This issue comes up so often on so many sites and you are right. The real problem is the OP's truck just does not have the capability to do what he wants within the parameters he wants to maintain.

These are the lightest weight slide-in pop-ups I am aware of. Although there may be others, I don't think they will be much lighter in weight.

Steve

 

I agree that the proposed application is problematic. I was just in the mood to explore and discuss some of the details.

Like my old MY2000 F250, the OP's 99 F250 has a 8800 lbs. GVWR. Back then, an F350 SRW was rated for 9900 lbs. The two models shared may components, but the key difference was the rear GAWR (6064 lbs. vs 6830 lbs.). I suspect the two models' rear axle assemblies shared the same axles and wheels, but the F250's standard tires and rear springs had lower ratings.

The rear springs were likely the real limitation. Loading a half cord of wood into my MY2000 CCSB's bed took up virtually all rear suspension travel.

It appears that the OP's truck is missing the optional camper package suspension upgrades {aux rear springs, rear stabilizer bar, (maybe) stiffer front springs}. Adding a 2000 lb. load and raising the truck's CoG (roll center) may make for something of a wallowing ride.

Finally, I agree that an "official" payload of 1700 lbs. (8800-7100) will be tough to work with. The individual weights for the camper, water, a battery, propane, food, supplies, tools, toys, the driver, and a passenger will add up in a hurry.

The OP's truck might also need an alternator upgrade in order to charge a house battery and/or run a three-way fridge in DC mode.

We went through a very similar exercise earlier this year. I even considered removing the tailgate and the tow receiver to reduce my truck's curb weight, and, although I had long ago upgraded to the bigger tires, I also considered adding the camper package's rear springs. In the end, we decided the numbers just didn't -- and couldn't -- safely add up, so we ordered a new truck and traded in the old one.

The latter year specs have come a long way. A modern F250 now sports a 10K lbs. GVWR. Our 4x2 F350 SRW is rated for 10600 lbs., and the payload is almost 4K lbs. (see below). Curiously, the 18" all-season tires are the "weak link" in the rear GAWR.

A new 4x4 F350 SRW is good for up to 11500 lbs.



Finally, I can appreciate that the cost of a new truck may be breathtaking, to put it mildly. The cost of our relatively "cheap" 2017 F350 4x2 6.2 CCSB XLT was almost as much as the house my Mom bought in 1973. Perhaps trading up to a used F350 might be worth considering.

HTH,
Jim / crewzer

 

he also asked !!! What consequences do I face by exceeding the gvwr limits !!!

safety... overload of tires, springs, axles, brakes, and frame.

a few hundred pounds.. not so much.

diesel reduces cargo.
4x4 reduces cargo.
Upgraded Trim level reduces cargo..

for Max cargo carry.... Gas engine, 2 wheel drive and "XL" or XLT" trim level.

my "XL" Gas 6.2L, 2012 F 250 can carry 3,600 pounds... and tow 10,000.

I also have the "Slide-In" camper package from the factory...
stronger springs (front and rear).. and the REAR anti-sway bar..

 

I covered what is the most important consequence; Johnny Law.

If you have an accident that causes a fatality and it can be proven you are overloaded, you will go to jail or worse. The LEOs at the site will check your GVW plate, then find the weight plate for the camper. They may go as far as dragging the carcasses across a scale. This is from experience doing towing and recovery work for the California Highway Patrol.

The other consequences are endangering yourself and your family while overloaded. My truck has the same axle as an F350, same springs in the rear, too. Factory built, not nodded so far. The factory rating of 8600 GVW leaves me 2500 lbs to work with. Not enough.

Tires might be a weak link but you can always buy heavier tires. The frames are identical, as far as I know and a HD 250 has the same axle as a 350. At least mine does. It also has a towing package with the heavy sway bars fore/aft. the downrating of the Gen 7-8-9 F250 may have been for the TTB front axles.

A modern gasser F250 4X4 might be okay for a pop-up, but ya know, I really think anyone wanting to haul a camper should consider an F350 gasser, XLT trim (still light) standard cab long bed.

 

Potential legal consequences have been addressed.

Mechanically, a lot of things can go wrong, depending on how severly overloaded the truck will be: handling issues, premature wear and failure of drivetrain components, tire failure, rims cracking, frame cracking. Do you plan to pull a trailer with the camper loaded? The manufacturer's numbers are there for a reason. Sometimes that reason may just be to fit a specific regulatory number... but how do you know for sure what are the limiting reasons for the stated weights, and what can be safely exceeded?

And no, a few 100 pounds are not dramatic. If it handles and drives well, it is probably within acceptable limits. But only a scale will be able to tell you the truth.

Be very wary of the weights stated by the camper manufacturers.

 

Agreed. Very few mfgs actually weigh each camper and state actual weight. Truck Camper Magazine Online has caught mfgs with their collective pants down on more than one occasion. You won't know until you buy the camper and cross a scale as to what it actually weighs.

Now, a HD F250, while it's stated GVW is much lower than an F350, will carry just about the same loads. Not legally, though. With front and rear sway bars and the factory HD springs, it will handle okay. The frames are the same, rear axles between an F250HD and an F350 are the same, 4X2 front suspensions are the same. The only differences are the F250HD will have a D44 or D50 TTB. An F350 will have the somewhat stronger D60 solid axle. The F250 may or may not have narrower rear shoes, depending on axle capacity.

