Truck Camper On A 1/2 Ton?

[Cadillac Kid]

Hello,

I have been wondering this ever since I bought my truck.
The truck has a full camper in the bed. It's not a cabover camper, but its not a shell ether. My truck is basically optioned with all of the camper special options, even though it isn't actually one (I wish). Dual tanks, dual batteries, HD front and rear suspension and brakes, ect.. My truck is a 1/2 ton but it has 8 leaf springs on each side of the rear axle. 7 normal leafs and 1 overload spring. There is a 73' 3/4 ton Camper special in my neighborhood that only has 7 leafs per side. Do I basically have 3/4 suspension? I know the axle is different.
What I want to do with my truck is put a cabover camper on it at some point, is that going to be possible with my current suspension setup, or will the truck be sagging and not be able to accept the extra weight. The camper I will most likely get will be from the same vintage as the truck. Not some new fangled heavy lance camper with all the bells and whistles.. I see plenty of truck campers on 3/4 tons and 1 tons, but never on a stock 1/2 ton.
What is the scoop?

Thank you

-Gavin

[cadillac_al]

A stock half ton may be sprung too soft to be safe. It sounds like your springs are heavy enough to support a bigger camper. I really doubt the axle would fail. You might want to double check your tire load ratings though.

[dieseldawg142]

you need to find out what axle you have. belive it or not, older campers are very heavy too- no newfangled lite-weight materials...brakes are going to be a concern. you will want to be able to do a reasonably decent emergency stop, because it will eventually happen.
my '89 8 foot TravelMate is an old school "lite-weight" and it comes in at 750 kgs (around 1700lbs) empty and dry with nothing in it. throw in propane, food, water, and around 800 lbs of stuff for 3 people and dogs (dont forget the weight of the dogs too!) and then add a few more for toys and stuff-fishing gear or motors, jerry cans, bikes or whatever. by the time we head out, our "lite-weight" is usually around 3000lbs or so....
belive me, no matter how careful you load, can almost guarentee you will always be way heavier than you think.... you will want to be able to stop that weight...
if your susp sags, run some airbags, there cheap and easy to install and will help quite a bit. i have a 1 ton, but still run bags for the control it gives me.
go easy on the corners, go a little slower and these old trucks can do it

[oldpurple]

I have a '79 heavy half and it still has an original sticker in the glovebox stating the max recommended camper weight. I can't remember the exact weight but it's just shy of 1000 lbs

[Dead Parrot]

Be sure to check your GVWR plate in the door frame. That is the MAX weight your truck can weigh and be legal. That weight includes fluids, passengers and even dogs. Yours is probably rated for around 6200lbs.

Find some scales, fill up with gas and get your truck weighed with you in it. Subtract that weight from your GVWR and the result will be the max amount of additional stuff you can carry and still be legal.

[Tom]

Springs don't matter with regards to vehicle ability.
The answer is find the camper you want and see what it weighs. Then compare to what your truck is rated at.

[Desert1957]

I can tell you my experience with this topic.

Started with a plan to upgrade my 1987 heavy half , Long bed.

Purchased a 1983 C20 with the "camper special" package with the intent to frame swap it into the 87 1/2 ton. Long story short , wound up fixing the C20 to try it towing the camper.


It did OK but not great. Highway driving with Semi's passing was interesting at best. This led to a "Dually Conversion" for the C20. OMG what a difference.
No more white knuckle driving. But still wanted more cab room.



This led to this purchase. Rides like a dream, one finger driving with overdrive, don't even know the campers on there.

Lesson learned, Buy a 1 Ton Dually. My Camper is over 3000 lbs.
You need it to be safe.

[dieseldawg142]

yup!
crew's are the best! long, long wheelbase is great for haulin'.
even 1 tons & crews with the "lighter duty" springs can haul any camper, and be totally comfortable. most campers dont, or barely even sag them, fully loaded my camper does not sink the truck, it does go down a couple inches when the trailer goes on.


now, not saying you should, or could, but if your going short distances, you dont drive your truck like AJ Foyt, and you prep your truck, they can be quite capable of hauling campers.
i give you my buddy for example. ya, it's not a square, but a '93 K1500, tbi 350, extended cab shortbox, bone stock except for the winch/guard combo.
and ya, that is a 3000lb, 10 footer on his six and a half ft box....
he's been doing it for quite a few yrs, rarely goes more than 100 miles from home (he did follow me up the Coquihalla highway once...) and he's lousy at truck prep, his consists of bringing a quart of oil and more beer...
the truck actually does not really sag as bad as you would think...he finally let me make him some belly bars the other yr. if you look close you can see he uses stake pocket tie-downs on the front, and 2 eyebolts mounted in the outer bumper skin (!)

[Warrens69GMC]

Big 10, 1978

[andyh1956]

Keep in mind when loading down a 1/2 ton truck that the MAIN difference between the C10 & C20 is the REAR HUB BEARINGS which are of the "Full Float" design. That is to say there are two Opposed Tapered Roller, they take the weight of the load, unlike the 1/2 ton axles which the ROLLERS for the ONE axle bearing ride DIRECTLY on the AXLE!
The rollers have been known to eat axles IN TWO!
Also remember that trucks NEVER break down in the DRIVEWAY!
Happy Camping!

[Cadillac Kid]

Thank you all for your input and advice! The pictures are great as well!
I definitely have more knowledge on this subject now.

Thank you

-Gavin

[mike in mo]

Originally Posted by Desert1957

I can tell you my experience with this topic.

Started with a plan to upgrade my 1987 heavy half , Long bed.

Purchased a 1983 C20 with the "camper special" package with the intent to frame swap it into the 87 1/2 ton. Long story short , wound up fixing the C20 to try it towing the camper.
Attachment 1667440

It did OK but not great. Highway driving with Semi's passing was interesting at best. This led to a "Dually Conversion" for the C20. OMG what a difference.
No more white knuckle driving. But still wanted more cab room.
Attachment 1667447


This led to this purchase. Rides like a dream, one finger driving with overdrive, don't even know the campers on there.

Lesson learned, Buy a 1 Ton Dually. My Camper is over 3000 lbs.
You need it to be safe.
Attachment 1667445

That's a sweet looking crew im building one to put my camper on and would like to know what tie downs you are using.

[AnotherWs6]

When I was a kid we used to go camping in my dad's 73 long bed with a decent sized camper. Went through some rough trails to get to where we stayed. I remember crawling up a long, muddy hill in 4-low, wheels spinning, truck sideways. It was fun. Truck was a bone stock 1/2 ton. Never had an issue until second went on the 4 speed.

[Desert1957]

Originally Posted by mike in mo

That's a sweet looking crew im building one to put my camper on and would like to know what tie downs you are using.

Thanks...

They are "Happy Jack" tie-downs on the truck. Discontinued for square body Chevy's, Had to search on line to find a kit.

http://happijac.com/images/pdfs/TieDowns/10-ca-cgl.pdf

http://happijac.com/qwik-load.html

[Desert1957]

Originally Posted by AnotherWs6

When I was a kid we used to go camping in my dad's 73 long bed with a decent sized camper. Went through some rough trails to get to where we stayed. I remember crawling up a long, muddy hill in 4-low, wheels spinning, truck sideways. It was fun. Truck was a bone stock 1/2 ton. Never had an issue until second went on the 4 speed.

Be aware those "Pizza Sided Aluminum" campers from years ago were 1/2 the weight of the new stuff.