Advice on suspension
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Advice on suspension
I have a 2020 f250 6.7 crew cab short bed srw with the camper package. Door sticker says 2226 pound cargo load, camper certificate says 1379 pounds.
I’ll be sliding a Four Wheel Camper Hawk that’s 1679 pounds. I won’t be over the 10000 gvwr but looks like 300 pounds over the certificate rating.
Somewhat discussed this in another sub forum but it’s more appropriate here.
I’d like to have it set up right prior to install.
The four wheel camper rep says it will be good to go on a stock f250 6.7.
my concern is I don’t want the rear end to sag.
I’m having a Carli commuter lift installed and leaving the back springs how they are set up. I talked to Carli and the rep said I could consider a 3-4” block to give it some rake as the lift I’m getting will bring it level.
Air bags are also an option I’ve ran them on my previous truck (Tacoma).
Im hoping it’ll drop in and not bring the rear end down at all.
anyone have experience with a similar set up and load?
I’ll be sliding a Four Wheel Camper Hawk that’s 1679 pounds. I won’t be over the 10000 gvwr but looks like 300 pounds over the certificate rating.
Somewhat discussed this in another sub forum but it’s more appropriate here.
I’d like to have it set up right prior to install.
The four wheel camper rep says it will be good to go on a stock f250 6.7.
my concern is I don’t want the rear end to sag.
I’m having a Carli commuter lift installed and leaving the back springs how they are set up. I talked to Carli and the rep said I could consider a 3-4” block to give it some rake as the lift I’m getting will bring it level.
Air bags are also an option I’ve ran them on my previous truck (Tacoma).
Im hoping it’ll drop in and not bring the rear end down at all.
anyone have experience with a similar set up and load?
More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 605
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You really won’t know what you have for sag until you load up. If those weights are real-you could be fine in stock form. I did a lot of different mods to my last truck to carry a heavy TC. I won’t do airbags again.
Load up and measure the drop, hit the scales to for good measure. If you have more than 2” sag you should look at either upper or lower Stableloads. Both do not effect unladen ride if set up properly.
Load up and measure the drop, hit the scales to for good measure. If you have more than 2” sag you should look at either upper or lower Stableloads. Both do not effect unladen ride if set up properly.
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,171
Likes: 20
From: Denton, TX
Did they not help with the heavy TC? Thanks for sharing your experience. I have a rather light TC (adds 2,000lbs to the rear axle) and I want to get a little rear height back. Thanks!
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
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From: Bristol, TN.
I agree with Tex's comment here. Your load is light. Your glove box weight does not change what your springs are capable of handling. I would sit the camper on the truck before making modes. I have had air bags on my trucks in the past but have shied away from them as just being one more thing that could go wrong. Just so I don't get flamed by folks who like air bags, you probably will not have trouble, but they do require attention.
I made my own "stableload uppers" and the truck does fine. One thing about air bags is they are simple to install so if you load the camper and don't like the way it sits, it doesn't take much to add them. Our Northstar maxs out our back axle door sticker rating, never had a glove box slip as bought used, but I am sure we are well over that. I am not sure how many folks give the glove box slip much credence.
Steve
I made my own "stableload uppers" and the truck does fine. One thing about air bags is they are simple to install so if you load the camper and don't like the way it sits, it doesn't take much to add them. Our Northstar maxs out our back axle door sticker rating, never had a glove box slip as bought used, but I am sure we are well over that. I am not sure how many folks give the glove box slip much credence.
Steve
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Bill Tex & RV Tech, thanks for the replies. Having come from a Tacoma with added leaf springs, suspension work and air bags all done to handle a smaller four wheel camper, I can only get better from there in terms of payload and overall ride. I too would like to stay away from air bags, they worked great but I always felt like the ride was pretty mushy, lots of side to side swaying on bumps taken at an angle. In reality I was asking that truck and set up to do too much which is in part why I sold it but more so because with a wife, 2 young girls and a dog, them summer trips were brutal! Going to take the advice and wait until the new camper is loaded on and go from there. I'm also going to see if the shop installing the 2.5" lift can leave a little rake in the truck.
More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2020
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I just don’t like the way they “bounce”. And before some one says i had too much air, I can tell you I had them on my last truck for 14 years. I tried high psi, low psi, and everything in between. They were adjusted to “just touch” the overloads. In the end, it didn’t matter what i did-they added bounce/sway to the handling.
On that truck I ended up with SuperSprings, aftermarket sway bar, and the bags. After I put the SS’s on, i never even used the bags any more.
So do airbags work? Yes. I think there are better, more modern solutions that will not induce sway/bounce and will not effect unladen ride.
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Do airbags “help”? If you are asking about leveling-yes-they will level a battleship.
I just don’t like the way they “bounce”. And before some one says i had too much air, I can tell you I had them on my last truck for 14 years. I tried high psi, low psi, and everything in between. They were adjusted to “just touch” the overloads. In the end, it didn’t matter what i did-they added bounce/sway to the handling.
On that truck I ended up with SuperSprings, aftermarket sway bar, and the bags. After I put the SS’s on, i never even used the bags any more.
So do airbags work? Yes. I think there are better, more modern solutions that will not induce sway/bounce and will not effect unladen ride.
