Suspension Upgrades for Truck Camper
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2022
- This week is Labor Day Weekend and I'm not looking to travel into the madness that comes along with this Holiday. Instead, I'm going to do an upgrade video for the suspension components that turned my truck into a camper hauling beast. In all fairness, my truck handles the weight of my camper nicely. Weather I'm going 95 mph on the interstate, or bouncing about a logging road up north, my truck handles the weight without any issues. I honestly forget that it is there most of the time. One thing I did not mention in the video is the tires, it is an extremely important consideration when asking your truck to carry a heavy load. The key to tires is making sure you have a load index of at least 129. That will give you more carrying capacity from the stock tires.
Next week I plan on finding another camping spot, maybe even try a new hobby, magnet fishing. If you have any questions regarding the install leave a comment below. Thanks for taking the time to watch my video. See Ya down the road! - Авто та транспорт
That’s alot of work to show people your upgrades. I’m sure that is much appreciated. Looking forward to the next video!
Thank you for making this video. Several good ideas to improve handling with a heavy camper and higher cg.
Kenny!!! This is video is gonna blow up!! You knocked it outside the park on this suspension video!! I can’t believe all the effort put into that video seriously. It was entertaining and informative 🤙
Im embarrassed to say my truck is bone stock lol 😂
Thanks! I appreciate that!
@@KennyOfAllTrades second this comment. Excellent video. Quick follow up- overall how well has the actual camper held up? I hear horror stories of some brands but don’t hear much (good or bad) about AF
My Arctic Fox is going on 20 years old. All the appliances, the AC, the fridge, the water pump... everything is original. The slide has never given me issues. I can't complain about the Arctic Fox M 860.
I did replace the front nose cap about 6 years ago. It leaked from the clearance lights and I had some delamination. There was some other leaks and delamination that had to be taken care of at the same time. So, the only repairs that the camper needed was from a lack of maintenance. I use the camper almost every weekend since I started the channel two years ago. It is holding up great!
@@KennyOfAllTrades thanks for the information
A lot of work making the video! Thanks a ton. I really appreciate your hard work to dave me time. I think I'd do airbags last, if at all.
Great suspension info!! Your suspension is set up nicely for that camper!! Finally, information that shows airbags alone may level the truck and camper, but unload the springs and actually make handling worse. I opted for a custom built 4 leaf overload set to replace the single factory one, and an extra main leaf on my Superduty. Handles my 811 very nicely and sits level.
Thanks! 👍
THE BEST REVIEW! I've watched countless vids on these various topics. Excellent review!
Thanks, I really appreciate that!
Thanks for the detailed review of each upgrade and immediately showing its effect. Your videos are always fun and informative.
Thanks for the suspension review.
Again,Fantastic content and very educational. Thank You.
I second the previous comment, I love this type of video. An the fact that you took your truck back to stock just so we can understand your setup better, that's pretty impressive. I'm just a bad shade tree mechanic who ends up paying his buddies in beer just, so they can fix all my screw ups. Really appreciate your tips, appreciate all the veritables that you showed, keep them coming. Blessings to you and yours, and be safe.
Thanks! It's nice to hear you recognize the work put into the video!
Great Video Ken. Very informative thanks for sharing it
Excellent demonstration, gave me all I needed to finish deciding.
Best video ever, thanks for the work involved
Good stuff.. nice job..
Great stuff, lot of work. Thanks
I sure appreciate your videos and the insight they provide. I picked up the backup camera after your review and I’m super happy with it. Im currently running airlift 5000 airbags in addition to roadmaster active suspension at max tension with a fleetwood caribou@ 3500#. I haven’t had much seat time with it so we’ll see how she handles. I particularly like your felling wedge spacers on the leaf pack! Thanks for another video and the effort it takes to make them!!
Great video. Thank you.
Thanks for all that work to show how each upgrade helped with the handling. Awesome video! Love all your videos!
Thanks for watching!
You’re right it is a good looking rig 👍✌️
Thanks!
Great video with some great tips. I think I'll be taking a look at what's set up on my suspension when the sun comes up in the morning. I've got air bags, but those blocks in the spring pack are really getting me thinking.
Those are affordable and effective. The bump stops on the upper overload springs have held up for almost 100k miles. A few weeks back, I needed my truck bed, and I had to remove the camper. I had a 500-mile drive, so I pulled out the felling wedges to damper my ride. There was no wear to the wedges.
The big downfall of the wedges in the spring pack is the extra stiff ride when the truck is unloaded. It takes about 45 minutes to pull them out and 30 minutes to put them back in. That's the biggest problem. Going with the Torklift Stable loads would speed up the process.
@@KennyOfAllTrades Thanks for the tips. I had a look at my setup and the gap between the upper overload and the spring pack is so big (at least four to five inches) that I'm sure it's only engaging when I get the "feels like we're about to tip over" level of swaying. And yet, I can see there has definitely been contact.
So definitely looks like I've got room for improvement, no pun intended.
Really enjoy this type video, demonstrating the nuts and bolts of how things work and why this or that could be better, especially being able to "see" the differences. Like I mentioned previously, we got a Ram 5500 4x4 flatbed and will need to make some modifications before we get a TC. That's why I appreciated this video even more so, because that's where we are with the truck, getting it properly outfitted to safely carry whatever camper we throw on its back! Thank you for all the effort you put into this gem!
I really appreciate that, Thanks!
Really great work Kenny! Your mods are impressive and even more impressive is your explanation and experience with those mods.
Thanks, Much appreciated!
Always enjoy all your videos !!
Thanks Sue. I got off work Friday and was completely frustrated with the traffic. I really appreciate you watching.
Love it! This is so true.
I did all of this to my f350 and it seriously made driving one hundred percent better.
I however, bought my wedges from torque left. I will be using the wedges that you used this time on my f450.
Thanks dude
Good common sense solutions. Good video....Thanks Kenny!
Thanks Richard.
Looks good. Nice job and the felling wedges are a great cost savings.
Thanks!
