Question:
I have a '99 Chevy Silverado 1500 with the extended cab and am
interested in a camper to put in the bed. I would really like a over
the cab "not crank up". Since mine is a short bed I am limited. Has
anyone tried this truck? What is the best brand to look at? I would
like a toilet and shower inside, am I looking for something I can't
do?
Answer:
-Truck mounted campers are really heavy, especially the cabover variety. The
2500 and 3500 series are usually recommended for the camper loads. I would
have to say, "How much does the camper weigh?", which is the basis for all
these decisions. Many, if not most, of the trucks carrying these palaces on
wheels are overloaded.
-While I have done the cab-over with a half ton pick-up before, I cannot with
a straight face, recommend it...especially with a short box. But I do
believe that all the manufacturers make a cab over designed for the 1/2 ton
truck. You won't be getting a very big bed in the cab over and the shower,
if any, will be small and uncomfortable. I'd suggest getting the outdoor
shower option if available and set up an enclosure right outside the rig for
showering.
Don't go down the road of helper springs to get the payload you want. While
they do help keep the springs from buckling, they do nothing for axle wrap
and they do nothing for braking power. Carry a light load and haul a
trailer if you have to. Fill the water tanks at the camp site when
possible. Watch the loaded weight...take it to a scale and verify you have
not exceeded the capacity of the truck.
Better yet...get a 3/4 ton truck with extended cab and 8 foot bed and get
the camper you really want so you're not sitting there in camp going "I
coulda, shoulda, woulda".
