9 replies to this topic

[kmehr]

Anyone have experience with one of these?

After our first trip with our son sleeping between us and punching us in the face all night and another on the way, we’re looking at upgrades.

The Juno with the fold out rear tent room might be the best thing I’ve ever seen. But dang it’s pretty heavy. I’m wondering if it’s be too much for my truck - ‘22 Ram 2500 cummins. My current camper weighs about 1,300lbs-1400 so it’d be almost double. Truck squats right at 2 inches but handles it awesome, you can barely tell it’s there, even on a twisty road.

On my old 05 2500 cummins, it swayed some and felt much more planted once I added Timbrens. But double the weight is a whole new beast. Thoughts?

I’m not worried about the sticker on the door really, more interested in people with experience hauling heavier campers like that with a single wheel truck. The wind in some areas out here gets wild.

Anyone have experience with the Outfitter campers?

[fish more]

Outfitter's website recommends a 1 ton truck for that camper.

[kmehr]

The Juno 8 page says:

COMPATIBLE TRUCK MODELS
FULL-SIZE 3/4 & 1 TON SHORT BED TRUCKS (CHEV/GMC 2500/3500, FORD F-250/F-350, RAM 2500/3500, ETC)

Edited by kmehr, 07 August 2022 - 03:49 PM.

[nobueno]

We just sold ours (had it for 5-6 years) and had basically nothing but good things to say about it. We had two St Bernards and the tent room was theirs and our son slept on the dinette. Hauled great and went everywhere we wanted in our Sierra 3500 with nothing but Torklift StableLoads. What's your payload? Let me know if you have any questions specific to the Juno.

[kmehr]

We just sold ours (had it for 5-6 years) and had basically nothing but good things to say about it. We had two St Bernards and the tent room was theirs and our son slept on the dinette. Hauled great and went everywhere we wanted in our Sierra 3500 with nothing but Torklift StableLoads. What's your payload? Let me know if you have any questions specific to the Juno.

I’m assuming that was with a single rear wheel truck? How did it handle on the highway? I know they’re still shorter than the hard sided campers you see all the time, but still a substantial height increase over the Caribou when closed.

My payload is 2,172 which I’m not all that concerned about the “number” but more the real world experience hauling it with a single rear wheel truck. My new truck handles my current camper significantly easier than my old 05 did, and it doesn’t have any sort of load assistance. My Timbrens will fit my new truck, though they don’t seem necessary at all with my current camper. They’d sit outboard of the coil springs on the new truck so I’m sure that would help stability a lot.

[michelle_east_county]

When our 2021 Ute was loaded onto our 2020 F350 SuperCab longbed with factory camper package Hallmark installed Torklift Upper StableLoads. They were fully engaged, kept rear ride height level relative to front, and did prevent some excess wallowing but at expense of some hobby horse pitching after some dips. Camper has a wet weight of about 3300. I removed upper StableLoads and rear sagged a little, ride wasn’t bad but a bit prone to a slow roll and just felt heavy. Deaver Springs in Santa Ana added a leaf to each main pack and unbeknownst to me until done, a spacer between upper overload and axle, thus making overloads nearly engage as would be the case with Upper StableLoads, stock springs, and no load. This is a good setup for outstanding loaded ride and handling on fairly smooth roads but a little rough on gravel due to quick engagement of upper overloads. I’ll air down tires when needed. No spacer might ride better in gravel but not handle as well on highways. These are the compromises you’ll have to decide on, but do expect to maybe add another leaf to main packs if you have camper on more often than not.

Edited by michelle_east_county, 18 August 2022 - 01:15 PM.

[kmcintyre]

There's not a ton :-) of difference between a 2500 and 3500.  Just add a leaf pack and you're good to go.  

[kmehr]

My new truck has rear coils, so it’s Timbrens or airbags. There are a few “HD coils” out there but I don’t want to compromise empty ride since it’s my only vehicle. A single wheel identically built 3500 just has leaves vs the coils and a 3,820lb payload, so I’m comfortable adding bags or Timbrens. My current set of Timbrens from my old truck fits the new one so I’ll probably try those first.

Playing phone tag with outfitter to set an appointment. Hallmark is unfortunately 14-18 months out right now on a build, I can’t wait that long!

[kmehr]

Well I picked up my Juno two weeks ago and we went on our first trip, we love it!

 

Wet, with my two kids, wife and dog we tipped the scale right at 3,100lbs of payload.  On the way home from getting it, I drove about 15 miles on the highway before stopping and installing my Timbrens.  Stock, the side to side wobble was out of control.  With the Timbrens, it's dead level and is wayyy more stable.  I'd say with the Timbrens, it rides and a little better than my old 05 Dodge did with my 1,700lbs Jayco.

 

To those looking at a heavier camper like this with the Ram coil 2500 rear rends, I'd say Timbrens or airbags are mandatory.  The stock springs a too light and being so far inboard on the frame just don't have the stability.  That being said, a similar 3500 single rear wheel has a payload of just over 4,000lbs, so everything else is up to the task.

 

I'm debating upgrading the rear sway bar, but I wouldn't call it necessary.

[ski3pin]

Congrats on your new camper and inaugural trip! Fun stuff and happy camping to you and your family.