How to Load an Arctic Fox 865 Truck Camper

[@lionfishy7230]

New drinking game: Every time someone posts a comment questioning the gap between the camper and the truck because they didn't pay attention to the discussion of this on the video or read the dozen other comments where this was discussed, take a shot. But seriously, thanks for this video. I'm hoping to buy a truck and camper in the not-too-distant future and keep coming back to the AF 865. I want one with the generator, but want more payload than the short bed offers and don't want a dually. So I figured I'd be stuck with the long bed camper. Now, I see that I can max out single wheel payload by getting an F350 long bed with the super cab instead of the crew cab (adds a few hundred lbs. of payload) with the 7.3 gas engine and have the benefit of the extra be space in front of the short bed version of the 865. Weird that I can learn more watching fifteen minute KZbin videos than I did in nineteen years of formal education.

[@TheOxandTheFox]

@@lionfishy7230 lol, Thanks!

[@Debsster]

Question? Why wouldn't you want the camper to sit more on the bed? Would a longer truck bed work better

[@TheOxandTheFox]

@@Debsster that’s a short bed camper, and I have a long bed truck. The back of the camper won’t go anymore forward without hitting the tail lights.

[@philipbyrne7901]

Very helpful video guys, thank you both. I’m a total newcomer to truck camper so forgive me if this is a dumb question. We have an Arctic fox 865 and a 2021 Ford F350 short bed. Is it necessary to take the tailgate off prior to loading the camper? Thank you .

[@TheOxandTheFox]

@@philipbyrne7901 yes, the bottom of the Truck Camper will hit the tailgate if it’s not removed. So you will have to remove the tailgate. With two people it’s really not that hard to remove it.

[@mattwlane]

Great content! Is that a short bed TC on a long bed truck? Don't think I've seen the gap up front before. Any issues having that setup compared to having a long bed TC?

[@TheOxandTheFox]

Thanks, and Yes, that is a SB truck camper in a LB truck. We originally purchased the camper for our short bed F-250 SRW, but it turned out to be a little over its payload. We then purchased our F-350 DRW LB to carry our camper, bc It was extremely hard to find a 350 Dual Rear Wheel short bed. It seems to work out very well, I can get the center of gravity above the rear axle on the LB as far as I did on the SB, and I haven’t had any issues yet. It also freed up some storage between the cab and the camper, so that is a plus.

[@mattwlane]

Interesting idea about the additional storage up front! I'll be curious to see how it all works out for you! My wife and I are looking at a similar setup although we may go even bigger (in some ways) to a 450.

[@mattwlane]

After having your setup now for a bit, how has the match-up working out for you? Would you do anything different?

[@joebudde3302]

I had a 04' F-350 DRW paired with a 03' Lance 1121, I could load it IMO very easily, much less complicated than you require as my Lance was made for a LB.

[@rich3910]

Good video, thanks. What is payload rating on your truck? Gas or diesel?

[@TheOxandTheFox]

Thank you, it is a 6.7 liter diesel. The payload on it is 14,000 lbs.

[@christhomas9837]

@@TheOxandTheFox 14,000 lbs is the GVWR. I think he's asking how much weight you can carry in the box of the truck.

[@TheOxandTheFox]

@@christhomas9837 you are right I see that now. lol.

[@TheOxandTheFox]

I was mistaken on what you were asking yes the GVWR is 14,000 lbs. the sticker inside the door jam says 5,800 lbs but I weighed the truck without the camper and it weighs 8,900 lbs so I can haul roughly 5,100 lbs of camper and equipment.

[@rich3910]

I@@TheOxandTheFox Thanks. Yesterday I picked up my new 2024 F350 7.3 gas Dually with camper certification to replace my 2006 Ram 3500 dually to haul our 2014 Big Foot 10.6. I have same 14000 GVWR. I don't have exact numbers in front of me but sticker says I have like 6200 lbs PAYLOAD, Camper Cert paperwork says max CARGO WEIGHT of like 5450. the difference between the payload and cargo weight is payload adds the 150 lbs x the truck's 5 seats.

[@David-mt2qe]

I’m finding the right truck for a camper with these specs harder than choosing the trailer :) is a dually recommended to required for this truck? Thanks, love all your videos and I subscribed. Very helpful! Love to see a video on what you feel are the right truck choices for this camper and why.

[@TheOxandTheFox]

Thanks for subscribing!!! The Arctic Fox 865, can be carried/Hauled by a Single Rear Wheel or a Dual Rear Wheel, I originally had a single rear wheel F250 when I purchased this camper. I just felt better about carrying it on a F350 dual rear wheel. It does ride better to me on the Dually. Thanks for the tip on the video. I will have to put one together for the types of trucks for this camper.

[@KeithRowell-l7j]

Why do you set the Alarm every time you get out.what is the point.i grew up in the 50 and 60s my dad had a camper like this we used on vacation and deer hunting.he would put the truck in park and use theparking break.

[@TheOxandTheFox]

@@KeithRowell-l7j I don’t sent the alarm every time. On that model truck if it is running and you get out with the key fob in your pocket the horn blows, I guess to let you know you left the truck running.

[@KeithRowell-l7j]

@TheOxandTheFox . O ok just asking.

[@sams7655]

I was wondering the same thing. I thought you must live in a rough neighborhood and have some scetchy neighbors.

