65 replies to this topic

[smlobx]

I just went out and looked at my F-350 SRW CC GVWR and it is 11,500#'s. It does not have any special package like camper or plow package.

As said above the F-250 / 350 are dimensionally the same truck but I feel much more comfortable with a sticker that is more than what I'll be with my new Hallmark (hopefully!).

I'll be doing a detailed report on the setup and initial purchase of the Everest when we get it in the next month or so and will include a list of weights so people can make a more informed decision.

BTW, here in VA we don't have any registration issues with being over 10,000#'s...

Edited by smlobx, 23 March 2016 - 08:47 PM.

[abqbw]

I know this thread is old but I thought I would weigh in with an opposing opinion about 1/2 ton trucks. I have a 2011 Tundra Double Cab with a hawk shell model with quite a few options (Dry weight 1153 lbs). It is fantastic on-road and I'm sure my truck would greatly outperform ANY of the 3/4 and one ton beasts mentioned in this thread off-road. I'm sure my To improve off-road performance I bought the Toyota Tundra TRD-Pro suspension and had it installed by the dealer long before I even knew what a four wheel camper was. The off-road performance and ride improvement was revolutionary. It was literally a different vehicle. When I bought the Hawk the sole suspension modification I had done is I had a new spring pack built by Boise Spring Works at a grand total cost of under $600. They absolutely nailed it! No airbags. They removed 1 of my spring leafs and added 4 leaves for a net increase of 3 leaves. I did not want airbags because I did not want to screw up the greatly improved off-road performance obtained with the TRD Pro suspension. Apparently a large part of the increased off-road performance is due to a large increase in the suspension articulation. The added down travel is as important as up travel.

I have been all over the southwest and Rocky Mountains hunting and camping since my install in early September. From windy paved mountain passes to very rough two tracks. The truck with the camper performs flawlessly. I can drive very fast on windy roads and feel completely in control. Braking is great. Then I can go off-road and crawl over rocks and such on very uneven ground with no issues. The truck with the TRD pro suspension/spring upgrade and the Hawk performs off-road much better than the truck empty prior to the TRD Pro suspension.

This is my real world experience after extensive testing during an elk hunt in WY, 3 elk hunts in the Gila and black range in NM, desert bighorn sheep in the very rocky desert along the Mexican border in NM, leaf peeping in the San Juan Mtns CO, deer hunting in Kansas, exploring canyonlands and the Henry Mountains in UT. I have loaded the heck out of the rig with two people and a lot of hunting gear and food and water for extended trips and have never felt I was overloaded. I have thousands of highway and many hundreds of gravel and off-road miles with the Hawk.


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[Ronin]

I currently have a 2014 5.7L Tundra double Cab 4x4 and Hawk FWC. I installed Firestone Ride Right Bags just to take the slight sag out of the rear end. I don't do a lot of crazy off roading anymore, mainly dirt/gravel forestry type roads. I get around 12 mpg on the hwy and generally going 75 mph (love Nevada and Southwest speed limits). My prior truck was a 2003 Tundra 4.0L 4x4 with the same Hawk camper. It got better gas mileage but the brakes sucked so I generally had to drive slower, especially in traffic. My first brake job was at 98,000 miles and I went ahead and did the timing belt and full tuneup at the same time. The truck was never in the shop due to a problem,never had any check lights come on, and in short totally reliable. I sold it early this year and got twice as much $$ for it than any Chevy or Fords on the market- actually sold for over blue book. I used to have a 1ton Chev Dually Crew Cab and it was constantly in the shop-one blown engine,tranny problems,you name it. Without a load it felt like I was driving a rock truck. My neighbor has an F350, 4x4 diesel Crew Cab (2008?) and is on his 3rd transmission - of course each breakdown was while vacationing. I'm not opposed to Ford or Chevy, I just like the reliability of Tundra's. Unfortunately they only come in 1/2ton, so that's a deal breaker for a lot of people especially those who want a self contained hard shell camper. If I had to go domestic, I'd go with a F250 with gas engine - don't really know why I'd need a one ton with a FWC or ATC. I take my camper off when I'm not out in the wild so I would much prefer the ride of a F250 over a F350.

Edited by Ronin, 24 November 2016 - 05:39 PM.

[MuleHawk]

You couldn't give me an American truck these days. Well you could, but then I'd sell it for a Tundra. American trucks feel like cheap cardboard boxes on wheels


www.mulehawk.com

[PaulT]

You couldn't give me an American truck these days. Well you could, but then I'd sell it for a Tundra. American trucks feel like cheap cardboard boxes on wheels
www.mulehawk.com

As to American content in pickups, this is interesting. http://www.edmunds.c...s-for-2015.html

Paul

Edited by PaulT, 25 November 2016 - 05:32 AM.

