Loading and unloading without jacks stands

[John D]

Huckfin, Your sketch idea will work well. You do not need a come-a-long. Here is a little secret for loading heavy objects on and off your truck. Use gravity. Load the camper down hill. Once you have it safely on the truck, pull to a place where the truck bed is tilted down hill and you can easily slide the camper on where you wish. The same goes for unloading. Unload your camper down hill if you are sliding it. You can jack up the front wheels of the truck and slide the camper right off. Ramps? I'm not suggesting you actually do that.

This an exaggeration to make a point to always use gravity as your friend and avoid fighting it. It is the same thing as when you get your truck stuck. Experienced off roaders know to use the tow strap down hill, if practical. Gravity is surprisingly powerful. Novices will observe how smart you are, or how strong you are, when all you are actually doing is using gravity as your friend. John D

 

[CamperCarl]

Back in my younger days I owned a number of Jeeps with hard tops. To remove the hardtops I used a come a long attached to an overhead frame. This would hook on the tops with J clips and then would lift the top right off. I used it inside a garage using the rafters as the lift point, that clearly would not work for a camper. A heavier duty system might work for a camper using a frame that matches up to the jack brackets on the camper. Lift up and drive out.

Just a thought.

I saw an arrangement in the FWC factory where one of the workers' sons used lift cables from the roof to remove his camper.

 

[robbie]

I did not read all the posts. We have a set of two ratchet jacks on a tripod made just for lifting our camper off.
Put one on each side of the camper at the centre point and takes about 10 minutes and the camper is lifted, truck is moved and camper lowered onto blocks.

Just the reverse to load the camper.

I bought the jacks somewhere in the states and had them shipped to us in Northern Canada.

We have the Brophy jacks. https://www.google.ca/search?q=tripod+camper+jacks&biw=1366&bih=643&tbm=isch&imgil=R6uLP9KO_aTivM%253A%253Bi8_zXriRu7h6uM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.crbrophy.com%25252Fcoupjack.html&source=iu&pf=m&fir=R6uLP9KO_aTivM%253A%252Ci8_zXriRu7h6uM%252C_&usg=__6f-wFNZIAHubhd-O0pH-07oayoM%3D&ved=0CD8Qyjc&ei=UtTDVMbVFsKANrKWgegK#imgdii=_&imgrc=R6uLP9KO_aTivM%253A%3Bi8_zXriRu7h6uM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.crbrophy.com%252Fimage%252Fcxhdlrg.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.crbrophy.com%252Fcoupjack.html%3B349%3B520

Cable camper jacks

robbie

 

[cdbrow1]

Back in my younger days I owned a number of Jeeps with hard tops. To remove the hardtops I used a come a long attached to an overhead frame. This would hook on the tops with J clips and then would lift the top right off. I used it inside a garage using the rafters as the lift point, that clearly would not work for a camper. A heavier duty system might work for a camper using a frame that matches up to the jack brackets on the camper. Lift up and drive out.

Just a thought.

I saw an arrangement in the FWC factory where one of the workers' sons used lift cables from the roof to remove his camper.

From a frame stress angle this is probably the best way to do it. The jack brackets don't know the difference between a pushing and pulling force as long as it is aligned correctly.

 

[Dusty Roads]

I looked at this on their web site. Couldn't find a price, so I called. The person on the phone said they were still working on the price, but thought it would be around $4,500.00. I can get jacks for a 1/4 of that, or even a stable lift for 1/2 the $.

 

[resto]

I have just started a build thread over on expedition portal www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/133714-4WheelResto I was planning to post how I load and remove my camper. I think the system I use is excellent!!!. I haven't had a chance to take the pics and/or video yet but will add at this thread as well when I do.
I could search it, but could someone tell me how much corner jacks and their brackets weigh and how much a good, new, set costs.

 

[resto]

www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/137714-4WheelResto Sorry, this should work better.

