shifting camper

[tuna_fisher]

Went to town yesterday to get truck smoged with the camper on, some where it shifted a little and when I got home 1 turnbuckle was real loose and 1 real tight. Isn't there some way you can move you camper just a little using the jacks? How?

[Grit_dog]

Are your campers really moving an unacceptable amount or just worried it is not normal?
I’d say it’s normal. Never had it slide backwards but a little side to side or tightening up against the front of the truck bed seems normal to me.
Seems camper settles in and turn buckles usually need a little adjusting at the first stop or 2 on a road trip.
It’s not enough to cause consternation imo.

[adamis]

I went through my camper shifting every time I went on a trip. I tried all the tricks, tightening the fast guns, rubber mat. My setup is really sensitive to movement because if the camper moves too much, the front Jacks will get in the way of the rear doors on the truck from opening. I have about an inch of clearance.

Part of the reason my camper shifted so much was because I have to raise my camper using a combination of foam, plywood and rubber mats to clear the cab of the truck. Though effective, I think there is just enough bounce in it all that allows the camper to wiggle around.

My solution was to take a 2x12" and notch it to fit the profile of the bed of the truck and the camper itself. I then used some rubber for padding and when the front of the camper is loaded, it sits into this brace tight. No side to side movement is possible. For the back, I only had just over 1" of space between the camper and the sides where the tail gate goes. My solution was just some 1" foam to keep it in place.

The result is a nearly dead perfect centering and it won't shift around to the point that my doors won't open. I had ideas on how to do this even fancier with something bolted to the frame bolts on the bed of the truck and made out of steel and even posted a couple of ideas here on the forums but others rightly pointed out I was over thinking it.

Back to your question about moving the camper, others have already given the right suggestions. I used to try to get the camper perfect on the truck through just moving the truck and would spend nearly an hour or more to get it within an 1/8". This is why I was so frustrated when my camper would shift and why I started looking for better options. When I started using the jack "crabbing" method, it saved a lot of time. Just be gentle about how much movement you try to get. A half inch to an inch is about as much flex as you will get out of the Jacks this way.

Also, depending on how your camper is loaded, you may run into the problem where it will balance on three legs while attempting to do the shift. That can put a lot of pressure on the one leg supporting the one side so be careful if this is happening and take it slow.

[silverbullet555]

Timely thread. Our camper moved around a fair bit on this last trip. Bumpy roads and severed cross winds. Plus, I am still learning the right tension on the turnbuckle.

[Kayteg1]

I have my fast guns always marked for the position.
If they don't fit right, I know the camper is wrongly loaded.
But still remember when taking this forum advise, I adjusted my front, spring-loaded fastguns to only 1/4" of stretch. That after 1000 miles drive show my camper "walked" like 3/4" to the rear.
So I adjusted the springs to 1/2" stretch and never had the problem again.

[Grit_dog]

Ya it happens. Seems every time I load it, it moves a bit once or twice.
I’d never jack it up en route and move it an inch.....
Re adjust turnbuckles and carry on.

[specta]

My camper seems to always "settle in" after I first load it and I always end up readjusting the tie downs.

After the first trip I never have to adjust them again.

Due the age difference between my truck and camper it doesn't sit exactly square in the bed. Not a big deal to me.

[jaycocreek]

I always check the tension on the front happi jack turnbuckles after I have driven it..There supposed to be a certain compression for proper use...I don't want more or less compression..

Easy to check and well worth the time...

[wnjj]

There’s enough slack in the jacks that if you lean against the side when lowering you can gain some. If not enough, once the jacks lift off the ground you can repeat. For even more at once, pull or push as needed gently against the jack foot before it touches down to “preload” the slack in one direction.

[tuna_fisher]

Thanks guys, Kayteg, Yes I have a rubber mat. I live on a dirt road and went a different way and I think I know where it shifted also everything is empty, never had that happen before in 10+ years.

[Kayteg1]

You need to lift whole camper and then lower the site you want move to the side first.
With additional hand push you can get over 1" movement.
Do you have rubber mat?

[ticki2]

IIRC as you let the jacks down the tub of the camper tends to move away from you . I could have that backward but you'll know when you're doing it . So lift the camper so it's slightly off the bed then lower the side that needs to move away from you until it hits the bed , this should hold it in place while you lower the other side . It takes some playing around . The other thing to determine is why it shifter . Good luck

[ppine]

The only way I know of is to raise the camper and move your truck under it. The tie downs that bolt to the frame are best and most secure.