current truck used

[sawbones]

I quick question – how many on this forum, if any, have a Chevy 3500 or Ford 350 that is currently used to carry a EC 1160 or 1165. I have read posts in a variety of forums regarding camper weight and type of truck used and was curious to see if anyone here was using dually 1 tons and their experiences with same. Thanks
Don

[Eaglelake1]

Sawbones,
I have a 2015 F350 4x4 DW diesel with a 2014 1165. It works great, but you need to add all othe bells and whistles to the truck. Read rjchtistenen's post about weight. He is right on.

[admin-rich]

Yes. . .Rick's most excellent 1165 weight posting is post as a "sticky" at the top of this forum.

[coffeethecat]

Regarding the EC1165 dry weight and the payload capacity of ANY 2015 Ford, Chevy, GMC or RAM Dually 4x4 with an 8' bed with either gas or diesel engines: None of these trucks, NONE, (did you hear me - NONE!), will meet the payload carrying requirements for an EC1165. The 2015 RAM has the highest payload capacity rating, as published - at 5733 lbs. This does not include your passenger (wifey) or partner so deduct the appropriate amount - and then start deducting the weight of your add-ons and you'll typically end up about 1500 lbs over the published payload. Put your fully loaded rig on a Cat-Scale and you'll see a ticket that reads about 15,500 lbs.

Is this a problem? Well, it becomes very subjective at this point. With air bags and TorkLift Stableloads installed, (a MUST HAVE), you'll have good (not great), control of your rig but you'll still be overweight.

"They" say that the published payload weight ratings on these trucks are "CYA" type number - you know - "cover your ass", numbers and the sales people will always make a point to say this to any buyer because there is just no way any of these trucks can be matched to the EC1165 and remain under the payload ratings. They, the sales people, will always tell a potential buyer that these trucks are built for much more payload than published. How else could they justify the payload.

So it's your choice. Do you believe this or not?

We chose the RAM simply because it had the highest payload rating and being an ex-trucker, I "believe" in the quality control and engineering of the Cummins Diesel engine. They simply work! We paired that engine with the Aisin tranny, and 3:92 gears. We get 10-11mpg overall and there is NEVER EVER a lack of power for passing, climbing or cruising in any conditions. Our truck is also a 4x4. Plus, the RAM in our opinion has the best creature comforts, and includes one gating item (feature), at least for us, "Push Button Start." No fumbling for keys. It's a senior thing!

If you are dead set on buying a EC1165 and you want to "play it safe" and abide by all the payload ratings, then you'll need to bump your budget and your truck choices into the bone jarring, teeth shattering, bank account busting ranks of the F550, or GMC, GM or RAM 5500 series. For us, that's just too much money for a crappy "within payload rating" type ride.

If you want more information on how our rig is set up or handles on the open road, or if you want more info about our EC1165, just shoot me an email and I'd be happy to share.

Happy Trails

[admin-rich]

. . .the GVWR is based on a full tank of fuel and one 150 pound person seated in each available seat.
If your quad cab seats six people and you only travel with two people then it works in your favor (payload wise).
Anyway, if you subtract four people, you could add 600 pounds to the payload capacity rating.

Unless things have changed, the above paraphrased quote use to be in the Ford trailering literature.
It does NOT increase GVWR - but it does increase payload.
You actually increase payload by keeping empty seats. . .

The new aluminum body truck will be lighter and if it were a gas engine and two wheel drive, it might have enough payload capacity for an 1165 and still be under it's GVWR.

With any truck and camper, one can tell for sure when they actually weigh the entire rig.
But for planning purposes one should double check the factory literature regarding fuel and passenger loading in regards to the GVWR.

[coffeethecat]

That would surely help the weight ratio if what you say is true, however, here are this year's (2015) payload ratings, direct from the manufacturer's literature.

These numbers are with zero payload - with no driver and no passenger(s).

The 2016 payload numbers of course have crept up a bit as they do every year without any changes to the suspensions which tell me that the payloads may in fact be understated and the manufacturers are just playing marketing games with the buying public. But that's just my guess.

2015 Truck Payload Capacities:
All have diesel engines, dual rear wheels, crew cab, 8’ bed, 4x4, auto trans.
Smaller numbers include 450 lbs of passenger weight.

Again, NONE of these trucks will accommodate the EC1165 when fully equipped and loaded.

RAM Laramie Limited 5733 /5283
RAM Laramie Longhorn 5733 /5283
RAM Laramie 5863 /5413
RAM Big Horn 5757 /5307
RAM Lone Star 5903 /5453
RAM SLT 5903 /5453

Chevy Silverado 3500 HD 5205 /4755

GMC Denali 3500 HD 5205 /4755

Ford F-350 Lariat Crew Cab 5310 /4860

[admin-rich]

Cargo Weight Rating shown in chart is maximum
allowable, assuming weight of a base vehicle with
required camper option content and a 150-lb.
passenger at each available seating position

As shown for the 2015 Fords: https://secure.ford.com/resources/ford/g..._Sep30.pdf
It looks like in certain truck configurations (such as gas engine, 2-wheel drive) the payload capacity is well north of 6,000 pounds.
Plus, if only two passengers are included payload capacity increases another 600 pounds.
And if one gets the new all aluminum body we might see a 7,000+ pound payload capacity.

So, when the wifey points at the really huge truck camper and says "see - they can do it" you just have to smile and say "yes, but it's probably a gasser and not 4-wheel drive".

[coffeethecat]

Right you are! And who in their right mind would want a gasser when hauling at 100%+ payload! Crazy!

Maybe someday the payloads will catch up with the EC1165 and then the salespeople won't have to deceive buyers any longer!

Given all of this available information one would have to ask themselves - why would the "engineers" at Eagle Cap configure such an overweight beast like the EC1165 and then actually publicly demo it on a SRW Ford 250? Of course in the very fine print they do state that "it's not recommended for SRW trucks!"

Like they say. "if I only knew then what I know now!"

Happy Trails

[Kendawson]

Lost Eagle is correct, the new aluminum body for trucks, according to the press releases, should be lighter by approximately 350 lbs or so. Perhaps more important is the frame of these new trucks will be box section instead of the open C section thus making the frame stiffer. Further, they are strengthening the rear axle so they may be increasing the GVWR as well as lightening the vehicle. I guess we will just have to wait for the 2017 debut.

[admin-rich]

I am particularly interested in what the rim and tire ratings will be for the newer trucks.
Tire and rim capacity is how truck manufacturers determine rear axle weight rating.

The typical one ton dually has a rear axle capable of handling 11,000 pounds - that is from the axle manufacturer, not the truck manufacturer.

The truck manufacturers have to limit the axle ratings to what the tires and rims will sustain.
If one does the math. . .that is, look at the tire ratings on a dually and determine what the tires are capable of sustaining - they will see that the tires maximum load capability is within 200 pounds of the axle rating.

This can be further corroborated (at the dealers lot) by moving to the identical truck with a single rear axle. The axle may be the same axle as on the dually, but the axle rating is lower due to the lower tire capacity rating.

Doing research at the dealer's lot is difficult due to the pestering sales people.
However, if one visits the dealer over and over again they will get to know you and allow you to look over the trucks unmolested.
That's when one can do some real comparison shopping.

Speaking of dealer sales people. . .it's more a matter of ignorance than intent to deceive.
There are many different types. . .some pretty smart and others were just "C" students in high school.
It's best to seek out the fleet sales rep for rating details. The auto sales department folks are pretty worthless when it comes to payload details.

There's some mighty nice trucks be made nowadays.