 

[newtofwc]

My crazy idea:
Attach a thin sheet of PTFE (aka, "Teflon") to the bottom of the camper and another thin sheet on the bed of the pickup.
The coefficient of friction of PTFE to PTFE is 0.04... So if the camper weighed 1000 lb then it would only take 40 lb of pull or push to get it moving.
...

Since we're just kicking things around I thought I'd add my bit. I don't know how far you got with this idea over the past year; but here is a system that I imagined. The practicality of operation and manufacturing it is a whole other issue...

It would seem that it would require many tracks to withstand the weight being squeezed down onto it...

 

[strux]

www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/137714-4WheelResto Sorry, this should work better.

Hey Resto,

Did you ever post about your loading/unloading method? I went through your 4WheelResto post (which was amazing btw), but didn't see anything about the loading process. Maybe I just overlooked it.

Cheers!

 

[resto]

OK Strux, I will get some pictures and post this week. I know everyone is looking for a lifting device that uses things like some wood, some rope, and lots of ingenuity, and thus inexpensive. Sadly my lift idea is not cheap. But hear is part of my lift that is an improvement on the commonly found cable lifts like the ones I got when I purchased my build (right side of photo).






I almost had my camper slide off of these, somewhat unstable, lifts. So that the lift "grabs" onto the camper I fastened some strips of wood that forms a channel that the bottom edge molding (on the camper) fits into.
This greatly decreased the chances of the lift sliding out sideways allowing the camper to fall between the lifts.

Lift attachment from cable lifts (which I use on my lift:







Channel formed for bottom edge of camper to fit into.





I will try to get some pictures of my lift posted soon. Resto

 

[DavidGraves]

My crazy idea:
Attach a thin sheet of PTFE (aka, "Teflon") to the bottom of the camper and another thin sheet on the bed of the pickup.
The coefficient of friction of PTFE to PTFE is 0.04... So if the camper weighed 1000 lb then it would only take 40 lb of pull or push to get it moving.
So, you position your height-adjustable dollie -- the top of which is covered with rollers or something like that (maybe more PTFE?) -- right up against the back of the truck bed (maybe with some kind of clamps to make sure it doesn't move during transfer), and then the nearest 10-year-old (no need for four good men) could apply enough force to push or pull the camper to or from dollie and truck bed.

OK, now that I've disclosed this idea publicly, that prevents anyone else from patenting it.

Of course, with such low friction between camper and truck-bed you'd really need to make sure your turnbuckles/whatever were very tight and secure.

Which gives me another idea: To unload the PTFE-equipped rig, drive the front wheels of the truck up on small ramps, position the height-adjustable dollie at the back of the bed, detach the securing turnbuckles, and the camper slides effortlessly (no need for a 10-year-old) from the bed onto your dollie. To load the camper, push the dollie-camper combo up to the back of the truck, tilt your tiltable dollie towards the bed, and the camper slides smoothly into place.
Secure turnbuckes tightly.

IF you need some slippery material, Home Depot throws several away most any day....they are large black slippery sheets about 48 " square used under pallets of new stock....they probably recycle some of them but I often see them thrown away in the building materials area.

They may come from different suppliers of heavy pallet deliver stuff.

DavidGraves

 

[resto]

The core of my lift is the MaxJax hydraulic car lift made by Danmar. It cost me $2000 a few years ago.

I know, I know... toooooo much money!


Hear me out, it might still be a good idea for a some of you.
At the time I bought the lift I didn't even own a FWC. I bought it so I could on the cars in our family: my wife's, my 3 children's (late teens), and my own. I was embarrassed at the time to be spending so much money on a lift as my mechanical skills are limited to things like changing oil, brake jobs, and "bolt on exhaust work." I am not embarrassed about it anymore as I feel it has easily paid for itself. So if you work on cars I would suggest this may be the way to go - it was for me.

Why did I choose this lift?

