Went looking today
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2018
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Went looking today
Wife and I drove 3hrs one way today, looking at truck campers. Wow new ones are expensive,that is the high end models. We went to a place that carried several brands of high end truck campers. We also looked at cheaper models,more in the price range we would be interested in. We wanted to check campers compared to prices,so we would have some idea what a used one should cost. There have been a lot of improvements in these over the years and ways to use all the space. We had a good day looking at them.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
We love looking, although it is not like other types of RVs where you can look all day. You are right, they are pricey as the devil and they depreciate just like other types of RVs. You will discover that some of the respected brands like Northstars and Hallmarks are very difficult to find used in good condition. Often folks shopping used get used to the idea of having to drive long distances to get what they want and we have talked to folks who have driven over a 1,000 miles one-way. All models are much easier to find in the West and much harder as you move East. Here in Tennessee we don't see another truck camper for weeks and have seldom camped when there is even one other in the campground.
Hallmarks have gotten so crazy on price new that folks are running them back through the factory for updates rather than move to a newer model. My wife and I are thinking we will have a new roof and vinyl put on over the winter dropping it off on our way back from our fall travels and picking it up in the spring. You will also find that no brand will be exactly what you want. Crunch some numbers on price per square foot and it really is an attention grabber!
Take your time looking as mid summer is the worse possible time to be shopping for any type of camper when prices are high and availability is low.
Hallmarks have gotten so crazy on price new that folks are running them back through the factory for updates rather than move to a newer model. My wife and I are thinking we will have a new roof and vinyl put on over the winter dropping it off on our way back from our fall travels and picking it up in the spring. You will also find that no brand will be exactly what you want. Crunch some numbers on price per square foot and it really is an attention grabber!
Take your time looking as mid summer is the worse possible time to be shopping for any type of camper when prices are high and availability is low.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 111
Likes: 2
We love looking, although it is not like other types of RVs where you can look all day. You are right, they are pricey as the devil and they depreciate just like other types of RVs. You will discover that some of the respected brands like Northstars and Hallmarks are very difficult to find used in good condition. Often folks shopping used get used to the idea of having to drive long distances to get what they want and we have talked to folks who have driven over a 1,000 miles one-way. All models are much easier to find in the West and much harder as you move East. Here in Tennessee we don't see another truck camper for weeks and have seldom camped when there is even one other in the campground.
Hallmarks have gotten so crazy on price new that folks are running them back through the factory for updates rather than move to a newer model. My wife and I are thinking we will have a new roof and vinyl put on over the winter dropping it off on our way back from our fall travels and picking it up in the spring. You will also find that no brand will be exactly what you want. Crunch some numbers on price per square foot and it really is an attention grabber!
Take your time looking as mid summer is the worse possible time to be shopping for any type of camper when prices are high and availability is low.
Hallmarks have gotten so crazy on price new that folks are running them back through the factory for updates rather than move to a newer model. My wife and I are thinking we will have a new roof and vinyl put on over the winter dropping it off on our way back from our fall travels and picking it up in the spring. You will also find that no brand will be exactly what you want. Crunch some numbers on price per square foot and it really is an attention grabber!
Take your time looking as mid summer is the worse possible time to be shopping for any type of camper when prices are high and availability is low.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
3300 dry means about 4,300 wet ready to go No way I would put that in my SRW and true dry weight is often a manufacturer's fantasy. I'm betting you will be north of 4,300 if you factor in options. Some may disagree as payload versus truck capability is a hotly debated issue.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 165
Likes: 3
I don't know if you're familiar with Truck Camper Magazine? It's online, and it's free. Several articles there you should probably look at.
https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/newbie-articles/
https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/newbie-articles/
Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 165
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Thanks you for the info and links. I have had a lot of camper,and have done major work to campers and motor homes including removing complete roofs and sides,to rebuild or replace water damage,but I have never owned a truck camper or been around them. I guess I was not interested in them in the past. We have learned from Motorcyle camping ,we like out of the way places better than the mainstream state parks and such that we have always used in the past. Out of the ways places is tough with the toy hauler and off road is just not going to happen. I can see the possibilities with a truck camper. There is a very-lite a couple hrs away that has my interest.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,188
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From: Olympic Peninsula
I can pretty much guarantee that you will be over the rear wheel and tire rating on your SRW with that camper, unless you have upgraded to 19.5" wheels and tires. I have a SRW F350 long bed crew cab and with my NL 9.6 QSE loaded to camp I was over the rear wheel rating by a little over 200 lbs per wheel. I upgraded to 4080 lb capacity tires and will be upgrading to wheels with 4500 lb capacity's for piece of mind.
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I can pretty much guarantee that you will be over the rear wheel and tire rating on your SRW with that camper, unless you have upgraded to 19.5" wheels and tires. I have a SRW F350 long bed crew cab and with my NL 9.6 QSE loaded to camp I was over the rear wheel rating by a little over 200 lbs per wheel. I upgraded to 4080 lb capacity tires and will be upgrading to wheels with 4500 lb capacity's for piece of mind.
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my truck springs, if I remember correctly were 8500 lbs from factory, and truck was a dually. I changed the rear axle to signal wheel axle and changed the bed to match. I still have everything to change it back but would rather keep it SRW. It works much better for me as SRW
Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,188
Likes: 87
From: Olympic Peninsula
Yup, and I bet that you will go over that wheel capacity with most campers loaded to camp.... Just something to consider, getting actual weights at a truck scale is the only way to know for sure.
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