camper for F250

[user 22017]

Carla, I just went back to page 1 and reread your truck specs and I think you'll find your truck can handle as big a camper as you might want. Those are pretty heavy specs.

Is that why I feel like I'm riding in a tank? It's no fun to drive, but it sure keeps me alert.

 

[DougH71]

My truck has those things that stick out beyond the lugs, but when I looked up my VIN it said Light Engine.

Light engine probably refers to your gas v8, as opposed to a diesel. If there’s a center circle sticking through your rear wheels, that’s a full floater rear end. The caps unbolt and that’s how the axle shafts are removed. A semi float fits flush inside the wheel.

You can have heavy duty suspension with a light duty engine, btw. You’ll be able to carry weight, you just won’t have much power for acceleration and hill climbing.

Whatever you find, just don’t max out you weight. You want to leave a cushion for you, passengers, cargo and fluids (gas, water storage). A vehicle loaded at 50% of it’s rating is going to handle differently/ better than one always at it’s upper limit. It will use less gas as well. On a positive note, with a little weight in the back, your truck will ride a bit smoother.

 

[user 22017]

Light engine probably refers to your gas v8, as opposed to a diesel. If there’s a center circle sticking through your rear wheels, that’s a full floater rear end. The caps unbolt and that’s how the axle shafts are removed. A semi float fits flush inside the wheel.

You can have heavy duty suspension with a light duty engine, btw. You’ll be able to carry weight, you just won’t have much power for acceleration and hill climbing.

Whatever you find, just don’t max out you weight. You want to leave a cushion for you, passengers, cargo and fluids (gas, water storage). A vehicle loaded at 50% of it’s rating is going to handle differently/ better than one always at it’s upper limit. It will use less gas as well. On a positive note, with a little weight in the back, your truck will ride a bit smoother.

Just got my truck back from my son, so I took a pic. Something sticks out, but maybe it is like a hub cap. I didn't know we could add photos directly. On the old forum, I thought photos had to be hosted somewhere.

 

[kklowell]

As far as that hub cap sticks out, I'd guess it's a full-floater, but the only way to know is to take a picture with the hubcap off so we can see the end of the axle.

 

[user 22017]

As far as that hub cap sticks out, I'd guess it's a full-floater, but the only way to know is to take a picture with the hubcap off so we can see the end of the axle.

Thanks K, I don't even know how to get it off. I bought a tire iron, but just realized I better buy a jack. The truck comes with a jack, but I would never get it out. I doubt it has ever been removed. It is in the engine compartment. What kind of jack should I get? I don't know how to remove the spare either. It is under the truck. Guessing it is a giant wing nut thing holding it in place? I know, I shouldn't have a truck. Posting the door tag, for the weight limit.

 

[kklowell]

On the very back of the bed there will be a small hole, roughly centered under the tailgate. The handle for your jack will unfold to a length sufficient to reach the winch that holds the spare up. You would insert the end of the rod into the pocket on the winch and crank the spare down. Once it's down the cable that holds it up will go slack enough so that you can tilt the part that fits through the center hole of the wheel and take it out. That jack handle is either behind your seat or sitting in clips on the radiator support. You should try to get the truck's jack out and back in. If you can't do that, you probably need to buy a bottle jack that is tall enough for use on your truck.

 

[user 22017]

On the very back of the bed there will be a small hole, roughly centered under the tailgate. The handle for your jack will unfold to a length sufficient to reach the winch that holds the spare up. You would insert the end of the rod into the pocket on the winch and crank the spare down. Once it's down the cable that holds it up will go slack enough so that you can tilt the part that fits through the center hole of the wheel and take it out. That jack handle is either behind your seat or sitting in clips on the radiator support. You should try to get the truck's jack out and back in. If you can't do that, you probably need to buy a bottle jack that is tall enough for use on your truck.

Thank you! I didn't know I needed my jack handle to get my spare tire released. I have an appointment on Monday at the repair shop that did the most recent work. Told him about the intake hoses not being connected. Also have an issue with it shifting gears. It doesn't want to shift into the next gear when speeding up to enter the interstate. And when climbing steep hills. Anyway, I'll ask if he can please help me understand my jack & spare better.

In fairness to the shop, I had expired tags on my plates when it was in the shop. They didn't want to chance test driving it. It has proper tags on it now.

Edit: It shifts, of course, but there is a delay

 

[DougH71]

By intake hose, are you talking vacuum lines? A vacuum leak would affect shifting.

I strongly suggest joining a motor club. If you put an actual camper in the back, you'll probably need an rv specific membership.

Also, search for a correct owner's manual. Check Ebay and any automotive swap meets in your area. Lots of info in the manual (jacking instructions), but no one ever reads them.