Great video. I did use the Tork lift overloads with Sumo Springs front and rear. Got rid of the air bags as I don't have on board compressor. I need the upper bump stops. But the ride is soooo...much better. I have a 2007 Ram 3500 SRW with a 2006 Lance 9SC. Enjoy your videos Kenny and hope to get up in your neck of the woods soon enough. I'm a southern boy from SC and looking forward to retirement next year.
Everyone I have talked to has loved the Tork Lifts overloads. I like airbags for leveling out the camper when stopped, that's about it. They don't work well in the winter though. It will drop below 0 for a month or more straight here. The compressor will freeze up without a doubt. U can still use the bags.....just not the on-board compressor. Lance makes a beautiful camper!
I really enjoyed this video but I like all of your videos! The challenge I have is keeping the ride comfortable with the camper off of the truck. The sway bar is critical and actually helps the ride empty too. I'm installing airbags today. I have a SRW F350.
Thanks!
What a great video and kudos to you for taking the time to take apart, review, film and comment on each piece of your Truck Camper suspension - as you added parts.
I am working on building a good (read better) suspension for my 2022 GMC 3500HD SRW Diesel with a 3100lb Cirrus 820 Camper. When the truck/Camper unit was new 2 months ago, it had some sag in the rear (stock only had a 2 leaf upper overload) and was a bit bouncy. I fixed this when I replaced the overloads with a 5 leaf package, recommended at my local suspension shop.
I will keep watching your videos for continued Truck Camper education. ( I see you made some comments earlier on "porpoising", my new annoyance. Shocks might be next.)
Your videos are Oscar worthy - in the "Best Short Documentary" category :) Thanks
That's a huge compliment, I appreciate it a ton. I'm hald you noticed all the work I put into the video. Thanks!
Wow! That’s what I love about your videos. You find and utilize the most simple things to accomplish a task. Felling wedges?? Who would have thought!!
What brand of air bags and compressor did you use? All I’m seeing does not allow for independent operation between left and right. It’s both sides up or down. Thanks again Kenny! Great work my friend.
Thanks. I went with the airlift load lifter 7500xl bages. The compressor is called Wireless One from Airlift. It's really important to be able to adjust each side independently. I had a truck with bags plumbed together. It was a nightmare. Once the truck started rocking, the issue only got worse. The air was getting forced out of one bag and into the other, causing more issues with sway.
I got the exact same bump stops for my 22 Chev after seeing your first video. That will be one of my winter projects. Makes a lot of sense to do that upgrade to the suspension. Install is a little tougher on the newer model but doable.
I hope you are able to make it work. It really is a simple solution to increasing the capability of the trucks springs. It's crazy how much squat is needed to engage the overload springs.
Geez a lot of work for this video. Appreciate it! Haven’t done anything to my truck yet, as all this suspension ‘stuff!’ is new to me, so your video was very educating! Saved it, for reference too. (Didn’t notice i missed this vid, must have been when I was without internet for a week 🙄 while out in Banff, AB…. Aaah, better late than never eh!) 🍻
You were exploring Banff, Awesome! I'll check it out one day. Canada is on my bucket list. In fact, after watching Taylor Dzaman years ago I decided one day I'll take a few months exploring BC and Vancouver Island.
Excellent video sir! My experiences mirror yours...leaf springs and sway bars first! Of course never exceed tire and axle ratings.
I purchased a Palomino hs 8801 back in August and I lug it around on my 2011 Power Wagon. It came stock with airbags and a factory lift so I definitely get a lot of sway! I pull gravel trains in Michigan so I'm kinda numb to it but I was already considering the big wig sway bar. Your feller block idea is frickin brilliant sir!
Thanks! I appreciate the comment.
Very informative. Thank you.
Thanks!
Just bought a old truck camper for a F350 dually. Uncomfortable sway issue. I will look into all these ideas! Thanks for anther great video!
Glad to help
Great video. On my Ram 3500 SRW, I run lower Stable Loads (originally from my F150), Air bags, and a Big Wig roll bar. I feel like all 3 work very well together. I haul a Northstar Liberty and I typically only have to run about 25-30lbs. of air in the bags
Sounds like a great setup. For me the Big Wig made the most improvement.
Dude thanks you so much, super helpfull !
A very good “educational purposes” video Kenny. Prior to watching I knew/understood how some of the suspension upgrades worked. However having the cameras under there gave me a much better understanding of how each piece actually works when in motion. Now if I can just remember this when I get my set up down the line lol
Speaking of line…gonna go out on a limb here, perhaps even a branch, and guarantee you’re gonna catch something next week! Talking magnet fishing here, not tel fishing (don’t wanna lose my shirt on that bet)! 😝 😂
Btw smart move staying outta the woods on a holiday weekend, all the crazy drunks out there with no etiquette in tow
My luck I'll pull a bike out of the lake....then I'll feel bad about tossing it back in or leaving it on shore. I'll be stepping over it all weekend untill I get back home. Maybe I can start an art sculpture from all the finds. I bet I could pull a few shopping carts out of the River here at home.
@@KennyOfAllTrades LOL Who knows, that art sculpture might just fund your retirement and get you to full timing faster! Then we’d have to call you Rembrandt Kenny Of All Trades (and Art) 😆
Props on the video help out alot
I have put on a new Hellwig 1.5 “Solid Front Sway bar because the one from the factory was hollow and wimpy along with lower stabile Loads ,Hellwig Bigwig rear sway bar, Timbrens Bump stops and Bilstein Shocks My GMC 2500 Really Handles My Truck Camper With all the Suspension Upgrades. Thanks For Sharing Your Video
I had a 2008 Silverado 2500 with this camper before my current truck. The 2500 handled it just fine. These trucks setup properly are capable rigs.
I had to stop reading Facebook forums back in the day though....it got frustrating dealing with all the "weight police" telling me I was setting myself up for troubles with Law Enforcement for being overweight.
I'll have to look to see if my front sway bar is hollow. The truck came factory with the snow plow package. I was told it had upgraded front components including larger torsion bars?
@@KennyOfAllTrades I also had the Rancho 9000 Adjustable shocks but replaced them with Bilsteins because the adjustments on the Rancho shocks kept backing down off the stiffest settings. I only have 88k miles on my 08 and still Love The Truck. Enjoy your Content. Safe Travels
Thanks for taking the time to show how these mods work. One other nice upgrade is the Rancho 9000 adjustable shocks. You can set them for max firmness or all the way to zero for when the camper is not on the truck
Great suggestion! I'll be looking at them when it's time for replacements.
