Slide in Campers for Tundra

My wife and I have been doing alot of traveling back and forth from Austin Texas to Denver Colorado. We have a small dog and want to buy a slide in camper that will fit and be safe to haul in a 2016 Tundra Platinum 4x4 crewmax. I am told the Lance 650 was made for short box half tons, but wanted to know if anyone has any experience or advice on slide ins.

 

Biggest problem with those kinds of campers and half ton trucks is payload. They can be quite heavy for a half ton, weighing 2000+ lbs, which would be way over payload ratings for a Tundra. Your actual payload is on the driver door sticker. Let us know what your payload is, if the truck has other mods/additions such a bigger tires, HD bumpers, etc...all that stuff that is installed and heavier than stock also counts toward the trucks available payload. For example, if your payload is 1500lbs and the truck has bumpers, skid plates, tires that together weigh 250lbs more than the stock items, your effective payload would be 1250.

I looked up that camper, dry it weighs 1700lbs. Add in your gear for camping, propane, water or anything else you are carrying, the dogs, passengers and you will be hauling way over 2000lbs, possibly closer to 2500 and that is way beyond what a Tundra should safely be hauling.

 

That is what I was able to determine. From what I have read about payload, it is the leaf packs that are the weakpoint. Perhaps airbags, bilstein shocks and E rated tires, but that seems like putting a band aid on a hemorrhage. I have also heard that the pop ups are loud, cold, and get condensation on the fabric in cold temperatures. It looks like a light trailer might be the way to go.

Thanks for the help.

 

Yep, and you have a crewmax and platinum trim, which is heavier than other trims/models. I have a 2016 too, SR5 and my payload is just under 1300lbs. Your payload is probably abound 1200. But you can still handle plenty of towable campers. Look for campers with tongue weights 650ish or less and you should be good to go when all loaded up and ready to pull.

 

I’m a fan of the scout campers. They come in at just over 1100lbs with base options but they are pricey. I ended up going with a trailer based on payload capacity though. Scout has a number of pictures and a video of their camper on a tundra but that doesn’t mean they aren’t over capacity.
https://scoutcampers.com/product/olympic/

 

My 21 SR5 4x4 Crewmax payload is 1253. Add my wife, me, the dog with the necessities in the bed pulling a 23', 6,000# gross trailer we are so close to GVWR that super sizing meals are a no no. That's with removing 114.5# of rear seats.

 

There isn’t anything you can add to a tundra to raise your payload. Payload will always be gvwr - actual weight. Anything you add, such as heavier tires or suspension components, subtract from your payload and make it go down more.

Some tundras, including ones on here, have a 4 wheel camper. There’s a couple on YT with one on a tundra that you can watch and see if it would be for you. I heard they said their truck weighs 9000# though.

https://fourwheelcampers.com/

 

Four wheel hawk was great on 2006 limited. Camped from Ca to Cape cod during summer and up into Canada in winter. Check their site for specs. I believe I added a leaf and cooper e tires. Never any handling or weight issues with two adults, child and springer. Well built/light camper for Tundra.

 

Saw an updated version of my setup 16 years later. See my post on towing with the Bigfoot 21. A Bigfoot 17 or any of the Canadian Built trailers are rugged and light enough to tow.