me:
1998 Dodge 3/4 ton long bed extended cab 4x4 with an awesome motor, the V10 gas. 6200 pounds curb weight.
Artic Fox 10' camper with full side slide out, 4500 pounds.
http://www.ddrvcenter.com/DealerFiles/ListingView.asp?ListingID=1447
the 3/4 ton truck has a 1 ton axle in the rear, Airbags in back, 4x Rancho 9 way click adjust dampening RS9000 shocks handle the side sway. BFG All Terrains are rated to carry the load when air'd up to 75 PSI.
Truck / Camper is almost 11,000 pounds. Then I also tow either a 3 horse slant trailer, or a 14 foot flat bed with ATV/QUADs or llamas as cargo.
I've scale out fully loaded with trailer at 15,500 pounds rolling down the road.
With the 8.0 liter 488 cu in V10, (300 hp 450 ft/lbs of torque) I've got plenty of acceleration, it's the stopping that is more the concern at freeway speeds.
THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN Gas Milage. I get around 11 mpg unloaded and 7 with camper and trailer. Big woopy do deal. Any V8 gas is only going to get 13-16 mpg, yes the diesels get better milage but diesel fuel costs more too. When I bought my truck new, the Cummings Diesel engine option was $6500 more. Doing the math, the better MPG paid off the engine cost at 100,000 miles. So the better fuel economy is all relative to engine and fuel costs.
Unloaded my truck can do 0-40 in 4 seconds = Priceless.......plus the rumble sound of the V10 verses a tug boat clatter clatter of the noisy diesel made me go gas. As I only use the camper a couple times a year, as a daily driver, no way would I want a dually as parking them can be a major big hassle......