From floor to ceiling my garage height is only 99" (8' 3"). I could only lift the cars approximately 4' before they would hit the roof. But 4" works out perfect for brake and shock work, and by using a stool I can sit and drain oil or other work below the car. I wanted a "two post" lift and this MaxJax was the only one I could find that fit the bill - all others were too big and lifted too high. And while I think $1500 a is more appropriate price point for this lift I didn't have choice.

It is portable (can be moved) but I have setup mine in a more permanent way.








This is not my garage but the dimension would be similar.





To attach to camper I use only one arm of the lift from each side. Attached to the arm is my modified piece I mentioned in this thread.







So here is my unloading procedure:

1. Back in until marks painted on concrete floor align with tire
2. Remove camper turnbuckles
3. Remove standard pads from lift arm and replace with my camper attachment
4. Lift arms to correct height and place under bottom edge of camper
5. Lift camper off truck bed
6. Move truck outside (from under camper)
7. Place dolly under camper and lower onto dolly
8. Move camper on dolly through double doors into heated, "finished" basement
9. Lift camper roof and dry out as required

This only takes a few minutes and is very safe. Loading is the reverse and takes a similar amount of time.

 

[resto]

Here are some additional pictures to help understand the setup.

This shows how close it is fitting under garage doorway.




This shows my dolly. Note: never use the tires (pneumatic) shown in the picture as they are awful for maneuvering. I switched to proper tires/wheels after using these once.



In the picture above there is a double door in the background. I can fit my camper through these doors and into the heated basement. I have less than 1/4" clearance on the sides.



Again, as a camper lift it's super expensive. But if you also work on cars, I think and have a low ceiling it's the only way to go.

 

[oldebondo]

I read thru this entire thread and didn't notice that anybody suggested or tried this: max your airbags out > back into your storage stall (or over your u-shaped dolly) & attach legs > let the airbags down > drive truck out.

Comments?

I need to come up with something smart, cheap and easily constructed. I haven't come upon anything yet.

 

[hpcbmw]

I don't have much input about loading or unloading, but once off the truck, I lower my camper jacks to put the camper onto my motorcycle trailer. I remove the ramps and put a piece of plywood over the metal frame and the camper sits very comfortably on the trailer. I can then move the camper around behind my car or even my quad. This works for me, since I already had the moto trailer. When the campers on the truck, I use the trailer to haul bikes, when the campers on the trailer, I have the truck bed to haul bikes.

 

[oldebondo]

I read thru this entire thread and didn't notice that anybody suggested or tried this: max your airbags out > back into your storage stall (or over your u-shaped dolly) & attach legs > let the airbags down > drive truck out.

Comments?

I need to come up with something smart, cheap and easily constructed. I haven't come upon anything yet.

I measured the height difference between "bags empty" and "bags full". The difference is about 4" at the rear of the camper and about 2" at the front of the camper. (The difference is due to the pivoting effect about the front wheels.) My gut feel is that this doesn't quite give enough margin to get the camper off. I'd still like to know if anyone has even attempted this.

 

[hebegebe]

I use my airbags to help loading by centering camper in bed then inflating bags to 90/100# to take off load without shifting the camper in truck box. I usually need to lower front jacks a couple more inches to free them up. Reverse procedure to unload. I store my hawk on custom sawhorses which are about 11/2" higher than my truck bed w/ no air in the bags. I think one would need a 4 link rear suspension with taller bags to make a full clearance lift


Sent from my iPhone using Wander The West

 

[rando]

I measured the height difference between "bags empty" and "bags full". The difference is about 4" at the rear of the camper and about 2" at the front of the camper. (The difference is due to the pivoting effect about the front wheels.) My gut feel is that this doesn't quite give enough margin to get the camper off. I'd still like to know if anyone has even attempted this.

You could get a couple more inches by over inflating/deflating the tires - I have to do this to get my land cruiser through the garage door. Dropping the tires from 45PSI to 15 PSI drops the back by almost 2". I don't plan on removing my camper, but if I have to, I will certainly try this method.