Question for Four Wheel Camper owners and others w/no jacks

realter wrote:
Since the Alaskan is mentioned here, do they have any problems with dirt and mud getting in their exposed outside tracks?

Good question. One that I cannot answer but from the looks of some of the grimy Alaskans in pictures, it must be a non issue.

The one thing I don't care for with an Alaskan is the lift system. It really intrudes in the living space, especially at the bunk end.

I guess one could consider the lift posts on the bunk end like a baby's crib rails...you cannot fall out of bed, the posts keep you from rolling out...

I have owned two FWC over the past 34 years. My first was a new 1983 Grandby mounted on a new 3/4 ton Chevy 4wd. The factory (then located here in Colorado) mounted the camper with four elevator bolts bolted through to the bed of the truck. I had a rubber bed in between and that system worked great for twenty-five years of a four drive exploring, never an issue. For the few times that I removed the camper I used rental camper cable jacks....a rather spooky experience.

I purchased a new FWC Hawk in 2012 with the interior eyebolt and turnbolt system. I also got the jacks....a big mistake. The dealer used them to install the camper, I removed them and they have been collecting dust the past five years. An advantage of FWC is that it fits in the garage, is pretty much unnoticeable while driving and is the same length as the truck. So no need to remove it (for bulky hauling I have a 4x8 utility/motorcycle trailer).

FWC builds a tough and well thought out off road style camper.
Not for everyone but perfect for me.

we used to remove the jacks on our old sun lite.just 2 bolts per jack.the pop up was designed to go off road.jacks just got in the way of stumps,rocks and so on.

Since the Alaskan is mentioned here, do they have any problems with dirt and mud getting in their exposed outside tracks?

Been considering changing my jacks over to quick detach as well. Some of the places I go, jack legs are an issue....and why I run HJ's. The TL tie downs, I'd surely catch on something.

I always have my spot mirrors trained on the bottom of the jacks when off road, watching to make sure I don't catch them on something. been close a few times.

Because, like an Alaskan, it's a helluva truck camper, of course no slides and entertainment centers but like an Alaskan it's meant for off road camping not a campground. Camping at your favorite fishing spot or on a hunt...what it's all about.

kohldad wrote:
From a TCM article:

Tom explained that removing the jacks made the camper lighter, gave the rig more side-to-side and bottom clearance, and improved visibility.

So it looks like everyone just removes the jacks as part of the loading process.

It's interesting in this article, there are no "cons". That's unusual for TCMAGAZINE to not find something wrong in a review.

That's the kind of utube video I like. Fast and to the point. I was wondering if he was going to get it into the garage, whew!! Must have made it. Glad no AC on top. Wondering why it's now for sale.

I had a FWC Hawk for 12 years, I used turnbuckles to tie down the internal eyebolts. You worked through small access panels inside the camper but it was only about 5 minutes a turnbuckle. I had hydraulic corner jacks with wheels on them and they were double nutted with wing nuts so I could take them off and on in minutes. I kept my camper on a scaffold because I used my truck for work. I could just throw the jacks on and wheel the camper to my truck, tie it down with the turnbuckles and remove the jacks because some of the places I went back then would have tore a jack off or limit where I could take it.

They guy who did the video offered the unit to me but his asking price was too high. I'd love to have one or an Alaskan.