cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Any reason to unload when not using TC?

dwrat
Explorer
Explorer
I use my TC about every 2 months or so.
I have a 3500 Dually with airbags.
Lance 950S camper. (not small but not big either)
When at home I set my bags to 30 psi and drop all legs until they contact and then about another 1" or so to spread the load.
What's your opinion on how I am storing?
Thanks
20 REPLIES 20

17oaks
Explorer
Explorer
dwrat wrote:
I use my TC about every 2 months or so.
I have a 3500 Dually with airbags.
Lance 950S camper. (not small but not big either)
When at home I set my bags to 30 psi and drop all legs until they contact and then about another 1" or so to spread the load.
What's your opinion on how I am storing?
Thanks

YES springs can get a set in them, overnight, maybe a bit longer, think a lot of years.

When you buy a new truck, car, etc the springs with take a set shortly after you have driven and owned it. On my 17 F 350, it took a good 6 months to set in and they dropped the rear end about 1 in or so. That is normal for this make and model and configuration.

Your airbags can reduce some of the loaded weight as can your legs and it WILL NOT hurt to do it.
Don
Texas
US Army (RET)
'15 F350 4x4, CC, LWB, DRW, King Ranch
2008 Arctic Fox 1150 TC
Vietnam Combat Veteran

burningman
Explorer
Explorer
Kayteg1 wrote:
Well, I have been looking at Bigfoot.
12 steps "highway to heaven" and not possible to enter with slides in is another way of poor build.

Mine has neither of those issues.
2017 Northern Lite 10-2 EX CD SE
99 Ram 4x4 Dually Cummins
A whole lot more fuel, a whole lot more boost.
4.10 gears, Gear Vendors overdrive, exhaust brake
Built auto, triple disc, billet shafts.
Kelderman Air Ride, Helwig sway bar.

Kayteg1
Explorer
Explorer
Tires will develop some flat spots even with truck only weight, but don't think that is big issue with pickup.
I used to own convertible roadster and driven every few weeks it was always annoying for few miles before flat spots exercise.
But some members post that leaving camper on truck in open area, dirt clog the drain holes and rain/snow water puddle under the camper, rotting the floor for spring time.

Camp_woof
Explorer
Explorer
Any issue with leaving the truck sit in same place for 2 months, do tires develop a flat spot if the weight of the TC is on them?

Dave

Kayteg1
Explorer
Explorer
Well, I have been looking at Bigfoot.
12 steps "highway to heaven" and not possible to enter with slides in is another way of poor build.

burningman
Explorer
Explorer
Kayteg1 wrote:
Grit dog wrote:


So it was poorly constructed and rotted out. That stinks. What does it have to do with the OP's query?


That part did not rotten.
It sag simply becouse the poor construction was sitting for long periods without jacks support.
All campers are poorly constructed IMHO and prone to the same issue.


Northern Lite... Bigfoot... if you’re tired of crummy stick-built campers.
2017 Northern Lite 10-2 EX CD SE
99 Ram 4x4 Dually Cummins
A whole lot more fuel, a whole lot more boost.
4.10 gears, Gear Vendors overdrive, exhaust brake
Built auto, triple disc, billet shafts.
Kelderman Air Ride, Helwig sway bar.

Kayteg1
Explorer
Explorer
Grit dog wrote:


So it was poorly constructed and rotted out. That stinks. What does it have to do with the OP's query?


That part did not rotten.
It sag simply becouse the poor construction was sitting for long periods without jacks support.
All campers are poorly constructed IMHO and prone to the same issue.

Grit_dog
Nomad III
Nomad III
Kayteg1 wrote:

The camper in question had aluminium skeleton, but there was no aluminium on front wall. The frame T, where front sides had main support had 3/4 x 1.5" wood stick for horizontal support.
Even it was reinforced with plywood on both sides, not much for about 1500 lb static load it was carrying. Add ties tension and all additional load.
Seem all campers are build this way.
Wood has good load rating when dry, but leave it under the load in wet weather and with time it will sag and sag and sag.


So it was poorly constructed and rotted out. That stinks. What does it have to do with the OP's query?
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

dwrat
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks, everyone.
I'm going to stop using the legs and ad extra air in the bags.
Dan

Kayteg1
Explorer
Explorer
Grit dog wrote:
Kayteg1 wrote:
When I was rebuilding front end on my Fleetwood, I noticed that camper sides sag good distance over the years, what not only show on bed sides clearance, but also cabover was touching truck roof lights.
Now I keep my camper with most of the weight on jacks and only some on wood blocks supporting front of the floor.


This was not becasue the camper jacks weren't down, it's becasue the camper was dilapidated.
If the camper couldn't support its own static weight sitting in the truck bed then running the jacks down was a stop gap for a camper in poor condition. Not something that not all would need to be done.

The camper in question had aluminium skeleton, but there was no aluminium on front wall. The frame T, where front sides had main support had 3/4 x 1.5" wood stick for horizontal support.
Even it was reinforced with plywood on both sides, not much for about 1500 lb static load it was carrying. Add ties tension and all additional load.
Seem all campers are build this way.
Wood has good load rating when dry, but leave it under the load in wet weather and with time it will sag and sag and sag.

Grit_dog
Nomad III
Nomad III
burningman wrote:
Definitely do not store a truck camper on the truck with the jack legs down.

A piece of frozen poop falling from an airliner could land on it.
The truck’s springs might let it bounce harmlessly off the roof, hit the ground, thaw out and fertilize nice flowers by your camper.
If the jacks are down, it’ll just put a hole in the roof and a mess on the floor.


That's what I was thinking....
What about in my garage though. Wouldn't the poop hit the roof of the garage first? Are camper magnets for these sorts of things? Should I reinforce the shop roof?
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Grit_dog
Nomad III
Nomad III
Kayteg1 wrote:
When I was rebuilding front end on my Fleetwood, I noticed that camper sides sag good distance over the years, what not only show on bed sides clearance, but also cabover was touching truck roof lights.
Now I keep my camper with most of the weight on jacks and only some on wood blocks supporting front of the floor.


This was not becasue the camper jacks weren't down, it's becasue the camper was dilapidated.
If the camper couldn't support its own static weight sitting in the truck bed then running the jacks down was a stop gap for a camper in poor condition. Not something that not all would need to be done.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

burningman
Explorer
Explorer
Definitely do not store a truck camper on the truck with the jack legs down.

A piece of frozen poop falling from an airliner could land on it.
The truck’s springs might let it bounce harmlessly off the roof, hit the ground, thaw out and fertilize nice flowers by your camper.
If the jacks are down, it’ll just put a hole in the roof and a mess on the floor.
2017 Northern Lite 10-2 EX CD SE
99 Ram 4x4 Dually Cummins
A whole lot more fuel, a whole lot more boost.
4.10 gears, Gear Vendors overdrive, exhaust brake
Built auto, triple disc, billet shafts.
Kelderman Air Ride, Helwig sway bar.

3_tons
Explorer
Explorer
After noticing that Class C’s don’t have any legs, I gave up on it...