Hey guys! Just picked up a camper today! I bought it from an older man who didn't use it anymore and it was just sitting in his backyard. This is my first time owning one. The interior is in real good condition. The exterior is aluminum; the paint has faded over the years. When I have time I was planning on re-painting it. It has a propane stove, sink, and fridge. No bathroom/shower, air conditioning, or heater. I guess that's good for simplicity and weight. I was thinking of getting a gas generator so I can hook up stuff to it like A/C, etc.

Ok so my main question is this. What should I use to store the camper off the truck? It's got the 4 hydraulic jacks on the side, and I went out and got 4 more trailer support jackstands (6000 lb. capacity each). Would that be good enough? What is the best/easiest type of stand for this? I don't need anything fancy. Something cheap and secure that'll get the job done.

Also, like I mentioned, I've never owned a camper before. So any suggestions on what to maintain or how to drive safely, I would appreciate. I've got 4 load range D tires on the truck right now. The two rear ones could probably use a replacing, I was thinking of getting 235/85/16 load range E tires. I'm going to get load range E anyway, but is it really necessary? Or will range D do?

Oh and what weight of gear oil do you recommend I run in the back now? I was going to use Royal Purple 75w-90, but would it be wiser to go with 75w-140?

Here is a picture:

 

store it where it falls off.....don't think you will need the stands

 

Here is what I did to set my camper on, both here at home and when camping, since we usually stay for about two weeks at one place.

I got four trailer stabilizing jacks, the ones with the square base and adjustable screw on the top. The flat top of the screw is about 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter. I then cut a 2X10 into two pieces, about 5 feet long. I measured and drilled two shallow holes on one side of each 2X10 for the flat tops to fit in. I also cut four squares from 1/2 plywood, just bigger then the base of the jacks for the jacks to sit on, on the ground.

When I unload my camper (a 10 footer), I lower it down so it isn't so unstable, then I place the plywood pieces with the jacks on them, place the 2X10's on top of them and lower the camper onto that. The 2X10's go side to side. I place one about 2 to 3 feet from the front of the camper and the other about the same from the rear. I then check the levels, and then jack up the camper just enough to use a long screwdriver through the hole in the adjustable screw jack to raise or lower enough until the camper is level. It doesn't take a whole lot of time, and the nice thing about using this system is that it is compact and light weight. I remove three of the adusting screws and nest all the jacks together. I store the 2X10's under the camper while it is on the truck, so very little storage space is used for this system.

If you have any more questions, or would like to see some pictures, I can go out and get some and post them here.

DMH

 

If it's no trouble, a few pictures of you setup would be helpful.

Are these the jack stands you have?

 

Sorry it took me so long to reply. Had to take the pictures, then had to wait for approval.

Yes, that is the type of jack that I use. I cut a piece of 1/2 plywood just bigger then the base to set them on.

Now, lets see if I can get the pictures to post here.......







Now, let's see if this worked.

DMH

Hey, it did work, and not only that, this is my 100th post!!!!!

 

I use to just lower mine onto 3 saw horses, plus leave a little weight on the 4 corner jacks, a lot less cranking up and down, if you have kids then i would put it to the ground, I run amsoil 75-140 in my rear diff, it is my only diff, with your cummins i would think you should be running 4 E rated tires all the time, I do, these trucks are heavey empty.

 

Saw horse's are a good idea. I use two empty 55 gal drums and two 24" 4"x12" blocks. Works great and I didn't pay 1 cent for anything........ Free can never be beat................

 

Thanks for the pics DMH. Drums are a good idea too but make sure you vent them. The guy I bought if from said his drums gave in due to changing temperatures from hot to cold.

 

The biggest reason I lower it down onto the jacks like that is because it make it much easier to get into and out of. The biggest use of our camper, right now, is for a two week vacation every year in Eastern Washington. After arriving at the campground, the first thing that happens is the camper gets unloaded, set on the jacks and leveled. Now it is a very short step into and out of the camper. If the camper isn't moving for two weeks, it would be a real pain to have to climb up and down stairs. When my wife and I go someplace else for vacation, and we leave the camper on the truck because of traveling, we do use the steps.

DMH

 

[QUOTE=wcbcruzer;1484017] [snip]
Also, like I mentioned, I've never owned a camper before. So any suggestions on what to maintain or how to drive safely, I would appreciate. I've got 4 load range D tires on the truck right now. The two rear ones could probably use a replacing, I was thinking of getting 235/85/16 load range E tires. I'm going to get load range E anyway, but is it really necessary? Or will range D do?

Oh and what weight of gear oil do you recommend I run in the back now? I was going to use Royal Purple 75w-90, but would it be wiser to go with 75w-140?
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I would go with the E rated [80 psi] tires as the softer sidewall D tires will have more carcass roll/sidwall squirm especially on the rear. A 75w-140 synthetic will work just fine in the axles. Check out rv.net truck campers forum [TC] for lots of tech info for your truck camper.
JIM

 

Most of the time the camper stays on the truck. I just drop the front jacks to help stabilize.
For the times when I leave the camper, I still use the pickup to stabilize. I back the truck under the front of the camper and lower the jacks until the camper rests on the bed. It only takes a couple minutes. It works for us because the whole family leaves when the truck goes.
edit: I use blocks in the pickup bed when the camper is level, but the truck is not .

Tires? I run 235/85-16 E tires. Airbags on the bag help a lot.

Lube? After watching the amount I have the camper on the truck, I decided to change the 75W-90 synthetic over to 75W-140 this summer.

 

Mine stays on its jacks all year long... lowered all the way down. It's in a fenced in area specifically for it so no kids or animals to worry about it falling on.

I slob the jacks with grease on the outside and it keeps the bugs that walk from climbing them and getting inside.