So what did you do to your Truck Camper today?

Photog101 wrote:

Kidoo wrote:
Thanks, I should do that too and take my time a little more. A level cement pad makes things easier for sure, mine is on the grass and not level, maybe I should have some square ciment tile and try to have a better ground.

Hey Kidoo:

How about you mark where your tires are, with tent pegs, just before you unload your camper. Then as soon as you pull out and clear the camper (pulling straight forward), mark where your tires are at at that time ... again with tent pegs. Next time you go to load, line up on the second set of pegs and roll straight back until you line up with the first set of pegs. I also use the center line on my horse stall mats that lay in the bed and a center mark on the front of the camper. You should be real close.

I actually have painted spots on my concrete that I line up with. Makes life easier.

I HTH.

Very good idea with the peg, I will try that

Washed and waxed the truck and camper. Feel a little like the "Karate Kid". I can't imagine doing it on a 35 foot class A or trailer.

Today I started the first maintenance on the Honda 3000. If anyone does their own maintenance (perhaps similar for a 2000) then would you mind dropping by THIS TOPIC and comment if appropriate.

I am going to get some parts via mail, but if I do not get the stuff in time, is it OK do you think to use existing?

Kidoo wrote:
Thanks, I should do that too and take my time a little more. A level cement pad makes things easier for sure, mine is on the grass and not level, maybe I should have some square ciment tile and try to have a better ground.

Hey Kidoo:

How about you mark where your tires are, with tent pegs, just before you unload your camper. Then as soon as you pull out and clear the camper (pulling straight forward), mark where your tires are at at that time ... again with tent pegs. Next time you go to load, line up on the second set of pegs and roll straight back until you line up with the first set of pegs. I also use the center line on my horse stall mats that lay in the bed and a center mark on the front of the camper. You should be real close.

I actually have painted spots on my concrete that I line up with. Makes life easier.

I HTH.

Started loading up our stuff to go to a 3 day dressage competition fri-sun in Sonoma. Me the wife, three dogs and the horse. Should be a blast. All dry camping

Ruthie spent the weekend painting the kitchen and the over-dinette storage, while I made load spreaders for the front jack brackets and went over the whole jack system in prep for the selling.

Thanks, I should do that too and take my time a little more. A level cement pad makes things easier for sure, mine is on the grass and not level, maybe I should have some square ciment tile and try to have a better ground.

Kidoo wrote:

freddypinak wrote:
We put the camper back on the truck. Got it within 1/8" dead center on the bed on the first try! Installed the battery and tested all the lights and battery charger. Letting the A/C run on shore power to make sure all is good.

Two weeks to go and we leave for 3 months in Alaska! Won't need the A/C in Alaska...they are getting light snow in Anchorage this AM :-(

What is your trick to get so closed centered on a firts try? I allways struggle.

We use a mat in the truck bed with a line all the way down the center and we also have a center mark on the front of the camper. We start by making sure the line on the mat is perfectly centered in the truck bed and (most importantly) we position the truck as close to center and square to the camper as possible. This way there is no real cranking the wheel much to position the truck as we back under the camper. We raise the camper just enough to clear the mat so it's easier to see how close you're tracking the line when you back under the camper. Then it's just slow and easy with lots of stops to check position. Oh and practice....practice...practice :-) Also helps that we're on a perfectly level cement pad!

All that said...the real truth...with yesterdays luck I should have played PowerBall :-)

Seen all kind of different rigs and devices for centering, including centering blocks. Just not sure if the centering blocks would put any torque on the camper legs as you back in. Maybe someone on the group who uses them can give some feedback.

freddypinak wrote:
We put the camper back on the truck. Got it within 1/8" dead center on the bed on the first try! Installed the battery and tested all the lights and battery charger. Letting the A/C run on shore power to make sure all is good.

Two weeks to go and we leave for 3 months in Alaska! Won't need the A/C in Alaska...they are getting light snow in Anchorage this AM :-(

What is your trick to get so closed centered on a firts try? I allways struggle.

freddypinak wrote:
Two weeks to go and we leave for 3 months in Alaska! Won't need the A/C in Alaska...they are getting light snow in Anchorage this AM :-(

I ended up with about 4" in my back yard in Eagle River. However its starting to all melt again, usually it's in the mid to upper 50's this time of year. Pretty sure it will be in the 60's by the time you make it up here. Just a weird weather system.