8.6C and truck

[BrassPlayer]

It appears there is no one here, but I'll try anyway.

I bought an F150 with heavy duty payload (2600+,) long bed, 5.0 L engine, for the express purpose of getting an 8.6C Camplite TC. Now from everything I read this is not enough truck for the camper once loaded. I don't know of any TCs of this size that are lighter weight than Camplite and it appears I totally screwed myself. Getting a different truck is financially out of the question. Does anyone have any helpful insights? I am not going to get some of the options, such as AC (can't deal with a moldy AC) don't want the pretty floor (prefer aluminum) and also want the optional dinette rather than the long bench that isn't really good for anything. Only one light weight person in the truck, have always drained all the water when I move my TT. So wondering how close I will come to the limit of the truck when loaded.

If this is dangerous no matter what I do, what happens if you put a six foot bed TC on a long bed truck? Impossible? It is not the TC I want but if I put myself into dangerous territory by overloading the truck I have, well, I'll have to think of something. I am just so done with tent camping at this rather late point in my life, and there was no point in buying this much truck if I can't put a TC on it; I could have gotten a much smaller truck and just put a shell on it.

[rideandfly]

I do not have experience with truck campers, need to get correct info for your pickup. I would call the following Truck Camper dealer to see what they say:

Truck Camper Warehouse
6 Lyman Way
West Chesterfield, NH
Phone: 603-256-6655

Here's their website:

http://truckcamperwarehouse.com/livin-lite

Hope this helps and please keep us updated on how it's going with the Truck Camper purchase.

Thanks,

[DavidM]

With a dry weight of 2,095 lbs, which probably means 2,300 with minimal options and equipment for the 8.6, it will be tight.

Ford's website gives a GVWR of 7,400 lbs. With reasonable options the dry curb weight will be about 4,600 lbs. That is a 2015 with the aluminum chassis. Plus fuel and two passengers you will hit 5,300 lbs. So you have only 2,100 lbs left. Not too bad overweight and if you can confirm the numbers given above, you may be ok.

Look into lift bags for the rear suspension which may give you the margin you need.

David

[BrassPlayer]

Thanks. My truck is a 2014. I was under the impression that lift bags improve the ride but have nothing to do with the payload capacity.

[DavidM]

Well, if it is a 2014 then add about 300 lbs to the curb weight in above, but confirm with actual TV weight.

Nothing, absolutely nothing is going to change the TV's GVWR and therefore its official payload capacity. But I do believe that air bags can improve the safety of a marginal situation.

GVWR is based on a lot of factors: suspension, brakes, tires, engine, rear end ratio, frame strength, etc. Make sure that your tires have sufficient margin and if necessary upgrade them. Add airbags and you will probably be ok.

David

[Merlin]

Here's the 2014 Ford site with camper capacity info:
http://www.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/towingguides/14FLRV&TT_F150_Sep11.pdf

[BrassPlayer]

Thanks. The sticker inside the door says payload is 2618 pounds, which supercedes anything on the web site.
I talked to an official person at LivinLite, and he said, quote, "Everybody overloads their trucks. This isn't sales talk, it is fact."

[PEIslander]

About the weight of the 8.6C, I note Livin'Lite's site says the weight of an 8.6 -before options- is 2095 pounds. With the 8.6C you'll have a cassette toilet --- I had one put in my trailer and I can tell you it definitely weighs less than the standard toilet. I'd think it weighs significantly less + by not having the standard 14 gallon black water tank you'll likely be carrying far less heavy sewage around with you.

As David noted the options your camper may have will affect your weight as will the stuff you take camping with you. Perhaps leave the cast iron cookware at home and adopt a lightweight philosophy when it comes to stuff. I have no doubt you can live well and enjoy your camper without filling it up with stuff.

[DesertratNM61]

I agree with the other commenters. Keep it light as possible and I realize it's a new truck, but a rear sway bar is a must if yours didn't come with one. It doesn't raise your capacity, but will keep your load from making it a white knuckle drive. I'm going to drop a name "Hellwig." Next your correct airbags will only level your load, but that's pretty important thing to do. Next overload help is a must. Check out Torklifts stabilization offerings as well. That way you don't have to run your airbags as high. Finally, keep it slow. Speed causes a rig to do funny things, so take it  slow. You will enjoy the drive and keep your rig and family safer. Good luck.

[BrassPlayer]

Thanks. It does have the heavy duty towing/payload package, which I got  because I was under the impression that would allow me to put a TC on it. However, getting the extended cab probably significantly lowered the payload. I would have been better off if i had known about forums such as these and didn't just believe all the associated dealers (truck dealer, camplite info.) Now I found out that Camplite has re-designed the one I wanted, the 8.6, to be a special fit for the new 2016 aluminum F150s, and also changed the materials, which I think is a downgrade. So unless i can find a new prior-to-2016 one, I think I am SOL because this is the camper I bought the truck for. Don't want another brand for various reasons. The only other option I can think of is to get a shorter TC, the 6.8, that is designed for 6 foot bed trucks. I sure could use the extra room of the 8.6C though, which is why I got the long bed in the first place. Anybody know whether I can put a 6.8 on my long bed without complications? It would look silly but wouldn't ruin my chances of batting about the country next summer.

[djsamuel]

Aren't the new TCs designed for the Fords actually branded as Ford?  I assumed the existing truck campers would remain pretty much the same. 

https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2014/11/25/ford-and-thor-livin-lite-team-to-license-ford-branded-recreation.html

[BrassPlayer]

Apparently all the products are being changed to include fiberglass and rubber roof, neither of which I want. The dealer I have chosen to work with (because of being helpful, honest, and responsive) told me that I can special order one of the older materials since they are using up the old stuff before switching to the new stuff.

LL on their web site has a "height off truck" that is very tall....and I wonder if that includes the distance to the ground when the jacks are all the way down. I'm trying to figure out the clearance under bridges etc I'll have with the TC loaded up, and that info has been very hard to track down.

[Livinlite Paul]

The Ford truck camper is a separate product with the Fiberglas sidewalls, automotive style front window, and wood cabinets.  You can still get the original LL truck campers under the Camplight product name.  When ordering with a dealer you would be talking about the LL Camplight truck camper.

[txaggie79]

I don't have a truck camper but I do tow with my 2011 F-150.  I highly recommend Timbren suspension enhancement:

http://www.etrailer.com/Vehicle-Suspension/Ford/F-150/2014/TFR1502D.html?vehicleid=20141010449

[kybrowns1]

I bought the same suspension for my van and it has made a big difference.



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