Truck Campers for rigs with 6.5 ft bed? Help Please

[troyspinetar]

I know they have designed truck campers that can safely be hauled in pickups with 6.5 ft beds. It seems difficult to find info about it online. I really want to learn more about it to see if its worth pursuing.
I've got a 2011 Chevy Silverado 2500HD 4x4 (6.5' bed).
Anyone out there have a short bed and haul a truck camper?
Thanks for any help you might have.

[cooltimber]

Hi yeah I do. It's a palomino camper that has a lift top of fiberglass roof.. comfort for one hunter 2 small 4 2,..easy on and off,mechanical jacks that I use a 1/2 drill motor to lower and raise..Elk blood washes out nice though

[Sportfury]

There are quite a few campers out there for a 6.5 foot bed. Lance and Wolf Creek are a few that make full size set ups. There is a also quite a few manufacturers for popup campers that are light weight. Check out http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/ They have a ton of links and information there.

[jackson7]

I had the same truck with a 8 ' pop up on it.  There are plenty of short bed campers out there. they may sit on the tailgate a bit. I would start looking around to get a handle on what you like. personally, I would look at bigfoot and northern lite. good luck.

[KNOPHISH]

I put an 8' on my short bed, same truck only a 2005. Also have added air bags on the rear.

[troyspinetar]

Thanks for the info!

[Encore 280]

Here's a pic of my '04 Lance 815 (8-1/2') on my '04 F-150. The camper is just over 2k lbs but it rides great. I installed a Tembrin system so I don't need air bags. That way I'm not putting air in and letting air out whenever needed. Your truck would do just fine.

[troyspinetar]

Here's a pic of my '04 Lance 815 (8-1/2') on my '04 F-150. The camper is just over 2k lbs but it rides great. I installed a Tembrin system so I don't need air bags. That way I'm not putting air in and letting air out whenever needed. Your truck would do just fine.

That's perfect for what we would be using it for. We don't need slide outs or anything. How roomy are they? Need to sleep 2 adults and 2 kiddos. Thanks
I like the idea of not being loaded down too much.

[Encore 280]

It would be real cozy in there with 2 adults and 2 kids lemme tell ya. Mine doesn't have an oven but it has the stove and a micro wave. I'll look around and see if I have any pics of the inside. You would be able to get a good idea if you looked on Craigslist and checked out the inside pics of campers.

[troyspinetar]

Right on thanks.

[Encore 280]

Here's a pic of the Tembrin (Timbren)? system. It's just a thick rubber bee hive looking device that replaces the factory one on the frame and sits on the axle housing only when the load gets too heavy, they're really good and do the job. I have pics of the inside of the camper but they're all MB and have to be resized.

[jackelope]

How does that truck fare on windy roads? Looks heavy. Is it sitting on the bump stops??

[Encore 280]

I haven't had it out on any windy days yet but I'm sure I would notice it. It sits on the stops when the camper is on but not when it's off. I've never crawled under it to see what things look like under load. I had it on a couple weeks ago and towed my 17' foot boat down to Oregon and it did fine then except for gas consumption. I've been impressed by how this truck hauls the load.

[JohnVH]

7.5' in my short bed F150, I did put airbags on it, when I put the tailgate down the camper came right to the end of it. Then Id sometimes tow a 16' river sled over the pass to Winthrop also. It felt overloaded but it never complained, other than some brake fade on big hills, drove it to Idaho and back one spring turning 200K on that trip.

[Encore 280]

Is your truck a 4x4? They have a beefier suspension than the two wheel drives. I'm comfortable with mine and just the camper but it puts a load on it when going up hills when the boat is back there, ugh.