Forum Discussion

elgy's avatar
elgy
Explorer
Mar 29, 2014

Suggestions on strengthening jack attach point.

My next major project is to address this.


I don't know what they were thinking about at the factory when they placed the jack in the middle of an opening in the wall! The weight was originaly taken by the plywood base (3/4" or 5/8") and a rather thin aluminum molding visible in the second picture. For a temporay fix I added 3/4" plywood above and below the original.


There is a bit of rot in the base plywood, so I plan to remove and patch that area, then to move the jack pad right to the front edge so that weigh is transferred directly from the front wall and the structural upright in the corner. I will weld an upright piece of angle iron onto the pad that will be screwed into the corner structure.

I would also like to run something towards the rear under the edge to transfer some weight of the sidewall to the jack pad and to allow me to attach my tie-down at an angle. I will also have to build a new door.

Suggestions and comments are welcome.

23 Replies

  • This a detail of a Nomad TC for sale locally... the same problem as I have. What I don't understand is why the manufacturers don't put the jack right in the corner where the weight transfer will be direct from the front wall. I'm I missing something (before I reposition mine)???

  • Sleepy did a pretty slick job on strengthening a week area using a piece of unistrut.

    I couldn't copy and paste the link but look at Truck Camper University under slide outs.

    "Lance 1161 slide sag fix $17"

    You past the following into your browser search:

    http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/24168018.cfm
  • Ran into the same problem with our 76 Amerigo (except worse) During the re-build we place a piece of angle iron the entire length of the TC and used a 1/8 plate of steel 20x20 where the actual jack is screwed into. Of course all of the wood is replaced, since this is a TOTAL re-build. I am hoping this will take this camper another 40 years into the future.