22 replies to this topic

[Overland Hadley]

I think people really under estimate the weight of all of the gear/water/food/etc. that they pack for a trip. I know I did.

x2

The small stuff adds up fast.

[MarkBC]

FWIW: The combo of my 2005 Hawk and F250 (as in my signature; 4x4, gas) usually weighs 8100lb. That's with a "typical" amount of stuff (including me).
I have only dismounted the camper once in the 5 years it's been on the truck so I don't have much opportunity to get a tare on the truck. I guess I could look up weight specs for that model/year of Ford.

Before I bought the camper I had been driving and camping out of the back of a Tacoma and was very happy with it. Small and nimble and good gas mileage. But I switched to the full-size Ford because I was planning to get the camper and didn't want to have to deal with any compromise in power/weight-capacity.
However...after spending $1000 on gas on my 3-week Utah trip this spring it made me nostalgic for the simpler and smaller old days. Back when "wandering the west" really was an inexpensive activity. Of course, it's all about choices, so I'm not whining.

[leadsled9]

I used to have the small Toyota V6 4X4 truck with a shell camper. That rig got 14 mpg and would go almost anywhere. I got tired of sleeping in tents, having them blow down in a storm, getting soaked etc.

Then I got the Tundra and Hawk. That rig averaged 12 with the camper, but would sometimes go clear down to 8.5 mpg (hills and wind). It really labored with the Hawk.

My current rig gets 16 mpg average with the camper packed to the hilt. It has plenty of power....and more importantly it will stop when I want it too. Right after purchasing the truck I was on a hunting trip in Arizona. I was on the I-10 freeway when a motorcycle crossed three lanes at once and hit the side of a flat bed truck....he came off the bike bouncing down the freeway at 65 mph right in front of my truck. I was boxed in and couldn't change lanes. I slammed on the brakes coming to a stop 15 feet from him. Luckily the cars behind me saw what was happening and managed not to hit me. If I had been driving my Tundra with the Hawk....the guy would have been dead. Instead he survived with only a broken leg.

I'd never go back!

[esimmers]

I agree that camper weight is a big problem and wish that FWC was more forthcoming on their web site about how much options weigh. I bought a used 2009 Hawk and the only information on it was a sticker saying the base weight was 740 pounds. I figured my F-150 should be able to handle the weight of the camper with no problem so I bought it.

Well, come to find out my Hawk actually weighs 1420 pounds DRY! Loading in our usual gear and with me and my wife inside, we were well over the GWVR for the truck. I installed Firestone bags on the rear which helped the level, but still found the truck uncomfortable to drive. I ended up buying a new F-250 and life is much better (except for the truck payments).

But even with the F-250, we have to be careful about weight. I got the extended cab with the short bed and ordered it with the camper package which adds extra springs. The Cargo Weight Rating of the F-250 from the truck's camper consumer information sheet is 2418 pounds. That may seem like a lot, but with a 1420 pound Hawk, food, gear, water in the hot water heater, a little water in the tank, and a kayak on the roof, we're getting very close to that maximum rating.

I can understand that someone with a Hawk shell who packs very light can be OK on an F-150 or maybe a Tundra. But even with overload springs, air bags, or the other accessories people install, there's a big chance of being dangerously over the GVWR.

If you're like me and have a Hawk with heavy options (fridge, hot water, battery, awning, jacks) I strongly recommend and F-250 over a lighter truck. Driving is so much more comfortable, gas mileage is about the same, you don't have to worry so much about what to take, and you don't have to add aftermarket band-aids to make your rig work.

These are my thoughts. Your experience may be different.

[brett13]

My Bobcat weighs within 70# of what ATC said it would. Ben originally gave me a list of the option weights plus the dry camper weight. It came pretty close once I weighed it. BTW, the Bobcat with options, but with jacks off, is about 875# dry. My 07 Tundra has no problem at all with it, though I do have airbags, but they get set to only 20#. Even stops pretty well. I wonder what makes the Hawk so heavy then?

[Radicalfil]

I went through this caper last year when I by chance went and weighed my truck, Hawk camper with options, water, propane, and gear.
Mfg weight with options installed 1250 lbs.

