Using a cabover camper off the truck???

[Hoss 350]

I have a 9.5 foot lance camper with electric jacks that I was hoping to use this weekend off of the truck. I have read in a lot of places about folks doing this, and was wondering if any of you have had any experience with this.

I'm thinking that I will put two 4x6's on jack stands at the front of the basement and towards the rear, then lower it all the way down (as close to full retract as I can get) so that some of the weight is on the jacks and some is on the 4x6s.

I have read that the jacks are pretty capable of supporting load, but that the lateral movements of folks moving around, rolling over in the cabover, etc can cause the jacks to wiggle back and forth, weakening them over the years. I figure my 4x6 braces on two jack stand apiece should handle the lateral movement pretty well, while giving the floor some support, too. The jacks will bear load and provide stability at the corners.

Any advice or experience would be apreciated. And no, I'm not worried about it tipping forward with me and the wife in the cabover. I've done the math, and figured that in the worst case scenario (that being BOTH of us crammed intot he last inch of the cab over) that we would only provide about 1/3 of the weight needed to tip it. That doesn't include the folks in the back bed stabilizing it and the weight of water in the tanks, etc.

 

[JLDickmon]

I have a buddy that ratchet-straps one onto a flatbed trailer and camps out of it..

 

[jvencius]

Any advice or experience would be apreciated. And no, I'm not worried about it tipping forward with me and the wife in the cabover. I've done the math, and figured that in the worst case scenario (that being BOTH of us crammed intot he last inch of the cab over) that we would only provide about 1/3 of the weight needed to tip it.

Did you account for the dynamic loads of "activities" between you and Mrs. Hoss in the cabover?

 

[Crumm]

I have spent several nights in mine off the truck and it worked just fine without any support other than the jacks. By putting some of the weight on jackstands I am sure you will not have any trouble at all. The trouble that you normally hear about is when people wiggle things around with the camper up in the air. Lower it down and it will be fine.