116 replies to this topic

[Atlin]

My reason for going with the shorter bed was primarily that Ford never made the extended cab with the long bed in 2015, even though it was listed as an option.  So, I ended up with the 6.5 foot bed.  Part of my plan is to travel from home (currently NV, soon to be CO) to our cabin in Atlin, BC, which is 2400 miles, minimum 5 days on mostly good roads.  Other part is "local" trips around the western US for 3 days-3 weeks in length.  I'm ok with doing the Hawk, but that requires removing the tailgate or leaving it down.  I need the tailgate at the cabin.  So, if I have to leave it down anyway, my thought was perhaps having the extra 16" of the Grandby is not a bad idea - generally more room is more comfortable.  In addition, egress from the Hawk with a tailgate is more difficult than egress from the Grandby that basically ends at the end of the tailgate.

 

So, I'm mostly gathering information in an attempt to make an informed decision.  I am aware of 'weight creep' as accessories and gear are added, thus my overall concern about the way a 6-5-foot bed truck would handle with an 8' camper.  One reason for waiting for the 2015 F150 is that it has a much larger payload than previous models because of the aluminum body.  A reason for going to FWD campers is their light weight compared to most others.  I would probably get a shell model and add the bits and pieces we want/need rather than the complete model.  That way I can consciously keep the weight gain to a minimum while keeping the functionality for our situation.

 

Rico, thanks for the info.  Access to the spare tire is one of my concerns - I was thinking of making an extension for the jack to access the spare while the tailgate is down if I go the Grandby route.

 

Generally we don't do a lot of serious 4WD stuff with a camper like this but I wouldn't hesitate to go down most 2-track roads like Hole-in-the-wall, UT for example (probably would not go the last couple miles to the river though).  I've done enough really off-road stuff in my job that I don't see a need to drive those places any more - would much rather walk it.

 

Thanks to all for the information.  Sure is a different world than 20 years ago with all the good, quick info to be had on forums.

 

Cheers,

Greg

[RicoV]

Yep, in my case, the only (!) truck I could find at the time that gave me adequate legroom (even w/ adjustable steering wheel) was the Titan, and its max bed length was 6.5'.  So it was a matter of just making it all work together the best I could.  I'll have to admit the shorter wheelbase of a 6.5' bed, and King Cab instead of Crew Cab, has been useful with respect to turning radius in tight situations.  I'll also admit that an 8' bed solution would have had its pluses, too.  Alas...

[dakozicki]

I am new to this.  I have never put any kind of substantial load in my 2007.5 Chev 2500 until I bought my fully loaded '15 Hawk.  I recently put a leveling kit on the front of the truck to accommodate larger tires.  I reached out to the people at FWC and they recommended the Firestone Ride Rights even on 3/4 ton trucks which I had installed.  A couple days ago I loaded the Hawk into my bed for the first time and watched it sink the suspension.  My daughter ever remarked with a big "Wow!"  I said not to worry as I got the compressor  fired up and aired up those bags to around 45lbs.  It brought the truck right back up to level.  Those bags were a good investment.

[snuffy]

you could have saved yourself some money by just using the camper as a leveling kit.. that is why most trucks sit nose down..

[Bad Habit]

you could have saved yourself some money by just using the camper as a leveling kit.. that is why most trucks sit nose down..

That was my view too.  And no need for dealing with leaking air lines

[Ace!]

Yep, the point of the rake is that they sit relatively level when loaded.  Now, if it was to fit larger tires, that's another matter and one you'll have to deal with when loaded.  I'm vacillating now on whether to add another inch or two front and rear but ultimately my truck sits almost perfectly level with the Hawk loaded.

[Riverrunner]

I recently put a leveling kit on the front of the truck to accommodate larger tires.  

 

 

I have them on my truck and wouldn't be without them.  Been on the truck 10 years and never an issue.  Load up and air up.  Now get a set of shocks.  Just installed Rancho 9000's and the ride is much better both loaded and unloaded.