Truck Camper RVs - Truck Campers For Sale - RV Trader (2024)

FAQs

What are truck bed campers called? ›

In the United States and Canada, truck campers are also known as truck bed campers, slide-in campers, pickup campers, and cabover campers. Europeans call them demountable campers. In Australia, they are commonly known as tray campers.

Since many Ram 1500 truck models have over a 10,000-pound max tow capacity, the Ram 1500 is generally capable enough to most travel trailers. Truck bed campers, also known as slide-in campers, are a type of recreational vehicle that is designed to fit in the bed of a pickup truck.

For example, a truck camper for a 6.5-foot bed (the average size of a truck bed) should not exceed 8 feet in length and should stay within a weight range of 1,300 to 3,200 pounds if the payload capacity for the vehicle is half a ton.

Living in a truck camper is perfect for those who want to explore remote locations but don't want to sleep on the ground under a tent, have a decent place to cook meals and comfortable place to use the restroom. Although it is incredibly fun, truck camper full time living is not necessarily a never-ending vacation.

Expensive materials such as aluminum and fiberglass are used by RV manufacturers to ensure truck campers are lightweight but strong. Additionally, many include stainless steel features and are insulated using top-of-the-line insulations. These pricey materials add up quickly, forcing the retail price up as well.

After a number of manufacturers sold units that were heavier than the chassis could take, the boom ended and nowadays nearly all truck campers sold in North America are mounted on full-size pickups.

Unless you already own one or have another requirement that cannot be avoided, we generally do not recommend super short beds for truck campers. To have the most options in a short bed truck, get a standard 6.5-foot standard short bed.

Most of the camper manufacturers say a 3/4 ton pickup is fine for the campers I want to carry, however some of the truck manufacturers claim that their maximum payload is 2800 with a 4x4 and extended cab like I want.

Whether any camper can be used with your truck is dependent on your truck configuration (2WD vs. 4WD, standard cab vs. extended cab, etc.)

If it isn't made for a short box it wont fit a short box for all of the reasons above. The center of gravity is designed to put most of the weight of the truck camper on the rear axle. If it's designed for a long box yes the COG will be too far back.

How big of a camper can you pull with a half-ton pickup? ›

Can a Half-Ton Pull a Travel Trailer? Half-ton trucks are extremely popular tow vehicles. Travel trailers that fit within their payload and towing capacities average from 1,000 to 2,000 pounds and 5,000 to 13,000 pounds respectively.

We recommend a 3/4 ton or larger truck for an Alaskan camper. Truck classifications like half-ton, 3/4-ton, and 1-ton refer to payload capacities. For example, in Ford's lineup, the F-150 is classified as a half-ton, the F-250 Super Duty as a 3/4-ton, and the F-350 Super Duty as a 1-ton.

The total monthly cost for RV living is around $1600 to $5000 per month, depending on the type of RV and lifestyle. Your monthly expenses would likely include gas, food, insurance, electricity, health insurance, phone and internet plans, entertainment, repairs, and maintenance costs.

Driving a truck camper is certainly going to be one of these easiest RV transport experiences you'll encounter, but that doesn't mean it isn't going to take some work. You'll need to practice behind the wheel, so to give you some starter tips, we here at The Outpost RV have covered some of the most basic concerns.

Is it legal to live in an RV? It's not illegal to live in an RV. However that doesn't mean that you can park the RV you are living in anywhere you want. Even if you own the land there are almost always local ordinances against living in an RV inside city limits, or even the entire county limits.

Flatbed trailers are widely used and highly versatile, making them one of the most popular trailers seen on the roads today.

Fifth-wheels

Fifth-wheel trailers are the largest type of trailer and are usually comparable to Class A motorhomes in terms of size. You pull a fifth-wheel trailer with a pick-up truck with a special tow point in the truck's bed (called a "fifth-wheel coupling").

Gooseneck Hitches

A gooseneck hitch is similar to a 5th-wheel hitch since it also carries heavier loads — sometimes over 30,000 pounds — and attaches to the inside of pickup truck beds.

A semi-trailer is a trailer without a front axle. The combination of a semi-trailer and a tractor truck is called a semi-trailer truck (also known simply as a "semi-trailer", "tractor trailer", or "semi" in the United States).