@@KennyOfAllTrades Tip: If you do go for the Ranchos... look at painting them before you put them on, several buddies had them start rusting. Also check out Bilstein's as an alternative. Stay Safe sir.
Yep, i did it all. air bags, anti sway bar and felling wedges. ride is better than ever.
Awesome!
I love your suspension upgrades I only have a single wheel F250 super duty and I drove to Prince George BC to pick up my camper used. I live in Windsor Ontario and the wife and I drove the Ice Parkway through the mountains in January. Drove it all the way back on the stock suspension and found the truck sat ok but slightly down in the back. Stock the truck came with a heavy front sway bar and a multi link sway bar in the back. It handled ok on the trip back, but I wanted it to sit more level. I was advised airbags were the answer, so I bought the best I could find, Air Lift from my drag racing days. Yikes, what a mistake it was like riding on one of those old bed springs. I pumped them up full pressure and looked at the springs and the upper and lower helpers were way out of contact. I'm a retired toolmaker with a CNC mill and lathe in my garage, so I made my own wedges for the lowers. These have to be gently tapped into place making the lower springs in full contact with the airbags fully inflated. I removed the rubber stoppers and the rubber spring contacts and made extensions for the spring contacts front and back and made them to accept the original rubber spring contacts. These too were in tight contact with the airbags inflated. All done with the truck empty of course. With the weight of the camper on these are fully engaged, and the ride is perfect. The stock rear sway bar works, but I have a Helwig sway bar I need to put in.
That is awesome to hear! I love that you made the parts needed to fix the ride. That is so cool! One day, I'll make it up to Canada. The number of lakes north of Minnesota in Ontario is mind-blowing.
I did both upper and lower stableloads on my srw F350 running approx 800 lbs over max payload for the specific truck. Alone they didn’t work well enough. After watching Ford’s video of there dually camper testing I quickly realized I had the wrong truck. Now have a Dually F350 with more than enough payload and the handling is night and day. Also when the camper is off the truck it ride just fine. Something to consider if your camper is not on your truck all the time.
very kool thanks for your video really nice show
Thanks!
nice! I have the bags but I need the rear sway and bump stops 👍
The bags are very nice. I use them all the time to fine-tune the level at the campsite. The sway was a very noticeable upgrade. It this point, I don't even notice the camper back there. Thanks for watching.
Ken thanks for sharing this video. Looks like you and I are on the same page with upgrades. We may own different Vehicles but both agree you have to step up the stock suspension. I have a Ram 1500 with a Cirrus 620 and I did air bags , heavy duty coil springs. Timbren suspension kit, Bilstein rear shocks and a heavy duty Helwig sway bar. Also Rancho front leveling struts/shocks and most importantly ( people seem to forget ) I also went with a tire upgrade for the load range. Anyway enough about me thanks again all good improvements to your rig. Keep the videos coming and as always stay safe and healthy.
Sounds like a great setup! I love that you are rurning a truck camper in a 1500. The Cirrus is seriously a cool camper!
Well with only having a 1500 I'm limited to payload for campers and I love the Cirrus it fits my needs . If I have a Ram 3500 with the Legendary Cummins diesel I'd have a lot more options . I'm very happy with all the upgrades I did ( of course I did all the work myself) very easy stuff. I think the sway bar made the biggest difference. Thanks again and maybe someday we will cross trails.
We agree that the tires are very important when it comes to carrying heavy loads. We put airbags on our truck as well but eventually will put on bigger tires. We probably need some suspension upgrades. You do have a good looking truck camper. Looking forward to next week and seeing if you give magnet fishing a try. Mary 💕 Fred
You guys are reading my mind! I was thinking today that I might give magnet fishing a go on next week's video. The State Forest I'm looking at is about 2 hours NE. I haven't been there before. I figured I could stop at a few bridges on the way to toss out the magnet.
@@KennyOfAllTrades Fred used to magnet fish off the sailboat at the dock. He found all kinds of rusty tools. 😎
That would be cool!
I installed in upper spring with sumo springs which really works good for me,you’re doing job too,👍👍👍👍
Thanks 👍
I mean doing a good job too.👍👍
Thanks for the suspension lessons! I am putting a 1997 Lance Squire onto my 2020 f250 platinum and "was" gona only put air bags......but the sway bar and wedgies are great!😂
Are you over the GVWR of the truck is the main question?. You can put the mods to it to handle the extra weight as long as you don’t go over the GVWR that would make it really unsafe. Great video, thanks for sharing.
I'm sure I'm over by a few hundred. Maybe a little more. The max payload something like 3860, the camper dry goes 3080.......so I'm over. But ive never taken it on a scale.
Haven’t watched the video yet but we are working on the truck so it gets a thumbs up
Thanks!
I don’t understand how every body thinks a 6.5’ bed is standard. What has changed 8’ bed is standard bed size or a short bed or Texas Caddy.
I know years ago the 8ft bed was a standard. But now 6'5" is standerd, 5'8" is a short, and 8 foot is a long bed.
I completely understand what you are saying though. I think manufactures have changed the definitions.
I've noticed the same thing and wondered about it myself. In today's America, everything gets smaller, yet more expensive. I think it all changed when larger cabs became popular.
Wow, Kenny! I hope this video gets a ton of views given the amount of work that you put in to showing the difference with each upgrade. I don’t know if you mentioned the brand but what Airbags did you go with? I see that you had a remote the control them. Does it work with each bag individually?
Thanks again for all of your wonderful content! I am a traveling hospice nurse who is all over the states and I bought my unicorn truck from the original owner and have so far put new tires, billstien shocks, Supersprings, big wig sway bar and it came with manual airbags but I would like to replace them with something like you have. Thanks again, Kenny!
I went with the XL 7500 LBS Air Lift Load Lifters. The compressor is called the Wireless One made by Air Lift. Each bag can be separately adjusted from 5 to 100 pounds.
8' bed is standard. At least when my truck was built.
