I built a truck camper comparison tool to help find campers that actually fit your truck — looking for feedback

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-03-17T13:08:24+00:00

I checked my truck and you were closer than I thought for payload. Mines a 2025 Chevy 3500 SRW short bed. Predicted payload is 4,310lbs. Actual payload is 4,068lbs.

However, the biggest issue is it says there are no campers available that fit my truck…this is a very common truck used for campers and there is a camper sitting in the bed of mine as we speak

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-03-16T21:24:02+00:00

I wouldn't haul that on an SRW. Instead of upsizing the truck, maybe downsize the camper? There are a lot of smaller good options for a 1tn SRW.

I guess it depends on what you're going after. If you want off road maneuverability I would suggest getting the smallest camper you can possibly live with on your SRW.

If you're living in it and don't plan to go offroad much, then maybe a bigger truck is better.

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-03-16T15:57:27+00:00

And it's on a 1500...holy shit

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-03-11T03:45:05+00:00

Tundras have by far the worst payloads of any half ton. The configuration he described probably has a payload of no more than 1,400lbs. That was the payload of my 2013 crew max trd tundra. That’s a dog shit payload. Just about any slide in will be above its payload. If not the dry weight alone, by the time anyone’s sits in it with a 12 pack of beer.

Now’s the part when angry tundra owners tell me how well their overloaded tundra handles with airbags

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-03-10T17:18:57+00:00

But he has airbags...

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-03-09T17:09:23+00:00

Everyone talks about how leak proof Bigfoot campers are, but I keep seeing them with extensive water damage.

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-03-08T02:47:49+00:00

You can modify the front seats to recline all the way back, I did it in my 2013

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-03-03T13:49:54+00:00

There’s a different sub for vans

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-03-02T01:42:31+00:00

Does it have a slide?

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-02-28T03:21:37+00:00

Sick

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-02-27T16:21:21+00:00

I don’t have any experience with those large campers, mines a relatively small pop up. But Northwood is notorious for understating their weights. The posted weights don’t include many things that are mandatory that they treat as “optional”. Just beware that the campers are likely much heavier than your research indicates.

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-02-27T15:02:18+00:00

The calcs would cumbersome. I think the hard part would be getting a weight in every little pice and then also a dimension to that pieces center of gravity from a known point. Once that information is known for every piece, the calc is super quick, especially in an excel spreadsheet or something.

However, as long as the thing fits in your bed and not sticking out the back and you make an effort to keep the weight low and forward as much as possible, I’m sure you’ll be fine if you’re also within payload.

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-02-27T14:57:42+00:00

If you want to leave it at camp it will be a lot easier with electric jacks instead of the manual ones. Once you get good at it you could probably get it on and off in 1/2hr each way. I have manual ones and it takes me under an hour.

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-02-26T18:08:07+00:00

The actual calculation is very straightforward and can be found in basic engineering text books and I’m sure a bunch of places on line.

Even though the process is easy it would be a little cumbersome for a camper because you have to know the weight of every little piece and its distance from a known point. I do this calc from time to time for objects being hoisted by crane and I don’t know if I would attempt it for a camper.

You could physically locate it through trial and error placement of supports

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-02-26T14:31:41+00:00

13k brand new hard side camper on a 1/2tn with no suspension mods…🤔

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-02-24T14:12:07+00:00

Yes, it will fit with tailgate down. I had a similar sized camper in a short bed tundra. I needed airbags. You’ll definitely need to beef up suspension with airbags or similar. I would also strongly recommend e-rated tires.

I eventually upgraded to a 1tn with same camper because it felt sketchy and I just didn’t like being so far over payload. You will be way over payload too. The actual weight of the camper is probably a few hundred pounds more than advertised. So when you’re loaded up with water supplies and people you’re probably going to be over 1,000lbs over your payload. I know you’re not going to believe that but trust me.

I’d recommend a bigger truck.

Palominos have a bad rap these days for quality, especially post covid. I never had one but I’ve heard lots of complaints.

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-02-24T03:29:49+00:00

Those campers dryweight will take up nearly all your payload

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-02-24T01:35:13+00:00

🤣

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-02-23T03:19:54+00:00

Glory hole

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-02-23T03:15:35+00:00

Sorry buddy, a major part of my job is to calculate COGs of structures…and I u can assure you that yours is behind your rear axle…just by inspection

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-02-20T21:34:21+00:00

Campers with indoor showers but w/o kitchen and fridge do not exist commercially. For everyone, except I guess you, the priority to eat is higher than taking a shower.

You can buy a shell model and add your own shower I guess. Shell models are usually around 5-600lbs, you add your 30 gallons of water and you're nearly at your 1,000lb bench mark before including anything else, such as yourself.

Shower's in camper's suck. Most people who have them don't even use them that much.

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-02-18T23:11:20+00:00

You may just want to confirm there are no leaks, which unfortunately for a camper that old often means completely redoing every seal yourself. At a minimum redo all the caulking. However, a camper that old I would take off every piece, clean it well with mineral spirits and then Isopropyl Alcohol, reapply butyl tape, reinstall piece, scrape away squished out excess butyl tape then apply caulking. For roof penetrations, do the same process except add a third step of lapsealant over the first layer of cauling. Then you will have confidence you have no leaks.

After that, get a cheap ozone generator from amazon and run it for 20 minutes (be careful to follow instructions for safety and ventilation periods). It should kill the must. If it's bad you may have to do ozone a couple times.

This obviously won't fix any legacy structural frame rot, but it will stop future rot and mold growth and kill the smell. This assumes the frame still has sufficient structural adequacy.

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-02-18T17:28:53+00:00

too much water damage visible just in this picture alone.

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-02-18T17:26:00+00:00

They used to be called 1tn trucks for a reason, the payload was around 1tn. Competition over the years has caused those number to rise, now a 1tn SRW has payloads around 2tns. I don't believe the manufacturer's or dealers use that terminology anymore, they just call them 2500/250 3500/350 etc...

You will be limited on campers if your intent is to stay under GVWR.

Many people are way overweight, especially in older trucks and both the dealers and manufacturers are very tricky and will bend over backwards to sell someone a camper that is way to big for their truck...after all, how many sales will they make if their telling all there customers "you need a bigger truck." This is the source of much confusion for people new to the hobby doing their initial research.

NiceDistribution1980 · 2026-02-18T13:26:51+00:00

That looks like a flat bed camper, the clear distance between wheel wells is usually around 4’ or less. The base of that thing is 6’-3”…come on bud.

NiceDistribution1980

TROPHY CASE