How do you re-center a pop-up if it shifts during a trip?

[h2opup]

The jack legs have been moved and left at home. So how do I re-center my ATC if it shifts in the bed when I am out on a trip?

 

[buckland]

I have about 1/2" clearance on either side at the tailgate. I bought from McMaster-Carr hardware, clevis to clevis turnbuckles. I have found that if it is too close on one side, I loosen that side's turn buckle just enough to be an able to rattle it slightly. Drive down a rough road and the jostling pulls it over to the tight side.... it can't go far ! Next day I find the road did my heavy work and I re-tighten.

 

[AWG_Pics]

I have about 1/2" clearance on either side at the tailgate. I bought from McMaster-Carr hardware, clevis to clevis turnbuckles. I have found that if it is too close on one side, I loosen that side's turn buckle just enough to be an able to rattle it slightly. Drive down a rough road and the jostling pulls it over to the tight side.... it can't go far ! Next day I find the road did my heavy work and I re-tighten.

Clever!

 

[Vic Harder]

oh, we had a fun time in a campground once, got help from our neighbors and shook that truck back and forth while levering with a 4' section of 2x4... not easy, but we got it to move enough.

 

[pvstoy]

You can put shims on the truck bed between bed side and camper to limit shifting.

 

[h2opup]

I have about 1/2" clearance on either side at the tailgate. I bought from McMaster-Carr hardware, clevis to clevis turnbuckles. I have found that if it is too close on one side, I loosen that side's turn buckle just enough to be an able to rattle it slightly. Drive down a rough road and the jostling pulls it over to the tight side.... it can't go far ! Next day I find the road did my heavy work and I re-tighten.

Thanks buckland. Good hack to know about if caught out on the road with this issue.

 

[craig333]

As long as the turnbuckles are tight I wait until I get home.

 

[h2opup]

As long as the turnbuckles are tight I wait until I get home.

Waiting to get back home is my likely choice, too, but what if you are out on a long trip?

My biggest concern to a on-the-road load shift is the drain spigot on the fresh water tank. It was installed with an extremely small amount of clearance -- you can barely twizzle the value lever to open/close the spigot. I mentioned this to Marty at time of delivery -- he twizzled it to show me the operation and he could barely fit his fingers in to get it done. His reply was that this was the same location as the one on his RAM (not the most satisfying answer).

A load shift of 1/2" is going to make it impossible to open the spigot. A shift to the driver's side of 3/4" or more will likely snap that spigot right off. Not to mention this is really threading the needle when loading/unloading the camper onto the truck.

I'm confident that ATC would address this (somehow) in person, but I live many hours away.

Any advice on a self-fix aka taking apart the interior to get at the water tank and moving the value or otherwise adapting the spigot to remedy this problem before it breaks and becomes a much bigger headache?

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

You might make long 1x1 (or larger) stick or maybe pipe with a slot so you can reach it from over the bed side.

 

[pvstoy]

For the camper not shifting, get the camper placement where you like it. Then make a frame that fills the empty gaps between the camper and truck bed. This will limit the movement and help protect the drain spigot.

 

[Glenn]

In a similar fashion each and every time I remove and reinsert my platform the cabinet lids which are separate (hinged to topper) have to line up exactly the same way each time….. though mine is probably easier to get to.

I keyed both sides between the wheel wells and the ends by the tailgate. The 4 foot long keys (2X2’s cut down in width) along the wheel wells are tapped in with a board and 5 pound hammer…..and the eye screws are for attaching a small chain and slide hammer to remove.

 

[craig333]

How do you keep the 2x4 in place? I did that but they've moved around and its not really feasible to fix until I take the camper off.

 

[Glenn]

I don’t know if this was directed to me or another poster…… anyway, I cut a very slight angle (wedge) and have to drive them in- tight!

 

[h2opup]

You might make long 1x1 (or larger) stick or maybe pipe with a slot so you can reach it from over the bed side.

Nice simple fix. Thanks!

 

[h2opup]

In a similar fashion each and every time I remove and reinsert my platform the cabinet lids which are separate (hinged to topper) have to line up exactly the same way each time….. though mine is probably easier to get to.

I keyed both sides between the wheel wells and the ends by the tailgate. The 4 foot long keys (2X2’s cut down in width) along the wheel wells are tapped in with a board and 5 pound hammer…..and the eye screws are for attaching a small chain and slide hammer to remove.

View attachment 181994

View attachment 181995Many thanks for the details and photos.

 

[ntsqd]

If you are out and about now, there may be someone here who is near you that can help.
After hitting a submerged step in a watery mud puddle in UT our first camper shifted, but nothing was in jeopardy of making contact or breaking off so I left it that way until we got home.

Our Hallmark came to us with that same drain spigot, but it is located on the rear face of the camper down low on the right side. Very easy to get at, but also very subject to UV embrittlement. It failed catastrophically after our second to last trip after years in the sun. Between that trip and the next I replaced it with a valve of similar shape only made from brass. It also has GHT on the outlet so that I can use our sink drain hose to direct the water away from the truck. I also screw a GHT cap on it as a fail-safe and to keep dirt out of the valve.

Seeing those hose clamps in an otherwise inaccessible location compels me to suggest using Oetiker Clamps there instead. I bought a selection of the clamps with the special tool needed (mechanics who've done CVJ boot replacements will recognize the tool) from amazon.

 

[craig333]

I have three different styles of hose clamps. Now I have to add a fourth. I thought at my age I could stop learning stuff. Dagnabit

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

I have three different styles of hose clamps. Now I have to add a fourth. I thought at my age I could stop learning stuff. Dagnabit

Don’t forget the clamp pliers.

 

[h2opup]

If you are out and about now, there may be someone here who is near you that can help.
After hitting a submerged step in a watery mud puddle in UT our first camper shifted, but nothing was in jeopardy of making contact or breaking off so I left it that way until we got home.

Our Hallmark came to us with that same drain spigot, but it is located on the rear face of the camper down low on the right side. Very easy to get at, but also very subject to UV embrittlement. It failed catastrophically after our second to last trip after years in the sun. Between that trip and the next I replaced it with a valve of similar shape only made from brass. It also has GHT on the outlet so that I can use our sink drain hose to direct the water away from the truck. I also screw a GHT cap on it as a fail-safe and to keep dirt out of the valve.

Seeing those hose clamps in an otherwise inaccessible location compels me to suggest using Oetiker Clamps there instead. I bought a selection of the clamps with the special tool needed (mechanics who've done CVJ boot replacements will recognize the tool) from amazon.

Thanks ntsqd. I am not on the road at present, but really appreciate the offer.
I like the idea of replacing the value with something more robust, but also want to change the location (somehow). I also don't like the undirected drain spilling out down my truck (right over the fuel filler cap no less) and was thinking of using a length of soft tubing over the value but threaded is definitely more versatile.

 

[Tom n N]

In years past I have always been able to leave as is until I return home, so I don’t have any tricks for that.

As far as prevention, I’ve found that a cheap nylon cutting board cut down and attached between the camper and wheel wells makes sliding the camper in a lot easier and helps keep it centered. The real solution though is to install a horse stall mat between the camper and truck bed floor. Those things hold the camper in place like glue!

On my first trip after installing the mat, I had a turnbuckle come completely loose somewhere between Saline Valley Springs and the top of the hill at the Bristle Cone Pines via North Pass and the back way from Laws to the Pines. A fairly steep bumpy route, and though I don’t know exactly where it came loose, that camper didn’t move at all. In the years since I’ve had no problems with movement, so I’m sold!

Hope this helps,
Tom