I've done all these mods at some point for my truck camper. I don't do the felling wedges anymore - too much of a hassle to take on and off and don't reallyneed them once you do the overload extended bump stop (stabiload or other). Air bags I leave at 15psi now because they lift off the overload spring bump stop.
So for me anyway, Hellwig rear sway bar, and stabilload overload bump stops are the best bang for your buck.
Although don't forget tires. I recently bought new tires. Load capacity per tire is 3950 lb where previous were 3100 per. This also makes a huge difference.
The tires make a big difference.I explain in a different video the importance of a load index 129 tire. I hear what you are saying in bed sizes. It was in the 2000s when the industry changed its terms. For many years, there were two beds, a standard and short. Now there are 3 common styles. A short box, a standard and a long bed. I completely get what you are saying. I agree that the felling wedges are a huge pain to take out. Thankfully, my camper has only been out twice in the last 4 years. If I didn't have a UA-cam channel, I would not be camping every day off of work. I'd probably get more use out of my truck.
@@KennyOfAllTrades❤
Hello! Just found your channel. Interesting. We have a Grand Design Momentum 397th we are selling to downsize to something smaller. Greta information and loved the disclosure at the end.
Right on! Got to get those disclaimers in there.
Thanks for watching and leaving a comment, I really appreciate it!
Great video Kenny! Over the course of several trucks and more than a few campers, I came to the same conclusions. In priority order, Big Wig sway bar for stability, upper Stabil-Loads to engage the overload springs sooner (also helps with stability), and Air Bags at 30-70 psi (depending on the camper and truck) to level it all out. I didn't feel like I needed the lower Stabil-Loads, but YMMV.
Yep, I think you are spot on! In my experience the sway bar was probably the best investment for keeping the truck feeling planted in the curves and combating sway. The bags more or less keep things level....that was for my truck. I actually use the bags to fine tune my leveling once I get parked for the night. I get almost 3 inches of travel out of the bags.
Thanks for watching!
@@KennyOfAllTrades Which bags/compressor do you use? I’ve been using the Firestone air bags but my dealer recommended the Air Lift compressor (he said they had fewer warranty issues).
@@edwtg59 I'm using Air Lift 7500XL Bags and the Air Lift EZ7400 compressor. I like them. The only problem I have is when it gets cold out the compressor will freeze up. I'm talking like -10 degrees and below. But here in Minnesota that can be 3 months or longer at those temps. When that happens I fill the bags manually. It sucks not having the capability to fill on the fly in cold temps.
Great video, Thanks for the information. I have a 2004 Chevy 2500HD Duramax Diesel. 6.5 bed, and a NORTHSTAR 8.5 ARROW _/ with no slides. Bed and rear bumper mounted. Everything is stock. I've done absolutely no mods. I get very little sway on the road. Im aware of the sway so when I dry camp like you do,,, I take my time on rough forest service roads since i am not FRAME MOUNTED. Ive had this rig for 15 years. Camper goes to covered storage at the end of the season and comes out after the last freeze. H.O.A. prevents me of having camper at home. Unless ON THE TRUCK. 3 DAYS OFF THE TRUCK. Ive been from west coast to east coast several times. No problems whatsoever. But I am always vigilant that i have no mods and that my camper is BED MOUNTED. I drive very defensively and never exceed 65 MPH even on Interstate. Although I have the power, I am retired so I dont care how long it takes me to get from point a to point b.
THANKS FOR YOUR AMAZING CHANNEL.
That sounds like a great setup! I hope to do some longer road trips one day. I still have a few years to go before I can retire. One day it will happen.
It really “bottles my mind” how well those trucks ride yet have such a high factory payload.
Hey Kenny, great video thanks for sharing your mods. We just bought a 2016 F250 super duty, super cab short box. That will eventually be used as my work truck to replace my current 2010 2500 that has 224 thousand miles. The box weight is rated for 3300 lbs, our 2019 Palomino HS8801's dry weight is just under 2500 lbs. The truck squats about 2 inches when the camper is loaded. I installed the air lift #5000 bags running at about 50 lbs of air, which helps bring it back to level, I just recently replaced the worn shocks with Monroe magnum gas that have a quicker recovery than the stock shocks. Haven't run the truck yet with the new shocks, Karal and I will be going out in a couple of weeks camping/atving , so we will find out how it rides hauling the camper and the ATV .
The only other thing we have noticed is that the campers cab over bounces when going over bumps. I'm hoping that having the new shocks will help with that.
Thanks again for sharing and if you have any other suggestions for the bounce and have the time to share your thoughts that would be awesome.
Stay safe, See you down the road,
Eric and Karal
That porpoising back and fourth has happened to me with every truck and camper combination I have ever owned. I have noticed the condition of the road plays a big part in the movement of the overhead cab.
Lance truck campers had shock absorbers that connected from the cabover to the front of the truck to resolve the issue.
Although I get that annoying movement it has never been an issue. Its not so bad that effects the performance. The front of my truck is not bouncing, only the camper. If it was, I would try to stiffening up my front suspension my turning up my torsion bars.
@@KennyOfAllTrades cool thanks for the info, the Ford has a taller cab than the Chevy, so I am going to measure between the over hang and cab, don't want it hitting the cab when it bounces... LoL.
Thanks again
Just did a rear suspension upgrade myself Mr. Kenny.
I bought some pacbrake airbags for my 2015 F350 Super Duty 6.7 prior to making an appointment with a frame and axle shop for installation.
The owner of the shop talked me out of it: "air bags lift your truck off the overload spring and their inward placement destablizes the load,"
which made sense to me.
He recommended adding a leaf to the main spring,
and building a 5-pack overload set.
Wow!
My truck gained full ride height with my over-stuffed 4000 lb (2800 dry) 2016 Artic Fox 811 perched on top and now it corners like it's on rails.
Only downfall is my factory ride became stiffer with the addition of the single main leaf.
It also added an 1.5 in. lift in the rear.
Happily my camper stays on the truck though.
It's my daily driver.
Cost for rear suspension upgrades $2250.00 (Canadian dollars).
That's about a $1000.00 American 😁
Still a little jealous of the suspension gains that you achieved for the price you paid.
