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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / RVs / January 2005experience with popup truck camper?
I'm looking for some experienced advice concerning putting a small camper on a '97 GMC Sierra 1500 short bed 4x4 with the Z71 'off-road' package. I called GMC, gave them my VIN, and they said the dry weight is 4600 lbs, with a base payload of 1600 lbs. (which agrees with the labelled GVW) However a certified truck scale shows 5200 lbs with 1/2 tank gas and no driver (200 lbs). That would leave only about 700 lbs total payload. Something is amiss, but be that as it may, does anyone have experience or expert opinion on loading this vehicle? I'm driving to Alaska for a couple of months, and just need minimal interior facilities. I like to use a popup model, so that the cg would stay low, but even 'reasonable' popups go from 1100 to 1300 lbs. Thanks. > I'm looking for some experienced advice concerning putting a small camper > on a '97 GMC Sierra 1500 short bed 4x4 with the Z71 'off-road' package. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > stay low, but even 'reasonable' popups go from 1100 to 1300 lbs. > Thanks. The "dry weight" that you were quoted is for a "notional" truck as it left the factory: base (4/6 cyl) engine, no options of any kind, no accessories, with a full tank and a notional 150# driver. Re-weigh your truck with a full tank and you aboard *then* see what you have left over. Don't forget to check the load ratings on your tires: "C" rated tires don't carry much weight. You might want to check out the "bed tents" that most dealers offer - they'd be quite light - or one of the canvas "convertible" shells on the market. > > [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > > You are probably right about the 'dry weight', but I did give them the VIN, and I did explicitly ask if the weight they provided was for the as equiped truck -- 5.7L engine, Z71 4x4, extended cab, short bed. They said 'Yes, Sir'. Anyway, truck + me + full tank = 5500 lbs +-, leaving 700 lbs to stay under posted GVW. Tires are new, 6-ply, good for over 8500 lbs. Brakes are new. Full drive train is excellent. With this combination, and a low cg popup camper, how much can I go over GVW for ~10K miles without being unsafe or distroying the truck? 100lbs? 300lbs? 500? 0? > how much can I go over GVW for ~10K miles without being > unsafe or distroying the truck? 100lbs? 300lbs? 500? 0? 0 Sorry. :\ JR >> >> [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] >GVW for ~10K miles without being unsafe or distroying the truck? 100lbs? >300lbs? 500? 0? Hi, 0 lbs. If you are over the GVW you are putting stresses on the truck that it may not have been designed for which will speed up the wear and tear. Also if something should happen being overweight might cause your insurance company to ask some questions. You might want to look at a pop-up towable camper. You can get light weight ones, around 2000 lbs., which your truck should be able to handle. Might be able to pick up a used one fairly cheap. They will also have more room then a truck camper that goes in the back of the pickup. All you have to worry about GVW wise then is the hitch weight which for a small popup camper (2000 lbs.) would be somewhere around 250 lbs. Hope this helps. Take care and Happy Campin... RichA "We Get Too Soon Olde and Too Late Smart" > > [quoted text clipped - 64 lines] >"We Get Too Soon Olde and Too Late Smart" > A light towable is certainly the only other option. Kind of restrictive in tight places and poor roads, but better than a broken truck. I think I'll keep looking for a truck popup under 800 lbs. They do exist - trick is finding a decent used one. |
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