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Hello,
I’ve recently sold a Winnebago Revel with 30k miles of use out west and into Canada. I had upgraded the suspension was amazed at the difference.I just ordered an F 250 Lariat with the Camper Package. I plan to purchase a truck camper in a year or so and head to Alaska. Plan to be off road some in an effort to find good camp spots and drive on a lot of gravel.
I placed the order quickly as Ford’s deadline was April 1st caught me by surprise.
Looking for advice…
1) What typical suspension upgrades are folks using to provide a comfortable and dependable ride with a 3,200’ish lbs camper?2) I had reservations about ordering the Camper Package as it might be a year or more before I buy the camper and I surmise that I just bought a rougher ride for the next year or more. There’s time for me to make a change and remove the camper package which I’ll do if I feel like my upgrades down the road will mimic what I’m buying in the Camper Package. In other words, if I buy a package with a really beefy rear anti-sway bar and upgraded springs, I might as well not buy the camper package if it makes for a poor ride for the immediate future.
Hope that all makes sense.
Do you know what the payload is for the specific truck you ordered? Maximum payload of an F250 is over 7000 pounds but thats for a 2 door 2wd truck. Payload goes down quickly when you add 2 more doors, 4WD and a diesel. My guess is you could be in the 3-4000 pound payload range and that includes people, gear etc.
I have a Ram 3500 (1 ton) and I’ve upgraded the shocks and springs from stock and added an additional leaf in the rear. My camper weighs just over 2000 pounds and it rides very well.
I’d wait to upgrade until you get the camper loaded and see where you sit.
Hope that helps.
Keep the camper package, it may still be required by Ford in order to keep your warranty valid while carrying a slide in camper our 2007 F250 had to have the camper package to keep the warranty valid.
As far as suspension goes most of the time it’s a trial and error situation. I ended up with a simple two extra leafs in the main rear pack and a extra one on the overloads spring as well as installing a proloader for the overload springs
When this photo was take I had only one overload spring in place.
I don’t have them, as my camper never comes off of my truck, but yours is intended to be a dual purpose vehicle, I would consider the addition of airbags (check out the TCA review of the Hellwigs). Air bags are definitely not the be all, end all, for all applications – but a 3200lb Camper is likely to end up weighing in at 4000+ loaded and wet – so if yours is intended as a permanent installation on your F250 – you will likely always be pushing, or over your GVW – and you’ve got the wrong truck. But if your truck is intended as a dual purpose vehicle – add airbags – and now you have an adjustable suspension, and with the addition of on board air, you now have the ability to air your tires up and down as needed, off road.
David,
With a 3200 pound camper, if you haven’t done anything yet, I would look into lower stable loads by Torklift.
jefe2020 Ford F-350 XLT FX4 4WD SRW SB SC 7.3L Godzilla Gas TorqShift 10R140 397 amps dual Alt dual batts Frnt Dana 60; Rr Dana M275 E-locker 4.30's 4580/4320/4066# payload 7243# curb wt. 11,300# GVWR 5-er prepped. 2020 Northstar Laredo SC, 12v compressor fridge, cassette, 320w Solar sub zero insulation.
I have Northstar Laredo SC. It is 2300# dry but a few hundred over the GVWR of my 2019 F250 long bed gas supercab with camper package when loaded. I am under max ratings for front and rear axles and it rides without sag. I am considering adding Sumo springs to help with the moderate sway I sometimes experience. The camper stays on the truck 90% of the time. With the camper off I am usually hauling stuff for the small farm I live on, or bikes and kayaks when on vacation. The ride isn’t bad enough to do anything about.
I have Northstar Laredo SC. It is 2300# dry but a few hundred over the GVWR of my 2019 F250 long bed gas supercab with camper package when loaded. I am under max ratings for front and rear axles and it rides without sag. I am considering adding Sumo springs to help with the moderate sway I sometimes experience. The camper stays on the truck 90% of the time. With the camper off I am usually hauling stuff for the small farm I live on, or bikes and kayaks when on vacation. The ride isn’t bad enough to do anything about.
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