👉 And still waitin' to see ya catch a fish... 😄
That is exactly what I want to do.
I talked with a company that specializes in building custom leaf packs. They are about 60 miles south of me and sound like they know what they are doing.
He had the same recommendation, building a new leaf pack and overload specifically for my application.
My current setup works untill I can save up the cash. Thanks for the comment!
IMO you did it the right way. Trucks are meant to be supported by the springs not airbags
Bruce where did you get your leaf setup done? I'm setup similar to Kenny but don't like the performance of the airbags. I think the best way to start this entire process is to fix the spring issue, get custom springs first and then start layering everything else on.
@@randymciver968 Sorry for the late reply Randy.
Just noticed your comment.
I'm in North Vancouver British Columbia.
The place I got the install was called Vancouver Frame and Axle.
They work on mostly commercial vehicles but do cater to Rv's and such.
Any competent spring shop should be able to help you though.
What's your setup now?
@@blackkettlecall Hi Bruce, no problem. I have a standard leaf setup on F350, beefed up with airbags and an overload spring. Rids rough! But it handles the trailer fairly well, but we still get some sway if the road starts to get rough, and I don't think it should be that much. I can put 20lbs in the airbags, and the bumpers come off the overload spring, but too much sway, so we keep it down to 10lbs so the bumpes sit on the overload spring. I think I should have gotten a good leaf job done and not put the airbags in. I may change up next year. Cheers!!
I pull a TT. I put on a Hellwig sway bar and I use Timbren springs. I agree Tork Lifts are nice but they have a high price tag. I want a truck camper. I am going to get a F-550/RAM 5500 crew chassis (19.5k GVWR) or a F-450 chassis (16.5k GVWR). I can’t decide on a Arctic Fox 1140 dry bath or the Host Cascade 10.5. Great video, great to know what others use on their suspensions for truck campers for my research.
Thanks. I think your doing it right, going with a 5500 is smart. That way you are not fiddling around with these modifications. I'll be honest, I dont think I could afford a diffrent truck in this lifetime.
Todd, my fav was the artic fox 1140 dry bath too, was considering it until i saw (some utubers did it) it on the same truck as mine (ram 3500 dually) n holy cow the camper imo looks too heavy for the truck. So yes 5500 or 4500, need bigger payload imo for that camper. Also i saw another tuber talk about his 1140 and said it’s heavier than manufacturer wants u to believe as he was at the weight scales with his. Liked the cascade (lots of choices for inside if ordering) but I do pull over off the road at times to quickly jump inside camper to get something or use bathroom, so 1140 table doesn’t extend into traffic if need to move it.
Anyway After i freaked seeing how the truck would look with the 1140, i was back at the drawing board hunting. I ended up with a northern lite 10-2, drybath. Got it end of june. Didn’t even consider to look for one because of cost and dark interior, until i saw one in person. Well, I love it, inside wasn’t ordered in any black decor, and so seeing it in person quite shocked me actually. So I have no slide maintenance, no tpo roof maintenance, no anode rod maintenance, got a genny installed too. And like the 1140 has a 3 way fridge, game changer with lithium batteries! Came with only 2x 100 watt solar, but I run the fridge on the batteries no problem when travelling, in fact, i sat stuck from highway accident blockage, engine off for 6 hrs solid, fridge on battery, sun out, and it wasn’t until the clouds moved in after 5+ hrs that 100% battery went down to 93%. Sooooo, when i saw this northern lite, it made a lot more sense for me and justified the more $ it cost me than the 1140 would have been. Plus is a lot lighter. Campers weight sticker dry is 3410 lbs, because it was ordered with the stupid glass windows vs the acrylic, (glass added about 200lbs) but I’m not complaining, just always hate these screens that come with these frameless windows 🙄. Haven’t added anything to the truck suspension yet. Good luck in your hunt. 🍻
Kenny...that was the most thorough video I've seen yet in dealing with that specific issue!! 1 question: How did you manage to get purchase on your carriage bolts with out holding on to the nut? Did it just sinch down on its own? Thanks for all the hard work on that vid!
Thanks! The felling wedges are made of hard plastic. The carriage bolts suck into the plastic, making the perfect seat. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I tried to show the outcome of each upgrade. I think all of them helped in some ways.
Great video. I’m running a little different setup but similar. Tried the wedges but had issues keeping them fixed in place. Torklift stainless lowers for two years now …work great but they rust. Lol. Upgraded shocks for porpoising. Big wig sway bar. Airlift 7500xl’s at 55psi. Camper is about 4100#. F350;DRW. Had a SRW but Ford recalled it for….of all things….payload. Oye! So I sold it for the DRW.
Sounds like a great setup. That sucks the stainless is rusting....what the heck! I'm running the Bilistin Shocks, they seem ok. The reviews make them sound like they are the best thing ever.......but there just ok.
@@KennyOfAllTrades Rust from the edges….propagating, disappointing which is why I liked and tried the wedges. Torklifts are expensive but I take them off each year, check them and dust them off. Lol I had to drill the holes in the springs….fun.
Im running Bilstein as well…they do help with improved stiffness but agree with you, not as great as the hype. If I had to do it again I’d try the Rancho adjustable….maybe later. My previous truck I put different upper bump stops on but not this one. Perhaps I will again. Thanks again.
Did the upgraded shocks fix the porpoising? Or was it the combination of suspension modifications? Thanks
@@gregoire8376 For me there was a noticeable difference in the for/aft rock (less) at higher speeds with the newer shocks. The ride just seemed more dampened. But it’s just feel, no actual data to prove it.
This is an awesome video, love the explanation! I watched the whole thing even though I have a ram 1500 with upgraded coils lol. I just installed airbags on it but haven’t put my camper on just yet, wondering if anyone knows how the leaf springs+ airbags compares with the coils+ air bags
Thanks, I appreciate that. I hope someone can answer your question. I have never run coils before. My nephew had a 2500 Ram with coils. He had a Mountain Star in the bed (approximately 2200 pounds) with factory suspension. He would go to Montana Elk hunting and had no trouble.
Kenny thanks for explaining this. I didn't know you put a felling wedge on the front. Do you feel the tires make a difference. Thanks for a great video as always.
