elevating camper from the truck bed

[Les]

Hi,
I'm new here, hope I'm posting correctly. I recently purchased a 1977 8' cabover. I have a 2003 2500 dodge with a 6.5' bed with a crew cab,- the doors open just like the regular front doors. I modified the thetford box so the camper would clear the tailgate opening. and put 2x4s with a piece of 1/2" plywood over them in the bed for the camper to rest on so the cab over will clear the cab of the truck. The camper is great, in good shape, and I'm very happy with it.
I have two questions: The crew cab doors won't open with the camper in. I see two possible solutions, neither of which I am thrilled with. 1)I can put 4x4s in the bed to raise it more, and hopefully that will clear the doors. I worry about raising it this much, because of center of gravity issues,wind under the cabover while driving, and the taking it off and on the truck. 2)I could modify the triangular metal supports for the cabover so the doors don't hit them. This would mean cutting a notch out of the supports, eek, and then reinforcing them.
Any advice?

 

[Leviticus907]

I use 4x4 with mine to elevate high enough for the cab. No issues. The center of gravity is already much lower than a similar hard side.

 

[popRoid]

Hi Les:

Yes, you will have to use 2x4 with maybe a 1/2" cap of plywood added to the 2x4's placed in the bed of your truck in order to both clear the bed rails and get the camper above the doors so they will open. This is a very common way to load an Alaskan in the bed of your truck and is not to be feared. You won't have a center of gravity issue as the Alaskan sits really low to begin with. You also need to use 2x4 material in order to get the camper base raised off the bed to avoid water issues from rain saturating the camper base. Don't cut the cantilevered rails supporting the cabover on the camper.

I have pictures posted on my gallery here if you would like to see what this looks like. Just click on my name in the upper left of this thread and it will take you there.

All the best....poproid

 

[Les]

Thanks for the replies. I guess I'll try using the 4x4s and see how it goes. Maybe I will shim the side rails as some have suggested. This is a great site, I have already spent some hours on it. Looks like I will be learning more as I go along. Thanks again.