Axle Weight -Camper Weight too much?

[sinrgracing]

Newbie angst again... no search results in 2 hours of looking, sorry.

1997 F-250 7.3L PSD Ext Cab, 4x4, 5-spd, Superchipped, Brake controller, 33" BFGs -have no truck manual or truck history to rely on. 8800lb GVWR on the door, but no GVCWR.

Just added air bags and am looking to put in a 3400lb Arctic Fox camper. Am now worried that the payload is too high for the truck, despite camper sales guys that say they do it all the time w/o incident. I'd like to also tow 6k in my trailer at the same time.

Can't locate the truck's curb weight nor the axle weight dry to verify. Can someone help and/or provide history that it's good or bad to do? Buying this weekend

[kofire]

Hey man, if this helps any I have a 96 f350. and according to the manual it is only rated to carry a 1800 lb. Camper so I would say you would be very far over the legal weight rating of the truck. Just so you know my GCVWR is 18,500. Hope this helps

[2000 7.3 6speed]

If you have air bags you will be fine

[ponyexpress94]

8,800 GVW means that's the maximum allowed weight of the truck. If the slide in camper is 3400 lbs. that leaves only 5400 lbs. for your truck weight and your truck weighs more than that without a driver. The best way to find out what your truck weighs is to go to a feed store, quarry, metal recycling facility, or truck stop that has a drive on scale where you can weigh your truck with a full tank of fuel, you in the driver seat, and any other equipment you consider mandatory for your truck (i.e. tools, fluids, etc.) Most truck stop scales will also give you individual axle weights. The max axle loads are also located on your door sticker along with your GVW. GCVW means the Gross Combined Vehicle Weight of your truck and trailer. Assuming you haven't regeared your truck to compensate for your taller tires you have either 3.55's or 4.10's. The most the OBS 250's were rated for GCVW was 18,000 lbs. Since you have added taller tires you have effectively reduced your gearing numerically making your engine work harder than with the factory tire size. Since the camper already far exceeds your payload, hooking up a trailer and adding its tonque weight to an already overloaded rear axle and rear tires is dangerous. And adding airbags won't do a thing to correct the overload, it will simply level the truck out and make it LOOK safe.
Personally it fries my bacon when I hear about dealers pushing their products on someone and simply saying it's been done before with no problem, when they should be helping a customer figure out what is safe. Your going to be asking alot out of that truck and you will be putting a lot of extra stress on all of the major components and that's before you strap that 6000 lb trailer on. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but someone needs to say it. You either need more truck or less camper. Hope this helps you make an informed decision.

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Last edited by ponyexpress94 : 07-04-2009 at 04:07 PM.

[sinrgracing]

Took my truck across the yard material place's scales and it registered 5270lbs. Fullyloaded with liquids, the truck camper is 3545lbs. Sooo..... , leave off a majority of the liquids I can until arrival at location sounds like a good start.

I think it's still time to make the trip down to the Pilot Truck stop and see what their scales read, but there has to be some merit in the yard mulch scales since it's their money making tool.

Thanks for the feedback. Bad news is still news. Better to know where you are than to be surprised. They delivered the camper from 120 miles away on a Gas 250 Lariat Long Box. He says he deliveres all over Oregon this way for the last 8 years w/o a problem, so that eases my mind a bit, but I'm still going to verify the weights.

[sinrgracing]

Strong as it is, I'm screwed with the payload. A good scale gave me 6600lbs with 2700 on the rear axle weight. That puts me 1200lbs over on payload. I'm selling the 250 and getting a 350. Drat!

[mrnecsteve]

Originally Posted by sinrgracing

Newbie angst again... no search results in 2 hours of looking, sorry.

1997 F-250 7.3L PSD Ext Cab, 4x4, 5-spd, Superchipped, Brake controller, 33" BFGs -have no truck manual or truck history to rely on. 8800lb GVWR on the door, but no GVCWR.

Just added air bags and am looking to put in a 3400lb Arctic Fox camper. Am now worried that the payload is too high for the truck, despite camper sales guys that say they do it all the time w/o incident. I'd like to also tow 6k in my trailer at the same time.

Can't locate the truck's curb weight nor the axle weight dry to verify. Can someone help and/or provide history that it's good or bad to do? Buying this weekend

Camper sales guy??? Whew...good luck with getting accurate info there!!
I purchased a new 10k trailer from one of them...As I was signing the paperwork,I mentioned that i needed a new ball to go with the trailer. The guy brought out one of the proper size...but rated for 6k only.
Youve got to pay close attention and assume nothing when dealing with some sales folks....their brain neurons seem to work a little differently than most.