Admittedly, I've had a Lance camper on my truck to move it for a friend. 11 feet of heavy mobile abode. For grins, went across a CAT scale at 9,700 lbs. That's 1,100 lbs over GVW with me in the seat. It handled it well, just like an F350. I never went on the freeway for the seven miles I moved it, taking all backroads at a slow pace. I only had the front tied down with an under-chassis unit that was bolted in for the trip.

The truck would be capable but it's the legal ramifications that would make it a no-go for me. BTW, I was told that Lance weighed 2,300 lbs by the placard on the side, not an overload if that was true. Actually more like 3,300 lbs. Weighed. I had cross words for my buddy and Lance after that.

 

Gee, I hate to be old-fashioned, but I see legal and mechanical consequences addressed. Fine.

How about your moral duty not to needlessly endanger others? Say your wallowing, top-heavy, overloaded truck plows into someone? How many dead or injured would be an acceptable trade off for you? "Well, we had a great trip, I was able to control it most of the way, and we only killed half the family we hit!"

Dramatization, ymmv

 

As I see it, truck campers are the most dangerous of all types of RVs when overloaded as they are the only ones that have no braking system. Its all up to the truck.

Just my two cents,

Steve

 

Class C motor homes are even heavier and they don't have any additional braking. Back in the 99 thru 10 SD the only truck that had bigger brakes were the F350 and above DRW. F250 and F350 SRW shared the same frame, the only difference in them was the upgrades like overload springs and sway bars that are all things that can be easily added. I really don't have a problem making upgrades to a truck suspension within reason to make it a safer hauling or towing truck.

My 2000 V10 2WD F350 CCLB with a utility body on it weighed right at the 9900 GVW 25/7 when it was cleaned out and way over that when it was loaded up for a job. I ran air bags at 60psi to keep the back from sinking. My back axle was right at the rating and the only draw back was tire wear, no problem stopping it. I did replace pads at 50% wear just to be safe but when you use a truck that hard you have to be on a different maintenance schedule.

Denny

 

This.

When I was moving the Lance, it was with an understanding it only weighed 2,300 lbs. So sayeth the placard on the side. Well, CAT scale called Lance out on that. 3,300 Lbs! I had the front under-truck tiedown gear bolted into place and a ratchet strap under the rear bumper sort of holding the back down. Stayed five to ten miles an hour under the posted speeds on an early Saturday morning. My t ruck handled the weight with no issues but you're right; there is a moral obligation to just not endanger others.

I was two miles away from my friend's place when I went across the scale, just for grins. I was sorely tempted to just leave it there at the scale yard. The yard guy wanted me to get out and not dump it there so I ended up going through the industrial section of town at really reduced speed.

After this, the 4 wheel scales go with me to look at a camper.

 

I think I posted somewhere earlier on, conventional wisdom says most truck campers when equipped as people use them usually weigh about 1,000 pounds more than the manufacturer's sticker and I think most folks will find that to be true. There are a number of good truck camper websites that have a lot to say about the weight issue.

My summation from what I have read and learned is the manufacturers go to great lengths in their literature to caution against exceeding the truck's weight ratings, but at the same time, they know that is almost impossible if you take into consideration what folks haul to use their campers. Just another smoke and mirrors game to deal with potential liability issues.

A lot of folks post about going pop-up to keep the weight down. Right, come watch my Hallmark drop the truck bed down on the overloads with no problem. The only true light weights come with one battery, one 20 pound tank, no AC on the roof, no solar on the roof, and no motorized jacks, and for sure no slide-out!

Not trying to talk anyone into or out of anything. Just saying -

Steve

 

Ford (and others) gets some of the blame here too for making bigger and more powerful trucks with optimistic payload ratings. Potential customer peeks under the truck, sees heavy suspension parts, big axles, huge tires, whopper brake rotors, etc and believes they have plenty of truck. Later when camper shopping they get shocked when they drive over a scale and find the actual payload reserve of their new huge truck is kinda pitiful.

It's actually possible to get a 4wd, crew cab diesel f250 with barely more payload then a mid 90's ranger. With the tongue in cheek advertising, I can't imagine buying a new truck today without driving it across the scales first.

 

One of the things that will change the way things are advertised is sites like this. I am absolutely amazed at how much the RV industry has changed since I was first involved. There is nothing like a few forced buy-backs to get people's attention. It still has a long ways to go, but once the word gets out and the manufacturers start getting hit with the costs of unethical practices (in my opinion) things change fast.

If everyone were to start weighing their trucks before they signed the contract, I bet things would change so fast necks would snap!

Steve

 

Would a dealer let you take a truck to a scale? Closest cat scale to me is a half hour away. I feel trucks and campers should be weighed before sale just not sure it is practical.

edit also closest rv dealer is half hour the other way so they are an hour from a scale.

 

With price of light duty trucks starting at over $33K, I would drive 30 minutes each way to a scale or find a different dealer. Before I buy a new car/truck I start it cold, do city driving, and get it on the freeway anyway.