I'm sitting here bored and trying to procrastinate from working on a paper which is due tommorow and I started looking at slide in camper backs for pickups. I just happened upon Lance campers website where I am looking around and finding that those things weigh between 2500#-3500#+ How can you put one of these in a 3/4 ton truck? Do lance campers just weigh more than others? Or are all you guys running around with slide in campers just overloaded?

I never cared for the slide in campers. They are very top heavy and the truck doesn't handle very well. You can correct this but, you will spend a small fortune doing so.

We have the 1 ton. But went from CA to KY and back like this with no problems..We are also running the TTS tow tune. I could hardly tell the trailer was back there.

http://fuzzydiceracing.com/mcrat/hitch1.jpg

http://www.fuzzydiceracing.com/k/camper.jpg


We call it the worst heavest porta potty ):h ):h ):h

There are lighter campers. I have seen them @ 950 lbs. Just depends on your needs. That being said I have seen lots of overloaded 3/4 tons with campers on the back.

Lots of people run them on 3/4 or 1 ton single rear wheels. I would venture to say that Kat's is over GVW especially when you add on the tongue wt. of the trailer with all those tires on the front of it. Most people put on air bags to help the springs and improve the ride. The big problem is the rating on the tires and rims on SRW. People get around that by buying some 19.5 in wheels and then get higher rated tires. Now as to the ride. I have a dually and it rides like a Cadillac with the camper on it. The Dmax is sweeeeeeeet. It is a little top heavy but so are motorhomes. Air bags $250 not a fortune in my book. Look in the glove box in your truck and it should tell what the payload is. Look for Rickson Wheels if you are interested, those are around $2800 with tires.......That's why I bought a dually. BTW even with a dually I'm around 300#'s over GVW loaded):h

KAT make that husband of yours buy some Happijac tie downs for that camper. The ratchet straps look a little tacky especially dragging your beautiful Corvette which might not look so good with the camper on top of it.......):h

KAT make that husband of yours buy some Happijac tie downs for that camper. The ratchet straps look a little tacky especially dragging your beautiful Corvette which might not look so good with the camper on top of it.......):h
):h We have Happijacs. This first pic was just a photo op when we brought it home:o We also have airbags but they are still in the box ):h

We hit all kinds of weather between 120 deg. heat, rain, 40 mph winds which blew the front lic. plate cover off the vette:eek: Big Blue never missed a beat:ro)

I can't believe how much they are asking for pickup campers. Lance's are high 20K-low 30K. As much as I'd like to have one I just can't see it. I think ya get more bang for yur buck with a 5th wheel, even a small one is bigger then a pickup camper. Jusy my thoughts.

my 2500 sags a bit in the ass with my camper on it, we have an Artic Fox 860 with a full slide out, it weighs in at around 3500# when loaded, I have airbags and next to go on will be a set of overloads, but the truck could care less if the camper was on there. I have a juice/***. and while the camer is on there I run it somewhere between level 2 and 5. needless to say I need a tranny but I have never been passed goin up a hill, and if you know of the vantage grade or the lewiston grade you would know that is really saying something!!:ro)

I can't believe how much they are asking for pickup campers. Lance's are high 20K-low 30K. As much as I'd like to have one I just can't see it. I think ya get more bang for yur buck with a 5th wheel, even a small one is bigger then a pickup camper. Jusy my thoughts.
I would have love to have a 5th wheel.. But for 2 reasons we bought the POS pictured above. Our kids are 4 & 6 so they could craw back and forth which allowed us to travel almost 2500 miles in approx. 36 hrs. & we needed to be able to tow the car

http://www.qinsp.com/k/c.gif

I bought my 2001 Lance 1121 w/ slide out used for $15,000 last year. I tow a boat and I like to go to out of the way places to camp with the 4wd. With the electric jacks and remote control it comes off in 15 minutes and on in about 25 taking my time. We spent 7 days in Bryce Cyn last summer. Took the camper off and toured all over Southern Utah. I've had two motorhomes and the camper was a little bit of an adjustment but I really like it now. Some of the 5th wheels are pretty posh with tons of room. I guess it's all about what you are using it for. The key is getting out there and having fun:ro)with whatever suits ya.

They definately have their advantages, I'd like to have one. I was looking at them and just could'nt believe how much they are asking for em. Gruber , sounds like you got a heck of a deal.

forth which allowed us to travel almost 2500 miles in approx. 36 hrs. & we needed to be able to tow the car

http://www.qinsp.com/k/c.gif
Maybe with that corvette, but that's pushing it with a pick up.):h

Gruber , sounds like you got a heck of a deal.
I really shopped hard to find that one. I actually got a little lucky since there aren't that many on the market. It was on a lot but I got a hold of the owner and bought it directly from him. Since campers don't have titles like boats and trailers I didn't have to pay sales tax. The Lance dealer had a couple of used ones but they were considrably higher and I would have had to pay tax-:t I found a 96' 1121 for $9500 but I felt the slide out would give it a better resale value. Plus a slide out in campers turns a one butt kitchen into something more useful. It makes all the difference in the world,. You are right though, the news ones are really expensive..

