AirBags - Timber Grove vs AirLift 5000 Ultimate Plus+

[Rock Crawler]

Be very careful. Something you need to consider is that if you go over the vehicle‘s listed limits, and get in an accident involving any other vehicles, your insurance company isn’t going to pay because you modified the vehicle to an extent that made it unsafe. The other driver will sue you and win.

Nobody here is trying to tell you what to do, or not to do. We just want all of our members to be safe.

Also, why would a reputable camper dealer sell you a camper that is not compatible with your vehicle?

Another thing to consider when going over weight limits. Too much weight can destroy your frame. Although this guy’s insurance paid for the repair, I wouldn’t expect to ever see that happen again. Thankfully he was able to pull over somewhere safe and didn’t lose control and crash.

Insurance Covers $17k Repair to Pavel's Broken Ram 3500 Frame

You've seen the photographs and read the article by now---the Pavel's 2020 Ram 3500 buckled in two with a 2020 Eagle Cap 1165 mounted on back. The

www.truckcamperadventure.com

 

[PurpleRT]

Be very careful. Something you need to consider is that if you go over the vehicle‘s listed limits, and get in an accident, your insurance company isn’t going to pay because you modified the vehicle to an extent that made it unsafe. The other driver will sue you and win.

Nobody here is trying to tell you what to do, or not to do. We just want all of our members to be safe.

Also, why would a reputable camper dealer sell you a camper that is not compatible with your vehicle?

Another thing to consider when going over weight limits. Too much weight can destroy your frame. Although this guy’s insurance paid for the repair, I wouldn’t expect to ever see that happen again. Thankfully he was able to pull over somewhere safe and didn’t lose control and crash.

Insurance Covers $17k Repair to Pavel's Broken Ram 3500 Frame

You've seen the photographs and read the article by now---the Pavel's 2020 Ram 3500 buckled in two with a 2020 Eagle Cap 1165 mounted on back. The

www.truckcamperadventure.com

Exactly the point I was trying to make. Camper salesmen are some of the worse they’ll tell you anything to make the sale and not think twice about you going down the road and screwing someone or something up. Yes that camper is 1500 compatible with the right configuration aka leaf springs and more payload probably not a ram 1500 truck. I would much rather lose the deposit (check the paperwork and make sure it is in fact nonrefundable, just don't go off what the bs salesman told you), then be stuck with a unusable bed camper thats gonna require more truck then you have. I been contemplating a travel trailer for years now so I’m always randomly browsing rv forums or reddit and there’s a zillion different post on other be sold campers that are just not compatible with their trucks and their shocked when they learn about the numbers.

 

[2020 Rebel]

I'm not giving you a hard time, just describing how it works.

Your tow rating is a myth. There are 4 important limits on your truck:
GCWR (what you can pull, and thats the 11k to 12k limit you noted)
GVWR (what your vehicle can weigh, most people use payload instead as its easier to do the math)
RAWR (rear axle)
hitch

The first limit you exceed, that's the limit on your truck. If you're pulling a boat, it puts 5 to 10 percent tongue weight on your truck, you can probably pull 10000 pounds which puts 500 to 1000 pounds on your truck leaving 200 pounds for driver and a bit extra for passengers + cargo.

If you're pulling a 5w, they typically put 15 to 20 percent or more on your bed, you can no longer pull a 10,000 pound 5w. That would put almost 2000 pounds on your truck + another 100 pounds for the 5w hitch itself.

So Ram doesn't know what you're pulling, thats why they give you multiple limits, and the first limit that you hit while pulling/carrying whatever it is you're doing, that's the limit.

Most people are limited to about 8000 lbs or less when it comes to common trailers. 5w's are pretty much not towable, and neither are slide in campers. You found one of the very lightest out there, but the important spec not to go past is the rear axle. It's rated at 4100 lbs, but you may want to run over a cat scale. There are a number of stories of guys bending their frames carrying/towing too much weight, especially offroad which really leans the truck and forces the weight temporarily over one spot.

Suspension mods don't help you carry additional weight beyond your original GVWR, they just control the weight you do add, better. Your payload is your payload, and no suspension mods you can do will fix that unless you start modifying the frame and rear axle as well.

But I'm not going to argue this to death, just letting you know a number of guys have wrecked their Rams/frames doing more then they thought it could do. If you bend your frame or damage it with that camper, Ram will deny you warranty as there is no way you can carry it with a driver and still be under payload.

(don't shoot me, I'm just the messenger )

I'm already out of warranty anyway. The only thing left is the drivetrain and I don't think that includes the frame.

 

[2020 Rebel]

I guarantee you every damn truck out there carrying a truck camper is overloaded. Every damn one whether it's a 1500 2500 or 3500... Ford Chevy Toyota Dodge whatever they're all over loaded. I see overloaded Vehicles everyday of all kind Not Just Trucks carrying truck campers which is a pretty Rarity especially on the East Coast. You guys either work for insurance companies? Lawyers? or you want my truck camper that I put a deposit on???

 

[PurpleRT]

Good luck let it know how it works out for you and please don’t disappear from here if something does happen.