I think the tires can make a big difference. My advice would be to go with a load index 129 tire, brand name and tire type is subjective.
A load index #129 tire is rated for 4080 pounds. Compare that to the factory load index #124 tire at 3527 pounds. That's over 2000 pounds of carrying capacity.
I did look at commercial tires, 19.5". The reason I stuck with LT tires is because I couldn't find easy access to replacment commercial tires.
I can get a flat almost anywhere and find an 18" tire. When I looked for a 19.5" I found I would have to get it shipped in.
Lots of thanks here but still no enough gratitude for all the work you put in just to share useful info with us. About the 35 psi, is that enough to handle your weight? I know airbags commonly can hold about 50 lbs per psi inflated as a pair. Maybe you have some extra heavy duty ones though. Cheers
Thanks! At 35 psi, I'm sitting level. I'm running the 7500 pound bags. They can be set up to 100 psi. At night, I bump up the psi so the truck is raked, and my headlights don't blind oncoming traffic.
Great video….I did the exact same upgrades on my 2017 F250….you didn’t talk about your tire setup though…I upgraded my tires (which I am sure you did as well)…after 15+ years of having a truck camper you certainly do figure out how to make that suspension work with a truck camper….BTW…do you have a leveling kit on your truck?
I do have a leveling kit. It's the suspension Max kit. This was my second video on suspension upgrades. The first video goes into my front end upgrades. I added a steering stabilizer, upgraded control arms and tie rods. I also talk about the wheel and tire upgrades. I'm running load index 129 tires which required a little lift. I also run the Method wheels which are rated about 500 pounds more carringing capacity per wheel.
Unfortunately I didn't have time to put all that in this video. I work Monday through Friday so I only have Saturdays and Sundays to film. That's why I wasn't able to fit everything in......one day I would love to have more time for videos.
Thanks for watching!
Valuable info, thanks for sharing. I had no idea felling wedges came in plastic. I had the Tork Lifts on a previous truck. They have tripled in price since 2014. Ouch!
Kenny, awesome video as always! One quick question though, can you show or tell how you mounted the fold down table/tray that you built on the back of your camper on the ladder??
As always, thanks for the info.
Wife and I will be taking our 2014 Arctic Fox 990 out for the first time this month. Super excited to get this adventure on the road
Thank you for reminding me! I'm gonna include that in next t weeks video. I realized I missed a bunch of upgrades. I have forgotten about so much stuff over they years. Next week will be 15 minutes of additional upgrades, and I'll show my maintenance routine with the caulking gun. I also have to seel tge roof.
@@KennyOfAllTrades awesome!! Looking forward to next week.
Have you ever noticed any bubbles so to speak in your rubber membrane on the roof?? I have spotted a couple on mine, but I’m being told as long as there are no holes or tears that it’s fine. Still, it bothers me. lol.
Yes. Bubbles are OK. Or so I've been told. I have them too.
I have talked about the setup my brother has on his dually which ends up being very similar to what you've done Kenny, aside from the fact he had to install ( I am going to say two extra leaf springs per side ) and yes he spent way too much on those stable loads and upper overload extended bump stops for what is there as I both laugh and admire the falling wedges as you have certainly proved that they can handle the application. I am surprised your truck did not come with a rear sway bar since its a one ton but I think for the most part dually's typically do. Kenny, have you looked to see if there is an aftermarket front sway bar that is larger then the factory unit as I am curious if such a thing exists for your application. Also I wonder if your shocks are getting to the point that they should be replaced, not that I suggest they are worn out but they don't last forever and again not sure if there is an aftermarket shock that would help just that bit more for stability. The nice thing about your unit for your purposes is that it is a married unit and not this weekday empty pickup and weekend carrying a camper scenario as that is an impossible set up to suit both purposes.
Thanks for the comment. I should have mentioned the shocks, and some of my front end work. I installed Billistine 5100 shocks last summer. My factory one were completely flat, no rebound at all. I read a ton of excellent reviews on the shocks, people said they were the best thing since sliced bread....I didn't notice a huge improvement over my leaked out flat Ranchero's.
The truck came factory with the snow plow package. I was told that came with some upgraded front end components including larger torsion bars. I'm not sure if it also includes a larger sway bar or not. I replaced the sway bar end links last year. Actually i rebuilt the front end with Kryptonite and PPIE Components. I also installed the suspension Max torsion leveling kit with the drop spacers for the front di. And a Billistine steering stabilizer.
That was all in last year's video detailing my suspension upgrades. This year I focused more on the back of the truck.
@@KennyOfAllTrades I too have heard good things about the Bilstein 5100 shocks but that was for a Jeep TJ or Toyota Tacoma, I have no idea what they create for a truck like yours. In terms of my brothers truck I think it actually has Rancho shocks from the factory as well and unless a shock leaks its impossible to visually know its performance is reduced unless its so bad that the vehicle is a pogo stick on the road. With such high loads I think a person has to install the ... "stiffest bastards possible" that won't rip the shock mounts right off ! . Speaking of sway bar end links, I bet a lot of trucks that get this type of use end up with crapped out end link bushings sooner then some owners realize who are not inspecting the components like you obviously are and replacing before its a hazard on the road.
Great job on the write up. I already have a stiff set up on my f250, but if I want to use the felling wedges what guidelines should I use to install these onto my rig?
For my silverado it was straight forward. The wedges were the same width as the leaf springs. I pushed the wedges in so the end wasn't overhanging the leaf pack. The wedges come in two sizes, short and long. I put the long wedge in the back and the short wedge in the front. They have been in for many miles, well over 50k with no signs of wear at all. Unfortunately I'm not sure what the leaf pack looks like for the Ford.
@@KennyOfAllTrades Hi again, so I bought the Pormido mirror. The cords seem long enough to make it thru the cab and to the back of the camper. But the issue I know I am going to have is, I remove my camper after each use. Do you think I could put in a quick disconnect by splicing the wires? Or do you know of a unit such as this one that has wifi? Thanks for your help!
I disconnect the camera when I remove the camper. My camera had about two feet of cable then a plug. I would plug the camera and leave it attached to the camper. The other I would plug a rubber cap on and tuck up nder the truck.
