Cab-Over Camper Needs
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Cab-Over Camper Needs
I've searched and can't quite find what I am looking for here.
What do I need to add to my new Super-Dupty to handle one of these cab-over camper things? It looks like we are going to end up in the 2300 pound camper range in order to fit the family. This is a SRW F-250 with the 6.5ft bed.
Just airbags? Add a leaf spring and pre-stop? Adjustable shocks?
All help is appreciated.
What do I need to add to my new Super-Dupty to handle one of these cab-over camper things? It looks like we are going to end up in the 2300 pound camper range in order to fit the family. This is a SRW F-250 with the 6.5ft bed.
Just airbags? Add a leaf spring and pre-stop? Adjustable shocks?
All help is appreciated.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,664
Likes: 188
I've searched and can't quite find what I am looking for here.
What do I need to add to my new Super-Dupty to handle one of these cab-over camper things? It looks like we are going to end up in the 2300 pound camper range in order to fit the family. This is a SRW F-250 with the 6.5ft bed.
Just airbags? Add a leaf spring and pre-stop? Adjustable shocks?
All help is appreciated.
What do I need to add to my new Super-Dupty to handle one of these cab-over camper things? It looks like we are going to end up in the 2300 pound camper range in order to fit the family. This is a SRW F-250 with the 6.5ft bed.
Just airbags? Add a leaf spring and pre-stop? Adjustable shocks?
All help is appreciated.
A 350 would be in order and a 6.7 if your going to be using it alot.
I originally had a 250 5.4 gasser then traded up to a 7.3 350 because of the weight and how the enging/trans had to work so hard.
The 6.7 doesen't even know it's on the truck.. This truck handles the camper better then my 02 F350 7.3 with Rancho adjustable shocks,air bags. So just air bags is all you need. Don't get Timbrens I had them on this year and took them off.
hope this helps.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,196
Likes: 120
From: Carstairs Alberta
ideally the camper special option package. rear sway bar, upgrade the front swaybar if there is a heavier one out there. shortbox you don't want too much camper behind the taillights. so look at where the water and sewage tanks are so you don't make the steering axle light with weight transfer. what is the actual gvw on the door sticker,2300 plus fluids may not leave you much or any weight for passengers etc.
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 8,180
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From: Scio, OR
I've searched and can't quite find what I am looking for here.
What do I need to add to my new Super-Dupty to handle one of these cab-over camper things? It looks like we are going to end up in the 2300 pound camper range in order to fit the family. This is a SRW F-250 with the 6.5ft bed.
Just airbags? Add a leaf spring and pre-stop? Adjustable shocks?
All help is appreciated.
What do I need to add to my new Super-Dupty to handle one of these cab-over camper things? It looks like we are going to end up in the 2300 pound camper range in order to fit the family. This is a SRW F-250 with the 6.5ft bed.
Just airbags? Add a leaf spring and pre-stop? Adjustable shocks?
All help is appreciated.
Just my opinion.
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Shorty
Thanks for the responses.
Yeah, the shorter bed was all I could manage around town. We'll have a good 600 pound in the cab whenever we have the camper on which might help balance things out. Yeah, stretching the camper out over the tailgate will be the strategy I think. Not crazy long, just 8 feet or so.
So, just Airbags?
Yeah, the shorter bed was all I could manage around town. We'll have a good 600 pound in the cab whenever we have the camper on which might help balance things out. Yeah, stretching the camper out over the tailgate will be the strategy I think. Not crazy long, just 8 feet or so.
So, just Airbags?
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,424
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From: BC Canada
Camper option is available on f350 with the overloads and the rear sway bar. You want a newer camper meant for the short box with forward tanks. I would stay shorter than 8 ft for sure. Remember a camper on an sd is up high, try and rent first, see how you do. Big draw back is paking everything up to go fpr a drive. A travel trailer is better IMO. I know i had a camper for my old f350. The other thing is being a contortionist to get in and out of that big top bunk with no head room. I am 6 ft tall and 200 and its not a nice experience. Add to that a family and its oretty cozy, a small tt will also be better value. Only down side being you cant tow a boat too. Small boat on roof rack? Really, rent a. Camper first.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2002
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On my F350 with my Lance which is made for shortboxs and doesn't have a slide out compartment and with 4000k my rear end still sags so my headlights are in the air alittle. Not bad but I get flashing from on coming cars under the right cercumstances.
When I had the bags on my 08 F350 It would get up nice and level. I added more spacers from Timbren but not every little bump with out the camper I hit bottoms right out hard being I have only a 1/2 in or so and the camper is still not level.
So like everything else using this stuff depends on your rig. But airbags definetly work and I'll be going back soon as the season comes.
Timbrens are a quick and cheap solution for some but not for me.
Also with my tanks empty the camper still sags. My 33 gallon freshwater is up front.
When I had the bags on my 08 F350 It would get up nice and level. I added more spacers from Timbren but not every little bump with out the camper I hit bottoms right out hard being I have only a 1/2 in or so and the camper is still not level.
So like everything else using this stuff depends on your rig. But airbags definetly work and I'll be going back soon as the season comes.
Timbrens are a quick and cheap solution for some but not for me.
