Hardside Camper? Is it a go?

SO. I'm looking to purchase a 2014 or 2016 SR5 Tundra, double cab with a 6.5' bed, 5.7L V8.

I found an 8' camper that is 1377lbs dryweight.

My question to you all - is this something the Tundra can handle?
I'm uncertain if the weight would be an issue, or if the 8' camper on a 6.5' bed would be an issue? I've seen people pop the gate down and end up with an 8' sitting nearly flush or with a little gate at the end.

My second question is - if this IS doable and light weight for the Tundra.. how about towing a 17' fiberglass fishing boat behind it? Through the mountain passes. The boat is about 3,000lbs (300lbs'ish tongue weight).

Lemme know!

 

Are you talking about possibly pulling the boat behind the truck while having the camper on the bed? No way.

The camper alone is going to max out or even exceed your payload. That's dry without any gear or passengers added. Then add on another 300lbs on tongue weight from the boat? Do yourself a favor and look at a 3/4 ton at the minimum.

 

If you haven't bought a truck yet then the answer is no, don't buy a 1/2 ton of any brand. Sounds like you need a domestic HD truck.

 

What is the payload?

The tundras payload is less than 1400lbs?????? Good god.

 

I just placed an order for a pop-up topper (like a go fast camper, FWC Project M, super pacific, AT Overland, etc.) for this exact same purpose. I want to have a place to sleep while on my watersports/fishing trips. These all come in at around ~300lbs, and can be modified to your liking.

 

You're definitely into HD territory with those weights. There might be a stripped down half ton that could squeeze it in on paper, but running at a vehicle's rated max is never a fun experience.

 

Most half ton trucks hover at or below 1400lbs payload. The less equipped and smaller body configuration you have (regular cab, lower trim, 2wd, fewer options) the more payload you have. Tundras will be 150-200 pounds less payload compared to similarly equipped domestics. Supposedly it's a conservative number on Toyota's part and many have gone to the scales and discovered the door sticker is lower than the real world payload. Regardless of that, you'll want an HD truck for slide in camper duties. With or without towing a boat.

 

I've got an Ovrlnd Camper on my 2014 currently and had an AT Habitat before that. Towed a vintage Mercedes from Billings to AZ, a Skylark within the state and a FJ40 within the state a few times....no issues w the weight, but both campers were sub 400 pounds, unloaded. Never had issues, and the airbags helped w the drivability on the highways.

 

so I checked the tundras specs and it says the payload is 2,060 lbs. if my camper is 1400lbs wouldn’t that leave me with 600lbs of capacity? If the tongue weight is 300, that would leave 300lbs. And if I was over a hundred lbs or so would that be the end of the world? Also, why are some people here saying that 1400lbs would max out my capacity if it is actually 2,000lbs?

 

Where did you read that from? Only place you can 100% rely on is on the sticker on the door jam. I will be shocked if any sticker on a tundra says 2060 lbs payload

 

Where did you check the specs? In the door jamb of the truck?

A lot of folks run truck campers on their Tundras. You can do what you want.

 

That’s exactly why I am buying one. I Dont want any issues in the long run. And I still want to be able to run some light armor and bigger wheels without being overweight. The one I ordered is from a startup: Lone Peak Overland. It was dirt cheap with free shipping during their first week of sales.

 

I'm on their website now. Those are pretty sweet.

 

I am order #25. I ended up getting nearly all of their options and was still less than $7500 out the door (with shipping to my driveway included). They had a killer deal their first week of sales.

It’s risky going with a startup, but the risk seemed prudent.

 

You're looking at the maximum possible payload that the Tundra could have, which would be found on a regular cab, 6.5' bed, 2WD, base SR trim truck with ZERO installed options (no running boards, floor mats, bedliner, etc.). That's easily less than 0.1% of all Tundra trucks ever produced.

Actual payload will be printed on the tire pressure sticker located on the driver's door jamb. Mine is 1320lbs for a 2021 double cab SR5 TRD Off-road with the 38gal gas tank. You'll be somewhere close to that number with those two trucks you're looking at, probably a little higher especially if it has the smaller gas tank.

