Tundra Grandby combo

[funemployed]

Hello, I recently purchased a 2002 Grandby on f350. This is my first truck and first truck camper. Though I love the FWC the truck is way too large. The owner, who I trust, claims the camper has a dry weight of 750. I would like to switch to a Tundra 2000-2008. Anybody carried a older grandby on a older tundra? Or have any recommendations? We will likely have alot of the gear with us on most trips. Just looking for a reliable setup. Appreciate the help!

 

[DavidGraves]

Howdy

Many larger truck stops will have scales where you can pay to have your rig weighed....you will have to get some factory spec for the weight of your truck in order to deduct from the total and determine weight of the camper.

In Oregon there are free roadside commercial scales where you do the same thing.

I suspect your camper weighs more than 750 # but why not just weigh it to find out ?

Hope this helps

David Graves

 

[Lighthawk]

A Grandby requires an eight foot bed, I believe. Tundra usually has a 6.5' bed, and is maxxed out with a Hawk.

 

[PaulT]

The sticker weight on my 2014 front dinette Hawk is 875 lbs. The completed dry weight on my Hawk paperwork is 1463 lbs. After adding water, propane, camping gear, the weight is higher than that.

My Hawk is on a second gen Tundra Double Cab with 6.5' bed. A front dinette Hawk or Grandby has the batteries, propane, and portapotti at the rear of the camper. That means that the batteries and portapotti weight in a Grandby would be hanging out in the air with no support.

I am looking for a F350 or Ram 3500 to replace my Tundra. It seems like you have a well-balanced rig now. If the setup is too big, why not consider trading for a Fleet or Bobcat on a Tacoma or similar pickup if you need something smaller and less expensive?

Paul

 

[AWG_Pics]

I have a hawk on a 2019 Tundra double cab. E tires and ride-rite airbags. As Lighthawk said -- that is about as much as I would put on the Tundra. You either need a bigger truck or a lighter camper.

 

[BrianG]

I check the weight of my setup every spring before the camper goes on the truck. I run the truck to a local weight station with full fuel w/o my Hawk. Then I do it again with the Hawk on, this gives me an accurate weight for my Hawk. Of course, I have Ram 3500, so weight is never an issue. You could do the same in reverse.

 

[funemployed]

Appreciate all the responses and advice! Do you think a long bed Tundra (if I was able to find one that is) would work better? It would at least support the full length of the camper. But I am weary over going over the payload..

 

[Huckleberry]

I recently sold my 2002 tundra due to the fact that I was feeling overloaded with my 1997 hawk. I had airbags with daystar cradles and a skyjacker add a leaf and it was still a little much. If the camper was empty or lightly loaded it would do fine. With two kids two dogs and a wife that overpacks lightly loaded rarely happens. I switched to an f250 and couldn’t be happier. I miss the compact size of the tundra but I’m still able to manage.

All this being said there is a guy on YouTube that has some videos about his grandby on his first gen double cab tundra

 

[Taku]

We have been running an ATC Ocelot on our 2005 Tundra AC for eight years. It is a bit of a light build, but drive on a regular basis over Teton Pass and have never felt underpowered or underbraked. Stock shocks, Hellwig sway bar and airbags. Have never weighed the whole unit, but almost 110K miles on this setup and no problems.

 

[Beach]

If your replacing the truck, get what you(read camper) needs, an 8' bed. Either a 1/2 ton with a payload option or 3/4 ton or bigger.