I have a different question for the group.... Bear with me.
I have a '13 F-250 SCREW, short box, 4x4. I recently purchased a slide-in camper that is way too big for my truck. I got a helluva deal on it, so I couldn't pass. With the tailgate down, the camper still hangs several feet off the back, and the truck is kind of (really) scary to drive, even with the airbags at 30#. The weight of the camper has actually started to pull the cable attachment away from the tailgate itself. I'm either going to have to 1. Sell/ trade the camper for something smaller, 2. Sell/trade the truck for something bigger (though likely older as I do NOT want another truck payment...) and I really love my 6.7..., or 3. figure a way to make my truck work with the camper... Which brings me to my question: If I were to put a flat bed on the truck, could I fit a longer one on there, or could One make an extension that hooked into the stake pockets to extend my bed underneath the camper while using the camper? Of course, anything is possible, but would this be a reasonable solution? I like the looks of flatbeds, and I think it would be handy to have, camper aside. Thoughts? Am I an idiot for even considering this?

 

 

It doesn't matter what bed you put on it, it will not work. That camper is simply not made for your truck.

 

only way to safely keep that camper and truck is to mount it on a flatbed TRAILER, and tow it behind

 

Have you run that thing across a scale? I'm sure you are wildly over your payload. And yes, I agree with the serveral above posters, there's no safe way to make your truck work with this. You need a long bed truck for a long bed camper. Unless you go with the flatbed trailer idea, which might work . . .

 

There are people out there that are looking for a slide in set up like you have. If it's feasible I would be looking for someone that would trade a travel trailer for it. I wouldn't stretch the frame on that truck. I do not recommend pulling the camper on a flatbed trailer either. It's not designed for that either. You will just prematurely destroy the camper. JMO...

 

That looks completely unsafe. I hope you don't kill anyone driving that thing...

First question: Why did you buy a truck with the women's length bed in the first place?
Second: What the hell were you thinking using ratchet straps to hold that down? And over the step-bars no less. I hope that is temporary and was just used for a short 25 MPH drive.

My advice:
1) Don't drive that thing over 25 MPH
2) If it was a good deal, flip the camper and make a quick $. Then you can buy a real truck or get a smaller camper that fits your glorified SUV

 

Agreed.

Agreed. Really bad tie downs. I could see a boat or soccer *****....but a whole camper? C'mon!

Agreed.

Agreed.

OP has a "real truck" (cause it's a F250+ or a diesel? Not sure, don't care). It' plenty of truck. Just get a camper that fits within your needs and weight and can tow whatever you'd like.

Figure out the payload of your truck and work within that number.

 

Correct answer. ^^^

 

Thanks for all the smart @$$ answers... Guess I should have expected it form the internet, but I thought higher of FTE members...Really just looking for advice. I've already listed the camper for sale and have been looking at long beds/ duallies. The ratchet straps were over turn buckles... Couldn't find any front frame mounts so I had to use the stake pocket mounts and put the straps on as an additional safety measure. It wasn't moving on the trip home, and no, I'm not driving it any until I figure what I want to do.

 

Well you asked..
After rereading your post it appears you know the answer to your question.
Do you NEED a camper that large? If so, you are correct, you need a larger truck, but, if you want to keep your truck consider a camper that fits your payload or a 5er or bumper pull.

 

I saw lots of those up in Alaska, not so much anywhere else. You should be able to flip it for profit and buy what you need. Or put it on a trailer and pull it. I've seen a few of those.

Beats putting a tag axle on your truck...

 

A few years ago I was on 291 hwy coming into Liberty Missouri. There are a few rv dealers up there but what I saw was bad. I guy in a 1/2 ton Dodge truck was pulling a 35'+or more 5th wheel travel trailer. When he turned left in front of me at the stoplight onto south bound I35 towards KC his front was bouncing off the ground. I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere near him as he had no control of that truck or trailer and put it on a interstate highway.

I didn't comment on your rig but even asking a question and posting the picture was going to get those remarks. I wouldn't want to be around you or riding with you if you did put that rig on the highway. The best thing to do is get the right truck or get a good travel trailer to pull. It's not just you that could get hurt if you lost control of a rig like that. Think about it. What if you met a rig like that coming at you at 60 mph and no real control?

Don't be complaining about smart assed answers when you put a post like this up.

 

A serious answer:

Just swapping to a flatbed won't be enough, in my opinion anyway. I think you need a longer wheelbase and less mass behind the rear axle to make that work properly.

 

I don't think anyone was giving smart a$$ answers.