Design ideas for a platform to lower camper onto...

[edgerelease]

I am going to build a simple platform for my camper to rest on to take stress off the jacks when I'm not using it for longer periods. Please share any ideas. I think I'm going with cinder blocks and qty2 @ 2x6 sandwiched for the frame. Spaced maybe every 6" or so. As I type this actually maybe it could be even more simple with a bunch of cinder blocks and thick plywood on top.

Please share if you've build one. I'd love to see pictures if you have them.

Cheers,
Tom

[bighatnohorse]

They were called Budster blocks. From a 2010 post with photos:
https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/23588386/print/true.cfm

[SoonDockin]

I have thought about a cart but at over 5k, it seems like a recipe for disaster. I have casters that can easily carry the weight. Fortunately I have a spot to unload in my building and leave it.

[mkirsch]

If you need a visual on the concept of the plywood X's, take your hands and make the Vulcan salute with both hands. That's make a V with your ring and middle finger on one side, ring and pinky on the other.

Now take the two Vulcan salutes, point the open V's toward each other, and jam them together so they interlock. Now cut off your hands at the wrists (in your imagination, or literally, your choice) and pretend they're sheets of plywood.

[MrPhelps]

JRscooby wrote:
Never did it under a camper, but do you remember the 2 plywood X we put under waterbeds? Sheet below, another on top to spread the load. And if you wanted you could flatten it on floor of bed, load camper on top if you think might want to unload away from home.

Agree. Got this from this forum years ago: For 8 foot bed truck: 1 sheet 4x8 plywood cut into 4 sections with each center section notched so they can be "x" ed provides adequate support. Add load distributing flat surface boards on top if you wish and lower the near full weight of the camper to reduce jack load. I've been using this for 15 years. Cheap and effective.

[Geo_Boy]

Rieco Titan offers a platform dolly for TC’s and Torklift offers the Camper Packer kits.

[JimK-NY]

Stack a few pallets under the bed and lower the camper to you take most of the pressure off of the jacks.

[deserteagle56]

My solution was 4 - 55 gallons drums with lids that I had sitting around. An undamaged drum (no dents) can hold a lot of weight! I stand one up at each corner of the camper. On top of each drum I placed some short sections of 6x6 timbers I had, aligned with the edges of the camper. This allows me to just leave the camper at the correct height to reload it onto the truck (my electric jacks are old and struggle). To be on the safe side I do run the camper jacks down so they just rest on the ground - not holding any weight but for stability. We have a lot of earthquakes here in Nevada!

[srschang]

[ticki2]

Check out Sricky TRUCK CAMPER UNIVERSITY , second page Camper storage

[MORSNOW]

I just use 4 stackable screw jacks with 4x4 toppers. You can pick these jacks up at Walmart or most hardware stores for around $40. Inexpensive, works on unlevel ground as you can adjust each jack and store your camper perfectly level side to side and the front cabover slightly higher.

[monkey44]

That's what I did, works great - and I carried them with me, and used pads beneath the jacks when I unloaded at a campground.  Very solid.  

[StirCrazy]

I use cinderblocks and two chunks of 4x4 and a bunch of 2x6 right now and I can tell you it's a pain in the butt.

I want to build a sawhorse tryp set up that's the same high as the bed now so there is minimal jacking to get on and off. I can't leave mine on the jacks as they are hydraulic jacks, and it will blow the seals out eventually

[midnightsadie]

I built a rolling cart 8ft long 4ft wide with good swivel wheel. rolls around my shop as needed. cart is made of steel.

[Grit_dog]

Unless it’s an old rickety camper, don’t worry about it and leave it on the jacks.
If you’re going to be using it, off the truck, and want more stability, lower it all the way down and it’ll be pretty darn stable. If that’s not quite enough, something easy to set it on like a half dozen pallets or similar is what I’d be thinkin.