Chassis failure.

[oscar]

Apologies if this is old news, posting dates elsewhere show recent.

For those unfamiliar there are brackets mounted on the chassis to tie down the camper. Most are Torquelift brand and use existing holes and hardware, with a few additional pieces. NO DRILLING. We can't see on the picture what happened here in that regard, and it would be a camper related problem. There is also a CG range on the truck as per RAM, and the camper will have a CG location sticker, as it left the factory. BUT I see the largest camper made (Eagle cap 1150 or 1165 not sure, 4900 pounds EMPTY) with three slides, including a rear slide. AND i see two eBikes or light motor cycles on a rack. That is a LOT of weight aft of the axle. That said, personally I would like the front wheels to come off the ground before the truck breaks.

But there are also the rear cab mounts right there which are a combo welding/clamping. IF there is a problem here that affects all on THIS forum.

Now I'll let the experts have at it.........

 

[GPurcell01]

I guarantee he hit a bump just right to torque the frame just right for it to happen. A guy who had a f350 dually then an f450 dually did it TWICE.

Could also be overloaded. Who knows what's inside of it.

 

[jsalbre]

Not surprising. Look how far back that weight is, on what appears to be a short bed truck. Just because it’s a dually doesn’t mean physics don’t apply.

Just buy a trailer or a real motor home at that point.

 

[oscar]

Is it a short bed? I didn't think my truck came in a short version.

 

[jetrinka]

Seems like the rear axle becomes the pivot point with a serious load behind the axle pushing down while at the same time pulling up on the tie downs forward of the axle. Somethings gotta give.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

Thats not surprising those slide in campers are stupid on a short wheelbase and guaranteed the hold downs were so tight it just makes the front mount across the frame a pressure point for it to snap/ kink a camper just makes more sense when you get to that size abortion

 

[gprguy]

It's a long bed.

 

[AH64ID]

That’s a long bed. It’s not a MC and that’s the only way to get a short bed dually.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

It's a long bed.

Still too short of a WB the chassis cab is much better suited

 

[dieselscout80]

Slide in campers are very heavy. We had a Lance 915 / 9.5‘ for more than 10 years and while it said it was sub 1,900 pounds when in use it almost always scaled at close to or over 3,000 pounds.

The campers in both of those posts are much bigger campers and I’d bet they dry weight more than 4,000 pounds. Also towing means an extension hitch the we used was 18” that is a lot of leverage.

 

[AH64ID]

Still too short of a WB the chassis cab is much better suited

Just depends what C&C. The 60” CA CC trucks are only 4” longer than a CCLB pickup and that’s not enough to make any difference.

There is the 84” CA trucks, but there may be more issues trying to get the CG where you want it since the slide-in’s are generally designed around standard pickup bed sizes.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

Just depends what C&C. The 60” CA CC trucks are only 4” longer than a CCLB pickup and that’s not enough to make any difference.

There is the 84” CA trucks, but there may be more issues trying to get the CG where you want it since the slide-in’s are generally designed around standard pickup bed sizes.

The chassis cab even though 4” longer has way more frame strength

 

[gprguy]

No doubt a 4500/5500 would be better suited - that truck was overloaded full stop. Eagle Caps are about the heaviest truck camper that can be bought, depending on the model dry weight can be on the order of 5,000 lbs. Wet could be 3 tons. We haul a much smaller Lance 1062 on a nearly identical truck and are planning to upgrade to a 5500.

 

[gprguy]

Also the photo in the first post tells you all you need to know - that camper was tail heavy, the CG was aft of the rear axle. I bet it drove like crap even before it broke.

 

[dieselscout80]

Our tie downs connected to the bed in the front and the rear bumper. While not considered as strong the one thing that may (no proof though) have been a benefit is they allowed the frame to flex more.

 

[gimmie11s]

Yikes!! No bueno.

And yeah, that was a long bed not short.

 

[AH64ID]

The chassis cab even though 4” longer has way more frame strength

They aren’t really any stronger (3500 vs 3500), just more suited for up fitting. Now if you’re talking 4500/5500 vs 3500 then yes, they are stronger.

 

[Firebird]

My buddy is having a custom slide in camper built now, so he ordered a 5500, with custom aluminum flat bed, to haul it around.

 

[jsalbre]

Looking at it this morning on my phone I thought it was a megacab, and thus a short bed. Being a long bed that camper is even more ridiculously large. It must be 12’ long not counting the cab overhang.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

They aren’t really any stronger (3500 vs 3500), just more suited for up fitting. Now if you’re talking 4500/5500 vs 3500 then yes, they are stronger.

Yea 4500/5500