I love my 1997 F150 4X4, V8, 4.6 Lariat. It pulls my horse trailer and two horses just fine. Now, I want to add a camper. I'll only haul one horse (1200 lbs), the trailer weighs 2495 dry, and the camper weights 1200 dry. Sound feasible?

 

Hey Debbie, you should be fine with one horse, that puts you at 3,695lbs.
I would try to make your full loaded weight @ around 4,500lbs. you should tow fine with trailer brakes. and no over-drive for steep long grades.

 

oh, looks like I didnt mention the camper.. stay on the 5,000lb mark.. no problem unless you do alot of mountain towing. you should not have any trouble with 5,000lbs.

 

Do you mean a camper that goes in the truck bed? 1200 pounds is a lot for the rear axle and springs. You'll be over GVWR with cargo, passengers, and tounge weight of the trailer.

 

Debbie think of it this way, if you had to, you could tie a rope around your refridgerator and drag it around your kitchen however, you could not put it on your back and walk around with it.

Your truck is the same way. Just because you have been towing two horses behind the truck, that doesn't mean you can remove one 1200 pound horse and put a 1200 pound camper in the bed.

If you have a shortbed (6.5 feet) then a slide-in isn't recommended by Ford.
The slide-in camper is for longbed (8.0 feet).

The reason is where the rear axle is located in relation to the bed and camper.

The center of the camper weight would be well behind the rear axle on a shortbed causing stability issues. Then you hook a trailer up and the front wheels will no longer touch the road. Every place you go will have to be straight ahead because turning will no longer be an option.

Even if there is a new slide-in out that has been been 'weight distributed' for a shortbed, as APT said you'd be well over payload.

p.s.
Take a look at the slide-in.
After it is installed is your hitch reciever even visable?

 

that the truck camper is made for a shortbed. It's a Pastime, specifically made for the ford ranger.

 

You are making me lose my mind.
How in the name of all that is Holy can camper made for a Ranger fit on a F150?

If it has any kind of cab-over portion at all it would go through the f150 sliding window rather than on top of the cab.

Wait! Does this camper look like a phone booth?

 

I'm going to look at the camper today. I've been told it will be okay, by several RV places. If it doesn't look safe, I won't buy it. It's driving me crazy too!

 

Found a picture of a Pastime camper on a Ford Ranger:


Notice how tight it is between the roof of the truck cab and the cab-over portion.
A F150 has a much higher cab than a Ranger.
You would have to place blocks in the bed to raise the entire camper to clear the F150 roof.

I guess it would be ok to put blocks under camper so it would clear.
Be sure and use extra string to tie it down when it's up high like that.

Before you buy, make sure they understand that you are also towing a two-horse trailer with one horse in it and you want their return policy in writing.