Raising TC Off Bed

You DONT want the camper resting on the bed rails. Add enough height to the truck bed to get the camper to clear the rails. Don’t have to be by much 1/2”? Clear would be sufficient.
Plywood, horse stall mats, bed mat, or combination of, to get the height.

Two different types of campers for a truck. One that sits on the bed rails and one that doesn't. I'm guessing you have a truck camper that doesn't sit on the bed rails, but sits on the truck floor.

Camper that sits on the rails can be called a topper, cap, canopy, shell, camper shell. Some today have a small cabover. These ones with a small cabover are hard side or pop up/top. This type of camper clamps to the bed rails. This type of camper usually doesn't have jacks to lift it off the truck but there are some/very few on the market that do.

Camper that sits on the floor of the truck and clears the rails is a truck camper. These too can be hard side or pop up/top. These would be easier to take off the truck using jacks. This type of camper uses tie downs to secure it to the truck. These are fully enclosed and heavier than the camper that sits on the rails.

I had to add height to the TC because the bed overhang touches the running lights on my truck cab. I used 2" thick Foamular 250 high density extruded polystyrene. It works perfectly. It also allows me to reach in over the bed rails to utilize for storage (fishing poles, umbrellas, furniture in a bag, etc.).

It would be helpful if info on truck and camper were included in your questions. From other current post stated an S&S 8Sc camper on F350.
pic of a '99 S&S

This camper designed to set on floor, should not contact the top of bed rails.
Primary purpose of a bed mat is to help camper from sliding, some compensation of uneven surface. Use for height, as most are only 3/8-1/2" thick, marginal. And you do want a gap between truck roof and camper.
Have you driven this short bed truck with the 8' camper on?

time2retire wrote:
I had to add height to the TC because the bed overhang touches the running lights on my truck cab. I used 2" thick Foamular 250 high density extruded polystyrene. It works perfectly. It also allows me to reach in over the bed rails to utilize for storage (fishing poles, umbrellas, furniture in a bag, etc.).

Ditto here but not because of running lights but my newer Tundra had higher bed sides than my older Tundra.

I had to raise my Lance 3" to clear the roof lights and the rails on new F350.
All you need is "perimeter" support. Meaning only edge of the camper needs support. I used 2.5x6" planks and used screws to hold them around the edges of standard sheet of 1/2" plywood.

You either have a Ford truck or a really old TC. Fords have tall cabs, and old TCs were made when all trucks had low cabs…

I use a super cheap floor mat rubber, probably made from old car tires. All the mat does is keep the TC from sliding around on the slippery metal bed. The horse mats are ideal as they are thick and you should get much less slide than a thin mat.

Look up on theTC forum about supporting the camper when it is off. Many use an "X" support made from one piece of plywood. How to make will be in many post, and the pic tells it all, but you put that 3/4 inch plywood, now 4 pieces of plywood, laying flat under the TC when on the truck, so take it with you. you get 3/4 inch extra height, and you have a base stand with you at all times just in case.
You still need a rubber mat, so that is extra height even.
HD can cut the wood in 4 pieces for you but I doubt they can make the cut that makes it work into an X.

Basically you cut a slot half way through each piece so the two halves can slide together making an X.
Im having trouble searching for it, so you may have to browse down the TC list.

On mine, I put the rubber mat on the truck bed, the wood on that, and the TC on the wood, then I used that foam-like rubber floor mat on top of the wood to keep camper from sliding on the wood (since mine is a fiberglass belly).

ALL - 99 F-350, extended cab, short bed, SRW. 2000 S&S Bitterroot 8SC. As for this combination, it is either this or something completely different.

ajriding - I've seen pictures some where and it seems a very savvy idea.

AnEv942 - No. The two are not even in the same town yet. You must have a reason for asking, so please feel free to elaborate. "Rhino skin" here.

ALL OTHER - Great info!

You don't want the camper supported by anything other than the truck bed floor. It shouldn't touch the bed rails, tailgate, cab roof, or anything else.

Go for Broke wrote:
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AnEv942 - No. The two are not even in the same town yet. You must have a reason for asking, so please feel free to elaborate. "Rhino skin" here.
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Just curious about weight distribution-support of camper and rear tie downs?