Anyone planning on this application? Would like some advice since payload max of Screw is near average weight of "lite" campers w/ shower/toilet(i.e. Sixpac Campers). Could save some duckets($) by going 1/2T though.

 

Is this an F150 or an F150 Super Crew? The Super Crew has such a short bed, that I dont know if a slide in camper will even fit in it. Some slide ins are made for regular short bed trucks though and Six Pac seems to be one of the lighter weight camper manufacturers these days. It is hard to find a short (8' or less) camper with a shower, Six Pac is one of the few who used to make them. I don't know if they still are. Sorry, I don't know what the payload of your truck is. Look on the door post for the GVWR, take the truck to a scale (your local landfill should have one) and subtract the truck's actual weight from the GVWR to get Payload. Remember, the wieghts the camper manufacturers list are for completely empty and dry campers with no optional equipment. Leave yourself plenty of payload capacity for everything you will take on your trip.

 

Crazy I might be since the Supercrew payload is approx. 1500# stock. Six Pac claims they can put an 82" camper in the 5.5' bed and have done so already. They're planning on doing Titans as soon as asked. Dry weight around 1500#. Haven't bought truck yet but if Ford comes with a 6.5' bed which I'm hearing, air bags and/or add-a-leaf could get me there, maybe.
Gots to have a CC truck for sure. Checking weight distribution issues now.

 

Sinjin, for your info, here are the payload capacities and GVWR's of the '04 F150 SuperCrew and SuperCab in 2wd and 4wd versions with regular 'Styleside' bed (payload based on a base-model truck with no optional equipment):

-----------------------------W/B--Payload-----GVWR----
SuperCrew 2wd 4.6L-- 139----1530--------6800
SuperCrew 2wd 5.4L---139----1690--------7050
SuperCrew 4wd 4.6L---139----1340--------6900
SuperCrew 4wd 5.4L---139----1530--------7200
Super Cab 2wd 4.6L---133----1600--------6650
Super Cab 2wd 5.4L---133----1750--------6950
Super Cab 2wd 4.6L---145----1530--------6700
Super Cab 2wd 5.4L---145----1750--------7050
Super Cab 2wd 5.4L---163----2690--------8200
Super Cab 4wd 4.6L---133----1520--------6900
Super Cab 4wd 5.4L---133----1530--------7150
Super Cab 4wd 4.6L---145----1470--------6950
Super Cab 4wd 5.4L---145----1650--------7200
Super Cab 4wd 5.4L---163----2260--------8200

The SixPac T150 Short Bed has a dry wieght of 1150 lbs before optional equipment. This is the one for SuperCrews and does not have an indoor shower, but does have outside shower hookup.

The SixPac SC150 Short Bed has a dry weight of 1550 lbs before optional equipment. This one has inside shower stall.

 

Thanks homeboy. You can see that with a Screw 4x4 5.4L you're right at the limits although I'm sure the numbers are a bit conservative. I've found this sort of thing with Lance as well. Camper manufacturers are always optimistic about payloads. What do you sleep in when you're in the desert?
Thanks for your assistance Glen.

 

A late '70's cabover camper that I hope to replace with something newer and nicer but it does the trick for now.

 

I've had slide-in campers before, last one an 11' Coachmen on an '88 F250 SC HD. Just a suggestion, but this is a situation where bigger is better; both truck and camper . Even in a camper as large as an 11-footer (floor length; overall length about 18') things can get tight at times for more than 2 people. Plus, I would imagine that the resale value would not hold up well for a camper specifically made for the S-Crew bed or even a regular shortbed. Then there are the weight issues; Like SoCalDesertRider said, the camper manufacturer's dry weights are without anything added, no options, no water, no food, no gear, no nothing. You can easily add 500 - 1,000 pounds in no time. 40 gallons of water alone weighs over 330 pounds. Campers handle much differently than pulling trailers. You've got alot of weight in the bed of the truck and it's up high. Wind has a great affect on the handling and you'll feel every little gust. Front and rear sway bar are mandatory. Look at the camper package options Ford (GM & Dodge too) offers for their pickups, all have rear sway bars. My '01 F350 SD CC does not have the camper package option and the documentation is clear that this truck in not recommended to load a camper upon. This is an F350 with a 9700 pound GVWR!!!! Just my opinion but, buy a pickup setup to haul a camper, don't just hope that the S-Crew will work and then be disappointed after you put a camper on it. I don't think that the price difference from a SD CC and a S-Crew are that much different are they? Especially the monthly payments if you finance it Are you also planning on towing a trailer for the toys behind this? Our friends just learned an expensive lesson last year; bought a S-Crew and toybox type trailer...every trip was a struggle with the truck pulling this load...transmission problems under warranty etc....after 6 months of this, traded up to a 250 SD CC V10. My advice: get a truck made to haul a camper.

