Need help to know if that camper can fit

I am the new happy owner of a 2010 Tacoma Double Cab 6' and I am planning to get a light camper to put on it. I am installing this week a Firestone air bag suspension kit and I found a used 7.6' camper (see picture attached).

I am not sure if that's a good idea to have the back of the camper on the tailgate? Also is that a problem to have a camper longer than the bed?

The weight of the camper is 1146.4 lbs with full bottle of propane,full water, and full fridge. Is that too heavy for a Tacoma equipped with air bag suspensions?

Thank you for your help

 

I'm carrying an FWC Eagle which is just over 1K loaded. All I used were air bags at first and I didn't have any problems. I take the tailgate off when the camper is installed.

 

Thank you Drainbung for your feedback. I am thinking of removing the tailgate as I don't want to damage it on gravel roads. But is that a problem to have the camper exceeding the bed by 1.6' without any support?

 

No problem. I really can't answer the support question, sorry. See if anyone else chimes in and in the meantime checkout a couple truck camper forums to see what they have to say.

 

As we'll need to access the spare tire in case of a flat, I am planning on removing the tailgate. I am currently building a small platform with three 2x4 and a 3/4" plywood that will extend the back of the bed to raise a little bit the camper, I hope that will do the trick without the tailgate.

 

The length isn't a problem, but that looks like a heavy mo-fo. You need to know what its weight is and compare that to your truck's gross axle weight rating (GAWR). I'm just guessing, but I'd call it over 1200 lbs. Even with bags, GAWR is GAWR.

I had a truck camper that was about 1100 lbs (mine was a popup about the same vintage, so I assume the one you're looking at is heavier). First I had it on a T100 then a Tundra Access Cab. Both 6 foot beds. It was a 7-foot so some stuck out the back. No biggie. But it was basically a broken setup. Couldn't 4-wheel at all, frame twisting scared the crap out of me. Had air bags, but it still rode like I had a bale of elephants back there. Gas mileage easily as shitty as if I'd been hauling a two ton trailer (had one of those with the T100 too, it handled that way better).

Unless you get a modern super-light model, Tacomas are not for truck campers. Way better off with American 3/4 ton if you want a truck camper.

YMMV.

 

Hi Tom,
Thanks for the information.
I just checked the GAWR on my truck, it's 2750 lbs for the front and 3100 lbs for the back.

 

Well sure. But that's not your payload. That the max weight that can be on the axle. There's some on there already. Put the rear wheels on a truck scale without anything in the bed, see where you start.

I guarantee you, the GAWR on my 06 Tundra was more than 3100. And an 1100 lb camper was too much. I had it weighed. With the camper on dry, it was over the GAWR. You never take a camper anywhere without putting stuff in it, so plan on the dry weight plus a minimum of 150 lbs more.

There is a sticker on every RV (unless it's fallen off or really old) that has the weight numbers. Check the weight on that boat anchor you're looking at buying. Trust me, do some homework before you go down the road with this. You're already buying air bags, next you'll need a tie-down system, after that you'll find out that the battery in that camper needs replaced. Hundred bucks here, two hundred there, pretty soon you're into real money. Which is too bad if you ultimately find out that the thing is too GD heavy and you sell it.

I'll say it again, Tacomas are not for truck campers.