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Oasisbob's avatar
Oasisbob
Explorer
Aug 30, 2017

OFF TRUCK FLOOR SUPPORT?

Our SIX PAC camper weight is probley under a ton. I understand the need for floor support while off truck. I noticed in a recent post someone mentioned using saw horses. Is that really enough? I built a box using 2X4's. It should hold the entire camper weight right? Does anyone have rollers on their base support?
  • Storing at home, I use concrete house blocks, 2x high, with 4x4 pine on top. One set at the back, one at the skirt transition, another at the front.
    Bigfoot has a sketch in their owners manual.
    I couldn't trust sawhorses.
  • There is huge difference how to handle less than 1000 lb camper and how to handle >6000lb camper.
    Big camper usually have very strong rear bumper, who work well in supporting the floor, while on front -fresh water tank is pulling the floor down when on jacks.
    I used to have 4x6, that I lately replaced with aluminium beam that I put under front wall of the camper. Easy to carry and adds a lot to stabilization.
    I adjust the jack to spread the weight between them and additional support.
    This way the camper sides keep the horizontal level without sagging this way, or the other.
  • Depends on the camper.

    You can sometimes get an idea of what's necessary by looking at the floor structure of your camper. On mine, the floor is a single layer of OSB/chipboard, with what look like metal fence posts running width-wise about every 12".

    In my case, I'd be a little leary of walking on that floor unsupported. Two sawhorses would not work, as arranged width-wise, they would just punch up through the OSB or only support one cross member each depending on where you put them. Arranged length-wise, they would only support about 1/3 of the cross members.

    In my case I use two 8' 4x4 timbers laid across the sawhorses to support the floor when I'm storing the camper. This has the added benefit of being a backup to the jacks in case one fails.
  • A couple of strong saw horses with a sheet of 3/4" plywood.
    Two stacks of pallets.
    Four 55-gallon drums with a sheet of plywood.

    Bill
  • Some campers, Lance comes to mind that are self supporting (strong floor construction) and can be used off truck. Others aren't.

    I store mine in the off season in the barn on the jacks with no issue and nothing underneath the floor.
  • I use 2 saw horses and the four jacks that are on the camper. I also screwed down two 4ft 2x6's across the tops of the saw horses.
    I try and drop the camper onto the saw horses and jacks evenly, not sure how good my eyes are at doing that but a try.
    Half the time the camper is just sitting on the camper jackets and that's it,
    Soup.