Will a truck camper fit over the 5er rails in the truck bed?

[joebedford]

I've been hauling a 5er for 20 years and frankly I'm getting tired of it. I've been thinking of leaving my 5er down south and travelling to / from it for the winter; in fact we done it once already. Our 5er is a toy hauler (2 Harleys) so we got a 16 foot cargo trailer to haul the bikes (about 5000lbs all up). We really didn't like having to stay in motels 4 nights in a row (too much stuff to carry for us and the cats).

I'm thinking about getting a truck camper so we can stay in it vs. motels.

I'll be the first to admit that while I know a lot about RVing, I know next to nothing about truck campers. My very first question is this: will a camper fit OK on top of the 5er hitch rails? The hitch is easy to get out but not the rails.

My second question is: is it reasonable to expect my 2011 Silverado 3500HD CCLB dually diesel to handle a camper and a 5000 pound cargo trailer?

Thanks in advance.

[burningman]

About the Northern Lite 10-2… great choice, after owning six or seven campers since the ‘80s I’ll only own a Bigfoot or Northern Lite fiberglass non-slide.
But about the weight, 3360 is pure fantasy. Loaded to go in the real world it’s around 5000 pounds.
Not to scare you off, your truck will be fine. I’m just bringing you up to speed on what it really weighs, and the same is true for every camper. They’re all a lot heavier in the real world than the “dry weight” spec.

I have a Dodge diesel dually and I sometimes tow a 10,000 pound trailer behind it.

[TCBob]

I have a 1999 Ford F350 DRW PSD and a 2004 S&S 8.5. When I bought the truck back in '07 for this TC it was set up for a 5er. I didn't need the rails, so I pulled them. I also lucked out with Air bags already installed w/onboard compressor and in-cab control. They work GREAT to eliminate the "TC Waddle" running down the road.

What I don't see anyone talking about is the cab over clearance. When I first loaded the camper I had 2x4 flat for spacers. The cab over just cleared the cab roof marker lights. I very quickly learned I needed more clearance as the frame flexed enough to crunch the clearance lights at times over bumps. I now understand that with the intro of the Super Duty Ford changed what use to be kind of an industry standard cab height.....so some TC's need extra spacers in the bed. I went to 4x4's (actual 3"). There is more to that for another time.

Bottom line watch the cab over clearance height. It’s not a big deal, just need the right spacing. Depending, of course on the height of your hitch rails, I am pretty sure you could notch the spacers to fit over your rails.

BTW - I lucked out with a great truck & TC combo. My low milage truck just purrs and doesn't seem to make much difference with or without my Utility trailer, with the motorcycles inside, or the boat!

We love convenience of traveling with the TC!

[S_Davis]

srschang wrote:
I have a 2022 Ram dually and a Northstar 12' no slide camper.
- The Northstar is 3300# weighed new at the dealer. With batteries, propane, water, and all the other stuff, ready for camping, it weighs 4800#.
- The Ram dually squats about 3 1/2" when the camper is loaded on the truck. It looks like it's sagging in the back, and I thought about airbags, but then I noticed that the overload springs are just engaging when the camper weight is fully on the truck. If I lifted it at all with airbags, it might look better, but then it would be off the overloads. You don't want that.

Unless you like the water bed feel, air bags are great at leveling side to side but you need your over loads engaged, the more you unload the overloads the bouncier the ride will be.

[Bedlam]

The above is why people use taller pads on their overloads. It will engage them higher and allow the truck to sit more level.

[srschang]

I have a 2022 Ram dually and a Northstar 12' no slide camper.
- The Northstar is 3300# weighed new at the dealer. With batteries, propane, water, and all the other stuff, ready for camping, it weighs 4800#.
- The Ram dually squats about 3 1/2" when the camper is loaded on the truck. It looks like it's sagging in the back, and I thought about airbags, but then I noticed that the overload springs are just engaging when the camper weight is fully on the truck. If I lifted it at all with airbags, it might look better, but then it would be off the overloads. You don't want that.

[mbloof]

IMHO: some folks simply like spending $$$ and many around here like convincing others to spend $$$.

There is an old saying: "if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it"

in THIS CASE, you won't know if there is anything to "fix" until you load the camper and drive it.


- Mark0.

[Grit_dog]

joebedford wrote:
I know air bags don't increase weight capacity but do you think I'll need them to keep my truck level? It settles about 2" with 3100 pound king pin weight.

Wait til you drove it and see what you need.

