Installing camper techniques

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DonC

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I've had my Fleet for just over a year and removed it this weekend for the first time to do the gray water tank mod. Removing was easy, getting it back in the bed was easy, but fine tuning the position in the bed was difficult.

I watched the install onto my truck at FWC. They got it close, lowered it, and then two big dudes just shoved it around until it was centered. At 170 lbs and 60 years old, and my wife at about 120 lbs, I'm not quite able to do that. So, if you need to scoot the back 1 " to the left, or move the right side 1/2" forward, how do you do it? I managed to finally get it, but it took a while. What are your tricks? Also, does it need to sit in the bed perfectly straight and centered? I know that's ideal, but if you are off 1/2 inch can you declare victory? What is a reasonable tolerance?

I'd like to see an FWC video of the technique. They install a number of campers each week, I'd like to see two staffer's representing a typical husband/wife, do this. How about Tom and one of the smaller staff?
 
chnlisle - great ideas, I'll try that next time. But I imagine that will help to get it initially closer, but you may still need to move it a 1/2" here or there.
 
I've had my Fleet for just over a year and removed it this weekend for the first time to do the gray water tank mod. Removing was easy, getting it back in the bed was easy, but fine tuning the position in the bed was difficult.

I watched the install onto my truck at FWC. They got it close, lowered it, and then two big dudes just shoved it around until it was centered. At 170 lbs and 60 years old, and my wife at about 120 lbs, I'm not quite able to do that. So, if you need to scoot the back 1 " to the left, or move the right side 1/2" forward, how do you do it? I managed to finally get it, but it took a while. What are your tricks? Also, does it need to sit in the bed perfectly straight and centered? I know that's ideal, but if you are off 1/2 inch can you declare victory? What is a reasonable tolerance?

I'd like to see an FWC video of the technique. They install a number of campers each week, I'd like to see two staffer's representing a typical husband/wife, do this. How about Tom and one of the smaller staff?



I get mine as close as possible and call it good. One thing I can do by my self is when lowering the camper getting it close to touching the floor of the truckbed, I can make it sway just a bit on the back end as one corner settles onto the truckbed. this seems to allow it to settle on center. But, as I said, I really don't think it has to be perfectly straight. It seems it finds it's own sweet spot while travelling the rougher roads anyway. Hope this helps.


Good Camping,
Paul
 
I've found it difficult to install the camper. Tom gave me one tip - If you are properly aligned, you will see only the front jack in your side mirrors. It will block out the rear jack.

I've thought about building the right-angle wedges to go in each corner of the bed to help guide the camper down into position. I'm curious if anyone has tried this and if it helps.

The worst part of the install for me is the turnbuckles.
 
How about using a long 2"x4" as leverage? Couldn't you wedge it between the camper and the bed somehow to make minor left/right adjustments?
 
Dang when the board was rebooted it lost me post.


In short, when lowering the jacks the camper position moves in relation to the truck some. Use that to your benefit (within reason) when making the last movements to put the camper in contact with the truck bed. After that the friction will hold it in place. So you can get the camper to move forward 1/2" by dropping the front down first for instance.
 
Lots of good info here. When I got my Finch a couple weeks ago the previous owner and I set the camper just about down on the bed and nudged it to the right spot. I would like to get up to FWC and have them look at the rubber mats between the brackets. Maybe have them do a 2nd battery install too if I don't get it done prior.
 
Phird05 has the best method and what I used to do when installing my old 2500 pound Lance in the bed of my Chev 2500 crew cab with the 8 foot bed "back in the day".

When backing the truck under the camper you need "wiggle-room" so the two don't bind in the process. The 1/2 to 1 inch side-to-side play is enough room to accomplish that. The crucial part is to get the front of the camper as close to the cab and square on both ends of the front. Then lower the camper until it just brushes the bed floor. ... Push gently side ways (and or front) then lower the front first keep it from moving. Lower the rear last. Tighten turnbuckles.

Espresso's comment about the inside bed "turnbuckles" is true especially as you get older. If my shell wasn't permanently mounted on my Tacoma I would purchase the 'Torq-lift' tie down system as it is a lot easier to connect. I don't think they would stick out far enough to catch tree limbs going down the average trail in the desert back country.
-Jim
 
For fine tuning, this is what I was told by the FWC guys that did my installation. If you need to fine tune in one direction or the other, raise the camper jack on the side the camper has to move to take the weight off of it. Push from the opposite side. Haven't had to try it yet, but it makes sense.
 
I did the turnbuckles one time and knew I needed another option. I had a total shoulder replacement and the passenger side front was almost impossible for me. I got the Torklift derringers and some J-bolts. It takes just a few minutes now. Easy!
 
Do torklift's come is a length that will fit inside the bed, i.e. replace the turnbuckles? Or do they have to mount on the exterior of the bed?
 
http://www.torklift.com/x.php?w_page=derringer_fastgun

They are small enough to fit inside. On the back I use the carabiner and the Derringer with a J bolt attached. On the front I still use the turnbuckle as an extension for the derringer but I don't have to tighten it down. Only a quick turn or two for an adjustment. I think two carabiners on the camper and the Jbolt would work for the front but that is a project for another day.
 
We use a 2 x 4. Our old fleet sits on a 2 1/4 inch bed. So very easy to put a 2 x 4 under and move the camper.
Keeping the turnbuckles tight is another problem

robbie
 
I have an older FWC Ranger II with wings....much tougher to locate as I only have 3/8" on either side to work with. I get everything as close as possible and fine tune by moving the truck with floor jacks. Takes me about 20 minutes by myself.

CWD
 
Any videos at all of the loading-unloading process? Would help noobs like me a lot.

We live in SF and are wondering if we can simply live with one truck that does duty as commuter on weekdays and put on the camper over the weekend. How long does it take you guys to load and unload? Can you do it by yourself without a spotter? Also, would a rear-view video camera not help big time with the backing up process?
 
I don't have a video yet, maybe on my next load but I do remove the camper when I get home. I'm new to this and have only done it twice so far. I picked up the camper in early May so I would consider myself as a newbie. I'll recite what a I do in hopes of helping someone out there. My truck is an F150 Supercrew. It is impossible to see the bed of the truck from the driver's seat (even with the seat folded back). In anticipation of getting the camper, I decided to rig a video camera to use during the loading process. As the truck came with a reverse camera in the tailgate, I got another harness from ford and used the connector to hook up the cheap video camera I got from amazon. Of course the tailgate gets removed along with the OEM camera. I then attach the cheap video camera and place it (with the long cord) in the middle of the bed. I have a tape marking the center of the bed and similar tape on the camper front edge. My goal is to back the truck aligning both tapes on the bed and the camper. As I back up and once I see that both tapes align, I get out to check that the truck is straight and parallel to the camper. I then move back about 1/3rd of the way and once again stop to check that clearance on both sides are equal. Once I'm satisfied it is, I back the rest of the way until I bump into the rubber bumper of the camper.
I've done this twice so far and seems to work fine. I'm sure there are other ideas on how to best load their camper. This process takes me about an 45 mins from start to finish. The loading process only takes 10 mins but I need to roll my camper out of the garage, jack it up, back the truck, lower and remove the jacks, and install the turn buckles.
Hope this helps and maybe on my next install, I'll get someone to film it. Thanks, Harv
 
Thanks Harv for the detailed write up. Very useful. A video would be fantastic. We are considering staying a 1-car household and being able to get the camper on and off easily is a pretty critical part of it the ownership experience. And we might even have to do it in the relative dark coz we have to put the camper in a storage place..
 
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