Storing Hawk on a Trailer

[Dphillip]

We are taking delivery of our Hawk in about two weeks and my storage plan is to lower the Hawk onto a 4X8 foot utility trailer and then back the trailer into the garage. The utility trailer does have side rails and the width between the rails is 49.5 inches. Will the Hawk fit between the side rails or will I need to construct a platform to sit the camper on top of the side rails? Simply, does someone have the external width measurement of a Hawk floor?

Thank you in advance.
Don
Omaha

 

[snuffy]

If you want the camper to sit all the way to the front, you may have to put a platform under it. on my Hawk, the last 20in. is 54in. wide

 

[Bill D]

I just put my Hawk on a 4x8' trailer with sides and backed it into my garage.

The rear end of the camper is way too wide. As Snuffy mentioned.

I left the last 20" hanging off the end of the trailer, which of course left the rear end of the trailer very heavy compared to the front. When I backed into the garage I kept the four camper jacks relatively low, and I also secured the front of the Hawk down with heavy ratchet straps to the front of the trailer.

Once I spotted the trailer I extended the camper jacks to take the camper weight, before releasing the trailer hitch. You will likely have to do this due to the negative tongue weight, the ball won't release. You will also want to do this because the entire camper will come crashing down on its ass and buck up and the trailer hitch will likely end up shooting forward and damaging your truck.

Bottom line... It will work on a 4x8 trailer, but you will have negative tongue weight. Make sure you are attached to the trailer hitch when you load and offload/spot the camper and have your camper jacks nice and low to provide a safety.

Now because I wanted to enter and exit the camper while storesd in the garage, I supported the last 20" with 2X6 boards and then lowered the camper a bit for the boards to take some weight. It's now sitting solid and very usable. The trailer, jacks and 2x6s are all sharing the load.

 

[Dphillip]

So she's wider in the rear, didn't know that.

Good information, thank you so much for the safety tips.

 

[longhorn1]

Have you considered building a 4' x 8' dolly? There probably are posts on WTW. I found a great post on RV.com, truck campers. Some 2x12's for the frame, with 2x12 cross bracing. You can screw the cross bracing into the side frame or use the metal brackets. Then get your self dolly wheels that can take the weight. Level drive way and things like that are important to consider. In the end I store mine on 3/4" cross braces with a full sheet of 3/4 plywood on top. I have the jacks extend to pads. I keep the camper covered all winter.

 

[Dphillip]

We have considered building a custom dolly dedicated for the camper but our driveway does have a slope which might make it near impossible to roll it into the garage. I even thought about rigging up some type of pulley system using the winch on my Jeep to pull the dolly and camper into the garage. It seems using the utility trailer might be the best bet.

 

[billharr]

We have considered building a custom dolly dedicated for the camper but our driveway does have a slope which might make it near impossible to roll it into the garage. I even thought about rigging up some type of pulley system using the winch on my Jeep to pull the dolly and camper into the garage. It seems using the utility trailer might be the best bet.

Some where on the site is a picture of someone with the same problem of a sloped driveway. He made a set of ramps out of 2 "U" channels with a block under the end away from the garage. He lowered the camper on to his dolly that set on the channels. Rolled it into the garage and removed the ramps. Did it in reverse to load the camper.


EDIT:
Found it.

 

[Dphillip]

Bill, that is pure genius!

Thanks so much for finding that picture. This feat of engeering might be in my future?

 

[ckent323]

I have a sloped driveway and I do not like backing the truck under my camper. The process is slow and the risk of pushing over the camper is very real.

Has anyone built a lift mechanism on a dolly that allows the camper to be rolled into place on the truck bed (or taken off the bed) eliminating the need to back the truck under the camper?

I have sketched out a concept for a frame that raises and lowers (think of a fork lift or a home car lift) that is attached to a dolly that will roll up to the truck and straddle the truck bed but I need to think more about the shear loads before actually constructing it.

 

[hpcbmw]

I have a small three rail dirt bike motorcycle trailer I bought used for about $500. I take off the rails when not using it for motorcycles and put a sheet of plywood on it (I think I cut it to 4x6).

When I take the camper off the truck, I drive the truck out, then roll the moto trailer under the camper, then lower the camper onto the trailer. I've marked the COG on the camper, so I know that I can put the COG just in front of the moto trailer axle. This gives me a tongue weight I can lift by hand, and keeps the trailer from tipping over backward. I then hook the trailer to my honda accord trailer hitch and back it into my driveway. It works GREAT! I use a dirt bike stand under the rear of the trailer, but you can also use a 4x4 or similar wood block. Then I crank up the front of the trailer until it's tight against the block/stand under the rear of the trailer. This makes it very steady and solid, so you can pop the top, get in and out, work on the camper or use it to sleep in.

I already had the moto trailer, but it works perfect for my needs. It's an option worth looking into, since you can buy them used for a few hundred bucks. Just make sure the rails are easy to remove.

 

[broncotime]

would this not work? no rails...

 

[longhorn1]

would this not work? no rails...

Not sure you can lower your camper that low. There was a write up about problems with the Harbor Freight trailer not taking the weight that they state. I would make my own out of 2 X 12 frame and cross members, with 3/4" plywood top. There have been several posts including on RV.net about home made trailers. I use the cross 3/4" plywood "X's" with 3/4" 4' x 8' sheet of plywood on top.