So you’ve got your eye on one of those giant, deluxe truck campers. I’m talking about the kind of camper that looks more like a condo on wheels than a pop-up tent. The kind that makes people stop and stare when you drive by, wondering how in the heck your truck is still moving with that giant house planted in the bed.
I get the appeal. A heavy truck camper gives you a lot more living space and comforts of home than a typical camper. You’ve got room to lounge, cook, sleep, and generally live large while on the road. No more hunching over a tiny stove or trying to keep from elbowing your partner while you both change clothes in a space the size of a broom closet. A heavy camper lets you stretch out and enjoy yourself.
But before you hitch one of those massive, mansion-like campers to your truck and imagine yourself living like a king or queen on wheels, there are some things you need to consider. Heavy truck campers come with their own unique set of challenges that you need to be prepared for if you want to have a safe, smooth and stress-free camping experience.
Believe me, I learned the hard way. The first time we took our new heavy duty camper out for a weekend trip through the Colorado mountains, it was a comedy of errors from start to finish. The camper towered over the truck cab, swaying and creaking around every hairpin turn. I white-knuckled it the whole way, praying we wouldn’t meet a wide load around the next bend. Setting up camp took three times as long as usual, since everything about the camper was so much bigger and heavier than we were used to. And we nearly depleted our battery power the first night, since we weren’t yet used to how much juice the fancier appliances sucked up.
Let’s just say that first excursion left us scrambling to find solutions so that we could actually start enjoying our home away from home on wheels. After some trial and error and upgrading both our equipment and our own camping skills, heavy truck camping started to feel a lot more manageable. Now it’s smooth cruising and living the good life on the road.
Top-Heaviness and Handling
One of the first things you’ll notice after hitching up a heavy truck camper is how top-heavy it feels. All that weight stacked several feet above the roofline of your truck makes for a tippy, unwieldy ride.
I’ll never forget the first time I piloted our new camper down a steep hill on a winding forest road. It felt like a strong gust of wind could practically blow the whole rig right off the pavement! You have to take turns and corners much more slowly and carefully than usual to avoid swaying or tipping. Sudden braking and acceleration is pretty much out of the question too. You quickly learn to drive that beast a lot more conservatively to keep everything stable.
There are a few things that can help improve handling with a heavy camper:
- Sway control – Install a good sway control hitch system. This uses dampening mechanisms and friction to minimize side-to-side movement of the camper. It really helps keep things steadier around curves and in crosswinds.
- Suspension upgrades – Beef up your truck’s suspension with airbags or heavier coil springs. This helps support the added weight and improves stability. Upgraded shocks are a good idea too.
- Balance the load – Distribute weight properly front-to-back and side-to-side in both the truck and camper. Too much weight in the rear can cause swaying or fishtailing.
- Drive slower – Ease into turns and corners carefully. Brake earlier and more gradually. Don’t make sudden maneuvers. Give yourself plenty of room and time to react.
- Be prepared – When heading into mountainous or winding areas, know your route and potential trouble spots ahead of time. Avoid roads where a large camper may be unwieldy.
It definitely takes some adjusting to drive safely with a heavy truck camper, but a few upgrades and defensive driving techniques can make you much more confident and comfortable behind the wheel.
Height Headaches
Driving a rig over 10 feet tall comes with its own set of complications. Low tree limbs, bridges, parking garages and other structures that would normally pass overhead with plenty of clearance are now potential hazards. Gas station canopies and drive-thrus suddenly become off limits. Even something as simple as pulling into your driveway might require some careful maneuvering between fences and low-hanging rooflines.
Nothing will ruin your day faster than the awful scraping sound of your camper top smashing into something overhead. At best you’ll get some ugly scratches and dents. At worst you’ll rip off vents, antennae, air conditioners or even punch holes in the roof. There goes the rest of your camping trip!
To avoid height mishaps:
- Know your measurements – Know the exact height of your fully loaded rig and have it marked clearly at the driver’s seat so you don’t forget.
- Watch the route – When planning trips, carefully note any low clearances coming up and choose alternate routes if needed. Avoid routes and areas where overhead hazards are common.
- Watch the angles – Be aware that the highest point is not always directly over the cab. Road bumps and dips can angle the camper even higher temporarily.
- Bring tools – Carry tools like ratchet cutters handy so you can remove obstructing tree limbs and other hazards when needed. Better to nip it in the bud than bash the camper.
- Have a spotter – When parking or approaching a questionable obstacle, have someone outside the vehicle who can observe clearance and give guidance.
- Go slow – Inch forward cautiously until you’re sure there’s enough clearance. Scrapes happen when you misjudge and surge forward too quickly.slow and steady does it.
