Camper on truck year round

[tfconlon]

Is it recommended to keep a camper on a truck through the winter; what effect would this have on the springs?

[Marsha/CA]

When we had a camper on our truck, we kept it on for months at a time with no problems at all.  However it was a somewhat light camper at 2900# on a 1 ton dually truck.

Marsha~

[tfconlon]

When we had a camper on our truck, we kept it on for months at a time with no problems at all.  However it was a somewhat light camper at 2900# on a 1 ton dually truck.

Marsha~

Thanks for the reply, I have the same set up that you mentioned on a GMC 3500. The glove box states that the maximun payload for this vehicle is 1770 lbs, my camper is 2970 lbs; however, it handles the load OK the truck sits level with out any squat at all, and their is hardly no leaning while turning. Do you have any input about the 1770 payload? I almost passed on purchasing this camper.

Tom

[Marsha/CA]

Ya know, we were so ignorant about weights such as: gross combined weight rate etc. that we just put it on and went.  It rode very smoothly. I think a lot of the stability came from the dual rear tires.  We were also careful of "center of gravity".  It was a 9' 6" camper with a queen bed overhead.  We also pulled 8,000 lbs of horses including hay and tack.  I'm sure we were way over our load rating; but didn't know better.   The dealer told us it could carry 10,000 lbs and pull 10,000 lbs and we took him at his word.  Plus there were tons of other horse people going down the road with the same set up. 

My son took the camper when we sold it and he has a single axle Ford 250 4 wheel drive.  He added air bags in the springs and that seems to help him with stability, I don't think it does much for increasing load bearing.

If you are looking for a solid sided camper with a bath, kitchen, A/C and all the other creature comforts, it's hard to find anything that weights less than 3,000 lbs.

Marsha~

[carson]

Ya know, we were so ignorant about weights such as: gross combined weight rate etc.

Wow, aren't you happy you are still with us...the living? Marsha... 


  carson

[Marsha/CA]

Carson, actually I used that rig loaded with the camper and a trailer full of horses, with all the heavy weights, for over 10 years and never had a problem.  We pulled it up and down steep long grades out here in California and I didn't run through brakes, transmissions or anything dire.  Lots of my horse camping buddies did the same thing with no adverse affect.  Makes ya wonder sometimes, doesn't it.

Marsha~

[PancakeBill]

Why do you want to leave it on all times?  If not driving it, just drop the jacks and take the load off, if driving, and not camping, why?