Cab-over Campers

I am new to this forum. I am retiring and my wife and I are thinking about upgrading the Tacoma we have had for many years to a Tundra and possibly buying a cab-over camper to do some traveling. Why is it that I don't recall ever seeing a cab-over camper on a standard bed of a full-size Toyota? I only seem to see them on a Chevy, Dodge or Ford.
Mike

 

Tundras have quite small payloads compared to the Domestic trucks. 1320lbs payload on a Tundra DC 4x4. A Ram is more like 2000lbs.

Also, most people don't put cab-over campers on a half-ton, unless it's an ultralight. Most trucks found under campers are 3/4-tons and 1-tons.

If you really, really want to put a camper on a Tundra, you'd have to shop around and find the lightest possible camper.

 

Yep, pretty sure most cab overs will probably put you over weight, especially once you load food, water, and beer

 

Lance advertises 2 that fit a tundra. One is 1700 lbs and the other is about 1850 lbs. Both already over weight and that’s dry with no gear.

 

And legal for them to advertise those as being for the Tundra?

 

https://www.tundras.com/threads/607s-adventure-rig-tundra-with-fwc.67314/

 

Many thanks for the quick replies, everyone. This is helpful information, although not what I would have preferred to hear as I really like our Toyotas.

Chad, thanks for the URL showing the the pop-up shell. That could be a possibility.

 

This is at the bottom of the page for the tundra/titan and probably for all of them:

* These are general guidelines to use when matching a Lance camper to your truck. Whether any camper can be used with your truck (2WD vs. 4WD, standard cab vs. extended cab, etc.) and its capacities for carrying and /or towing - how much optional equipment is added to the truck camper - what you tow - and the weight of passengers and all other items you carry in your truck and camper. Please refer to the Truck Camper Compatibility Guide to help you match a camper to your truck.


Im sure you have to sign something that puts the blame on you if something goes wrong.

 

I am exactly in your shoes. Just traded in the built Tacoma in my avatar on a 2021 Tundra double cab. Loved that truck! But sadly, not comfortable anymore.

We considered and really researched many rigs and combos for the last 18 mos. The FWCs are actually too heavy unless you get a stripped down shell (some will disagree). A 3/4 ton is too unwieldy for our needs. The answer for us was a pop-up, cabover bed shell. Options are Vagabond Nomad, AT Summit or Habitat, FWC M shell, Ovrlnd camper and a few other newer players. We went with the Ovrlnd Camper. Totally customizeable, but not luxe. Huge interior space. Search for these on here, Expedition Portal, or Wander the West. Lots of info (a little over whelming actually).

We wanted to preserve the ability to go some fairly rugged places in the Southwest, have more room, and stay within or close to our GVWR. The Ovrlnd Campers are very lightweight, but very roomy and rugged. That was a big element for us. YMMV. be warned that all of these very long lead times upwards of a year now.

 

Just out of interest, are there any penalties/risks involved in overloading your truck?

For example, let's say somebody wanted to put a 1700lb camper in the back of their Tundra. Technically it's overweight. But let's say that person equips their truck with airbags and 10-ply tires. There is no doubt in my mind the truck, the frame, the brakes, the drivetrain etc. could handle that load, and be safe.

Therefore, is there any chance of getting 'caught'? Can a police officer pull you over and weigh your rig, charging you if you're overweight? What if you're involved in an accident? Would the insurance company deny your coverage if you're found to be overweight? I'm curious, is all.

 

That is one of the most controversial questions on most off-road forums. So many of our rigs are way overweight. If you search for payload on Expedition Portal for instance you’ll find a ton of discussion about this. Long story short as possible is that most vehicles have a margin built-in, but technically and legally the payload sticker on your door is the payload. No, the police are not going to come and weigh you, but maybe if you got in a really terrible accident and somebody got killed and you were double your pay load the insurance company might have something to say.

Being overweight creates all sorts of problems including wear and tear on lots of moving parts, more frequent replacement, bogging down more often in sand or loose conditions, terrible mileage, etc. Like any thing it’s a mix of trade-offs. I went with a Tundra for reliability, because I know the Toyota platforms, and because it’s built on a 10.5 inch rear diff and axle. This is a modification of a three-quarter ton axle they use in their Hino commercial vehicles. My tundra has a 1320 pound payload rating. I’m putting on the lightest weight pop-up shell I can figure out — about 325 pounds. With modifications and loaded wet weight I have a real good shot at being right around my gross vehicle weight. I’m still gonna be modifying my suspension, especially putting in stoughter rear springs and E rated rubber. The tundra Max GVWR is around 1700 pounds, without all the niceties weighing it down. That tells me I can handle a few hundred pounds over my stated payload if I set it up right. BTW, air bags dont really help support a heavy load, bit they do improve roll and handling. You should match spring rating to load weight.

In the end it’s up to what you know your vehicle and you as a driver can handle safely.

 

As mentioned those campers are heavy and not a good fit with a half ton. It's good that you are loyal to Toyota but in this case your safety is important. If I was you I would look for a 3/4 ton or a 1 ton. A Ford with a 6.2 liter gas motor is extremely reliable (about as reliable as a Toyota) and would be a great fit for a cab over camper because it is built for one. Ford even has front suspension options for bed campers.