You’ll quickly learn to navigate big rig realities like which gas stations you can and can’t squeeze under the canopy. With good planning and careful driving, the height issues just become part of the routine.
Weight Management Woes
Make no mistake, a residential style heavy duty truck camper is a heck of a lot of weight for your truck to haul around. We’re talking usually between 2,500-4,000 pounds empty, and potentially up to or even over 10,000 pounds fully loaded with people, water, gear and supplies!
Exceed your truck’s payload capacity or gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) and you’re asking for trouble. You’ll wear out your drivetrain faster, blow tires, bottom out your suspension and just generally strain the whole rig to its breaking point both on the road and while stationary.
When we first got our camper, we definitely piled in way too much gear because we had the space. Our truck was squatting badly and the ride was bouncy and scary. Not to mention illegal and dangerous! Now we’re very careful about weighing and distributing the load properly:
- Know the limits – Check your truck’s payload and GVWR ratings and stay under them. Know your fully loaded weight.
- Distribute weight – Place heavier gear centrally between axles, and near the bottom. Keep storage compartments full but not overloaded.
- Lighten the load – Don’t haul full freshwater tanks or excess gear when you don’t need to. Travel light when possible.
- Upgrade suspension – Airbags and heavier springs can allow you to carry close to capacity when needed without bottoming out.
- Use a high GVWR truck – If your truck is maxed out, consider upgrading to a 3⁄4 ton or 1 ton pickup with higher ratings.
- Weigh it – Use truck scales to confirm your actual loaded weight periodically so you don’t gradually end up overloaded.
It takes some adjustments to your packing approach and gear to create a well balanced, legal load. But with a little care and common sense, you can take full advantage of all that living space without breaking the truck!
Power Hungry Appliances
One thing we weren’t quite prepared for was just how fast we could drain battery power in our new heavy duty camper. With a refrigerator, stove, furnace, lights, TV, and other energy-hungry appliances, power gets used up mighty quick.
On our very first night boondocking with it, we ended up having to run the truck alternator for a while just to top the batteries back up after a few hours of lights, cooking and TV. Not an ideal solution, and hard on the truck’s charging system. It became obvious that our existing dual battery setup wasn’t going to cut it for off-grid dry camping.
Upgrading your electrical system should be high on your to-do list with a truck camper. Here are some smart power solutions to research:
- More batteries – Add one or two more high-capacity 12V batteries wired in parallel. This expands storage and allows you to go longer between charges. Deep cycle AGM batteries work best.
- High output alternator – Upgrade the truck’s alternator to 200 amps or more to charge faster when driving. Keep batteries topped up.
- Battery isolator – Use an isolator to charge your house batteries from the truck alternator without draining truck battery.
- Solar power – Mount high wattage solar panels on the roof to silently replenish batteries using free sunlight while boondocking.
- Inverter generator – Bring along a 1000+ watt inverter generator and fuel to recharge as needed during extended dry camping.
- Lithium batteries – Invest in lighter, more powerful lithium iron phosphate or lithium ion batteries to maximize storage in less space.
- Monitor usage – Use a charge controller display or smartphone app to monitor voltage and track battery drain. Avoid depleting too low.
For serious boondocking, a solar array and battery bank upgrade should be part of the plan from day one with a high power consumption truck camper. The investment pays off quickly in extended dry camping ability.
Tricky Loading and Unloading
One area that takes some practice with heavy truck campers is mastering the loading and unloading process. It’s not just a matter of pivoting a lightweight pop-up camper onto corner jacks. A truck camper that weighs several tons requires some careful choreography.
My first few times loading the camper solo was a small disaster, involving a lot of straining and sweating just to get it in position without smashing the truck, followed inevitably by the rear corner crashing back down before I could get the jacks locked in place. Made me really appreciate having that extra set of hands when it’s time to set up or break camp!
Here are some tips I’ve picked up for smoother camper loading:
- Use a spotter – Have someone outside the truck guiding you back, watching clearance and positioning.
- Lift with jacks – Utilize both rear stabilizer jacks to lift that back corner together instead of manhandling it.
- Go slow – Gently set the camper down rather than dropping from the hitch to let jacks grab progressively.
- Mind the angle – Keep the camper close to level when loading/unloading. Too much tilt can bind it.
- Watch the weight – Don’t unload/load with heavy gear stored in the rear that can shift.
- Block intelligently – Use blocks under jacks if needed, positioned vertically rather than tipped.
- Stay hitched – Leave camper hitched until jacks are locked for additional stabilization.
- Have help – For a heavy camper, an extra pair of hands is almost mandatory to load/unload safely.
It takes developing a smooth system and having the right equipment in place. But with good jacks, blocks, and some help, you’ll be setting up and breaking camp like a pro.
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