Wheels on jacks

d3500ram wrote:

...how about lowering it onto a frame that has caster wheels on bottom?

The relationship of lever-to-fulcrum pivot point will still be present... that is, the weakest point affected by a lateral force acting sideways is still at the jack mounting location at the camper carcass.

But at least the side load would be shared among all the jacks, since one would not be able to move independently of the others.

In my opinion, the only way that jacks-on-wheels will work is if there is a true moment connection in all direction (relative to plan view) of the jacks at the camper.

Even if this were achievable, the camper sides would need to be able to withstand the forces transmitted upon it. If both of these could be achieved, then the weakest point would be along the length of the jacks themselves (i.e. you would not want the jacks to bend when rolling the camper as a whole.)

(...sorry, the engineer in me comes out when analyzing things like this along with too much coffee and boredom at work.)

...how about lowering it onto a frame that has caster wheels on bottom?

The relationship of lever-to-fulcrum pivot point will still be present... that is, the weakest point affected by a lateral force acting sideways is still at the jack mounting location at the camper carcass.

how about lowering it onto a frame that has caster wheels on bottom?

I must have been asleep when they typed this. The OP was hooking to use wheels to load campet

jimh425 wrote:
I think you'd be better off to add guides. You could still be off with wheels.

Do you know where I might get the metal guides??

I think you'd be better off to add guides. You could still be off with wheels.

My TC was always like a drunken spider on its jacks.
Now I'm picturing a drunken spider on skates..

Sounds good in therory, but agree, I wouldn't want to put much side load on extended camper jacks.

I tried this, with mixed results, just like stated above, the jacks are designed to carry the weight of the camper, once you start trying to move it, (no matter how smooth the concrete, how well oiled the wheels,) the jacks just seemed too wimpy for the side movement. In my case the jacks have to be near fully extended to clear the bed of the truck. I tried supporting them against the other jacks front to back but that didn't help for me. When I installed wheel/casters to the jacks i started to have clearance issues.
For me this just wasn't a good idea, everyone has different situation so it may be ok for someone else.

I think I might have read where this was not a good idea.

The fastening points where the jacks mount to the TC are designed for vertical loads not lateral forces that would be present when rolling a camper on jacks.

Imagine what would happen if rolling this setup on nice smooth concrete and there was that tiny pebble that you did not catch as you are applying force to push the camper around.

JMHO.

ON EDIT:
My comment above is for general rolling around (as inside a garage.) I could see theoretically for "dialing in" for loading-on-the-truck purposes it could work, but I think the force-direction concern should be heeded just the same.