Rear Suspension mods for Camper

[ohpyramids]

Hi everyone, I'm in a weird spot. My 2018 F-150 5.0 V8 is being bought back by Ford, and I need to get a new truck. I am having an oil consumption issue with the coyote engine. Anyways, I have always wanted a Raptor and this may be the time to pull the trigger on a Gen 2 Raptor.

My main question is about payload: I like to go camping and I ordered a new Four Wheel Camper Raven to fit my v8 F-150. It’s a slide-in style camper with a pop top and some nice creature comforts. The camper will be about 1,374 lbs wet. Adding people and gear nets a rough total of 2000 lbs. Raptors are rated for 1,200 lbs of payload leaving me over weight by roughly 800lbs give or take some pizza slices.

I see that deaver makes HD spring packs, sumosprings and timbren make bumpstop kits, and there are folks running SVC/rogue/rpg hydro bump kits. Anyone running a similar camper or carrying overweight payloads off-road? I am not open to airbags.

Most of the time this truck will be my daily driver and baby hauler, however I hope to camp 15-40 nights a year with the slide-in. Attached a few photos to give you an idea of what I’m getting. Would love to avoid an F-250. Thanks!

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Raptors are not designed to carry that kind of weight. It doesn't matter what suspension upgrades you do (HD Deavers, shocks, bump stop), the truck cannot handle that kind of weight. If you want to camp and have a Raptor, then you need to buy a RTT. A Habitat from Adventure Trailers, or a Go Fast Camper would weigh considerably less. For that reason, I am going with a Go Fast Camper.

If my suggestions above do not appease you, then a F-250 would probably be your best bet—unless you want to try a EcoBoost (non-Raptor) F-150.

 

[SilverBolt]

Completely the wrong rig for a slide in. The soft long travel suspension is the exact opposite of what you need for a slide in. Adding that much weight up high would be borderline dangerous. You would far better off with a trailer.

 

[Sozzy12]

Ditto... I'm all about getting a Raptor, but I don't think it is the right truck for you if you must have your camper...

 

[ohpyramids]

Thanks dudes. I dig the lightweight wedge style campers, but they aren’t easily removable, and have no organization or creature comforts inside. I want a removable ootion because I need to fit parking garages and haul stuff in the bed sometimes.

It’s a heart breaker, Ive been scheming on a Raptor for years. I got the v8 F150 because the payload is rated almost 2100lbs and it would handle the camper well. I guess I could get a 3.5 screw F-150 but they ride kinda crappy and aren’t nearly as fun.

I am basically trying to increase daily driver comfort and speed offroad. Current rig is a 4x4 7.3 diesel van.

 

[Ski4Ever]

I'm assuming that you're not open to the option of pulling a trailer instead of having the slide-in, as others mentioned above?

 

[McMillan]

By a Raptor and a Jayco hummigbird or something similar Mine is an 18" with single axle wheels are outside, the call it a baja model. I love the combo the trailer maxes out at 9' high. weighs 2400 lbs. I use a weight dist hitch to maintain rear ride height and feel, you can't tell its back there unless you look in the rerviews. I sold a f350 dually King Ranch fx4 to get the raptor, I'll never go back!!!!!!!

 

[ohpyramids]

I have kicked around a trailer idea, but theres two problems: I already have a deposit on the slide in camper, and my Los Angeles parking situation is not trailer compatible.

Is the payload rating related to the axle or the springs? I feel like with the way people beat on these things, it would be ok as long as I ran less water and packed minimal. But - I’m coming from a 1 ton van and weight has never been an issue.

 

[SilverBolt]

Dude, keep the van for camping and buy a Raptor for doing Raptor stuff.

 

[Pk64f100]

Buy a used 3/4 ton truck for your 45days of camping or rent one Don’t miss out on the beautiful truck you’ll love it