 

sinjin,
I think your options will be very limited due to the 5.5ft bed you have in your supercrew. But, if you do find something, here's what I had to do.

I have a 6'9" Phoenix pop-up slide-in on my 98 F150 short-bed. I upgraded the leaf springs, shocks and tires, even though my camper's dry weight is only 1180lbs. I then had everything weighed at a truck stop. The loaded, wet weight was 6300 lbs. It drives pretty good now, even in strong crosswinds, but felt unsafe before I changed the leaf springs and tires. We have a lot of fun with it now and don't regret keeping the truck. You will need to make a few changes, even with a light camper.

Good luck and happy camping.

 

sinjin,
I forgot to mention. Check the required bed height for any slide-in you buy. My camper is 20.25 inches, which work great on the '97-03 F150's that have a 20" bed height. The new F150's 22" bed could be a problem. You might need to put 2" of plywood in the bed to keep the camper's "wings" off the bed rails.

 

Good point Fishfinder. Neighbor just bought a new '04 SD CC to replace his '94. Had it home a few weeks and went to put on his '94 Lance 10 footer. Camper no fit. Camper comes up about 6" short in the front of the bed and the camper is hitting the tailights. Neighbor now has a Lance camper for sale. A few years ago my father buys an '02 SD CC and an '02 Lance 11'-6" Monster or something like that. Dealer loads the camper on the truck, Dad drives it over shows it off to me. I ask: "Did you pay extra for the dents on the underside of your cabover or did they throw those in with the deal?". Turns out the SD clearance lights were only about 1/2" away from the cabover and when the frame flexes from the 3500 pounds of camper weight the lights and cabover try to occupy the same space. Solution was to add a couple sheets of 1" plywood. You'd think Lance would have figured that out.

 

Yes,
I would go buy a new F250SD today, if the cab height was 3" lower. I don't want to put 3" of plywood in the bed and then step up 3" higher every time I get in the camper.

I keep a spreadsheet with all dimensions for Ford, Dodge & Chevy. Today, Chevy is the only 3/4 ton that has a low profile. Furthermore, Chevy's box height is about 19.5". This means lower profile camper and safer. I wish Ford would pay more attention to the needs of campers. I think the high profile of Ford & Dodge are only for marketing purposes.

I would also consider a new '04 F150, since the GVWR has increased. Won't do that either because the bed is too deep (22").

 

You practically have to be an engineer just to configure one of these things. Thank you all for your thoughts.

 

I had to raise my camper up 4'' to clear the cab on my F350, I made a sub frame out of 4x2 rectangle thin wall tubing.

click on club FTE member under my user name to see a big pic of my truck with camper

 

CDTRUCKN: I looked at your gallery; I love those large campers! Those mid '90s Weekenders are built stout! They're heavy but you've got the truck to carry it. When we bought our 5th wheel in '95 we were looking for a larger camper to replace our 10' Coachmen. Narrowed it down to the Weekender or Fleetwood Caribou, both with side entrance door. At the time, the prices for 28-foot fifth wheels were about the same price as campers so we opted for the fifth-wheel.
Question: I think the Weekenders have an angle iron perimeter frame, rignt? Good idea with the sub-frame. Did you cross brace the center of it and place plywood on top to distribute the load and prevent camper floor flex? Doubt if the Weekender does, but some campers have pretty thin floors that need to be completely supported. What's your sub-frame construction like? Could you post a pic in your gallery? Im seriously thinking of going back to a camper soon as the kids are getting older and we don't need all the room of the fifth wheel.

 

Ya, I put 1 cross brace in the middle, no ply wood the floor seems stout , no flexing, I will post some pic's of it tomorrow or if the Werther let's me today.

The camper is a 1995 weekender fully self contained w/gen set, elect jacks and we will set it on the ground at the camp site so I can use the truck.
I think it is a wood frame construction.

I pull a 9,000 LB boat behind this setup also 20,000 CGW certified