jack brackets

[thisoldcamper]

I've ordered 4 Rieco-Titan tripod jacks because the 2 winch type balancing, scary-assed jacks get even worse when I have to put them up on blocks to raise the camper high enough to get it on my truck.

My question is - do you guys mount the Rieco brackets permanently to the camper or do you mount them just when you take the camper on and off? I was thinking that while it might be a pain to take them on and off, it might be a bigger pain to snag them while walking past or hitting my noggin on them.

 

[Buckwheat]

Leave them on. Now you will have drilled holes in the camper to mount the jack brackets so there is a new entry point for water.
I mounted mine and sealed them, I also made backing plates for the brackets.

 

[Rusty]

mine (on the NCO) are mounted permanently to the bottom...2.75" out to the face of the bracket from the edge of the lower section......if you haven't bought them yet...the lighter duty jacks are fine.....and the brackets have a 6" gusset welded full length....that will put 3" welded gusset under the bottom section. They have leg loops as well for storage while driving....mount the loops so you will be screwing the jacks into the loops when you travel.

By removing one of the bolts on the face of the jack...(inside bolts)....you can rotate the jacks up and screw the leg into the loop. If you take a close look at my avatar...the jacks are in the up position....you hardly notice them.

when you mount them...make sure you apply a liberal amount of sealant to the face of the bracket which mounts against the bottom section....water will accumulate along the seam of the bracket to the lower section and wick it's way into the holes and right into the plywood. ask me how I know this....ugh

when you insert the bolts....apply sealant to the bolts and fill the holes with sealant as well.

I'm getting ready to install a set of THD's on the new to me cab over and I'll be installing backing plates on the interior side also...it is after all...only 1/2" ply......I'm using 1/8" SS sheet with carriage bolts and the SS sheeting filed out to accept the square of the carriage bolt...that way you have a smooth bolt head side to the interior.

I'm using Tremco "Mono 555" as a sealant/adhesive.....I know this material from many years past and it's tougher that polyurethane adhesive and will...PERMANENTLY....bond to all surfaces it touches.....you will get one shot at this....it will tear the aluminum off if you try and remove it....but it's a commercial storefront glazing compound....applied by tube....I've had to cut out broken glass with a knife to re-glaze sections....This is one tough sealant/adhesive. I thought they had stopped making it because of the dramatic vOC's but it's still around....set the tubes in the sun (warm them) to tube it easier. It has a pretty nasty smell so leave it to cure then air out the camper....maybe a week to completely cure....very tough stuff

 

[Ripperj]

I agonized over a way to avoid mounting those brackets on my new lower section, but I'm running out of time to do anything fancy.
I don't really like how they look, how they hang down and as stated above, I know I will bleed from them.

On the plus side you can hook your tie downs to the fronts and the backs if you are careful, and they are simple and available


I will probably just install them and be done with it.
Mine will bbe permanently mounted.

 

[Rusty]

Ripperj.....drill the holes....don't look back......

but definitely put some kind of backing plate on them...I had some nice SS so it got put to good use...mild steel would work just as well

tie downs work nicely...the standard Rieco brackets have 15/16 holes...very nice for tie downs...the thd's only have 5/8 holes which I'm re-drilling to 15/16

go to my gallery and take a look at my avatar closely...the jacks swing up nicely in line with the bottom of the camper....you hardly notice them....

http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/gallery/image/11264-ready-to-rock-and-roll/

 

[thisoldcamper]

Thanks for your replies and we seem to have a consensus... now all I have to do is wait for the jacks to arrive. I'm looking forward to getting my camper back on the truck - I wasn't looking forward to teetering on the edge of death with those cable winch demons.

By the way, if anybody needs a pair of vintage tripod truck camper jacks, I'll have a set available for purchase at a very reasonable price soon.
Bob

 

[thisoldcamper]

I noticed this thread today and it addresses brackets:
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/8495-jack-brackets-repurposed/
Some good ideas.

 

[Rusty]

necessity is the mother of invention.....

most of the jacks noted are the vertical corner jacks...but with extra holes in the Rieco brackets...the world is your oyster

Periodically I make a pilgrimage to Flaming Gorge in Utah and Wyoming to fish for the famous Kokanee there....unfortunately there is a significant wind factor which enters the picture now and then....enough to break trees at the trunk....ugh

one year I took a caravan canopy with me...steel frame, ground mounted....anchored it with catsclaw's on the outside...designed for tieing aircraft down in high wind areas...and tied one side to the camper brackets...securely ....bets were made, wind did blow....I won the beer

I had to lower the overhead vent that night for fear it would be torn off...but the canopy remained in the morning...anchored to the rieco brackets....lots of uses

I leave my jacks on...all the time...when you're camping and you want to stop the truck suspension moving side to side....lower the two rear jacks to the ground and position them in the center of a couple of those lego block risers....tighten things up and you're good to go...stable as can be

 

[thisoldcamper]

Well, I finally got my RiecoTitan jacks and my camper is now back on the truck. Before I mounted the brackets, I took a grinder and rounded off the two sharp corners and painted them white. I got the set of 4 from http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-jacks/truck-camper-jacks for $474 and it was worth every penny. I also got the drill adaptor which made things go a little quicker.
And I'm leaving the brackets on full time but not the jacks. It gives me a place to attach bungees to hold the cover and it's a great place to stick a reflector. Thanks for your input and advise.