[Phil_C]

I wouldn't lose any sleep over air bags or not. Those first 2 or 3 inches are for running around empty and saving your back. I have them because I worried about due to reading too much here. I will put a bit of air in them if I am going on a long trip but really my truck does not need them. I'd wait and see how it sit and rides.

Phil

[joebedford]

I know air bags don't increase weight capacity but do you think I'll need them to keep my truck level? It settles about 2" with 3100 pound king pin weight.

[Phil_C]

I noticed a couple weeks ago that the scales were still on south of Ennis so I got my rolling weight fully loaded. It came in at 15,720 including the trailer but it was the lighter one with just the UTV on it. Your newer truck will not have any issues with something like an AF 990. Don't let the Weight Police here scare you like I did when I first started, these trucks are more than up to it. I worried for nothing for about a year over that.

I have found that we use the camper a lot for road trips even when not pulling anything, great for keeping ones sanity during family visits.

Phil

[joebedford]

I had a 2004 Ram before the Silverado. I loved that truck but when I changed 5er in 2011, it couldn't handle the job. The Silverado was the only one of the big 3 that was rated for the new load in 2011. To that end, it handles the load quite well.

I don't know what the camper will feel like, but the cargo trailer on its own is easy.

I'm surprised that you would equate difficulty hauling the big 5er with camper and cargo trailer.

[Grit_dog]

rjstractor wrote:

joebedford wrote:

Grit dog wrote:
Lol. No it doesn’t. Well it might right now but that’s a 2 ton camper, full ready to camp.

Sorry, I don't understand your comment.

I think what he means is that even though the dry weight of the camper is 3300 ish pounds, wet and loaded it will be over 4000. You'll probably be over on payload with the tongue weight but maybe ok on rear axle weight. I know you didn't ask, but since this is RV.net, the place to go for unsolicited advice, what is it about hauling the big 5er you don't like? I imagine hauling a 4K camper pulling a 5K trailer will be about as fatiguing as pulling your 5er. If you are lacking for horsepower in the hills, for the same money as buying a new slide in camper and enclosed trailer, you could trade in the 2011 on a new Dmax dually (or other brand if you're so inclined) with a fair bit more horsepower and torque that will pull the schnot out of your trailer.

While I’ve never pulled a RV 5ver I’ve pulled plenty of GN trailers in the same range. And plenty of miles with a similar size TC and different similar size/weight trailers. On hitch extensions. I’d take the TC/smaller trailer combo all day long. Not even a close comparison.

And not even considering “how” it pulls, the combo is like 15’ shorter aft of the hitch.
Although, also correct, new 10sp L5P will out pull an old 6sp LML pretty handily.

I’ll see your new truck and raise you a sawzall and a tuner though! For FAR less money than a new truck, some weight reduction under the truck, a nice custom 4’ straight up exhaust system and a tuner from Canada will make it pull like a new one.

JMO

[Grit_dog]

mkirsch wrote:

Grit dog wrote:

joebedford wrote:
The sticker on the truck says 4841lbs payload. I'm not sure but I think each tire can handle around 2500lbs in dually configuration.

So, no, I know I won't have a camper with three slides, etc. The Northern Lite 10-2EX Limited Edition weight 3360lbs and it would satisfy our needs - no slides.

Lol. No it doesn’t. Well it might right now but that’s a 2 ton camper, full ready to camp.

Even if it is his truck's good for 5000lbs any day of the week, probably even 3 tons. Another 750lbs tongue weight for the motorcycle trailer... He's fine.

For sure. I agree. Truck is fine for what he’s planning. Said the same as you on the previous page. Just didn’t want him thinking he was basically getting a camper that was 1000lbs lighter than it actually is.

[rjstractor]

joebedford wrote:

Grit dog wrote:
Lol. No it doesn’t. Well it might right now but that’s a 2 ton camper, full ready to camp.

Sorry, I don't understand your comment.

I think what he means is that even though the dry weight of the camper is 3300 ish pounds, wet and loaded it will be over 4000. You'll probably be over on payload with the tongue weight but maybe ok on rear axle weight. I know you didn't ask, but since this is RV.net, the place to go for unsolicited advice, what is it about hauling the big 5er you don't like? I imagine hauling a 4K camper pulling a 5K trailer will be about as fatiguing as pulling your 5er. If you are lacking for horsepower in the hills, for the same money as buying a new slide in camper and enclosed trailer, you could trade in the 2011 on a new Dmax dually (or other brand if you're so inclined) with a fair bit more horsepower and torque that will pull the schnot out of your trailer.