 

makes sense, good info here. With that being said, going over by a few hundred pounds.. is this the end of the world? I would plan to have airbags. I’m not planning on doubling the weight capacity or anything.

 

It is most definitely not.

SPP

 

Not the end of the world, but overall weight is only one thing to consider. Have you ever driven a truck with a slide in camper? You'll be at/beyond capacity and a lot of that weight is up high, which can make the truck steer a lot like how your dad may have steered you around when you were 2 years old by grabbing onto the top of your head and turning you where he wanted you to go. Add crosswinds and/or pulling a boat behind you, you might not have too much fun on long drives even if you add air bags and sway bars. Just playing the conservative voice here, you decide what you're comfortable with and please keep the safety of anyone else in the vehicle with you and anyone else on the road around you in mind.

My buddy has a go fast camper on his Tacoma. It's only about 300 lbs, he has beefed up springs and he still hates how much it rolls the body of the truck and drags him around at highway speeds anytime there's any wind.

 

The camper you are looking at is 1377 dry. That weight will increase significantly once you start adding your gear, water, propane, food, etc. You need a HD truck.

 

Which one did you order?

 

I hauled an 1110lb camper on my Tundra. Check the yellow sticker on your door jamb for your specific trucks payload. To give you an idea I went over the cat scales with my camper loaded up and I had 2500lb on the truck. My payload is 1320lb on the door jamb. I hauled this same camper on a Tacoma and never weighed the setup. I have since sold the camper after the shock of seeing how over weight I was. The tundra hauled this with no issues at all. The issue is if I was to ever have an accident and the investigation concluded I was hauling over double my legal weight.

Keep in mind the payload does not include driver or gas. So fill up that 38 gallon tank and jump in the truck and there goes 400lb worth of payload. Now your starting at 920lb of payload. Install airbags, there goes another 10lb, install 8-10 ply tires to handle the weight, there goes another 60lb or so.

 

Lone Peak Overland.

 

You won't be going over by a few hundred pounds. You will be over by 1,200-1,500lbs. You can do what you want but consensus here is that a Tundra is ill matched for a 1377lb camper. You need an HD truck, period.

 

I thought I read on here that they payload already included fuel and a 150 lbs driver.

 

What is your driving experience? If you're asking this question here, I assume you don't know your own comfort levels. Would not recommend.

 

Sheesh. Why even own a tundra (or any 1/2 ton for that matter) besides for hauling a book case or a desk occasionally? By these numbers if I went to home depot and threw just a short little quarter of a pallet of 6"x9" pavers in the bed I'd be overweight and in serious legal trouble if I was in an accident..

 

You're correct - i don't have any experience with a slide in camper. I currently own a 1998 4Runner that I tow around a 10' utility trailer occasionally, and my 17' fiberglass boat up and down i-5 to different access points on the Puget Sound. I'm definitely on the more defensive side of driving, never feeling the need to get past 60 on the highway (3rd gen 4runners are DOGS).

 

If you already have a tundra, I would say give it a shot. If you don't and are still shopping, look at 3/4 ton options.
I have years experience towing with the 4.0 and the 3.6...after adding 2 babies to the family I now own a 1/2 ton and and a 3/4 ton. Ymmv

 

Also passengers count towards the total cargo capacity. So if you got family or pets, luggage, etc, it all adds up. I think any hard side camper belongs on a 3/4 to 1 ton minimum. "Dry weight" doesn't include the house battery, propane, water, food, clothes, tools, camping gear, etc. It adds up quick. I can't imagine how that would weigh any less than 2000 pounds plus your hitch weight.

 

That's the reality of all 1/2 tons, payload is the limiting factor. That's why everyone else makes HD trucks with full float axles and big brakes/springs/frames. Toyota doesn't give us that option. You can bet that a majority of us would jump over in a heartbeat if Toyota ever offered a Tundra HD or heavy duty payload package option on the Tundra.

I seriously looked into a Ford F250 7.3 V8 and Nissan Titan XD before I bought my Tundra, but I'm just a Toyota fanboy and won't buy anything else.