Great video. Do you have a link to the lower wedge pieces?
I bought mine at Fleet Farm. But I found these on Amazon. They look to be the same product. If you buy these you will have one small wedge and one Large wedge left over....
www.amazon.com/Cold-Creek-Loggers-Chainsaw-Supplies/dp/B08L445PGS/ref=pd_aw_ci_mcx_mh_mcx_views_0?pd_rd_w=STlDG&content-id=amzn1.sym.be5b1f23-b91e-4e1a-9f5e-a760e8130d24&pf_rd_p=be5b1f23-b91e-4e1a-9f5e-a760e8130d24&pf_rd_r=4ZRN9TYH0DAFB145WE8B&pd_rd_wg=RuF0W&pd_rd_r=cadaedd3-daab-4490-b9d7-f356b148d714&pd_rd_i=B08L445PGS
@ Kenny what size wedge did you use. 8 inch on the rear of the pack and 5.5 inch on the front?
Yes. That exactly right.
Hey Kenny, GREAT video. With the Wedges installed, how much room is between the main stack leaf springs and the overload springs, when uploaded?
Oh boy......thats a good question.....I haven't had the camper out of the truck in years, I don't remember..
Kenny’s truck is like a turtle…takes its home/shell with it wherever it goes lol
True story!
Hey, no worries. I'm going to be with and without the camper, so I was just wondering if the trucks ride became stiffer then it was without the camper. Thanks anyway. Safe travels.
I'm going to say yes, the ride will be stiffer unloaded. I don't think there was much of a gap, if any, even without the weight of the camper.
That is where the Stable Loads from Tork Lift have an advantage. You can quickly disengage the overload perch.
I'm thinking to do all the mods but not the air bags. would that be a mistake? would the other mods level out the truck or just help handling?
You do not have to install the bags. You will notice the difference with the other upgrades. I get the most use out of the airbags when I'm parked at a campsite. Having the ability to raise and lower each side 3" can come in handy when leveling out the camper.
Yeah! Good job! Sway bar - that's what I need. Also... Rear view mirror/Screen (10:48). What's the brand? Link maybe? Cheers
It a Pormido rearview camera. I've had it over three years now. It works really well. I would not want to carry the truck camper without one. I'll share an Amazon link to the one I have.
Check this out! a.co/d/6d5voqw
@@KennyOfAllTrades Thanks a lot! Cheers from the UK!
Hi Kenny! Have watched many of you videos. From SD now but a MN native as a child. Found one of your secret spots and truck camped on Crooked Lake! I have a question, what radio did you put in your truck? Looking for my 2015 Silverado. Keep on truckin'!
Thanks Joe. Here is the link to the radio. phoenixautomotiveinc.com/?
I've had the radio for a few years. It's an awesome radio.
Here is a UA-cam video of a guy installing it in his 2015 silverado. This guy has done some cool upgrades to his truck and males good videos.
ua-cam.com/video/nVaBzU0g4JY/v-deo.html
Great Video! Does it work on 3/4 ton pickups, the overhang ones, I have a 8ft bed.
I had this camper on a 2008 Silverado 2500 with the 6L gas engine. It handled fine. Not as sturdy as the 3500. But it wasn't a white knuckle drive either. The main difference is, no upper overload spring pack on the 2500.
@@KennyOfAllTrades it’s a 1 ton I meant, a 1989 ford f250 single cab long bed
Did you only replace one of the upper's on each leaf spring?? Or did you replace both on each leaf?? TIA.
Both of them, front and back.
So, , these felling wedges,,, are they the ones used for felling trees ???
If so what size do you use ??
Yes those are the ones. They are made an ABS material. Manards and Tractor supply in my area carry two sizes. 8" and 5.5". I use the 8" in the rear of the leaf pack and the 5.5" in the front. They are the same width as the leaf springs. I have close to 80k miles on them with no issues. When I removed them for the video I saw zero signs of wear.
Hi Kenny do you think the upgrades would work well without air bags? Thanks
Yes, absolutely.
I use the airbags for leveling once I'm parked more than while driving. I'm almost level with no air in the bags. When I have them inflated to 100 psi, I have over a 3" rake. The bags are not needed. But at night, I do air them up to keep my headlights aiming down the road at the factory level.
I hope you see this how would you install wedges if you don’t have hole to bolt through? Drill one??
Yes. You can drill through the lower spring. I've seen guys do it on UA-cam. It's a lot of work. One guy used a car jack and a hand drill to make the hole. A lot of guys said it's a workout on the arms to keep applying pressure. The jack looked slick.
Thank you very much,guess I am going to get a work out
Hey brother I would go ahead and undercoat your truck chassis with wool wax or fluid film to stop that rust from spreading any further and protect your investment
You are 💯 right. I have a 3ft spray wand and fill the body pannels with fluid film. I really should do the frame. I wish we had a shop that sprayed wool wax nearby.
I'm in Michigan I know the rust struggle, I resorted to buying my own spray gun and 5 gallon bucket of wool wax/fluid film. I use kellsport gun but there is a lot of options. Average cost for a shop to spray is $250-400 and needs to be done annually.
Extend the life of your truck exponentially
Great review 👏. I plan on getting a truck camper and was looking in getting the torklift loads but very expensive. Did you make your felling weages or purchased them ?
I bought them at Tractor Supply. They are made of a plastic composite. They come in two sizes. I put the large wedges in back and the small ones up front.
@@KennyOfAllTrades Great 👍thanks for getting back to me quickly. I'll have to try them out. That would save me some money. I do plan on getting the Bigwig stabilizer as well.
That was a really big help. I would definitely install the biggest sway you could find.
@@KennyOfAllTrades I meant Hellwig lol
@@dannythervguy I think you were right. The bigwig is made by hellwig. I think the bigwig is about the biggest bar they make.
Hey Kenny....first of all , THANKS for this video.
I was just given a 2004 Adventurer WS810. It sits at about 2300lbs.
In your opinion , if I did all these upgrades to an older 90's Chevy 2500 4X4 , long bed.......you think it would work?
Or do you think I'd be better off with a 3500 series truck? I want an older Chevy , because I know how to fix em'!
