Has anyone installed backing plates on their Bigfoot jacks? I can see that the tiedown points have backing plates but I don't think that the jacks have them. It looks like the jacks are screwed into the camper and mine keep loosening up. This does not look like an easy mod but I sure would sleep better knowing that my jacks are bolted down and not screw into fiberglass. Anyone retrofitted their jack mounts to the camper?

I have never looked for a backing plate on my 1988 Bigfoot. I do not know if they used backing plates. Actually I replaced my jacks with a Stable Lift. I did leave my factory mounting plates in place. On my Bigfoot, it would major task to get to a backing plate in the rear where the shower is. The other three not so bad.You should be able to look at the threads on the screws to see if a wood or metal backing plate is used. While it is possible they used no backing plate, I bet they did. The fiberglass at the corners is the thickest, maybe 3/16 to 1/4-inch thick. I question it would hold a screw for the jacks. On my Bigfoot, the mounting plate wraps under the front corners, with screws under and up the front of the plate. Hard for me to imagine them coming loose. The rears do not wrap.When you say your screws "keep loosening up", is it all of them or only a couple? Photos might help.Wayne

A backing plate would imply that there was a nut somewhere. I was always thinking that they were lag bolted on into the framing. Are they heald on with real bolts or lag screws?

Yes, the screws are just lagged into the fiberglass/framing. They are the type with that take a square bit to tighten and have fairly large threads to grip the wood. They are pretty much stripped out and always loosen after going down the road. I have tried to fill the holes with Gorilla Glue but they still back out after a while. The rear mounts look fine and I probably wont mess with those but the fronts need something done. I have the Dually swing out brackets and it is nerve racking when it is up in the air. It is mainly the bottom screws on the wrap around plates that work loose. Maybe I could just put a backing plate on the bottom with some bolts and leave the tops alone.

If it were me, I'd probably do a couple of things. 1) Remove the brackets completely. Over drill the loose/stipped out holes large enough to glue in some dowels. Start new pilot hole for a tight as new grip.2) Drill a couple extra holes in the metal brackets where space allows and add a couple extra lags into fresh framing extra peace of mind.

I would also use some Sikaflex or 3M 4200 adhesive to help bond the brackets to the fiberglass.

Camper Jack Backing Plates for Bigfoot | Good Sam Community

11 Replies

Reddog1
Explorer II
May 17, 2013
I have never looked for a backing plate on my 1988 Bigfoot. I do not know if they used backing plates. Actually I replaced my jacks with a Stable Lift. I did leave my factory mounting plates in place. On my Bigfoot, it would major task to get to a backing plate in the rear where the shower is. The other three not so bad.

You should be able to look at the threads on the screws to see if a wood or metal backing plate is used. While it is possible they used no backing plate, I bet they did. The fiberglass at the corners is the thickest, maybe 3/16 to 1/4-inch thick. I question it would hold a screw for the jacks.

On my Bigfoot, the mounting plate wraps under the front corners, with screws under and up the front of the plate. Hard for me to imagine them coming loose. The rears do not wrap.

When you say your screws "keep loosening up", is it all of them or only a couple? Photos might help.

Wayne

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Camper Jack Backing Plates for Bigfoot

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