[NorCalHawk]

Thought I would add my 2 cents...I have a 2012 fully loaded Hawk w/o porta potty. Add two humans, one or two dogs, water, food and my gear and I'm around the 2,000++ pound wt.  I had my Hawk on a 1st generation Tundra for two years and we covered 30,000+ miles.  I added Airbags (due to 3" squat), E series tires, sway bar and new shocks x4. The truck did "OK", but not great. I was always reminded of this questionable combo while traveling.  I know I was compromising my truck capabilities and my luck.  Braking was another issue as well.... 

 

Now, I have my Hawk on a 3500 Ram CC SRW and I couldn't be happier. The sense of safety and security is worth the extra vehicle wt and physical size between a Tundra and Ram is minimal. MPG are within 1-2 mpg.  Most everything underneath, the guts if you will, on the Ram is bigger and stronger.   *1 ton vs. 3/4 ton...I would have gone with a 3/4 ton Ram, but I wasn't convinced that the new rear coil springs was a positive improvement vs. leaf springs (I keep my hawk on the truck all year), so I stepped (way) up to the 3500 with leaf springs. My cost from a 2500 to a 3500 was ~$500.00...no brainer to me.   I'm still mindful while traveling, but the truck is not compromised and I feel better and safer overall. 

 

Also, in California, if you keep your cab-over , self contained camper on the truck all year, you are allowed to register as a RV, which reduces fees significantly.

 

Lastly, I am a Toyota veteran, owned several Toyota's.  If Toyota (hope they read this) made and offered a 3/4 ton with a heavy payload (Ram 2500 gas engine is ~2900 lbs.) in the U.S., I would be first in line...

 

Happy Trails

[MuleHawk]

I don't want to get into a pissing match, but for a while I worked for one of the largest dealer networks handling extended warranty claims, for all major brands; including US, Japanese and European. I've also got a couple of related ASE certifications. Claims I handled were for vehicles that had the original warranty expire. So, these were all longer term ownership, or used vehicles.

There is no way on God's green earth I'd choose a truck based on whether it was American or Japanese (or any other country). The truck would have to meet my needs in any other way. In addition to that, I wouldn't pick the Tundra (or any other Toyota) over another brand. They have brand loyalty because Toyota used to produce a good/better product. Toyota no longer does.

That's funny my mechanic friends say the complete opposite. And having abused my Tundra without any problems whatsoever and having had many Big 3 vehicles over the years I will never buy another American vehicle ever again.


www.mulehawk.com

[longhorn1]

We all have our opinions
I had a 2001 F-150 that I put 350,000 miles on. Original engine and transmission. I bought a 2013 F-250 longbed in preparation for our 2014 FWC Grandby. I'm a Ford guy through and through, just like others swear by Chevy, GMC, Toyota. To each his own. Happy Camping. jd

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Edited by longhorn1, 26 November 2016 - 08:25 PM.

[buckland]

Well not wanting to stir the pot..... but for what it is worth.... I had a Tacoma for 15 years and loved it. It was under powered for my Eagle but it never let me down. That said I have been waiting and waiting for Toyota to bring in a small diesel. I have friends on three continents that have the Hilux and love it. So jumped at the new Colorado 2.8 Duramax diesel 4WD long box. The Eagle needed lifting 3 " but otherwise all worked out. (I added a sway bar and airbags (same as Tacoma). I am getting 30 + mpg on highway w/o the camper 25 mpg with it on. The diesel low end torque (369 ft lbs) is remarkable. Up hill with camper and I can still easily pass. I can also tow a trailer with the camper on! It has an exhaust brake for those steep downhills. The amenities in the cabin are great though I needed a soft cushion for the hard seat. The infotainment gizmos are great. I have had zero issues for my first 5000 miles. Yes the diesel costs 3900 more. It will last a long time. The price of diesel is 5% more but I am getting 30% better mileage.
Bottom line .... I loved my Tacoma.... but in my opinion ... this is a better truck. Oh and the engine is made in Thailand, the shocks body and suspension in Mexico, the 6 speed transmission somewhere else (a new 8 speed for 2017)..... it is assembled in Indiana. So much for an American truck.... all big corps play the world.


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Edited by buckland, 27 November 2016 - 09:16 PM.

[camelracer]

Just think how sparse this site would be without the plethora of threads on how to make a Toyota work with a camper.