Even if you get the factory jack to work, investigate a heavier duty one. I'm not sure what yours looks like, but the one in my Express van is really flimsy. You also want to carry a couple rubber wheel chocks and a thick wide board to put under your jack. That will disperse the weight if you're on soft ground and give you a bit of extra height. I also carry a long breaker bar with a deep well socket size appropriate for my lugnuts. That gives me more leverage for removing the nuts.

When the shop shows you how to lower the spare, make sure they get it completely down and lube that cable.

 

[billfires]

With a rear GVWR of 6084# you can be sure you have a full floating axle> Bill C

 

[user 22017]

By intake hose, are you talking vacuum lines? A vacuum leak would affect shifting.

No idea I'll take pictures tomorrow. You posted excellent advice. I'll try to do all, or most, of it before I leave. Thank you.

 

[user 22017]

With a rear GVWR of 6084# you can be sure you have a full floating axle> Bill C

Thanks. Out of curiosity, what is the maximum weight slide-in truck camper my truck can carry?

 

[kklowell]

Your payload capacity is 4045 pounds. Leaving a lot of weight for cargo and passengers, I'd suggest a maximum camper weight of 2500-3000 pounds or so, but I'm sure there are people here with more knowledge than I, so you'll likely get a range of suggested weights.

 

[user 22017]

Oops.

I tried to find the hoses, but I'm not tall enough to see into the engine very well. I had to put my phone above my head to take pics. You can see where there is a hose missing. Couldn't find that other line. It was close to the battery and was one smallish hose that split off into two. Behind the battery and below it, sort of. I couldn't find it today.

The missing hose goes into that black thing with the big nipple, near the oil cap.

 

[user 22017]

By intake hose, are you talking vacuum lines? A vacuum leak would affect shifting.

I replied to you, but messed up my post.

 

[user 22017]

You should try to get the truck's jack out and back in. If you can't do that, you probably need to buy a bottle jack that is tall enough for use on your truck.

The jack is behind that white knob. Do I really have to get it out?

 

[user 22017]

When the shop shows you how to lower the spare, make sure they get it completely down and lube that cable.

I just got it back from the shop. He said everything with the spare tire is working perfectly. And the spare is newer and in good condition. He didn't have time to show me anything, because the shop was closing.

 

[user 22017]

By intake hose, are you talking vacuum lines? A vacuum leak would affect shifting.

He said when he had my truck for 3 months he missed the hose that wasn't connected to anything. He replaced that and drove it quite a bit. He said I was right about it not having enough power. He had put a new fuel filter in a month ago, but it was already clogged (from the truck sitting so long, he said). He put a new one in and it drives great. That hill my truck struggled on is no longer a problem. Drove up it easily.

There is one other issue, but I don't want to bother him anymore. When it is in park, the engine unexpectedly starts idling faster. It never did that before he put all the new parts on it. Another issue is, the guy at O'Reilly Auto Parts showed me some hoses that have dry rot.

 

[kklowell]

If the truck sat for a really long time, you may find you'll need to replace fuel filters quite often for a while, so you should carry a spare.
How large are the dry-rotted hoses? If they're small, like vacuum hoses you could just replace them yourself. If they're larger they probably carry coolant, and you might not want to do them yourself. If they are coolant hoses, definitely get them replaced before heading out anywhere as you don't want to be climbing some big hill or stuck in traffic when it breaks.

 

[Malamute]

I tried to find the hoses, but I'm not tall enough to see into the engine very well. I had to put my phone above my head to take pics....

You may want to get a 2 ft step ladder or step stool with handle to get up enough to see into your engine compartment and do stuff. My F250s were 4wd and taller than 2wd trucks, id generally stand on something to get high enough (and Im over 5'9" and usually in boots) then just climb up on my knees on the radiator support and sort of crawl around as needed to reach stuff. If I had to be on the sides id use a big milk crate or other height enhancing device to allow me to reach stuff. Sometimes standing on the center part of the front hub, the actual locking hub part for 4wd trucks would work, or stand on top of the tire.

Some fuel system cleaner might help with the crud in your fuel, i believe its purpose is to allow such stuff to dissolve enough to flow through the system rather than clog it up. When i used it id use the heviest suggested amount, in other words if it says it treats 10-20 gallons, use it at 1 bottle per 10 gallons, adding more than 1 if needed to get that concentration in the fuel. Its helped several of mine at various times.

And yes, you probably should be sure you can get the jack out and understand how it works.

Some manual jacks, and i think all hydraulic jacks, have a stem inside the ram that screws out so you can take the slack out so to speak when starting to jack something up. Place hydraulic jack in position, unscrew center part upwards until close to the axle or part you want to jack, then use the hydraulic part to raise it.

 

[user 22017]

If the truck sat for a really long time, you may find you'll need to replace fuel filters quite often for a while, so you should carry a spare.
How large are the dry-rotted hoses?

I'll get a spare. The dry rot hoses are small. Thanks for helping