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Old 02-02-2025, 05:42 PM   #1
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Adding a slide-in camper to my truck

I'm looking to put a 2025 Wolf Creek 850 camper on my truck, which is a 2022 RAM 2500 crew cab (short bed) and gas engine.


Here are some weight specs for camper, truck, and passengers:
1. Total wet weight of camper with solar panels, batteries, and options = ~3,000 lbs
2. Weight of 30gallons of fuel = 252 lbs
3. Two riders = ~300 lbs (160lbs for me, much less for wife)
4. Various camping stuffs plus generator = ~500lbs
5. Total approx weight = ~4,052 lbs.

The "Tire and Loading Information" sticker inside my driver door states 2999lbs is the max for occupants and cargo.


The "Vehicle Weight" sticker states:
GVWR: 10,000 lbs
GAWR Front: 5500 lbs

GAWR Rear: 6390 lbs


Questions:
1. The "Tire and Loading Information" sticker states 2999lbs is the max for occupants and cargo. Including the camper, my total weights comes to ~4,000 lbs. (since there are no 'stupid' questions) - Does this mean that the camper I want is too heavy by 1,000 lbs and therefore not recommended for this truck?

If that's the case, I have no idea what kind of camper I can get, other than a really light no-frills pop-up camper, that would fit within the limits defined by the "Tire and Loading Information" sticker.

Yet I see RAM 2500/gas trucks with slide-in campers on the road every day.
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Old 02-02-2025, 06:24 PM   #2
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Check your owner's manual and see if it says "this truck is not recommended for a slide in camper" or something to that effect. I had one that it said that in large letters.
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Old 02-02-2025, 06:41 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim-FallCity View Post
I'm looking to put a 2025 Wolf Creek 850 camper on my truck, which is a 2022 RAM 2500 crew cab (short bed) and gas engine.


Here are some weight specs for camper, truck, and passengers:
1. Total wet weight of camper with solar panels, batteries, and options = ~3,000 lbs
2. Weight of 30gallons of fuel = 252 lbs
3. Two riders = ~300 lbs (160lbs for me, much less for wife)
4. Various camping stuffs plus generator = ~500lbs
5. Total approx weight = ~4,052 lbs.

The "Tire and Loading Information" sticker inside my driver door states 2999lbs is the max for occupants and cargo.


The "Vehicle Weight" sticker states:
GVWR: 10,000 lbs
GAWR Front: 5500 lbs

GAWR Rear: 6390 lbs


Questions:
1. The "Tire and Loading Information" sticker states 2999lbs is the max for occupants and cargo. Including the camper, my total weights comes to ~4,000 lbs. (since there are no 'stupid' questions) - Does this mean that the camper I want is too heavy by 1,000 lbs and therefore not recommended for this truck?

If that's the case, I have no idea what kind of camper I can get, other than a really light no-frills pop-up camper, that would fit within the limits defined by the "Tire and Loading Information" sticker.

Yet I see RAM 2500/gas trucks with slide-in campers on the road every day.
if your pretty strict with what you put in the camper you will be at 500lbs, I take next to nothing and I am at 3-400lbs for the contents and I don't have a generator.

but yes you are right, you will be a minimum 1000lbs over weight. but you will be in the zone that some suspension mods and proper rated tires will handle it all right. you won't be legal but you won't be dangerous in my opinion, others may differ. to me since it is a 3/4 ton I would put 1 ton leaf springs on it and then upper or lower stable loads and a sway bar if you don't already have one. then it would probably ride just like a big 1 ton carrying it. check the brake size against the 1 ton, a lot of the heavy duty 3/4 tons have the same brakes as the 1 ton so if that is your case now worries, if you have smaller ones just keep that in mind for giving yourself a little more room so you can stop a little more gentle.
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Old 02-02-2025, 07:13 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by David 70 View Post
Check your owner's manual and see if it says "this truck is not recommended for a slide in camper" or something to that effect. I had one that it said that in large letters.

I found the owner's manual page concerning campers and uploaded a photo of it. "Cargo Weight Rations (Pounds) = 2091.
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Old 02-02-2025, 08:04 PM   #5
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I was looking at campers too and I'm even lighter than you are on available payload with my F-350 diesel SRW CC LB 4x4. The lightest camper I've found with a bath/shower is the Adventurer 80RB at under 1,800 dry. The floor is a tad over 8 feet but they advertise it to fit shortbed trucks too.

If I had to guess I'd say probably most pickups running around with full size campers are over. If I get the Adventurer I'll probably be right there or maybe a few hundred over. I don't think I'd feel comfortable at 1,000 lbs over though.

