I am in the research phase of RV'ing and looking for some answers/help. I am almost 100% going with 3/4 or 1 ton truck and slide in camper. I am planning of buying the truck brand new and have bought trucks in the past but not for campers. I know about weight and box sizes but I am looking for assistance with accessories. It can be from factory/dealer or after market place like amazon. I am strictly looking for truck accessories, manly chevy and ford. Example is the air bags for the rear suspension, are they really needed if you have a 1 ton. Thanks for any assistance you can provide.
Howard said
12:25 PM Nov 30, 2017
Much depends on the size of the truck (slide-in) camper and the truck's capacity. Having weighed RVs for a few years we learned trucks with heavy campers are notoriously overloaded on their rear axles. Are you looking at single rear wheel (SRW) trucks or dual rear wheel trucks (DRW)? Do you know the axle ratings of the truck and the loaded weight of the camper? A one-ton SRW truck may not have enough capacity depending on the truck camper. Answers to these questions will help in answering other questions such as your inquiry about air bags.
Jumpmaster said
08:43 PM Dec 3, 2017
Over several forums I have come to the conclusion that I would probably be better off with towing a small trailer. I am looking at either Chevy/Ford single rear wheel 4x4. I am starting to like the idea of having an open truck bed for tool box and bike. I just keep seeing videos on YouTube where someone pulling a trailer is fish tailing it all over the highway or having the hitch or something break and the trailer passes the tow vehicle on the highway.
Thanks
Bill and Linda said
11:35 AM Dec 4, 2017
Jumpmaster wrote:
Over several forums I have come to the conclusion that I would probably be better off with towing a small trailer. I am looking at either Chevy/Ford single rear wheel 4x4. I am starting to like the idea of having an open truck bed for tool box and bike. I just keep seeing videos on YouTube where someone pulling a trailer is fish tailing it all over the highway or having the hitch or something break and the trailer passes the tow vehicle on the highway. Thanks
First, Howard's comments about DRW trucks are very important. Having done some research on the subject it takes a very small slide in camper to not overload - or cause rear end squat - on SRW trucks and that includes 3500HD trucks with SRW. Yes, even with DRW air bags are usually need for a level ride. At least for Class III trucks, i.e. 3500HDs / F-450's as so much of the camper weight is centered on the rear axle.
One has a lot of frontal (and sides) area with a truck camper. It can not be over emphasized how much more stable DRW truck are in this and towing applications.
On the other subject, trailer sway can be reduced somewhat with anti-sway friction brakes which are an add-on's for equalizing hitches. Other more expensive anti-sway hitches for "bumper pull" trailers are made by Hensley. These are in common use by Airstreams. However, the best cure for trailer sway, caused especially by passing semis in addition to wind gusts, is a fiver. A fifth wheel trailer, equal length to a tag or bumper pull trailer, is superior in all regards as to sway or trailer "wagging." That's not an opinion, it is geometry and leverage. The 5th wheel hitch point being just ahead of the rear axle of the truck simply reduces trailer sway issues because the arm length of the fulcrum is zero against the tow vehicle with a 5th wheel. Thus the truck keeps the trailer much straighter. I have much experience with both types of trailers to back up this comment.
Bill
LarryW21 said
03:31 PM Dec 8, 2017
Don't be afraid of TTs. I love mine and wouldn't go back to a TC. No need to move my "home" when I just want to sightsee a little.
I am in the research phase of RV'ing and looking for some answers/help. I am almost 100% going with 3/4 or 1 ton truck and slide in camper. I am planning of buying the truck brand new and have bought trucks in the past but not for campers. I know about weight and box sizes but I am looking for assistance with accessories. It can be from factory/dealer or after market place like amazon. I am strictly looking for truck accessories, manly chevy and ford. Example is the air bags for the rear suspension, are they really needed if you have a 1 ton. Thanks for any assistance you can provide.
Much depends on the size of the truck (slide-in) camper and the truck's capacity. Having weighed RVs for a few years we learned trucks with heavy campers are notoriously overloaded on their rear axles. Are you looking at single rear wheel (SRW) trucks or dual rear wheel trucks (DRW)? Do you know the axle ratings of the truck and the loaded weight of the camper? A one-ton SRW truck may not have enough capacity depending on the truck camper. Answers to these questions will help in answering other questions such as your inquiry about air bags.
First, Howard's comments about DRW trucks are very important. Having done some research on the subject it takes a very small slide in camper to not overload - or cause rear end squat - on SRW trucks and that includes 3500HD trucks with SRW. Yes, even with DRW air bags are usually need for a level ride. At least for Class III trucks, i.e. 3500HDs / F-450's as so much of the camper weight is centered on the rear axle.
One has a lot of frontal (and sides) area with a truck camper. It can not be over emphasized how much more stable DRW truck are in this and towing applications.
On the other subject, trailer sway can be reduced somewhat with anti-sway friction brakes which are an add-on's for equalizing hitches. Other more expensive anti-sway hitches for "bumper pull" trailers are made by Hensley. These are in common use by Airstreams. However, the best cure for trailer sway, caused especially by passing semis in addition to wind gusts, is a fiver. A fifth wheel trailer, equal length to a tag or bumper pull trailer, is superior in all regards as to sway or trailer "wagging." That's not an opinion, it is geometry and leverage. The 5th wheel hitch point being just ahead of the rear axle of the truck simply reduces trailer sway issues because the arm length of the fulcrum is zero against the tow vehicle with a 5th wheel. Thus the truck keeps the trailer much straighter. I have much experience with both types of trailers to back up this comment.
Bill