Very good information. Thanks.

I have to weigh my truck and see where I am so far as carrying capability.

 

I just weighed my F350 CCLB 4x4 yesterday.
This is with 4/3 tank of fuel, canopy, tailgate, and about 250lbs of stuff in the bed.
Without me in the truck.

Front axle: 4940 lbs
Rear axle: 3780 lbs
Total: 8720 lbs

It looks like I will be over the yellow sticker, but under my tire/wheel ratings with the Northern Lite 9.6

 

I was in the market for a camper and currently looking at a lot of premium models. So I bought the truck in Dec. 2020, An F350 4X4 reg cab srw(Just me and the Mrs.) Got the tires for the 11,400 GVW which gives me a little over 4850 lbs payload. I walk into a camper dealership and eye up a nice 10-1/2 footer with a slide out and the salesman says I couldnt put that on my truck. Went home that day thinking he is full of it, but he was right, I needed a dually. The camper was 3500lbs dry but you start putting fresh water in it and outfitting it with a few options and two occupants or more and you are at your max weight really fast, more probably, I calculated I would of been just overweight out the door on the first trip. Well you know you just dont want to be driving in the middle of Wyoming max weight and hit some windy rain squawls. Most of those slide outs need duals case closed for me. I'm looking now at travel trailers. Was a huge reality check for me. This thread should be a must see for anyone contemplating buying a truck to carry a slide in, huge eye opener in some of the posts up above. Good job guys you really do people a solid by being completely factual about your experiences.

 

Congratulation to your sales guy for being straight with you. You will have a much better experience driving something that stays within your gvwr.

 

Slide in campers are ALL heavy. Where as a 5th wheel has its weight on its wheels. Another thing with slide in you cant just hop in the truck and drive around. You will have to brake camp just to go to town because you forgot the ketchup LOL. My dad had a slide in when we were kids and he had a 1/2 ton LOL It was crowded and close where a 5th wheel gives you a lot more room. I just looked at some Lance campers and they had one at $65,000 WOW. I did however find a few used ones for in the mid 20's. Most of these are on DRW trucks. If you get a 5er than you can still have a srw truck. I pull a 34' with my 15 F250. I was looking at these slide in campers and man they are tight.

 

When I bought my SB/SRW I was only towing my enclosed car trailer and a bed full of stuff or a travel trailer with the family. Then I ended up picking up a slide in camper for when I'm on the road with the car trailer. It's a small camper but has everything I need and then some. I'm still within my payload and axle ratings when fully loaded. I installed a Hellwig Bigwig swaybar and she did great on some hauls from BC down to CA in 2019. With COVID and no car shows I haven't had a chance to haul with it since installing some Timbrens to help with the squat or the Billstein shocks.

Attachment 280105

 

Tony your setup looks killer. What brand slide in is that, looks about as modern as they come. Steve

 

It's a 2016 Livin' Lite marketed through Ford. Livin' Lite was all about aluminum campers and went to Ford and struck a deal. The front cap is designed to mirror the truck windshields, the paint colors are Ford truck colors, the seating and window coverings match the Ford truck leather surfaces and have Ford stitched on them etc. They even have a Ford VIN number.

Unfortunately Thor purchased Livin' Lite and like usual they are now gone. Your best bet is looking for a used one, I found this one at a Camping World in WA state.

 

Steve, here are a few more pictures. It's a small camper, but great for just me on long roadtrips. We have a travel trailer for when the Mrs wants to travel.

​​​​​​Attachment 280320



Attachment 280322

Attachment 280323

Attachment 280324

Attachment 280325

Dry weight of under 1800 pounds before optionsAttachment 280326

 

I'm looking into campers in the near future, but at 6' 4" my head hits the lights or AC unit in every camper except Arctic Fox. Lance seems to be really low.

 

Tony that camper is completely amazing right down to the Ford emblem in the upholstery. Woodwork is dynamite. Very well done that speaks completely of being first cabin.
You are a lucky man to have this. Thanks for the pictures. BTW, did they make one in a long box model?
Steve

 

KBall, you one of those mid-westerner cornhuskers that was fed steroidal beef and lived under the power lines? Tall humans --better start looking at fifth wheelers, but that Artic Fox camper I looked at a couple weeks ago is one strongly built unit. Aluminum framed with wood inserts, seems real quality built there. THey are just the next state under me, waiting for them to open up the factory for a visit.
Steve

 

From the damp dark PNW.

 

All very good information. Thanks