DIY Stable Lift install... god help us.
Just started the whole installation process today. Needless to say, after 6 hours, seems like we got basically nothing done. We'll see what tomorrow brings.
Forum Discussion
Wagonqueen, my neighbor called and described it this way.
Of course you probably already know the Stablelift is installed to the camper's center of gravity (COG). Your camper's COG may well be different from the manufacturer provided COG, due to your cargo, holding tanks, propane, etc.
He recommends finding your personal COG this way.
1. Load up the camper the way you would normally have it when you want to use the Stablelift, e.g. amount of fresh water, fridge filled, grey/black tanks how you'd have them, propane, clothing, beer, etc.
2. Once loaded as you would be when you take it on and off, use the following method to determine COG.
3. Lift the camper with the corner jacks. Place two automotive jack stands (the type with a cradle that normally fits a vehicle's axle) and place a proper diameter pipe in the two cradles provided by the jacks, from left to right, under the camper near the expected COG.
4. Lower the camper onto the pipe, which is now a fulcrum, allowing the camper to tip either forward or backward when it contacts the fulcrum.
5. Raise the camper back off the fulcrum. If it tipped forward, slide the jack/pipe assembly forward a couple of inches. If it tipped backward, slide it backward. Try again.
6. Keep doing this until you fine tune it to "close enough". If you get it to balance perfectly on the pipe, please call me. I'd like to arrange for you to buy me a lottery ticket!
7. Now that you have found your camper's "personal COG" you can rest confident that you are placing the Stablelift correctly.
Good Luck! You got this! You rebuilt a vintage camper after all ;)
Of course you probably already know the Stablelift is installed to the camper's center of gravity (COG). Your camper's COG may well be different from the manufacturer provided COG, due to your cargo, holding tanks, propane, etc.
He recommends finding your personal COG this way.
1. Load up the camper the way you would normally have it when you want to use the Stablelift, e.g. amount of fresh water, fridge filled, grey/black tanks how you'd have them, propane, clothing, beer, etc.
2. Once loaded as you would be when you take it on and off, use the following method to determine COG.
3. Lift the camper with the corner jacks. Place two automotive jack stands (the type with a cradle that normally fits a vehicle's axle) and place a proper diameter pipe in the two cradles provided by the jacks, from left to right, under the camper near the expected COG.
4. Lower the camper onto the pipe, which is now a fulcrum, allowing the camper to tip either forward or backward when it contacts the fulcrum.
5. Raise the camper back off the fulcrum. If it tipped forward, slide the jack/pipe assembly forward a couple of inches. If it tipped backward, slide it backward. Try again.
6. Keep doing this until you fine tune it to "close enough". If you get it to balance perfectly on the pipe, please call me. I'd like to arrange for you to buy me a lottery ticket!
7. Now that you have found your camper's "personal COG" you can rest confident that you are placing the Stablelift correctly.
Good Luck! You got this! You rebuilt a vintage camper after all ;)