Also with my tanks empty the camper still sags. My 33 gallon freshwater is up front.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,196
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From: Carstairs Alberta
springs are supposed to sag as more weight is added. unless the springs are worn out, or the load is significantly in excess of manufacturers limits, this should not degrade the quality of ride or handling, beyond what is normal for a loaded truck. simple solution to headlight issue is to get a t handle wrench in the right size and turn the headlights down 1-3 turns when camping. the gvw on my 05 F350 4x4 cc longbox diesel is 11,200 or 11,800. with the 2 of us, the dogs, and a fully loaded 8foot scamper i have about 800 lb's to spare. no suspension mods of any kind, with the factory camper special option there is no sway or any issue with bottoming, in fact i find the ride is generally smoother loaded up than empty. i can drive through mountain switchbacks marked at 20 mph, at 30-40 and it rides so nice and controlled the wife doesn't even look up from her book.(and she is not that big on driving wildly) i do get the odd headlight flash but not often. i think its time i get me a wrench
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,424
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From: BC Canada
Agreed, the camper option is the way to go, but the OP has a f250 so he doesnt have the spring rate or the larger rear blocks and even with air bags he is mostly on the bag and will not be ideal for a camper IMO. He is shy about 1500 lbs gvw and rawr. This will especially be interesting from a handling oersoective if he cant get a camper with most weight up front, with weight behind rear axle will lift the front even more. This is why both my trucks were f350, for the camper package, overloads, possibility of camper or heabier 5th wheel. Just saying, maybe he should entertain a tt or atleast test a camper first. I would also consider airbags over timbrens for the travel issue and i would go one more and have front and rear bags with a 250 if i was towing a heavy camper and boat. The handling will be more predictable IMO.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,196
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From: Carstairs Alberta
most likely he can get away with it, but its not going to be as stable as desirable. worst case scenario, that reduced stability leads to an accident and someone he loves dies. my truck is definitely large, and i prefer not to take it downtown in the big city. my preference isn't even my motorcycle, its my wifes bike 600 ninja way more fun downtown than any sports car. that said i can and do take the truck downtown during rush hour if i need too.i hate to say and don't want to sound nasty but if the longbox intimidates you that much more than the shortbox maybe any superduty is too much vehicle for you. or go to a truck driving school for a couple hours just to have them teach you maneuvering
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2002
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springs are supposed to sag as more weight is added. unless the springs are worn out, or the load is significantly in excess of manufacturers limits, this should not degrade the quality of ride or handling, beyond what is normal for a loaded truck. simple solution to headlight issue is to get a t handle wrench in the right size and turn the headlights down 1-3 turns when camping. the gvw on my 05 F350 4x4 cc longbox diesel is 11,200 or 11,800. with the 2 of us, the dogs, and a fully loaded 8foot scamper i have about 800 lb's to spare. no suspension mods of any kind, with the factory camper special option there is no sway or any issue with bottoming, in fact i find the ride is generally smoother loaded up than empty. i can drive through mountain switchbacks marked at 20 mph, at 30-40 and it rides so nice and controlled the wife doesn't even look up from her book.(and she is not that big on driving wildly) i do get the odd headlight flash but not often. i think its time i get me a wrench
Air bags acomplishes this.
You guys can do what you want and depending on your truck/rig it will depend but with my E Ply 18in tires and F350 with air bags the truck is stable and safe. I only have SRW as well. Been using it this way since 03 with loads of miles on it and just came back from a long trip. This 2011 is the most stable I've had out of the 01 F250 and 02 F350. My 08 was the same as the 2011 is. I used stock shocks on these last two with air bags only.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,196
Likes: 120
From: Carstairs Alberta
obviously what cap is doing is working for him. my point is some sag is normal. excessive sag i.e. bottoming out is not not good. that is why our trucks are higher in the rear than the front when empty. put a load on and it come to roughly level. now if the springs were sacked out or just plain overloaded then air bags would lift it back up. what they won't do is reduce the actual weight on that rear axle. they will not transfer weight to the front end. go on try it, take your air bag truck down to the scale with your camper. get both axle weights with and without air. the change will not be significant. so if you still have excessive rearward weight bias going down the road, think about what happens when you make an emergency stop or have a tire failure. now you have much more weight transfer to the front end than the engineers planned for. say maybe you are not exactly running in a straight line at the time, huge changes in steering geometry. very exciting
Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,053
Likes: 11
From: Central NJ
IMO install Firestone Ride Rite airbags to level things out. I also agree with some of the guys on TT rather than in bed camper, unless you need to tow that ski Natique every time...
Pictures of our very roomy, off road pop up for our family of 4. And we can still take some toys to play with. BTW, this pic was taken when I had a 350 w/o airbags. I added the bags after this trip.
Pictures of our very roomy, off road pop up for our family of 4. And we can still take some toys to play with. BTW, this pic was taken when I had a 350 w/o airbags. I added the bags after this trip.
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IMO install Firestone Ride Rite airbags to level things out. I also agree with some of the guys on TT rather than in bed camper, unless you need to tow that ski Natique every time...
Pictures of our very roomy, off road pop up for our family of 4. And we can still take some toys to play with. BTW, this pic was taken when I had a 350 w/o airbags. I added the bags after this trip.
Pictures of our very roomy, off road pop up for our family of 4. And we can still take some toys to play with. BTW, this pic was taken when I had a 350 w/o airbags. I added the bags after this trip.
We have been going back and forth between the trailer seen above or maybe a pop up camper or a traditiional camper. Renting seems like a very good idea. I have no idea where they would rent campers, but it would be worth looking into.
Apparently Coleman has gone, or is going, out of the tent trailer biz and these trailers are almost reasonably priced. That would also leave room for the bikes in back.
Looks like I need to get me some air bags and a maybe a wrench and go from there. Good stuff. Thanks
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