Hey There. I have a 2007 F150 FX4 Supercrew 4X4 and I would like to buy a camper. Does anyone currently have a camper that they haul on their F150? What size can my truck safely take (8.5')? Does the FX4 package help me at all for payload?

Thanks

 

One more thing, i have a 6.5' box.

 

Pretty big:

 

my lil ol 97 carries a lance squirelite 8.5' pretty heavy built, not as heavy as okanogan (SP?)

think it payloadin around 2200 dry

 

Haul a 24ft 5500lb TT here. Didnt have any issues even in the mtns in PA or anything. It kept right up with the other traffic. It was all good. The FX4 from what Ive read does NOT up the payload at all. Only the tow package really helps there.

But it sounds like the tow package isnt all that much greater.

 

I think there are 2 big considerations. 1) How much is your truck set up to tow. 2) How much do you WANT to tow. We just bought a 4,500 pound dry weight TT; will probably be 5,500 pounds loaded. 25.5 feet tongue to bumper; 8 feet wide; 9 feet high. PERSONALLY, I wouldn't want to tow any more than that with my FX4. You definitely know it is back there. There are plenty of people out there successfully towing 2,000 pounds more and another 6 to 7 feet. And the trucks seem to handle it. So, it may be more about what you want to do rather than what the truck can handle. Another consideration is how far you will be towing and under what conditions. A 3,000 mile trip through the mountains is considerably different than a 300 mile trip to the lake. Another thought, how remote do you want to go? Camping at 9,000 feet in a National Forest on dirt roads may impose some total vehicle length restrictions. Depends on whether you are an RVer or a Camper. : - ) Good luck. There are tons of alternatives out there. Hybrid TTs with canvas ends are a nice compromise for some people.

 

A buddy of mine just bought a 34' Kingsport TT total weight 7,961#s. Its the 321TBS model. Driving it home yesterday in the rain and wind with most of the trip being highways and cruising at 65-70 mph. He has a 05 Lariat Screw. You def noticed it back there, but she pulled it just fine and dandy. Only got 9 miles to the gallon though,lol the trailer is over 11' tall so some wind resistance def didnt help much.

 

Hi, I have a 2005 FX4 Supercrew 5.4 with 3.73 gearing.
Towing is a little bit of a subjective thing. Your truck has a max rating. But if you get the max trailer you can't carry as much in the truck. I'd look in the owner's manual and get all your data. Figure out what is about 80% of rated tow capacity and stay below that.
I tried getting max for my tow package RWD Durango and ended up going for the F150 later to feel more comfortable. The Durango had enough beans to pull the load but the wheelbase is so short that wind and passing semi's made a difference. I also found that my trailer was a "sail" in the wind and I got a high end anti sway hitch to solve that (Dual Cam from Reese). I'd recommend a dry weight of 5200 max and trailer GVWR of 6500.
For lots of discussion go to RV.net. And to see the truck's carry capacity if you can't figure it out from the owner's manual, go to trailerlife.com and click on ratings.

 

Agree with the last post. Don't go to the maximum. 70% is plenty. Weight distribution hitch and anti-sway are a necessity. We also have the Reese with Dual Cam. Awesome system and recommend it.

 

I think OP means a slide-in camper for the truck bed. Umm, anything built after 1990 is too heavy for 1/2 ton duty.

 

Hey Thanks for all the feedback. I should have been more specific to begin with but i am looking at a slide in camper for the truck bed. I will be buying an older camper (early to late 80's) and it would be an 8.5' max. That's kind of strange how older campers are lighter. Usually everythings the opposite, but hey, works for me!

Does anyone else own a slide in camper for their truck?

Cheers

 

Go to rv.net forums. They have a whole section devoted to slide-in campers. Sorry I mis-interpreted your question.

 

Payload for your truck is in thr 1400 pound range, I believe. The 6.5' Supercew has the same GVWR and rear GAWR as the 5.5' bed, but weighs 200 pounds more so it's actually a penalty. If you can find a camper under 1000pounds, you might get away with it. I still say too much for 1/2 ton duty. At a minimum, get air bags.

 

Load up your truck with what you would be hauling inside the cab, including people, fill the gas tank, and go get it weighed. Take that number, subtract it from the GVWR rating off the door sticker, and that's how heavy a LOADED camper shell you can haul.