Camper Install by Crane

[DrJ]

Anyone had any experience with placing their camper on their truck with other means besides jacks?

I have used the reico titan jacks many times before, but I'm apparently still novice at it.
I take the camper on/off a fair amount and am also looking for a fast and safe way to do it.

I've bent jacks before not coming down evenly.
I've also hit the camper and damaged trim trying to get to line it up just right.

I now have access to a gantry crane that I could use to put the camper on/off.
It would be much easier to put the camper exactly where I want it in the truck bed, but I don't want to damage it moving around with it.

Anyone have pictures or experience with this?
Where is the center of gravity on our campers?

 

[Wallowa]

Interesting topic...not certain but I suspect the "crane" was a tongue-in-cheek topic.

I am very interested in successful techniques for shoe-horning in our Hawk [when we get it] into our '05 Tundra AC. I remember reading that it is a tight fit between the wheel wells.

Thanks in advance for any pearls of wisdom...cuz I need all the help I can get!

Phil

DrJ...Just saw your Amp measurements for the FWC devices..thanks!

 

[Basin Deranged]

Gantry crane is an interesting idea. I think the easiest way would be to fabricate a square steel framework with cables that drop directly to the 4 jack mounts. Attach to jack mounts with shackles with pins that will fit through the holes in the jack mounts.

The steel frame could be dangled from the crane block by a 4-leg sling that attaches to the 4 corners of the frame.

Something like this:

 

[billharr]

Not a crane but two hoists. See this thread over on Expo.

 

[kmcintyre]

I spent a lot of time trying to figure out a way where you could do that exact thing but my idea was to use a "frame" with wheels and an electric wrench. Why? You could move the camper around and get it placed exactly where you want it on the truck. The obsticles I ran into was how to create the frame so that you could backup the truck and still remove the frame and be able to back up onto the frame. Hard to describe but I couldn't really figure it out. The other idea I had was to use 4 of those trailer/boat cranks to lift the camer up on a frame. Never came up with a solution where I didn't have to mount something on the camper like the link provided above.

 

[Wallowa]

DrJ...

Did you use the Reico Titan heavy Duty Tripod Jacks? Website recommends four of the them. I think I have seen them in use at FWC's Woodland shop.

I am still scratching my head trying to see why the FWC mounted corner jacks will not work. I assume they will clear the truck; if too tight then they sell the extensions.

Phil

 

[DrJ]

Gantry crane is an interesting idea. I think the easiest way would be to fabricate a square steel framework with cables that drop directly to the 4 jack mounts. Attach to jack mounts with shackles with pins that will fit through the holes in the jack mounts.

The steel frame could be dangled from the crane block by a 4-leg sling that attaches to the 4 corners of the frame.

Something like this:

Basin,

Your picture and idea are exactly what I've been thinking about. I'm fairly certain you could pull up from the four corner jacks with the same effort/vector as the camper jacks.

I have 2 lifts on my crane but it may be simpler to just use one.

 

[DrJ]

DrJ...

Did you use the Reico Titan heavy Duty Tripod Jacks? Website recommends four of the them. I think I have seen them in use at FWC's Woodland shop.

I am still scratching my head trying to see why the FWC mounted corner jacks will not work. I assume they will clear the truck; if too tight then they sell the extensions.

Phil

Phil,
I've always had the reico Titan jacks - not the tripod versions. The jacks have always cleared my truck but I often put the camper on by myself. This means I have to back up many times to get it right - sometimes I bump the camper. I only have 1-2 inches on each side in the back of the camper - it's fairly tight.

Lifting by crane might be overkill, but if I could figure it out it would be faster and easier to put it just where I wanted it.

 

[Wallowa]

DrJ,

If you can roll the Reico Titan Tripod jacks with the camper suspended and captured between them you could insert the camper into the bed without moving the truck.

Good luck and keep us posted on any solutions you develop.

Phil

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

DrJ,

If you can roll the Reico Titan Tripod jacks with the camper suspended and captured between them you could insert the camper into the bed without moving the truck.

Good luck and keep us posted on any solutions you develop.

Phil

If I remember correctly, Stan Kennedy commented on that concept and said FWC did not recommend it. You could damage the frame at the Jack mounts if one leg caught.

 

[DrJ]

I have heard that from Stan before as well.

One of my concerns from lifting the camper was to make sure it was pulled up in the same direction as the jacks would have pushed it up.
Otherwise I worry the camper jack plates could be damaged.

 

[Wallowa]

Sagebrush,

The jacks I referenced are tripods and do not use the jack mounting plates on the camper...can't get the website for Reico to copy to this thread, but you will see them there. You would need a concrete surface to roll them on but with three wheels each, much stronger and more stable.

Phil

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Phil, the thread that prompted Stan's comment referred to caster plates (3 casters per plate) under each jack, with use on concrete. I will see if I can locate that thread.

