Coast Resorts Open Roads Forum: Truck Campers: Broken Frame on a RAM 3500

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Topic: Broken Frame on a RAM 3500

Posted By: deltabravo on 12/29/22 09:09pm

You may have seen pics of this truck and camper floating around the interwbez for the last few weeks.

Here's an article about it that was published earlier today.

Broken Frame on a RAM 3500

2009 Silverado 3500HD Dually, D/A, CCLB 4x4 (bought new 8/30/09)
2018 Arctic Fox 992 with an Onan 2500i "quiet" model generator

Posted By: ROBERTSUNRUS on 12/29/22 10:30pm

Hi, why is the owner guessing? All he has to do is open the driver's door and read the label.

"> Bob ">
2005 Airstream Safari 25-B
2000 Lincoln Navigator
2014 F-150 Ecoboost
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Yamaha 2400

Posted By: Camper_Jeff_&_Kelli on 12/29/22 10:45pm

Those really big truck campers should be on the bigger 550-5500 trucks. Bigger brakes too that way. I know my F250 is probably a little overloaded but not severely. I have the higher rated 3400 pound each load range E tires, heavy sway bars front and rear, Larger 5500-pound leaf springs in the rear and soon, 3 leaf heavier springs in the front, Firestone airbags which provide a third center support point to the frame directly above the axle and halfway between the front and rear shackles. No signs of frame stress at the usual break point between the bed and cab. I would really hate to have it do something to me when I'm on one of those middle of nowhere back roads like at Alamo Reservoir, AZ last year, (Alamo Rd.) when I sank into the deep road gravel. there were several bouncy parts to that road for which I'm glad nothing happened.

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Posted By: joerg68 on 12/30/22 04:42am

How far is that motorbike behind the rear axle and how much does it weigh...?

2014 Ford F350 XLT 6.2 SCLB + 2017 Northstar Arrow

Posted By: towpro on 12/30/22 06:46am

ROBERTSUNRUS wrote:

Hi, why is the owner guessing? All he has to do is open the driver's door and read the label.

Even that one is hard to figure out, but if you look at that piece of paper in the glove box that shows the slide-in weight and COG for THAT truck its easy, but you still have to go to a scale.

2022 Ford F150
Sold: 2016 Arctic Fox 990, 2018 Ram 3500, 2011 Open Range
Sold Forest River Forester 2401R Mercedes Benz. when campsites went from $90 to $190 per night.

Posted By: JimK-NY on 12/30/22 06:49am

In spite of the owner's claims, it seems very likely that the truck was grossly overloaded. Most Ram 3500 diesel crew cab pickups are going to have a CCC roughly in the 4000# range. The camper itself has a dry weight of 4500#. Loaded and carrying a motorcycle it is likely to be well over 6000#.

There is another warning here for all of us. The CCC is based on that weight in the bed of the truck. Hanging a lot of weight well behind the rear axle is beyond what the truck was designed for.

Posted By: towpro on 12/30/22 06:56am

joerg68 wrote:

How far is that motorbike behind the rear axle and how much does it weigh...?

Its an 12' camper, on an 8' bed so its not the Curt 34" extension that I used on my Arctic Fox 990 so maybe a super truss. That looks like an electric bike, so maybe 60 lbs?

I had that same truck but 2 yard older, and I was at my max GVWR with just an Arctic Fox 990 loaded for a long trip. (and the 990 is around 1500 lbs lighter than that camper according to literature)

we have all seen this type truck with this type load on it before. I bet something else caused this failure.
Previous accident?
I could not see what camper mounts are used.
That frame is a "no drill" frame.

Posted By: rhagfo on 12/30/22 07:04am

JimK-NY wrote:

Where do people get these numbers???

CCC of 4,000# is average for long bed SRW 350/3500, DRW will be over 5,000# based on trim, we are talking diesel engines.

Russ & Paula the Beagle Belle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 Aisin DRW 4X4 Long bed.
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS, 32' GVWR 12,360#

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Posted By: Geo*Boy on 12/30/22 07:25am

Are we still beating this dead horse? [emoticon]

Posted By: bighatnohorse on 12/30/22 08:44am

1)The owner has a Facebook page and made a comment about selling the truck camper and that he also owns a 5th wheel.
This raises the unanswered question about how the truck was outfitted and used. Does the owner own two trucks? Does the truck also have a 5th wheel connection?

2) If you've driven in Mexico then you know that the topes (speed bumps) are everywhere. The shadow of a tree can hide a tope. If one were to hit a tope with a big camper on it could damage the frame and more.
Again, it's an unanswered question (though comprehensive insurance should cover such an event).

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