truck camper with bumper pull horse trailer...

[Tod osier]

It seems like the combination of a 4 season truck camper and a bumper pull horse trailer would be a great combo. I have only seen that combo a couple times (mostly with llamas) but I've never talked to anyone about specifics. Anyone have feedback or penciled it out as far as capacity? Our current 3/4 ton wouldn't get it done, but would a 1 ton DRW have capacity to carry a truck camper and pull a 2 horse trailer. Obviously, I'd need to do the calculations myself, but just wondering about the combo in practice.

 

[98XJRC]

I can't imagine why a 1 ton DRW wouldn't be able to carry that setup. This would all be dependent on the camper you decide to go with. Choosing a smaller setup that still allows access to the hitch is obviously important. A crew cab long bed 21 Ram 3500 DRW with the HO Cummins will have roughly 5,500 lbs of payload. Figure 3k in camper should allow roughly 2.5k for tongue weight on the truck.

Something like the Ford 7.3l gasser should give you a little more payload as well and should do adequate pulling that weight as well.

I think a lot would also have to deal with the tongue length on your horse trailer. I'd imagine you'd want a longer tongue as a shorter one could possibly pinch the trailer if your having to traverse any sort of ditches to the trail head.

 

[mntnguide]

I see these set ups all the time here in western Wyoming all summer long at every trailhead. 3-4 horse bumper pull behind a dually with big camper. Easily doable. Have seen 3/4 tons with the same set up as well

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[Tod osier]

I see these set ups all the time here in western Wyoming all summer long at every trailhead. 3-4 horse bumper pull behind a dually with big camper. Easily doable. Have seen 3/4 tons with the same set up as well

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Thanks, appreciate it... I thought it must be more common than I've seen. Granted, I never go to into the stock trailheads.

If anyone has actually penciled out the numbers, I'd love to get feedback on what they actually look like. Though they may be common, I commonly see rigs of various kinds that exceed one or multiple weight maximums.

 

[*zap*]

Truck campers are awfully nice.

 

[Slugz]

Will need air levelers on the rear axel regardless of truck or your low beams will point up enough that everyone will think you have high beams on and flash you.

 

[Slugz]

Thanks, appreciate it... I thought it must be more common than I've seen. Granted, I never go to into the stock trailheads.

If anyone has actually penciled out the numbers, I'd love to get feedback on what they actually look like. Though they may be common, I commonly see rigs of various kinds that exceed one or multiple weight maximums.

You are spot on with the over weight comment. Usually a loaded up rig and stocked for a few days for both equine and human requires a 3500 or bigger SRW/DRW in most if not all configurations.

 

[Pony Soldier]

I have run that setup for years- both 3/4 to and 1 ton. Two issues to consider: 1) adequate room to turn at your destination (your train can be a little long), 2) your trailer axel assembly should be centered under the stock compartment to minimize the load on the bumper hitch. Another to consider is the location of the trailer lights. In western Montana many of the forest roads have dewatering dips with a short radious. Some of these can be 4-6 ft deep over 30-40 ft. On a long trailer you may find the wheels coming off the ground and dragging the end of the trailer through each of these holes. Stock trailers with good clearance, lights mounted halfway up and wires guarded with metal will help a lot. My old circle J stock was a rewiring exercise while my titan stock trailer has been a pleasure to work my way through these design disasters.

 

[rayporter]

it works fine. but you do have to pay attention to weights.

the one reason i would not do it is that it turns your truck into a camper. i would get tired of removing the camper to use the truck.

it is just too easy to unhook a gooseneck and have the truck empty. but goosenecks have their own problems. there is no free lunch.

folks that i know that have small camper van conversions seem to have a nice set up.

 

[Tod osier]

I have run that setup for years- both 3/4 to and 1 ton. Two issues to consider: 1) adequate room to turn at your destination (your train can be a little long), 2) your trailer axel assembly should be centered under the stock compartment to minimize the load on the bumper hitch. Another to consider is the location of the trailer lights. In western Montana many of the forest roads have dewatering dips with a short radious. Some of these can be 4-6 ft deep over 30-40 ft. On a long trailer you may find the wheels coming off the ground and dragging the end of the trailer through each of these holes. Stock trailers with good clearance, lights mounted halfway up and wires guarded with metal will help a lot. My old circle J stock was a rewiring exercise while my titan stock trailer has been a pleasure to work my way through these design disasters.

