OUCH!... I hate when that happens (:

I saw this trick used by a fellow AF owner, I haven't made the set up for my truck yet. Most PU's have openings or pockets where you would insert stake's when you add sideboards to the PU box. If there 2" square make a square plywood block about 1" deep that fits that opening, make two. Then make two 3" plywood square's from 1/4" plywood, glue one 2" square centered to each 3" square. When TC is loaded on your pickup insert 2" block into the front stake pocket, one on each side closest to the cab. Buy 2 cheap 2 dollar paint brushes and glue one to each 3" plywood square with the bristle pointing to, and just touching your camper, let glue dry. Now in the future when you want to load your camper just drop the 2" blocks into the 1st and 3rd stack openings on the driver side, bristles pointing inward. As you back under camper the paint brushes should just touch the camper and guide you to a good centered position. Do make a point the camper has been razed high enough to clear the truck bead. Or you can, do as I do and not as I say, and watch your wife waive you back, like she just stepped on a bee's hive and her arms have taken on uncontrolled movements that look no different, going forward or backward.

Unfortunately the tailgate opening on trucks has shrunk over the past few decades. With my new 2018 Dodge I have 1/4" clearance if the camper is loaded evenly. I can load it slightly away from the bump out and achieve a total clearance of about 1 inch. Beyond that I start having issues with the wheel well clearance. My 2010 Dodge had the same amount of clearance. The opening on Ford trucks is the same. I cannot buy a Chevy because the opening is too tight to fit.

brholt wrote:

covered wagon wrote:
You can easily make your camper walk right or left a little bit as needed when loading, but you need to get out and look how it is centered when it close to that hitting spot. Just lift one side of campers jacks, one front one rear, it will lean a little and creep to the other side when you lower down on all fours. This trick originated from Bob Mehrer ,founder of Snow River Campers, who also designed the first slide out.

Creep to the side you raised right?

It will move slightly toward the jacks on the lower side. Doesn't take much and you can do it a couple times if needed.

AnEv942 wrote:
......

I think other than showing fix, d3500rams post might stave off someone else repeating-no do overs

If anything it will learn me to be damm sure it is clear upon subsequent loadings...LOL.

Lesson learned.

AnEv942 wrote:
Ya depends on what contacts first-ours its the face of tailgate pillar.
so truck was taking the hit. Prior to adding the 'glide' strips, screws on the bumpout corner flashing dug some serious gouges in the trucks pillar. That and ours were coated with bedliner so when camper got near it just grabbed.
I ended up bending up and covering pillars with some SST sheet (old door kick panel). Now it slides if I misjudge or am looking at other stuff that might hit- you can see the smears. Other than covering up the 'oh pooh' moments.


I think other than showing fix, d3500rams post might stave off someone else repeating-no do overs

That pillar is where I mounted the HDPE sheet to protect the camper bump out.

opps-double post.

Ya depends on what contacts first-ours its the face of tailgate pillar.
so truck was taking the hit. Prior to adding the 'glide' strips, screws on the bumpout corner flashing dug some serious gouges in the trucks pillar. That and ours were coated with bedliner so when camper got near it just grabbed.
I ended up bending up and covering pillars with some SST sheet (old door kick panel). Now it slides if I misjudge or am looking at other stuff that might hit- you can see the smears. Other than covering up the 'oh pooh' moments.


I think other than showing fix, d3500rams post might stave off someone else repeating-no do overs

them screws sure will make a mess of the truck next time the camper slides over that way. the counter sunk screws in cutting board is a good solution

covered wagon wrote:
You can easily make your camper walk right or left a little bit as needed when loading, but you need to get out and look how it is centered when it close to that hitting spot. Just lift one side of campers jacks, one front one rear, it will lean a little and creep to the other side when you lower down on all fours. This trick originated from Bob Mehrer ,founder of Snow River Campers, who also designed the first slide out.

Creep to the side you raised right?

TxGearhead wrote:

#1Flyboy wrote:
GeoBoy & TXGearhead.... Any photos for us?

Yeah one of these days I'm going to tackle that.
I'm good with pics on 2 other forums, but there is no "middle-man" at those.

Same here, plus the truck I did this to is no longer mine.