Slide in camper/truck match

[mothercoder]

I'm looking at a 1999 Ford F-150 XLT 5.0 V8 extended cab.  What is the easiest way to determine what size slide in camper will fit?

 

[Vern]

Hi,
Here's a link that will give you a rough idea.

https://www.fordf150.net/specs/99tow.php

Personally, I would advise against anything other than a canopy on a half-ton. The slide in campers tend to be kinda heavy and raise the center of  mass quite a bit resulting in less than ideal handling.

Safe travels, Vern

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Alas, I fear that Vern is correct.  The weight of truck campers is such that they are almost always mounted on 1 ton or larger trucks, because even the 3/4 ton models can't handle the weight.  Here's a good article on matching a camper and truck SAFELY:

http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/newbie-articles/matching-a-truck-and-camper/

 

[DannyB1954]

Pulling a trailer with a half ton is about your best bet. Like others have already said, 1/2 ton will not carry much.

 

[DuneElliot]

Bob just did a video on a Tacoma with a truck camper. There are specific campers designed for the smaller trucks:

 

[ArtW]

This is the only 'truck camper' I would even consider on a 1/2 ton
http://capricamper.com/models/cowboy/

 

[ArtW]

Or this one
http://www.cheaprvliving.com/uncategorized/incredible-adventure-rig-toyota-tacoma-fiberglass-camper/

 

[bullfrog]

Most 1/2 ton trucks require light weight campers that use the existing bed for their floor or canvas for their upper sections if slide ins. When you add water tanks, heaters, and coolers they quickly get to heavy with the conventional building methods that most companies use. That is why people are starting to do self builds using Poor Man's Fiberglass and foam as on tntt trailers forum. There are very few commercially built ones out there and the ones that are are very costly.

 

[Queen]

This is the only 'truck camper' I would even consider on a 1/2 ton
http://capricamper.com/models/cowboy/

Agreed, they even make one that will go into my Nissan Frontier.  They are fairly affordable and customizable, the company also responds personally and quickly to inquiries.

 

[DuneElliot]

Here's the link to the camper company the Tacoma uses. I believe only the Razyr and Super Lite are compatible for a 1/2 ton:

http://travellitecampers.com/truck-campers/

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Even those 1/2 ton models are iffy. I think his Tacoma is probably over weight too. Just a quick search looks like Tacomas are rated for 1200 lbs. The camper weighs 1100 dry. His weight, gear, water, propane, batteries for solar, etc put it over weight. I'm sure the trucks can handle it as I used to put so much weight in the back of my Ranger the front wheels could barely steer, but lawyers will have a field day should an accident ever occur.

All the 1/2 ton models I searched weight just about the max allowed dry, same thing with tacoma, once you add yourself and gear, in the real world you're overweight or skirting the max. 1/2 tons have a wide margin between brands and models of max weight though so it would def come down to vehicle specifics, i've seen it go from 1100 to 1900 lbs on half tons.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

There are a number of guys over on Wanderthewest.com that have pop-up campers on a 1/2 ton pickup (mostly Four Wheel Campers and All Terrain Campers and mostly on Tundras).  With a 1/2 ton and a camper to be safe you will have to spend money on upgrading the suspension and tires, minimum.  After you have spent on upgrades to carry the weight you have spent as much as for a comparable 3/4 ton; without the beefed up frame, axles, suspension, drive train.

The factory specs on your truck (1999 F-150 XLT V8, 2WD?) is a max. payload = 1840 lbs.  There are campers that will work but you are going to have to pack light and spend some coin on upgrades.

I part time in a Four Wheel Campers Grandby on a 3/4T Ram.  It weighs in at ~1300 lbs with two weeks supplies, me, and the beagle.  Total weight just shy of 8000 lbs.

 -- Spiff

 

[OutdoorFT]

For me, Id need at least a dually for the weight Id want to carry. Just for extra. Even in my 1 ton gasser I wouldnt want to add a TC. But, that is personal. Others may prefer less.