Thanks for sharing your experience, that is great information. I've drug a 20' travel trailer all over the mountains of the west, so I have a frame of reference towing in the mountains and trying not to bury myself somewhere I can't get out of. I've met plenty of big stock trailers driving light speed on the forest service roads and that always makes me shudder thinking about maneuvering one around.

 

[Tod osier]

it works fine. but you do have to pay attention to weights.

the one reason i would not do it is that it turns your truck into a camper. i would get tired of removing the camper to use the truck.

it is just too easy to unhook a gooseneck and have the truck empty. but goosenecks have their own problems. there is no free lunch.

folks that i know that have small camper van conversions seem to have a nice set up.

I've unknowingly exceeded weight limits in my early days of towing and while it worked out well for me, I'm more cautious now and won't do it. As far as turning the truck into a camper, I hear you there, I'm a big fan of having dedicated stuff setup all the time for its intended purpose as much as possible. I'm not a man of means, so a dedicated dually for the truck camper is probably out of the cards, but I suppose a nice truck for the camper and a beater for around town may be in the cards. I've never driven a dually and I while a love driving my 3/4 ton around town, I often wish I was driving something else when it comes to parking.

 

[Red Letters]

I have a 3/4 ton, truck camper and I pull a 24’ bay boat. The boat is a load to haul on its own, the camper feels a little top heavy if my air bags aren’t aired up enough. No issues at all with towing though.
I love the truck camper and the option to pull a trailer, I will likely end up with a cargo trailer to haul a side by side for hunting.
As far as the poster above saying unloading to use the truck being a pain, its a much better option than people using motor coaches or the van fad going on, having to break camp every time you want to go somewhere would be a real pain. Towing an extra vehicle to drive doesn’t seem any more logical to me.

 

[rayporter]

i just picture backing under the camper to get it on the truck as being pretty dangerous.

how often do you remove it?

 

[Pony Soldier]

I agree that the 3/4 ton was concerning on out - sloping mountain roads. I have a very sloping road I run my camper into with my one ton. It needs to be well anchored and drive slow. The main roads are no problem. My camper is a 1970s portable kitchen with a bed. With a mega camper it might be a significantly diffrrant issue.

 

[Red Letters]

@rayporter It is not something to rush through, my last truck had the camera facing the bed of the truck, that or an after market one would be ideal. As it is I mounted a laser to the headrest of the middle backseat pointed out the rear sliding window and that allows me back exactly on to the center. Using just the side mirrors was actually much harder than I would have thought.
I could camp with the camper in the back of the truck if I was on a long trip and just staying for the night, but so far I’ve unloaded the camper every time we go camping.

Having fun is hard work, the benefits easily out way the hassles on this though.

 

[birdman1]

I have a 10' camper with a 3 horse stock combo. It needs a hitch extension but has worked great so far. As mentioned above, low spots have potential to drag something, but I had a 31' living quarters trailer before so this is easy! Even with the 1 ton drw I would be concerned about legal weight with 2-3 horses plus the camper. The truck handles it fine but a scale would tell the truth.

I added timbren bump stops to help the suspension out.

 

[Pony Soldier]

Looks way too comfortable

 

[Tod osier]

I have a 10' camper with a 3 horse stock combo. It needs a hitch extension but has worked great so far. As mentioned above, low spots have potential to drag something, but I had a 31' living quarters trailer before so this is easy! Even with the 1 ton drw I would be concerned about legal weight with 2-3 horses plus the camper. The truck handles it fine but a scale would tell the truth.

I added timbren bump stops to help the suspension out.

Thanks for the photo and insight. That is just what I was thinking, including camper brand.

 

[DESERT ED]

It’s possible. My wife had this set up for a little while. Previous owner added airbags and fabbed up an extension to haul horses to rodeos. Made me very nervous even though they used it without incident. I was concerned about anything sudden happening out on the highway. She’s got a living quarters now and I feel much better about that.

 

[WCB]

I have been along in setups like those pictured above. Space, maneuvering, and having to remove the truck camper etc. leads me to the conclusion a horse trailer with living quarters is /would be a better option. install a 5th wheel and you can normally find a decent used 2 or 3 horse with living quarters for not much more than a good truck camper itself.