I could get a different truck but I really don't want to, mine is mint and I really like it.
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Old 02-02-2025, 09:38 PM   #6
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I had a Ram 2500 4x4 with the V10 Standard cab with 8' bed .
The truck came with the Camper Special suspension . With the Camper mounted the rear dropped 2" and the front 1" .
If you really like the truck , I'm sure a Truck Shop could set you up with adequate suspension .
Also , I have heard some States will allow the vehicle weight capacity to be increased on the vehicle registration based on modifications . I can't confirm it but it's worth looking into if you're concerned about exceeding the rated capacity .
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Old 02-03-2025, 09:04 AM   #7
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Like you are assuming, most 2500/250's are over their numbers with a full-size camper, but are under their axle and tire ratings, so it works. I've weighed my setup (2012 GMC 2500/2014 Wolf Creek 850SB) twice with weights of 3,200 & 3,180 when subtracting the truck weight from the same scale. What is hurting you the most is the rear coil springs on the Ram, they are not good with top heavy loads like a truck camper. I ran my truck completely stock the first year and then added lower StableLoads the second year. I later added Timbrens for when I was towing my 16' trailer with ATV's/SXS, but after retiring and selling the toys, the Timbrens aren't needed. I've been traveling all over Alaska, Canada, and the entire western US with this setup for 12 summers now. Like you have noticed you'll see campers that are 1,000 pounds heavier than mine on 2500/250 trucks and doing fine.
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Old 02-03-2025, 10:46 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by MORSNO View Post
Like you are assuming, most 2500/250's are over their numbers with a full-size camper, but are under their axle and tire ratings, so it works. I've weighed my setup (2012 GMC 2500/2014 Wolf Creek 850SB) twice with weights of 3,200 & 3,180 when subtracting the truck weight from the same scale. What is hurting you the most is the rear coil springs on the Ram, they are not good with top heavy loads like a truck camper. I ran my truck completely stock the first year and then added lower StableLoads the second year. I later added Timbrens for when I was towing my 16' trailer with ATV's/SXS, but after retiring and selling the toys, the Timbrens aren't needed. I've been traveling all over Alaska, Canada, and the entire western US with this setup for 12 summers now. Like you have noticed you'll see campers that are 1,000 pounds heavier than mine on 2500/250 trucks and doing fine.

Thank you for responding. I did a search and found that the StableLoads work with leaf springs, and as you mentioned - and are correct - my truck has coil springs. Do you know of any stabilization system for coil-spring trucks?
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Old 02-03-2025, 11:27 AM   #9
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E-Trailer sells air springs that go inside the coils or a kit that goes on the outside. If you google overloads, you will get many responses. They can be manual fill or remote fill with an onboard pump.
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Old 02-03-2025, 12:06 PM   #10
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Some info:
https://hdrams.com/forum/index.php?t...upgrade.15525/
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Old 02-03-2025, 12:12 PM   #11
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Doing some searching, I found that SuperSprings coil Sumo springs don't have a product for the 2022 RAM 2500. It seems that RAM changed the rear coil springs in 2021 to larger variable-rate ones, so there are no coil Sumo springs for the newer RAM springs. That would have been the perfect solution for me.



However, I did find replacement rear springs for my RAM 2022 2500 that advertise a 35% capacity increase.


https://www.hdcoilsprings.com/produc...variable-rate/


Since the max cargo weight of my truck is 2,091lbs, a 35% increase puts that at 2,822lbs.


Am I correct in thinking that installing those springs will indeed increase the max cargo weight of my truck to 2,822 lbs, thereby making the fully-loaded weight of the Wolf Creek 850 (~3,000 lbs) more palatable?



Or am I way off base?
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Old 02-03-2025, 08:40 PM   #12
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You are correct that the vast majority of trucks carrying truck campers are over the GVWR. Most go by axle and tire ratings. In your case your rear axle is rated for over 6,000 pounds. Take the truck full of fuel and your family and without the tailgate and weight it, getting separate front and rear axle weights. Subtract the empty rear axle weight from the GRAWR and that is how much your truck camper can weigh. Just about all of it's weight will go on the rear axle.
Some people will start talking about "legal". There is NO legal requirement in the U.S. to not exceed the vehicle's GVWR. There is in parts of Canada however. In the U.S. the only thing the DOT is concerned with is your tire and axle ratings and your registered weight. Here in VA you can register a truck for whatever weight you want.
When I had my TC on a 2007 Chevy SRW 3500 I was about 11,140 pounds on a truck with a GVWR of 9,900. I upgraded to a 2005 Chevy dually and was at 13,100 pounds on a truck with a GVWR of 11,400. I had the dually registered for 13,500 pounds. I ran both rigs for thousands of miles thru a total of maybe 20 states with no problems. I had upgraded shocks, good tires, and air bags on the rear suspension.
The weak link on most trucks is the tires. Some people upgrade to 19.5" rims and run "real" truck tires with a much higher weigh rating. For a smaller camper like you're looking at that's probably not necessary. You're at a disadvantage with the rear coil springs but if you can find air bags for the truck it should carry the camper you're looking at.
You'll want good shocks and you need to be careful to load heavy items low and forward as much as possible.
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Old 02-03-2025, 09:28 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim-FallCity View Post
Doing some searching, I found that SuperSprings coil Sumo springs don't have a product for the 2022 RAM 2500. It seems that RAM changed the rear coil springs in 2021 to larger variable-rate ones, so there are no coil Sumo springs for the newer RAM springs. That would have been the perfect solution for me.



However, I did find replacement rear springs for my RAM 2022 2500 that advertise a 35% capacity increase.


https://www.hdcoilsprings.com/produc...variable-rate/


Since the max cargo weight of my truck is 2,091lbs, a 35% increase puts that at 2,822lbs.


Am I correct in thinking that installing those springs will indeed increase the max cargo weight of my truck to 2,822 lbs, thereby making the fully-loaded weight of the Wolf Creek 850 (~3,000 lbs) more palatable?



Or am I way off base?

Jim ,
Unless you always leave the camper mounted , you might find without the camper on , the truck could have a considerably harsher ride with the up graded coil springs .
The airbags give you the option with or without the camper .
I have Firestone Airbags on our Class C. That have 5,000 lb capacity .
JMO , FWIW
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Old 02-04-2025, 08:31 AM   #14
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Those heavy-duty replacement springs will help with carrying a camper. Remember no suspension enhancements can legally change your trucks rating, that is set in stone by the manufacturer, but they can help with handling. If you also plan on adding airbags, Timbrens, or Sumo springs, try to find whatever mounts the furthest out from center to help with sway.
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