 

[wagoneer]

The Regular cab 8 ft bed with the 1300Lb slide in hard side on a 3/4 HD camper package is perfect the air bags were overkill IMHO Just need to watch my weight. Please be careful and don't listen to the hype about what "you can get away with" theories

 

[wagoneer]

Here I yam

 

[masterplumber]

What Wagoneer said about the hype. I was headed down Hwy 17 from Flagstaff to Phoenix a couple years ago. I passed 2 guys driving 1/2 ton Fords with cab over campers, and they were both towing 4 horse stock trailers with 3 horses in one and 4 in the other. They were having to keep them to 25 mph on the freeway and you could still smell the brakes - fortunately it was obvious they both had trailer brakes. I did a lot of stupid overloaded stuff in my youth, but not anymore. People can and have died when overloaded brakes fail. Ok, back down off my soap box now.

 

[Outdoorsisfree]

In our experience our 3/4 ton was too small for a slide in and we had a small one. If you get one you will desire dual rear wheels at least. Feel free to message us for reasons why. We had dreams like you, and they were fun...so if it doesn't break your budget go for the experience and drive slow. Enjoy!

 

[Canine]

My 2 cents, even though it's fairly out of date (like everything about me):

I owned a 1977 GMC 1 ton single wheel 4x4 with the t400 trans and the 400 small block, 4.10 gears, open diff. There, that's for the truck nerd... anyway, a basic old 1 ton.
Advantages - relatively cheap to buy, cheap to fix as long as you were ok with junkyards. Lots of steel (not flimsy) and most importantly for today, it sat low to the ground... Half tons today sit higher!

Cons - truck was uncomfortable compared to today's Cadillac ride trucks and it's hi-tech feature was a radio. It was underpowered, 175 HP @ 3600 RPMs. { Torque } 290 FT. LBS @ 2800 RPMs, and struggled on hills, course it weighed over 8000 pounds. The camper probably was 1500 #.

I had an 8 foot camper, hard sided, no bath. Only smoothed out the ride, almost no spring deflection. I had a sway bar so very little sway side to side.

It wasn't hard to get up into since it had to be 2 feet or more lower to the ground than today's stock setups. The camper had all the standard things, small furnace, 2 burner stovetop, small fridg, electrical, cabinets etc. It did have the 4 corner hydraulic jacks which I took off because they stuck out, were ugly and I almost never removed the camper from the truck.

Ok, enough history. Point is, this non-plumbed 8 footer hardside was too much weight for a 1/2 ton and to safely put it on even today's "miracle" half tons requires hundreds of dollars in mods.
Then you need to not have a fear of heights to get up into them.

Shop for an older, lower 3/4 with just an 8' camper and you'll be ok. In Phoenix the very cheapest 4x4 3/4T is $3500 and there's not much choice up till say $5K. T/C's are $2500-4500, so now you have $6-10K plus repairs tied up into a 10 mpg (if lucky) rig. (I got 8)

Anyone who can live in a converted cargo or passenger van knows how to deal with no running water. The TC has the advantages of stand up room and the kitchen.

No vehicle choice will work for everything. It's all what you intend to do with it. There's always somebody pushing the limits with their rig on GVWR or some other measure of safety, but that doesnt mean you should. If you go pop up you can max out a half ton and save maybe $1000 on purchase price and get better mpg. Choices...

 

[29chico]

An older but well maintained, and well chosen, 4x4 one ton with single rear wheels and an older, but in good shape, Alaskan telescoping camper would be a sweet setup.

My family has owned both a cable operated 10' Siesta and 8' hydraulically operated Alaskan telescoping camper.  Both drove really well on the highway.  The Alaskan was a better built unit.

 

[gargoyle]

Take a look at Flippac toppers. Lightweight, several interior ideas. No idea on $$.
A new member here has one, maybe they will chime in.?
http://flippac.com/#page_1/ 

Several pics in the link and a few vids on YouTube, if you want to look further.
I like the idea.