in Petersen's 4wd years ago.

 

[iowahiker]

The "no camper" rating on 3/4 and one ton trucks was discussed on the hard-side RV site a few years ago and the plowing with a camper incident discussed since the camper was a hard-side. Careless behavior and lawyers were not part of the incident and repair of the truck. Some truck owners (not all) like to have weight on the rear axle when plowing and the camper was handy. Also, the plowing with a camper did not violate any warranty metric (exceeding axle limits or GVWR) since the weight of the snow is not included. The truck was repaired without conflict but the either/or requirement was created and more than one truck brand has the either/or.

Considering all the folks with campers on Tacoma's or 1/2 ton trucks a ton over GVWR: plowing with a camper was a "reasonable" activity (until something breaks).

 

[OutdoorAddict]

I thought the reason they put that warning in the manual was because they were worried about increased chance of rollover due to the rise in the vehicles center of gravity with a TC in the bed.

 

[smlobx]

With Ford the "camper package" is nothing more than a rear sway bar. It might be the same with Ram

 

[kmacafee]

I was at an RV show yesterday, talking to a sales guy at a Lance Truck Camper display. All of the Lance's I saw had dry weights ranging from 1800 to 3500 pounds. When I commented that those campers would certainly need a 3/4 or 1 ton truck, he responds "Hell no. Airbags on a 1/2 ton are enough."

My FWC Eagle weighs about 900 pounds dry and my Tacoma required additional leaf and air bags in back to handle the load. Its terrifying that this dealer is loading those campers on 1/2 ton trucks.