my 2500 sags a bit in the ass with my camper on it, we have an Artic Fox 860 with a full slide out, it weighs in at around 3500# when loaded, I have airbags and next to go on will be a set of overloads, but the truck could care less if the camper was on there. I have a juice/***. and while the camer is on there I run it somewhere between level 2 and 5. needless to say I need a tranny but I have never been passed goin up a hill, and if you know of the vantage grade or the lewiston grade you would know that is really saying something!!:ro)


Oh I know Vantage grade pretty well and that's pretty impressive that you haven't been passed up it. I remember one day last summer a 1ton Dmax chev had a MASSIVE camper on it and was hauling up vantage heading west. My poor Jeep couldn't keep up. One of the deciding factors on my purchase of my new truck :ro)

So my door sticker says max payload is 2600# You say you've got 3500# in the bed of your truck and it rides, drives, and most importantly stops ok?

With the camper in my truck it rides smoother, a little bouncy sometimes, but thats expected with anything weighing that much and being that high. It is definetly not as quick off the line but it pulls really hard, I cant wait until I get a tranny, which I really need!!

As far as stopping it just takes common sense, dont follow too close and expect the unexpected. if that makes any sense at all. cause the way I see it if a car pulls out in front of me and I have no way of stopping its his ass not mine, I will probably be the winner in that situation anyways, and rest assured I am not going to lay my rig on its side and endanger my family because someone wasnt paying attention.

you just gotta drive the truck like there is another 3500#'s in the bed and an extra 5 feet on top. I mean if you think about it as far as weight goes if you just have a camper you are only pulling 1/3 of the weight that most guys are pulling on trailers. I know it is a different kind of weight but it is still just one duramax moving about 11,500 lbs, where as guys who pull big trailers are using that one duramax to move over 20,000 lbs. It seems like a camper is a good alternative to me:D !!

if I ever run into ya id be happy to take ya for a ride in it with the camper on, where abouts in WA are ya? Im either in Pullman or Tacoma, depends on what time of year it is.:D

I'm in seattle most of the year but I do have a couple friends who go to WSU so I'm out there every once in a while.

here is a pic, when I had my seadoo:( .

That's a nice lookin' rig you got there! :ro) I'll for sure let you know next time I come out that way so I can take you up on your offer. Probably won't be out there 'till after ski season though, can't miss a good day ya know? :D

i totally understand:D I am definetly gonna try and make it up a couple times this year. where do you go? Stevens, Crystal, "Bunny Run" (Snoqualmie)? I used to go to Crystal before college, now I try and make it up to 49 degrees north. We have a winter storm warning for tonight so it looks like i might be able to go skiing out my front door when I wake up tomorrow):h -Jeff

:confused: OK guys. You've got me curious. Where exactly are these Lewiston & Vantage grades? How steep, how long, etc? I was in Idaho & Washington this summer & would've liked to have checked this out. Thanks.

the vantage grade is about a 6% grade that is about 12 miles long right in the center of the state along I-90. its between the Columbia River and Ellensburg. the Lewiston grade is actually in Idaho, but its between Pullman, WA and Lewiston ID. On HWY 95, it is about 7 miles long and goes between a 6% grade and an 8% grade. does that answer your question? -Jeff

does that answer your question? -Jeff


Yep. I remember seeing something here awhile back about the Lewiston grade & was just curious where exactly it was located. Thanks for the info.

I ski stevens because they give us college students a screaming deal on seasons passes. $280 for a full tilt pass, can't argue with that. So hopefully that's where me and the Dmax will be spending much of winter. Good thing my Cloudrider winterfront just came in from Max Power, and man did that thing go on quick. Hey if you're ever out here and want to ride drop me a PM and we'll go hit up the slopes :D -Jameson

right on!! I'll let you know! -Jeff

WAskier,
Campers can be affordable also. We picked up a Lance Lite 8.5' camper for $7k NEW from Pacific Travel Center in Tacoma, WA several years ago. It was only a 1800lb camper. Sure it was the base model, but we got all that was necessary and added power jacks; worked great for our family.

We just recently upgraded to a Lance Lite 860 (?) 8.5' with ext'd cabover queen bed. This one is also 4" wider than our old one, and has a much larger bathroom/shower. About 2000lbs. We tow a jeep (and hopefully, a boat someday) so a camper was our only choice. Easy decision...and affordable when you shop around.

Both fell within the GVWR of my old Dodge W250 cummins, and well within the GVWR of my new Chev 2500HD Crew Cab. No bags or add-a-leaves req'd.
-Clint

Where would be a good place to look for a used camper still in pretty good shape? Not that i"m in the market for one at the moment but it's always good to keep up with this kind of stuff.

I'm not much help here. I dislike buying used. BUT, the best place I've found is the classifieds on line at the lazy B. Gotta be an employee to see them, but heck, everyone around here knows someone that works there. Deals are few are far between, so when you see one, you gotta jump. We sold our Lance Lite 815 in a day!

Let me know when you're ready to buy, and I can do searches and PM you the results.

Thanks Lock!