Things You Need To Know When Installing A Truck Camper On Your Pickup Truck

If you own a pickup truck and want to use it to haul a truck camper, there are some things that you will need to consider. Camping in a truck camper can be wonderful, but you need to select the right camper for your situation and make sure it fits the truck properly. 

Size And Fit

Truck campers sit in the bed of your pickup, so the size of the camper is one of the most critical parts when choosing one. If the camper is too long, it will hang off the end of the bed so far that it can put stress on the rear of the truck or cause the weight to be unbalanced enough to affect the truck's handling when you are driving. 

Most truck campers have a bunk section over the cab that can help spread the weight evenly across the chassis, but most campers are designed to only extend a foot or maybe two beyond the truck's bed. Working with a camper dealer to select the unit that best fits your vehicle is an excellent place to start. 

Camper Styles

Truck campers are available in many different sizes and styles, so you may need to look at a few before finding the one that is right for you. Some units fold down to make them smaller when on the truck, others have slide-out sections like camping trailers or motorhomes, and some are long enough that a set of dolly wheels needs to be attached under the rear when the truck is moving. 

These styles all affect the interior layout of these truck campers, so you will need to take some time to determine which layout works best for you. If you are only going to use the camper for weekend fishing trips, you may only need a small unit. But if you are considering a year-long road trip, you may want something more extensive, with as many amenities as possible. 

A truck camper that is on the lot at the dealer can often be customized with some accessories, or you may want to order a custom unit directly from the manufacturer that already has the things you want to be installed for you. 

Weight Capacity

The truck you are going to use to haul your truck camper is very important. The weight capacity of the truck needs to be high enough to support the camper and the things you are carrying in it.

Many manufacturers are building truck campers with nicer interiors that are heavy but are then reducing the weight of the shell using carbon fiber and other alternative materials. The camper dealer can recommend some truck campers based on the truck you own, or they may suggest some suspension upgrades to increase the truck's capacity and haul the camper you are considering.