How flat for loading and unloading?
First of all, happy holidays! In a lot of respects, a TC would fit many of my needs. In some places I go, I will want to offload it, and there may not be tons of room to pull that off. How much lev...
Forum Discussion
Like Shellback, I used to unload nearly 100% of the time. For us it was largely having the low entry height for our big old dogs, but also to use the truck to explore. That was with our old truck and 8.5' camper. I unloaded that thing is some really stupid places where it was uneven dirt/grass etc. Sidetilts were the absolute worst. But it was a relatively small camper, and I always got away with it.
Our big truck and giant camper (or giant truck and big camper perhaps) is much more of a difficult load/unload. My jacks are not tall enough to lift it off the deck without big blocks underneath. The blocks work great, but as Mark pointed out, also requires a good level non-slip surface. But 40'? No way! I have a pad of concrete that is just a little longer than the TC is. Yes, the dirt/gravel in front has to be pretty level, but it doesn't have to be perfect.
I just unloaded mine again after the weekend (to take it in for service.) It was so windy I didn't think I could do it safely (another issue that can catch you off-guard if you take it off all the time.....sometimes I have to wait a few DAYS at my house to be able to put it back on!) I ended up getting the blocks set, the jacks down to contact, and then went on my way doing other stuff. In between wind and snow flurries, I got an opening for a brief time and took it off in pretty rapid fashion. I lift it up 3 or 4", then drop the air bags to give some more clearance, and pull out. Leave the end of the truck under the cab-over in case of emergency (might not do that with a sheet metal bed, but I'd still rather crush my bed than ME!) and lower it all the way to bottom.
1) sidehills are the worst
2) pull out need to be relatively flat (or rather the same tilt as where the TC is.)
3) The smaller the camper the less issue it is (if still talking 4 corner jacks anyway)
4) Feet need to be on solid surface.
Our big truck and giant camper (or giant truck and big camper perhaps) is much more of a difficult load/unload. My jacks are not tall enough to lift it off the deck without big blocks underneath. The blocks work great, but as Mark pointed out, also requires a good level non-slip surface. But 40'? No way! I have a pad of concrete that is just a little longer than the TC is. Yes, the dirt/gravel in front has to be pretty level, but it doesn't have to be perfect.
I just unloaded mine again after the weekend (to take it in for service.) It was so windy I didn't think I could do it safely (another issue that can catch you off-guard if you take it off all the time.....sometimes I have to wait a few DAYS at my house to be able to put it back on!) I ended up getting the blocks set, the jacks down to contact, and then went on my way doing other stuff. In between wind and snow flurries, I got an opening for a brief time and took it off in pretty rapid fashion. I lift it up 3 or 4", then drop the air bags to give some more clearance, and pull out. Leave the end of the truck under the cab-over in case of emergency (might not do that with a sheet metal bed, but I'd still rather crush my bed than ME!) and lower it all the way to bottom.
1) sidehills are the worst
2) pull out need to be relatively flat (or rather the same tilt as where the TC is.)
3) The smaller the camper the less issue it is (if still talking 4 corner jacks anyway)
4) Feet need to be on solid surface.