I had this camper on a 2008 Silverado 2500. It was ok. I didn't have any major issues. It wasn't as off-road capable as the 3500. I don't even notice I have a camper in the bed of this truck. The big difference between my current truck and the old 2500 is the additional top overload leaf. That really keeps it stable when articulating on the trails. But when driving down a straight road, the upper overloads don't come into play.
@@KennyOfAllTrades Got it , and understood. Thanks for the reply btw. The used truck market is starting to calm down a bit , so I'm hoping by this summer I can find a descent truck. It'll give me some time to fix up my new ( new to me ) 2004 camper. OH!!.....Also , I have been camping out of a 3500 extended Chevy express van for about 8 years now. I have found that if I have power.....a crockpot with double liners is my friend! Cook anything in those and they use about 100 watts!
I'm curious as to how much lift (or how much suspension travel ) you got with just the upper bump stops and lower wedges (airbags deleted)? I have a 17 GMC 3500 gas with highest payload available and a 3300lb camper. It had maybe an inch of rear travel and I added tork lift uppers. I gained about 1.5-2" of travel. Tork lift told me the lowers would help minimally due to the minimal gap in the lower overloads. I'm wondering if the felling wedges would give me a bit more travel.
I would try it. The investment is minimal. Engaging the lower overload springs gave me the most notable difference.....well that and the sway bar.
The upper overload spring is really thin compared to the lower. Having the lower fully engaged right away helps a ton...probably closer to 2 tons!
I'll measure the lift later tonight with the wedges, and bump stops.
@@KennyOfAllTrades I have double uppers and very little to no space between my spring pack and lower springs even empty. I think the double uppers are part of the extra GVWR package
Kenny do you have an amazon link for the felling wedges you used? There are many on there.... Thanks!
These look to be the exact ones. If you order this one you will have 1 large wedge and 1 small wedge left over.
www.amazon.com/Cold-Creek-Loggers-Chainsaw-Supplies/dp/B08L445PGS/ref=pd_aw_ci_mcx_mh_mcx_views_0?pd_rd_w=STlDG&content-id=amzn1.sym.be5b1f23-b91e-4e1a-9f5e-a760e8130d24&pf_rd_p=be5b1f23-b91e-4e1a-9f5e-a760e8130d24&pf_rd_r=4ZRN9TYH0DAFB145WE8B&pd_rd_wg=RuF0W&pd_rd_r=cadaedd3-daab-4490-b9d7-f356b148d714&pd_rd_i=B08L445PGS
@@KennyOfAllTrades thanks so much. My wife and I really enjoy your channel. I quote you all the time about not wanting to be around people. Problem is unlike you I hate the cold!
Love it "am I over, yeah " lol about a 1000# ... I get the over wieght nazi attacking my 1/2 ton truck all the time for over wieght. Like you I have done a ton of up grades to my suspension to handle the load and keep the nose down.
Years past the older 1970s and early 80s truck all you did to get 3/4 to 1 ton out of those trucks was change the leaf springs and buy v8 motor trucks.
It's like those concepts have been lost to time to the arm chair spec readers.
You do a little research the main difference of the 2009-2012 1/2 ton F150 vs the F250 is a frame cross member bar (you buy at the junk yard for $30) and tires. All the rest can be beefed up with airbags and those same wedges like you did.
#Arm chair spec reader vs real life truck hauler. Lol 😅
Nice job the truck suspension.
The airbags are the most expensive part of that build and far cheaper than buying a bigger truck.
I had to stop being a part of 90% of the truck camper forums on Facebook. The weight police were out of control! Guaranteed none of them have written a crash report involving an RV, but they all knew traffic laws better than a State Trooper. Like you, I have been running Truck Campers since the days of old. Nowadays, these guys on Facebook say you need a 550 minimum to carry a truck camper. I don't buy it!
Sounds like you said “felling wedges”? As in tree cutting?
Yes, that is it! They have been in there now for just shy of 100,000 miles, carrying the camper. I figure if they are designed to be smashed into hardwood using a 16-pound maul, they could hold up to the pressure of the lesf springs. When I took them out for this video, there were zero signs of wear.
@@KennyOfAllTrades I like your way of thinking. I was ready to go out and purchase
Can anyone provide any information on the size of the wedges?
Here is a link. The bigger ones, 8" long mount towards the rear of the truck. The smaller ones 5.5" go towards the front of the truck.
I bought mine from Menards. I've had them in for 80k miles with no issues at all. I can not attest to the quality of the Amazon product, but at least you know what I used.
www.amazon.com/GarMills-Felling-Logging-Chainsaw-Cutting/dp/B0822VFXLN/ref=asc_df_B0822VFXLN/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=416788749780&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9239557185409606799&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9020135&hvtargid=pla-901091150782&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=90729929941&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=416788749780&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9239557185409606799&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9020135&hvtargid=pla-901091150782
You’re the man! I appreciate your video and the time it took to make
Overloading is the only thing that matters. You are obviously overloaded and nothing you have done will fix that. You can’t add payload to your truck. It comes down to you being a danger to others on the road. I’m sorry if that hurts but the truth is you shouldn’t be promoting hauling overweight no matter how ‘good it feels’ driving.
No, you're absolutely right. I'm overloaded. I even say that in the video. And your correct, thrres nothing you can do to raise the payload capacity of the truck. Rest assured, your opinion on the safety of my rig will not hurt my feelings.
So you missed the point of my reply. You’re a danger to everyone else in the road period. The payload rating of your truck is about more than how much weight you can put in the box. One big issue with being overloaded (in your case significantly) means your stopping distance is increased especially from high speeds. And thanks to your video even more people think it’s okay to drive the highways at 75+mph with their trucks overloaded as long as your truck is level and “feels” fine to drive.
No, I didn't....I just don't want to argue with you. I was trying to be nice. We are going to have to disagree. I understand what you are saying. But I think you are wrong.
Good looking truck. I'm sad that you've got to watch MN turn it into rust
It's sad how fast the vehicles rust out. The chemical sludge they put on the roads will chew up an 80k dollar truck in a matter of a few years. I'd be happy with sanding the roads....forget about the salt and chemical brine they spray.