Blanco1
Los Angeles
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Joined: 01/09/2012
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ReddDog1 suggested I start a new thread in attempts to keep it on topic.
I'm in the market for a truck to place a camper onto & i'm wanting a large Camper with a large slide out.
I'm not meaning huge but on the larger size.
I was thinking about a Dodge 3500 with a Cummins supercab 4X4 dually with a 5 speed.
But some people are telling me thats too much weight for the poor truck.
So I was considering a Ford F450 but then I'm hearing that once you go over a F350 that the insurance & registration go through the roof because thats a working class truck.
I dont plan to work it a t all for money, rather camp with it & tow my personal toys behind it.
Someone even told me it had to go through truck scales at F450 or above?
Heck I'd just swap the Fender badges to 350 & nobody would ever know just by looking at drive by. 
Do I modify a F350/3500 or start bigger right off the bat?
I dont know how much more the 450+ trucks would cost to buy compared to the F350's though..
& is it worth the hassle?
Sorry I ask sooooo many questions, its just that I'm very eager to learn!
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donn0128
Pronounced Ore-gun
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It really will depends on how big of a camper you are considering? My 07 quad cab (short crew) long bed dually goes across the scales at 8000 pounds. That is with 250 pound of hitch in the back. With a 11,500 GVWR that is leaving me at least 3500 pounds for a camper. Dodge does offer a 12,500 package on the new ones. If I remember correctly. Maybe you need to go to the Dodge body builder site and do some nosing around.
Donn,Lorri,Max (rescued Lab)
Saigon International Airport 1966/67
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sh410
Northwest
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A pre-98 diesel would be 14 years old. It likely will have more than 140-150K miles on it. You may find one with less miles and many with more. They will have less payload capacity than the newer models. Large campers with big slides will weigh more than 3000#.
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Blanco1
Los Angeles
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donn0128 wrote: Maybe you need to go to the Dodge body builder site and do some nosing around.
What is that?
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donn0128
Pronounced Ore-gun
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Blanco1 wrote:donn0128 wrote: Maybe you need to go to the Dodge body builder site and do some nosing around.
What is that?
http://www.ramtrucks.com/
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Lots of Stuff
WA. USA
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Joined: 10/18/2003
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Ball-parking the weight of the camper you want and the weight of the trailer you want to pull.
Makes picking the proper size truck easy.
DG
03 Chevy Silverado Regular Cab 2500HD 4X4 Duramax
04 Lance Lite 915
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SugarHillCTD
Sugar Hill, NH, USA
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Many folks here have advocated finding the right camper for you THEN getting the right truck to carry it.
That way you don't get too much truck for the TC -or- not get the TC you want because the truck you just bought isn't big enough.
Cart before the horse?
John & Cathy
'05 Chevy 2500HD xcab 4x4 sb
'11 Lance 825 Lightweight and hittin' the road
B4 that- 2006 N* 850SC TC (sold)
B4 that- 2004 Nash 25S TT (sold)
B4 that- 2002 Adventurer 810ws TC (sold)
1992 BMW K100RS 2004 R1100S BoxerCup 2 bikes, 2 much fun
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skipnchar
Topeka or somewhere else
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Joined: 12/17/2003
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There is no modification that you can do that increases the payload of any truck (at least any that are practical). It would ALSO require an engineering certificate when you finished to actually assign a larger GVWR. Buy the camper then buy the truck that will handle it.
2011 F-150 HD Ecoboost 3.5 V6. 2550 payload, 17,100 GCVWR -
2004 F-150 HD (Traded after 80,000 towing miles)
2007 Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer
US Govt survey shows three out of four people make up 75% of the total population
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Blanco1
Los Angeles
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I basically know what I want & that's a something between the AF 990 & 1140 , I've not seen these in person, but from on line look like what I want with a slide.
& of course the camper will be loaded up with all the needed supplies.
& as for the trailer I'm guessing my full size 1990 Bronco on a trailer would weigh about 6,500 lbs before adding misc other gear like tools & maybe a little pit bike & spare parts.
So that's what my needs are for a truck.
I'm told the weight fee's are what will hurt every year with registration.
I know ( because I have done it ) that if I take a 1 ton truck to DMV for inspection & they see the shell they will remove the weight fees & my commercial plates. ( why would I need Commercial plates anyways? )
I wonder if that would still apply to bigger than 1 ton truck?
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Bigfootchevy
Bancroft, Ontario, Canada
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Both GM and Ford have a 2011 or 2012 one ton dually that will handle the weight you want to carry. Both have excellent payload numbers.
Paul
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