[@NomadicNorthwoods]

My Arctic Fox 811 sits on my chevy Silverado 3500 gas crew cab srw. That 865 is even lighter. Dually is overkill and i would take that stuff out of your box and move it up so the center of gravity sits over your axle. Upgraded rims and tires along with timbrens makes the srw better. Almost a "super single".

[@Dr.cynthiabrandt2016]

He cant move it up the camper is for a short bed truck and he has a long bed truck.

[@AFoxintheWild]

What type of hitch extension are you running? We have a 23 F350 dually 7.3 gas and run an 865 as well, long bed version. Are you running air bags?

[@TheOxandTheFox]

The hitch extension I’m currently running is from my older set up that I had in my Ford F250. It is a Curt 36 to 42 inch extension. Also I had the airlift airbags on my F250. However, since I upgraded to the F350 I have not purchased the airbags for that truck yet. My plan is to upgrade my hitch extension to the torque lift super truss as well as get airbags for my F350. However, that dually handles it pretty well without the bags.

[@AFoxintheWild]

Right on. One other thing, what do you currently tow? And how does it handle towing with the camper on. Not power wise, handling. Thanks for responding to my questions!

[@AFoxintheWild]

Disregard the last comment about towing. Watched another one of your videos and you carry a motorcycle back there.

[@TheOxandTheFox]

@@AFoxintheWild I also pull a 16 foot Triton boat (about 100 lbs of tongue wt). It handles very well. The dual rear wheels keep a lot of the sway to a minimum. I can’t really tell a difference when it’s back there.

[@scottbeilby2182]

I’m thinking that camper is for the short box….(?)865 is made in 2 versions

[@TheOxandTheFox]

Yes, when I purchased it I had a short bed F250 on a single rear wheel. I upgraded to the long bed dually F350. The center of gravity still sets in the same spot over the rear axle in my long bed as it did in my short bed.

[@shearenergy8203]

BAD IDEA I do not think that’srecommended by the camper manufactures and hard on the camper bottom box structure sense there’s no support on back of truck and camper

[@TheOxandTheFox]

@@shearenergy8203 it actually sits exactly in the same spot as it did on my short bed truck. The center of gravity is in the same spot over my rear axle. The additional length of a long bed truck is between the cab of the truck and the rear axle. So it’s actually the same as having it on a short bed, other than you have extra space between the camper and the cab.

[@lionfishy7230]

Incorrect. The short bed camper hangs over just as much mounted on the long bed as on the short bed. The short bed camper is designed to hang out further to accommodate the generator box. The long bed truck simply provides more room in front of the camper; there isn't any less support under the camper itself. You can find an explanation of the difference between long and short bed camper models on the Artic Fox webpage.

[@shearenergy8203]

@ CG is not as stable on a short bed why look at the pin weight of the two over the axle. Short boxes are made for short beds I agree on that but not built for 8” boxes on short beds. Different dynamic

[@dmccaleb7353]

The space you have cab/camper does not seem correct.

[@TheOxandTheFox]

That’s because the camper is technically a short bed camper. The only difference in the short box vs the long box Arctic Fox 865 is the cabinet at the back of the camper that prevents the camper from going any farther forward. The cabinet is bigger / deeper in the Short box model AF865. The truck is a long bed truck, so the camper won’t physically go any farther toward the cab. The important part is that the center of gravity is above the rear axle. I had a 2015 Ford F250 SRW short bed before I purchased the truck in the video, and the center of gravity was farther behind the rear axle with the camper all the way to the cab in the short bed than it is in the new Ford F350 DRW long bed. It doesn’t look right, but it is with in recommendations, and provides a small amount of storage up front, between the cab and camper.

[@auroraborealis3105]

Hello. I'm not sure I understand your response that the "cabinet is bigger/deeper in the short box model 865." I'm looking at a new 865 for my 2021 RAM 3500 long bed SRW, but can't seem to find anything (even on Northwood's website) that distinguishes between a "long" and "short" version of the camper. I want the camper to go all the way forward (no gap), so does the "long" version not have this cabinet in the rear? I can certainly call Northwood directly, but thought I'd ask you first! Thanks.

[@TheOxandTheFox]

@@auroraborealis3105 the long bed version of the Arctic Fox 865 is the same length as the short bed version in total overall length. The only difference is the short bed version has extra space at the outdoor cabinets because the short bed truck is not as long and does not reach all the way to the cabinets. So Northwood made the cabinets on the short bed, larger and more spacious to fill in the excess. The passenger side cabinet actually comes with a generator in the short bed version. The long bed version cabinets/outside storage compartments are not big enough to contain a generator so the long bed version does not come with a generator, the driver side cabinet/compartment is very small and is really just an access panel to the black and gray water drain valves. If you have a long bed truck, the Long bed version of the AF865 would fit snug up to the cab of your truck.

[@auroraborealis3105]

Thank you sir! I guess I’ll need to specify “long bed” (or no generator) in my search. Appreciate your videos; they’re well done.

[@TheOxandTheFox]

@@auroraborealis3105 thank you

[@jaybruns7771]

Please don’t walk under that camper when up them jacks have failed before first hand knowledge on that.

[@TheOxandTheFox]

We typically don’t that was only done during the shooting of that video.