Edit: here you go... http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/9570-casters-on-jacks/page-2

 

[Wallowa]

Sage,

Yes, Stan is talking about a single "caster/wheel" at each jack on all four corners. Single leg jacks not a tri-pod jack. The Rieco Titan THD2000-3Z1 HD jack has three [3] legs per-corner [use four per camper]. They do not have casters and since they are not attached to jacking plates on the camper will never tweak one They slide under land lift from the bottom/floor of the camper.

Anyway, all rhetorical if I can learn to skillfully back under my Hawk when I get it. At an estimated 1,600 lbs I seriously doubt if 16 of my best buds or a 2x4 could coax it into position once lowered. And personally, when the camper weight is on only four jacks attached as they are to the corners of the Hawk; I will not slide, wiggle or nudge the camper; I concur bad things will happen. All of us have collapsed a tongue jack at some time by side-loading it and that sucks.

Hmmmm...perhaps I could set it in and flush a soap solution into the bed then reef on it! ...naw.

Good thread and I appreciate all the divergent suggestions.

Phil

Ps...Why can't I copy a website address and then paste it here on this forum?

 

[billharr]

Ps...Why can't I copy a website address and then paste it here on this forum?

COPY then hit the link button and paste URL (website address), hit OK and you are good to go. You can also type what ever you want to say and highlight then past URL with the link and it will make what you typed the link.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Here's a photo of the caster setup that I was referring to. I still would not use these to do any major moving of a camper.

 

[Freebird]

By chance, I do have a bit of experience lifting a camper with a gantry crane. Here is my Alaskan camper up in the air...



I used a spreader bar (4x4 box tube ~9' long) attached to the crane hook. Each end of the top spreader bar has fwd plus rear angle iron down to the respective camper brackets. I also placed an angle iron bolted between the brackets on each side to stop any front to rear twisting forces on the brackets (tie down attach points). This camper was bought used from the "Wet Side" of the NW, so I really don't know "for sure" there is no water damage hidden....somewhere. No evidence, but still, it was simple to bolt an angle bar functioning as a spreader in as insurance. Truthfully, I didn't want to abuse the camper, even if no there is no hidden damage. I expect the camper structure is designed for straight up lift forces at each Jack bracket.

The gantry crane I used is a real heavy duty one (10t?) my cousin let me use at his manuf co.
It has a very soft start, with slow and fast speeds in all direction. Verrrry nice.
I didn't use chains since they were not as positive as the angle iron, plus more expen$ive. Also I would have needed to weld up a (dedicated?) fancy box spreader with chains directly over each bracket (pictured previously) to do a straight up (non-damaging?) lift on each of the brackets.

The reason I went this route (gantry lift) is the tall precarious jacks with backing (sliding-tight fit) under with the PU makes me real nervous. Couple light slidding pushes, I almost dumped it over (did I say tight?). The camper is insured, but don't wanr to use it! The battery box on each side of the camper full access is when the camper is off the truck, so it has to be removed occasionally for battery care.

These px are from a coupe summers ago. I didn't post them since not very many guys have easy access to a stout overhead lift. There are undoubtedly better/more sophisticated ways, but this set up is relatively inexpensive with not much welding, and when I sell the camper (something I wasn't planning at the time) the angle iron can easily be repurposed.

 

[Freebird]

As far as the casters on the bottom of the jacks. I have experience there, too. My Northern Lite camper is also a tight fit in the PU.
I tried the jacks on wheels/casters, intending to roll the camper into the back of the parked truck on my flat concrete floor. Precise, slow, gentle, right? What could work slicker?
Well, great in theory, but not in my reality. At least with my camper jacks, brackets, and attach points. The front brackets have wide extensions on them to clear the duallys. The jacks on the front of the camper are only attached at the top, not both high and low like on the rear jacks. When the weight started transferring to the jacks, and therefore the wheels, the jacks/wheels started immediately splaying out east and west on the camper....not even heavily loaded yet. It was obvious the wheels would travel sideway till damage was done to the camper. Those brackets are designed for a straight up solid lift with NO side loading forces.
I am now doing my lifts with the front jacks on solid cement blocks, and being content with the wheels under just the rear jacks to facilitate alignment as the truck is backed under the camper.
Your camper attach points might do just fine with wheels and that plan. Mine certainly did NOT....

 

[billharr]

Some where there is a picture of a "U" shaped camper dolly with 4 large 8" casters. I think Stan posted it. I was made out of 6 or 8 inch channel. Jack pads lowered into the channel and after lifted just roll the dolly on or off the truck. Yes it looked very heavy.

EDIT: found it and the thread it was on. More pictures in thread

 

[Freebird]

^^^ interesting idea... I'll have to think about that.....