Anyone With A Slide-In Camper?

Captain Dave · 01-18-2009, 08:48 PM

Does anyone out there have a slide-in camper on their Titan? I am looking for information on Titan performance under the circumstances ( and towing at the same time). I have found a "Four Wheel" brand pop-up camper that dry weight is 695 pounds prior to options. Guess that shy of the camper weight, I am concerned about braking, and am thinking about upgrading the brakes to vented brakes, and having the RV dealership install two extra leaf springs on the rear axle (one each side). They claim that that would be more than enough to handle stablizing the truck bed.

Your thoughts and experiences would be much appreciated!

Dave

Shane06fl · 01-19-2009, 06:31 AM

EHHH I would be hesitant to put a slide in in any half ton. Even if at springs and all that the hardware holding those springs is still 1/2 ton. 695 pounds dry will be close to 1000 loaded up. I have had 1000 pounds on my bed and it was down low, not top heavy and i can tell you I would want to do a lot of driving like that.

Any reason a small TT would work for you??

**Carbeaux** · 01-19-2009, 07:06 AM

There have been a few that have explored this option here, though none that have done it to the best of my memory. Like Shane said, it's a bit too much to ask of any 1/2 ton, and I believe that's the conclusion those that have looked into the idea have come to. It's a lot of sprung weight, and would give an excessive amount of body roll with the higher CG. Quite frankly, the idea scares me.

mjw357 · 01-19-2009, 07:14 AM

With the wide variety of camper trailers and TT's out there, I don't know why anyone would want a slide-in. What if you want to use your truck for something else? Isn't it a huge PITA to take one of those out? I've always thought slide-ins were scary anyway, they make the truck look so unstable.
Just my 2¢.

**Carbeaux** · 01-19-2009, 07:23 AM

I can think of good reasons to have one. They absolutely fill a certain niche market out there as a more viable option than towing things behind the truck. One example is for those that like to go 4x4 camping. You can't always pull something behind you on some of the rough trails they take. But a camper you can. Still, I wouldn't consider that with a 1/2 ton.

12glocks · 01-19-2009, 08:02 AM

Yes, I think of them used classically on fishing trips. The slide in campers seem to be bigger and heavier today than when I was a kid. My 2 cents.

**loufish** · 01-19-2009, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Does anyone out there have a slide-in camper on their Titan? I am looking for information on Titan performance under the circumstances ( and towing at the same time). I have found a "Four Wheel" brand pop-up camper that dry weight is 695 pounds prior to options. Guess that shy of the camper weight, I am concerned about braking, and am thinking about upgrading the brakes to vented brakes, and having the RV dealership install two extra leaf springs on the rear axle (one each side). They claim that that would be more than enough to handle stablizing the truck bed.
Your thoughts and experiences would be much appreciated!
Dave

How much more "stuff" you going to haul?
You only have about 800 lbs of cargo capacity left...

If you are able to keep the loaded weight under control then don't worry about the brakes, BUT I would add a rear sway bar minimum and a good set of shocks(Not the white ones

)
Take it out and see how it goes......

mjw357 · 01-19-2009, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carbeaux

I can think of good reasons to have one. They absolutely fill a certain niche market out there as a more viable option than towing things behind the truck. One example is for those that like to go 4x4 camping. You can't always pull something behind you on some of the rough trails they take. But a camper you can. Still, I wouldn't consider that with a 1/2 ton.

That's a good point, you can get one of these into places you might not want to go with a trailer.

SwiftShot · 01-19-2009, 06:54 PM

Dont do it or you will regret it. Have had a few slide ins with my 250 and 350. Today they make great off road trailers that can haul your bikes and stuff to. Hell some of them made for the jeep crowd have went through the rubicon. Dont know what else you would need a trailer to do.

Look under offroad campers or outback campers on google.

travelship · 01-22-2009, 01:45 AM

I had a small cabover camper on my 98 F-150. I don't remember the weight (about 1000 lbs), but I added airbags and had no problems. Just have to take it slow and easy. I wouldn't have wanted to leave it on full time, but we used it about a dozen times, some trips were a few hundred miles. The biggest fear would be breaking an axle shaft, if that happens on a non full floater axle (half ton) you lose the whole tire/wheel. Good luck keeping control of the truck at that point. My Dad had a '64 Chevy 1/2 ton that carried a camper just like mine (but an 8 ft model) for many years. The axle snapped on the freeway at 220k miles. The left rear tire/wheel (along with the hub flange and about 6 inches of axle) went out the back, hitting the old school steel diamond plate safety bumper, kicking the truck up onto the just the right front tire before coming back down and sliding on said bumper to the shoulder. I don't know how Dad kept it from rolling. My brother and I were sleeping in the camper, we were bruised from being tossed around, and when we opened the door we walked right out onto the ground. We didn't have to step down, the right rear tire was just off the pavement and the bumper was setting on the pavement with a huge gouge for about 150 feet. I think Dad had to change his underwear afterwards, pretty scary.

Big-e · 01-22-2009, 07:21 AM

You did say "pop-up slide in camper". I had one many years ago that was heavier & on a 1/2 ton GMC that wasn't 1/2 the truck the Titan is with no problems.

TOTHEHILLS · 09-15-2009, 11:56 AM

Check it out ---- Cabover Camper anyone used one?