 

[boogielander]

Yep I haven’t heard of a rebel trim having 1800lb of payload.. the very few that I heard of having numbers anywhere close to that would be a tradesman/lower optioned big horn.

Maybe look into a small travel trailer or pop up camper or maybe the setup that @boogielander runs would fit your needs.

he's too bougie for a simple camper but not bougie enough to do things right. what can i say...

 

[silver billet]

I guarantee you every damn truck out there carrying a truck camper is overloaded. Every damn one whether it's a 1500 2500 or 3500... Ford Chevy Toyota Dodge whatever they're all over loaded. I see overloaded Vehicles everyday of all kind Not Just Trucks carrying truck campers which is a pretty Rarity especially on the East Coast. You guys either work for insurance companies? Lawyers? or you want my truck camper that I put a deposit on???

Show the salesman the math. Show him your door sticker of your truck, the weight of the camper, add your own weight + propane etc and ask him to release the deposit back. If he's an honest guy and you haven't even touched it yet then he should have no trouble doing so.

 

[2020 Rebel]

he's too bougie for a simple camper but not bougie enough to do things right. what can i say...

WTF does this even mean?

 

[PurpleRT]

There’s literally nothing special about this camper top if someone wanted one it would take no effort to find and purchase one. You come seeking advice.. everyone is telling you bad idea except yourself and the salesman making commission off of your cluelessness but your more concerned with losing probably a low deposit then getting stuck with a $27-40k topper (quick search on rvtrader) that is going to be a riot on your current truck. Hmm $27-40k would buy like I suggested a small or even a decently sized camper to tow with that would be within the limits of your current truck, probably more enjoyable and accomplish the same thing but hey this is just my $.2 just please don’t disappear from here when things go wrong.

As the saying goes…

 

[2020 Rebel]

There’s literally nothing special about this camper top if someone wanted one it would take no effort to find and purchase one. You come seeking advice.. everyone is telling you bad idea except yourself and the salesman making commission off of your cluelessness but your more concerned with losing probably a low deposit then getting stuck with a $27-40k topper (quick search on rvtrader) that is going to be a riot on your current truck. Hmm $27-40k would buy like I suggested a small or even a decently sized camper to tow with that would be within the limits of your current truck, probably more enjoyable and accomplish the same thing but hey this is just my $.2 just please don’t disappear from here when things go wrong.

As the saying goes…

View attachment 188513

Things are already wrong. Gonna tell Steve to ax my Bag order before it ships and most likely loose $1.5K. NOT NOT NOT getting another travel trailer. Travel traliers SUCK SUCK SUCK, no freedom when towing a travel trailer. Shoulda got a used 2500. May EVERYONE now enjoy the spoils of my errors in some way shape or form, laugh away my friends.

 

[PurpleRT]

It sucks to lose money but $1500 is nothing compared to what it could of been. Take a deep breath it will be okay. Take your time and reevaluate everything.. 1500 are great for what they are but you gotta know their limitations. I mentioned early take a look at @boogielander setup. Yes its not a massive camper top but the next best things outside of cough cough travel trailer and keeps you off the ground and still gives you the freedom and plenty capable for a 1500 chassis as long as your still mindful of the numbers!

 

[silver billet]

Things are already wrong. Gonna tell Steve to ax my Bag order before it ships and most likely loose $1.5K. NOT NOT NOT getting another travel trailer. Travel traliers SUCK SUCK SUCK, no freedom when towing a travel trailer. Shoulda got a used 2500. May EVERYONE now enjoy the spoils of my errors in some way shape or form, laugh away my friends.

I hear you on the TT bit, there are times I wished I had a truck camper instead of my RV, but then I think about the loss of my bed, how you can't just quickly jump in your truck and go to town without "breaking camp" and making sure everything is tidy and stowed away (never mind if you have tarps setup outside etc). I think there are pros and cons to each setup, we kind of have to pick our poison.

After a number of years of pulling my trailer I'm quite happy with it, I got the porpoising fixed and added a rear camera to the trailer, this takes the stress out of backing up at busy gas stations or when backing into tight camp sites. There are some pretty cool tiny trailers out there too (rpod) if you're looking for something small and aren't aware of them?

Whatever you decide, I hope you get something going to your satisfaction, it sucks to find out the hard way and in the end we all just want to explore the outdoors and enjoy it.

(no this isn't me below, I'm several decades younger and I'd never sit in one of those silly camp chairs with the bars all up in my legs and my shoulders squished into my chest.)

 

[Rock Crawler]

Things are already wrong. Gonna tell Steve to ax my Bag order before it ships and most likely loose $1.5K. NOT NOT NOT getting another travel trailer. Travel traliers SUCK SUCK SUCK, no freedom when towing a travel trailer. Shoulda got a used 2500. May EVERYONE now enjoy the spoils of my errors in some way shape or form, laugh away my friends.

As mentioned above, if you show them the math, and they recognize what safety issues it will create, then hopefully you won’t lose anything since they pushed the sale. And trust me, nobody is laughing. Everyone is simply trying to help you enjoy your truck and adventures safely.

