My Truck: 2000 F-350 SD 4x4 7.3l CCLB with a 6” lift kit. 320,00 miles.

After spending 6 months of each of the last 10 years out exploring the secondary roads of America and Canada from Florida to Alaska in my truck with a roof top tent; I am considering a slide in camper.

I have tons of questions. The first concerns stability. Should I have the lift kit removed?
I have believed that a tall unit in the bed would lead to top heaviness and less stability. I like dirt roads so that gives me pause. Am I wrong?

like I said I have questions. Any help and advice is welcomed and appreciated.

 

I have no personal experience, but at several truck camper rallies that I've attended the lifted trucks invariably had a lightweight pop-up camper, such as 4-Wheel camper. The pop-up keeps the weight low and also maintains much of your off-road ability. For several years I had a pop-up and traveled many Jeep type trails with no problem, but my suspension was factory standard.

 

What AZRyder said, a slide in truck bed pop up camper is lighter, low profile, low center of gravity.

 

Jefe XTC Off Road Truck Camper

Here is Jefe being interviewed about his off road truck camper. He was a Rubicon off roader that started truck camping later in his adventures.

@jefe4X4 started a little before me in truck camping and I started reading some of his adventures when forums were just starting up.

 

Jefe4x4 F350 Truck Camper

Here is his F350 he is currently using.

 

8" lift on my 2006 and no issues with my 2200lb(DRY)97 Citation 8.10 after 1 year of use. I'll be dropping to stock or 3" soon, but only for legal reasons otherwise I'd keep it as is.

Very stable in high winds, when turning and offroad, but the truck has traction bars, a much wider stance than stock and a 6.7 steering gearbox and even when loaded up it's still the best riding vehicle I've ever owned!

 

If you keep it light, and don't go too long (in rear overhang), it won't be too bad.

Big question is: does the lift allow you to do stuff that you wouldn't be able to do without it? If not, then I'd take it off.

Also, a big part of this is a question you didn't ask: How does height affect your adventures? If you have a full cabover on there, and the roof is two or three feet higher than your pop-up, will it be dragging through trees and hitting stuff? Unlike your pop-up, trees and branches will really tear up the roof, sides, windows, and all of the stuff on the roof like vents and the air conditioner.

 

No experience with a lifted truck with a camper, but I would stay as narrow, short, and light as possible. Definitely no basement tanks.

 

I have a 2” lift on my F-350 with my Hallmark Everest pop up camper and love the way it drives. I did add a Hellwig sway bar on the rear to minimize the possibility of swaying and it has worked great.

I chose a pop up camper to reduce the center of gravity a bit plus it allows me to get into tighter places. We’ve been to Alaska, Baja, far Eastern Canada and all in between. Love the Hallmark Camper!

 

Get an FWC and dont worry about it. Bundutec makes nice pop ups as well.


Or for less than half the cost of those, get a little TT to tow. Something that a lil SUV could tow. Youll have to figure out exactly where you want to go. Ive gone to plenty of nice areas with a TT. Even the smallest ones will be luxury compared to a camper. And you can pull a pin and drop it in 1 minute.

 

TC= No blowouts

 

I guess will toss my experience in here. My truck is a 99 with a level on the front. I am not as tall as your truck but seem to do similar activities. My truck has no sway bars, no bags, nothing fancy. Factory overload springs on the back. 35s with proper load range for the weight. I had a 9'10" Northland Polar unit on the back. The unit was heavy for what it was with the basement and plenty of extra gear for skiing and mountain use. I am in the PNW and regularly see real mountains and pass driving. This was my ski chalet.

So with my setup any of those yellow suggested speed limit signs were about mandatory. I say that only "by the seat of my pants" feel in terms of roll or whatever. I guess how your truck would perform can only be known by putting it under something. An older Lance camper seems to have lower center of gravity. Others have said it. Keep the camper as low as possible. I also had a solid 4" of spacing under the unit to clear my cab. That does not help. Most I was comfortable with was USFS roads. They get off camber enough in my region.
I sold my camper due to the size. If I put something else on there it will be a non cabover unit with a much lower center of gravity. I think big truck campers are fine in flat country or those that rarely go far off pavement.

 

As long as you stay with your. pop ups etc you should be good with your lift.

Here is my setup:


2020 F 450 King Ranch, Host Mfg Mammoth 5990 in travel weight

If you go this big there is only 1 truck, F 450! That said I had it on my F 350 and no way would I ever do it again. My F450 in OEM config will handle 6k in the bed and not SAG! In fact it levels it out.

If not a F 450 then what you chose and I had 5 F 350s, duallys. You still need to beef up your rear springs if you don't take advantage of the Ford upfits such as snow plow prep and the camper certification package...

CAT SCALE is your friend.

 

Jeffy was on here but not see him in a long time. I met him a few times back in my Jeep days but he is an old man...just like me at 80.

 

Front end looks a bit high. Does the truck have air bags and if not are the overload leaf bump stops still original?

2" aftermarket bump stops on my 06 F250 short bed and keeps my truck just about level with 2500lbs of camper/gear in the box.