surfer jim
Super Nomad
Posts: 1891
Registered: 8-29-2003
Location: high desert
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truck campers....on and off....
Haven't taken my camper off yet ....but was wondering how easy/hard it will be....I know there are 4 turnbuckles to remove and there must be some
connection to truck wireing somewhere....guess you jack it up (how far?) and drive away?.....
Now the fun part will be putting it back on straight I guess....not much clearance inside the truck bed...2" or less on either side....got any secrets
on lining it up?
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comitan
Ultra Nomad
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Just go slow be careful, if you have hydraulic jacks when you loosen be careful. The first time I guess is a little scary but when you have done it a
few times, you don't even think about it.
Strive For The Ideal, But Deal With What\'s Real.
Every day is a new day, better than the day before.(from some song)
Lord, Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.
“The sincere pursuit of truth requires you to entertain the possibility that everything you believe to be true may in fact be false”
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Neal Johns
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Cut four boards to center it left/right placed in the front and rear. They will be roughly as long as the wheelwell is wide. Bolt them in or let them
float.
Raise the camper a couple of inches over the bed everywhere. The two-conductor power cable is frequently in the left side near the front of the camper
and can be fished out and disconnected after the camper is raised.
When up on the jacks, the camper is a little wobbly so a helper or two to push and tug it into alignment while backing the truck and/or cranking the
camper down is nice.
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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BajaWarrior
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Store camper on sturdy sawhorses (Burro's @ The Depot), with even a peice of plywood connecting the two. Takes stress off of the jacks, I take it you
have crank type jacks for a pop-up. Watch rear of truck when it clears the camper, the rear end will be light and can raise when it comes to the front
of the camper, had a close call once...Almost knocked it over, you come close only once though, you learn not to do it again. Definately have a
"spotter" or two, campers don't respond well to falling over.
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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Hook
Elite Nomad
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Just go slow and dont sweat it much if its a little off center as long as its in between the guides that should be moounted in your bed. Is iT a Happy
Jack system?
The camper shifts a little on the bed even with the turnbuckles tightened. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN TO THE POINT WHERE THE EYES IN THE CAMPER ARE AT RISK OF
PULLING, ESPECIALLY IF YOU DONT HAVE THE SPRING LOADED ONES.
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mcquerry
Junior Nomad
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Registered: 11-14-2004
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Stable Lift
Having fought loading and unloading my camper in fear I found the safest way to do it. I went to Montana and bought a Stable lift system. If intersted
u2 me and I will contact you with them. T Mac
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surfer jim
Super Nomad
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Location: high desert
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Just got regular turnbuckles...on the inside of the bed....and the jacks are manual type....I plan on having this on most of the time but may want to
play in the truck from time to time....
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chino
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for a smoothe operation dont have the other half "help" you.
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BillB
Newbie
Posts: 16
Registered: 9-20-2004
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If your jacks are manual, you might be able to rig up a way to operate them with a drill to save you lots of time and effort. You can either use an
18v battery operated drill, or a corded drill run through an inverter. The only trick is having the right sized nut driver to fit where the handle
goes.
Be sure and bring some pieces of boards or plywood along to put under the jacks so they don't sink into the sand when lowering them.
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surfer jim
Super Nomad
Posts: 1891
Registered: 8-29-2003
Location: high desert
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Thanks for the tips....will only be doing this in my garage so it will be easier/safer.....also am thinking about putting some sort of rubber mat
under camper while it is off....does anybody else do this?.....
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Hook
Elite Nomad
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| Quote: | Originally posted by surfer jim
Thanks for the tips....will only be doing this in my garage so it will be easier/safer.....also am thinking about putting some sort of rubber mat
under camper while it is off....does anybody else do this?..... |
Absolutely. Mine rests on a combination of a rigid, corrugated bed liner, 3/4 inch of plywood and then a rubber mat. Cuts down on the slide factor.
I need all that heighth cause my one ton truck has running lights on the cab.
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lewm
Junior Nomad
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Registered: 11-9-2003
Location: Montana
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camper
I use 2 55-gal drums & a 4x8' piece of 3/4 inch plywood to store my camper. I have hydraulic jacks. It takes me a few times around the camper to
drop it on the plywood evenly. My Ford truck had more clearance between fender wells. I now have a Dodge & it is a tight fit.
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TacoFeliz
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I also have a 4 wheeler with crank up jacks (04 Tundra double cab). A rechargable Makita with the crank chuck makes the whole thing go pretty
quickly. My 12V plug/cable is on the passenger side front corner and routes in under the bench seat to the camper battery wiring, probably yours too.
Amen to 'just go slow' and keep moving from corner to corner.
Incidently, I had the misfortune to rip out the camper side eye bolts that the turnbuckles attach to with only moderately rough trail stuff. It was
exciting. Ended up running a big choker chain through the ripped out holes in the plywood and cinching it to the truck bed eye-bolts with grade 8
bolts from the 'oh chit' kit.
Went back when back at home and repaired the plywood, then put 1/4" stainless 4" x 8" backer plates on the inside of the camper and bolted much more
stout eye bolts in place underneath. The camper coming loose pushed the front truck bed wall toward the cab about an inch and the cabover clobbered
the cab roof. Don't try this trick without a good sense of humor and $0 comprehensive.
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Neal Johns
Super Nomad
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Location: Lytle Creek, CA
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You have been holding out on us, TF! Got a picture of your choker chain???? I have a good use for it. 
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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