I need to build a platform to raise up my camper to clear the cab of a new-to-me truck. Camper is older and originally for a smaller truck. Cabover is @40 inches. Need at least 44 inches. Looking for ideas to include additional storage. Anyone doing this? Any pictures available?Thanks! Did a search but coming up empty.

Keep in mind that the higher the camper sits off the actual bed, the higher the vertical Cg is and the more 'tippy' and cross wind prone the unit becomes.Depending on truck bed height and camper height you may also have vertical clearance issues too.

Four inches is a lot to compensate for. I had a similar problem, but I only needed 2". I used a 4'X 8' sheet of 2" closed cell foam insulation material, which had aluminum foil on the outside. I sprayed the foil with spray-on bed liner to give it more "grip." It worked well, but I am not sure I would recommend a 4" layer of the same. SidecarFlip has a good point in saying that raising the center of gravity and the overall height need to be carefully considered in whatever you do. In addition, you will need to consider the additional weight of whatever platform you create. Hope you find a reasonable and safe solution.

My new F350 needed 3/4" shim, so plywood did the trick. Will 3.5" work in your case? That's what standard 4x4 are. I would no use 2x4 for stability reson.

There are even more things to think about when you do this. Some older campers have a wider butt across the bottom at the back than modern tailgates will take.And another most important thing, will the jacks extend far enough to actually raise the camper off the platform safely? I had one like that, and had to run my jacks out to 35.5 inches to lift the camper off. My platform was made of rectangular aluminium welded together and all coated with Linux coating. If you build with plywood be careful as the bottom of campers is usually plywood too, and they are very slippy together. I added some braces so that the camper fit into a tight slot and could not slip.Likely one of the best ways to accomplish what you need would be to add the lifts to the bottom of the camper rather than in the box. There really isn't much useful storage there.

I have used pallets. Give a few extra inch's.

Need to raise the camper to clear the cab | Good Sam Community

noteven
Explorer III
Jun 29, 2017
Grit dog wrote:
This is getting a little off topic already......
Need 4" platform, build a frame/joists with 2x4s and sheet with plywood.
Won't help you much with storage though unless you get real creative.

Make sure you have your design engineered 3 times and run by the rv dot net weight police, cg division... :)
Oregun
Nomad
Jun 29, 2017
Grit dog wrote:
This is getting a little off topic already......
Need 4" platform, build a frame/joists with 2x4s and sheet with plywood.
Won't help you much with storage though unless you get real creative.

Doing this worked for me plus I can rest one end of the platform on the bumper and the other end on the ground and it works as a ramp for my
rototiller. Just drive it up into the bed.
work2much
Explorer
Jun 29, 2017
We had this issue with a Bigfoot camper on our 94 Dodge. 2 bed matts with 1-1/8" plywood between between got us just enough Sounds like you need a lot more.
RichandLiz
Explorer
Jun 29, 2017
Thanks all for you thoughts thus for. I should have added this is a pop-up model and weighs under 1000 ibs. Figure if I am raising it, I would like to be able to get some paddles and stuff under it.

Was thinking about something like this
http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/stories/Mod_Contest/mod-raised-platform-1.jpghttp://www.truckcampermagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/stories/Mod_Contest/mod-raised-platform-1.jpg

Any other ideas?
WNYBob
Explorer
Jun 28, 2017
I had a TC that needed to be lifted also, but a 2x2 did the trick which I secured permanently to the bottom of the TC.

If you do add the 3.t to 4" I'd fasten it to the bottom also. You might make some drawer slides for extra storage.

Others have good points, but if you go with lifting TC, go for more storage!
Grit_dog
Navigator
Jun 28, 2017
This is getting a little off topic already......
Need 4" platform, build a frame/joists with 2x4s and sheet with plywood.
Won't help you much with storage though unless you get real creative.
Oasisbob
Explorer
Jun 28, 2017
I have used pallets. Give a few extra inch's.
Artum_Snowbird
Explorer
Jun 28, 2017
There are even more things to think about when you do this. Some older campers have a wider butt across the bottom at the back than modern tailgates will take.

And another most important thing, will the jacks extend far enough to actually raise the camper off the platform safely?

I had one like that, and had to run my jacks out to 35.5 inches to lift the camper off.

My platform was made of rectangular aluminium welded together and all coated with Linux coating. If you build with plywood be careful as the bottom of campers is usually plywood too, and they are very slippy together. I added some braces so that the camper fit into a tight slot and could not slip.

Likely one of the best ways to accomplish what you need would be to add the lifts to the bottom of the camper rather than in the box.

There really isn't much useful storage there.
Kayteg1
Explorer II
Jun 28, 2017
My new F350 needed 3/4" shim, so plywood did the trick.
Will 3.5" work in your case? That's what standard 4x4 are.
I would no use 2x4 for stability reson.
punomatic
Explorer
Jun 28, 2017
Four inches is a lot to compensate for. I had a similar problem, but I only needed 2". I used a 4'X 8' sheet of 2" closed cell foam insulation material, which had aluminum foil on the outside. I sprayed the foil with spray-on bed liner to give it more "grip." It worked well, but I am not sure I would recommend a 4" layer of the same.

SidecarFlip has a good point in saying that raising the center of gravity and the overall height need to be carefully considered in whatever you do. In addition, you will need to consider the additional weight of whatever platform you create. Hope you find a reasonable and safe solution.