2002 Ford F150 without camper
Front axle: 3280
Rear axle: 2280
Total: 5560
GVWR: 6500

2002 Ford F150 with camper mostly loaded with gear and fuel-no humans
Front axle: 3300
Rear axle: 4080
Total:7380---880# overweight NET DIFFERENCE: 1820 lbs
GVWR: 6500

Then purchase a legal HawkHauler, but was careful about saying how overweight we were when I explained this to the wifey:

1999 Ford F250 7.3L without camper
Front axle: 3760
Rear axle: 2500
Total: 6260
GVWR: 8800

1999 Ford F250 7.3L with camper mostly loaded with gear and fuel-no humans
Front axle: 3920
Rear axle: 4180
Total: 8100---700# underweight NET DIFFERENCE: 1840lbs
GVWR: 8800

phil

[GpnAZ]

FYI to anyone interested in such trivia.
Knowing my 2010 Hawk weighed a lot more than the Mfr tag says, I decided to find out by weighing it. First truck was weighed without it and then with it after getting the camper loaded for a trip I'm about to make AZ>NV>ID>WY>CO>NM>AZ.

Weighed both times at same truck stop and CAT scale. Truck = 2009 Dodge Power Wagon (2500).

..........................................front axle...rear axle......gross
Truck without camper:.........4,040........2,980.........7,020
Truck with the camper:........4,100........4,560.........8,660

Tag on the Hawk shows weight as 740lbs, base model no options (mine has most options except rack and solar).
So it looks like my loaded camper weighs in at about 1,640 lbs. Really hard for me to believe that FWC optional equipment, clothes, food and other gear I've loaded equals an additional 900 lbs.
Weights do not include my wife, myself, or dog (an add'l 500 lbs).
Curious about other Hawk owners info on their camper's weight. Anyone?

My camper weighed in at 1.020 pounds with all the stuff I keep in it all the time. It is a 2000' Hawk with furnace, fridge, porta-pottie, sink & stove. I weighed it at Love's Truck Stop several months ago, but sounds like I will have to weigh it again after reading all these posts. I can't remember if I monitored the gas level in the truck both times I weighed it, which could make a difference( up to a couple hundred pounds).

[leadsled9]

With my rig if you consider just the weight of the fuel and water.....47 gallons of diesel and 20 gallons of water in main water tank + 4 gallons in hot water heater (71 gallons combined) @ 8 lbs. per gallon....comes out to 568 pounds. Like I said...stuff adds up a lot quicker than you'd think.

Something else to consider. We live in a litigious society....if you are involved in an accident and your vehicle is determined to be partly at fault due to it being grossly overweight....you may be held legally resposible to some degree. Food for thought.

[Radicalfil]

I concur.
I was under the impression that I could add airbags for suspension; bigger wheel and a bigger brakes to increase the capacities of my FORD F150 (extra weight and increased braking capacity). Then I would go and get the truck re-certified by some means. I then called the CHP and asked them and they said they go by what is labeled inside the door on the plate from the factory. There was no way to re-certify the GVWR. Having a California commercial drivers license I really could not ignore the information and I had to upgrade my HawkHauler to a 3/4 ton platform. I now do not have to worry about being overweight nor blowing up the Ford F150's auto-tranny. That was an expensive mistake as I had the special order brake caliper and rotors sent to me and I bought larger tires and wheels. I already had the air bags installed. After reading some post on this forum about LIABILITY I had to reconsider and take the loss. I now have a capable Ford F250 7.3L PSD w/ 2wd and I am worry free about hauling capacity/GVWR and related issues, I'm totally legal.

Loss:
4wd capacity-didn't traverse off road much anyway, except Pismo.
Money for the upgraded truck and parts not recouped by resale/restock.

Gain:
Better MPG
Truck made for the job
I am within the legal limits
Clear conscience.
Expensive education (How do those short cuts always seem to turn out to be the long way around)


Phil

[leadsled9]

Expensive education (How do those short cuts always seem to turn out to be the long way around)

I know what you mean about the short cuts. I put Deaver springs and airbags on my Tundra hoping it would help.

Well.....you can shave a gorilla but that don't make it a house pet!

I realized that no amount of modifications was going to make the Tundra handle the load so I bought a 3/4 ton truck. End of problem.