Community Forums

RayaAnd1Fuzz · 03-22-2025, 09:16 PM

New to RVing just bought our rig and we're preparing to go just about everywhere four wheels will take us. Need all the help I can get. Sometimes I get what the wife calls Analysis Paralysis when I go down research rabbit holes.

2021 GMC Sierra 3500 HD SLT with a 2024 Adventurer 901SB

Looking for suspension recommendations, dealing with riding at or over GVWR and keeping a family of three sane in a cramped space.

Autotom · 03-23-2025, 07:29 AM

Gooooood morning from still frozen MI How is the weather in AZ. OOOHHHH never mind, you'll make me want to come down.

Love to see new campers, what an awesome adventure your about to start. Camping is very good for family's willing to work together to resolve the challenges. It's not always easy, but that is what brings us together.

Ok with that said you positively need a good starting foundation. (Pun intended). Please, please dont be discouraged by this, but i have got to say I have never been a fan of operating at max GVWRs, and over. Especially if your going to travel the country with off road excursions. Things will break. Instead of beefing up the suspension to operate over design specifications, you would be better off figuring out how to lighten the load to stay under GVWRs, or go with a bigger truck. Anyway that is my 1/64 of a cent worth. Have a great adventure.

MFL · 03-23-2025, 08:02 AM

Most times a DRW works best for TC application, but you got whatcha got.

Lots of choices in aftermarket, starting with air bags. You may need a heavier duty sway bar? You might get by with Hellwig leaf spring helper. Then there are Sumo springs, or Timbrens.

I don't know what actual wt you will have on your R/A, but getting separate axle scaled wts, would help you choose what you need. The axle manufacturer rates the axle much higher than your RAWR indicates.

The tire ratings can not be ignored, and is an issue for carrying some truck campers with a SRW truck. It is possible to go to commercial type 19.5 wheels, and commercial tires on them.

I'm just giving some options you asked for, but not making actual recommendations from personal experience. The truck camper section of this forum, and others, may give more info, going off from real experience, with a similar truck.

Enjoy your new adventure!

Beamer2022 · 03-24-2025, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RayaAnd1Fuzz

New to RVing just bought our rig and we're preparing to go just about everywhere four wheels will take us. Need all the help I can get. Sometimes I get what the wife calls Analysis Paralysis when I go down research rabbit holes.

2021 GMC Sierra 3500 HD SLT with a 2024 Adventurer 901SB

Looking for suspension recommendations, dealing with riding at or over GVWR and keeping a family of three sane in a cramped space.

I've never had a truck camper, but I do know that unless you have suspension mods done at a location that also supplies certified upgrades and licensing for additional load capacity, any air bags, spring mods, etc. will NOT increase your payload capacity. Also remember that the capacity also includes your brakes. You really don't want to have to use one of those emergency truck exits on the way down a mountain.

Good luck and enjoy.

j.smith · 03-24-2025, 08:57 PM

I’d start by taking it out and use it and see what it does that you don’t like. Lots of people throw buckets of money into suspension mods before they ever drive the rig and never really know if they fixed anything.

n0mad · 03-24-2025, 09:32 PM

You'll probably want to consider 19.5" tires - they will add a massive amount of stability, but not quite what you would get with a DRW on Es. If you want something fairly aggressive, Continental Terra HD3s are great but you have to keep them rotated like you would a normal MT, not a hard wearing commercial tire. And Vision Heavy Hauler wheels are probably the most affordable wheel option for you.

I tried all sorts of suspension upgrades, but the SuperSprings SSA (add-a-leaf style) performed better than any air bag, Timbren, etc application. Also Torklift StableLoads might be the first thing to try depending on your overload setup.

MtCamper · 03-24-2025, 09:42 PM

Your rig isn't made for serious overlanding. It should be great for camping and traveling on improved gravel roads. Californias Picacho Park comes to mind. You are way too top heavy and will have way too rough a ride to do any serious overlanding. You might be able to do some forest service roads but you will need to watch for overhead branches in treed areas. You should somewhere around 1500 pounds of addable weight to your rig. That includes you 3, water, food and supplies. That's going to take careful monitoring on your part.