 

[2020 Rebel]

I hear you on the TT bit, there are times I wished I had a truck camper instead of my RV, but then I think about the loss of my bed, how you can't just quickly jump in your truck and go to town without "breaking camp" and making sure everything is tidy and stowed away (never mind if you have tarps setup outside etc). I think there are pros and cons to each setup, we kind of have to pick our poison.

After a number of years of pulling my trailer I'm quite happy with it, I got the porpoising fixed and added a rear camera to the trailer, this takes the stress out of backing up at busy gas stations or when backing into tight camp sites. There are some pretty cool tiny trailers out there too (rpod) if you're looking for something small and aren't aware of them?

Whatever you decide, I hope you get something going to your satisfaction, it sucks to find out the hard way and in the end we all just want to explore the outdoors and enjoy it.

(no this isn't me below, I'm several decades younger and I'd never sit in one of those silly camp chairs with the bars all up in my legs and my shoulders squished into my chest.)

Ya sure ya not old cause I'm old'ish and you sound like my 83 year old Dad "get a travel trailer, you can leave camp and don't have to break camp" sheese ..Took his advice, got a travel trailer and HATED it. Too much work not ENOUGH FREEDOM.
I HAD a 2021 Jayco Jay Feather Micro 171BH travel trailer & I just sold it a couple weeks ago !!! THANK GOD NO MORE TRAILERS
Always owned a 4x4's to get off the beaten pavement paths, and travel trailers are a DRAG literally and figuratively !!


Still up in the air about getting the 620. IF I do get it may get the Timbren SES suspension enhancement system. It a heavier duty single "bag" made specifically for truck camper carrying. Easy peasy to install for carrying camper and to take out when not hauling the camper. I have talked with SEVERAL truck camper RV dealers across the USA besides where I made my down payment,..an all of them say the 620 will be fine even over loaded 500-800lbs on my truck IF IF IF set up correctly.
So, FULL CRM airbags don't seem the way to go... Still have the ASAM in thought still.. possibly?

Saw in another thread you have the Hellwig rear sway bar ?? How is it working for you ?

 

[silver billet]

Saw in another thread you have the Hellwig rear sway bar ?? How is it working for you ?

Its great, I have it on the highest/stiffest setting and truck feels pretty planted on the road. If you live in an area with heavy salting on the winter roads then it doesn't seem to hold up, its far rustier than anything else under my truck but it can easily be sanded down and resprayed as needed. Still, worth it IMHO though I did see recommendations for even stiffer ones though I can't remember the brand.

 

[boogielander]

WTF does this even mean?

don't worry about it if you cancel the camper.

 

[boogielander]

It sucks to lose money but $1500 is nothing compared to what it could of been. Take a deep breath it will be okay. Take your time and reevaluate everything.. 1500 are great for what they are but you gotta know their limitations. I mentioned early take a look at @boogielander setup. Yes its not a massive camper top but the next best things outside of cough cough travel trailer and keeps you off the ground and still gives you the freedom and plenty capable for a 1500 chassis as long as your still mindful of the numbers!

been enjoying my camper on my trip up north to the arctic but it does take time and skills to get to build it to have all the creature comforts lol

 

[silver billet]

been enjoying my camper on my trip up north to the arctic but it does take time and skills to get to build it to have all the creature comforts lol

I like your setup, perhaps one day! I work on the road quite a few weeks of the year, so my RV is more of a rolling office.

And if I'm being honest I do enjoy my showers, even if they're only 20 seconds at the end of a hot sweaty day. I've become such a campground snob these days and refuse to use the facilities there, but if you've seen what I've seen ... I'd rather use a shovel and a dark hole at that point.

 

[2020 Rebel]

So, if I commit to the 620 the front suspension will still get built the way I broke it down earlier, IF I keep this 1500.
The rear is where it gets harder to the point of needing a pros and cons sheet for the below list

1.Timber grove CRM alone ?
2.Timber grove CRM with Timbrens carried as a back-up and or installed easy peasy if off roading?
3.Timber grove ASAM alone ? (obviously w coils back in)
4. Timbrens only (coils back in). NO more mods for now as it's the most economical option to get on the road for a little while with this 1500 & camper and start looking for a used 2500 with leaves and a buyer for this 1500.

I know why my payload is lower than the 1810 I stated before. Its cause I got the 33gal tank. So if I fill up only halfway I can get back 100LBS and whooohoo I'm there! And if I only fill up the fresh water tank with 7 gallons and get it as necessary traveling that saves another 83.4LBS...

This camper IS doable (not perfect) with a dialed in set up. I think most of yall are sketched out by the 5 link and don't believe it can haul decently? I would care to think that the newest power wagon with assist ASAM bags would LAUGH at the 620 on it's back even though it's payload is the same as my 1500 !? Realistically If I load my 1500 mindfully it will only be on average 700 pounds over the payload. There are 1500 work trucks cheating that on the regular daily...with NO suspension mods with OEM shocks & 150Kmiles!

I look at 3rd world countries and pics of vehicles overloaded and am .. starting to feel like I may be getting into a pole vaulting over mouse turds competition...
Why did I give them option 4??

 

[2020 Rebel]

don't worry about it if you cancel the camper.

so it's even more to worry about now ? ...