I just don’t like the way they “bounce”. And before some one says i had too much air, I can tell you I had them on my last truck for 14 years. I tried high psi, low psi, and everything in between. They were adjusted to “just touch” the overloads. In the end, it didn’t matter what i did-they added bounce/sway to the handling.
On that truck I ended up with SuperSprings, aftermarket sway bar, and the bags. After I put the SS’s on, i never even used the bags any more.
So do airbags work? Yes. I think there are better, more modern solutions that will not induce sway/bounce and will not effect unladen ride.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,033
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From: Casper, Wyoming
If a stock F250 with either the gas or diesel engine can't haul a Four Wheel Camper Hawk model without adding a bunch of suspension mods, then the truck and camper manufacturers have a real problem in my opinion. Those campers are on the low end of the weight scale for the truck camper market. If it does sag, and that would drive me crazy too, then you can easily bring it back up to level.
You are getting a great pop up camper by the way! That model would be on my truck if I already did not have a Northern Lite 8.11 SE.
You are getting a great pop up camper by the way! That model would be on my truck if I already did not have a Northern Lite 8.11 SE.
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If a stock F250 with either the gas or diesel engine can't haul a Four Wheel Camper Hawk model without adding a bunch of suspension mods, then the truck and camper manufacturers have a real problem in my opinion. Those campers are on the low end of the weight scale for the truck camper market. If it does sag, and that would drive me crazy too, then you can easily bring it back up to level.
You are getting a great pop up camper by the way! That model would be on my truck if I already did not have a Northern Lite 8.11 SE.
You are getting a great pop up camper by the way! That model would be on my truck if I already did not have a Northern Lite 8.11 SE.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,033
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From: Casper, Wyoming
Got my fingers crossed i'm good, especially with the added rear leaf that comes with the camper package. That Northern Lite is sweet! I can't go hard side as I fish the Klamath in the fall and another Coastal river in the winter quite a bit and there's no way I'd make it down to some of my spots with a hard side, sure would be nice to have the extra room though!
Thanks on the Northern Lite comments. I absolutely love it and it is a true 4 season camper. But, I understand what you are saying about getting into the real tough spots. It is for that reason that I have thought about selling our NL and going to the Hawk model FWC. I do a lot of hunting/fishing etc. as well and like to get way off the beaten path. Sometimes that is a roadblock for a hardside. Post up some photos of your Hawk after you get it set up.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 4,334
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From: Mills River
The camper cert includes an allowance of 150 lbs. per seating position. Assuming five seats in your crewcab, that’s 750 lbs. 1379 + 750 = 2129 lbs. If your passengers and you weigh less than 750 lbs., then the leftover can be used for other stuff.
I can’t explain the missing 93 lbs., but it may be an allowance tie-down hardware and a bed mat. Our truck’s camper cert contains similar fuzzy math.
Your payload will increase if you remove the tailgate, the rear under-seat storage box, the rear seat head rests, the rear seat floor mat(s), and the box cleats.
HTH,
Jim / crewzer
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After calling 3 reputable lift shops and the manufacturer of the lift I bought as well as having a different representative at the Four Wheel Camper factory provide input, I'm going to give air bags another shot. All agreed that my truck especially after putting a lift, all be it 2.5 inches, will squat/sag a little. My previous experience with airbags was on a Tacoma with a 1200 pound payload and sliding in a 1200 pound camper, I knew the issues with the payload prior to the purchase, I was pushing that truck well beyond its limits. Comparing that experience to sliding a 1600 pound camper on an F250 6.7 with a camper package isn't apples to apples and I suspect the air bags won't be doing near as much work as the ones on my Tacoma were. I'm also not keeping the camper on my truck full time like I did with the Tacoma. The rep at Four Wheel Camper said they install air bags on all their company trucks with campers on them.
Lots of good info out there about supersavers, some mixed reviews about changing springs and adding rear blocks and not having a good ride when the camper is off the truck. With bags I can take the camper off, air down to 5 psi and get my normal ride, at least that is what I've been told/read.
Lots of good info out there about supersavers, some mixed reviews about changing springs and adding rear blocks and not having a good ride when the camper is off the truck. With bags I can take the camper off, air down to 5 psi and get my normal ride, at least that is what I've been told/read.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,033
Likes: 105
From: Casper, Wyoming
Good luck on it Waggs. After having a couple of Tacoma's over the years, my experience was they can't haul much before they start to squat pretty bad so I would not compare your Toyota to how your Super Duty will perform.
If you are going to do airbags, take a look at the Airlift 5000 Ultimate bags. That is what I have along with the WirelessAIR remote control and onboard compressor. It is set up to plumb each side separately if you want and I have had really good experience with mine. They have the internal jounce bumper so if you are running empty the bags will not get pinched and get a hole in them. When I run empty I put 10 psi in mine and I have not noticed any difference in ride from when my truck did not have the bags installed.
If you are going to do airbags, take a look at the Airlift 5000 Ultimate bags. That is what I have along with the WirelessAIR remote control and onboard compressor. It is set up to plumb each side separately if you want and I have had really good experience with mine. They have the internal jounce bumper so if you are running empty the bags will not get pinched and get a hole in them. When I run empty I put 10 psi in mine and I have not noticed any difference in ride from when my truck did not have the bags installed.