Are Dually Extension Brackets Unsafe?

[bobbolotune]

When I thought I had it figured out, now this...

Everyone is saying to get the biggest truck you can. Because even if you don't need it now you may want to upgrade to a heavier truck camper in the future, or add a tow (which is my case, that I want the ability to add a tow in the future).

Which means a dually.

This is the decision that Truck Camper Magazine came to with for their new truck (within the past year I think), and the opinion expressed repeatedly in this forum.

Now someone told me, don't get a dually. And this wasn't just anyone. It someone with extensive truck camper industry experience. What he said:

They are a problem for fitting into parking spaces. This one I already knew and accepted.

Duallys are terrible on snow and ice. This I didn't know. I would assume with 4 rather than 2 tires on the ground that a dually would be that much better for snow and ice. Not so? Although I didn't tell him that I am planning on a 4x4 dually, and possibly that makes a difference.

Then the big one. You shouldn't camp in a truck camper with dually extension brackets. The extension is a hinge that swings in and out. It isn't stable. It is ok for storing the camper off the truck, but you shouldn't camp off the truck in a camper with dually brackets.

I hope those with actual experience can please express an opinion about these topics. About the snow / ice issue, and especially about the dually brackets.

Specifically the camper being discussed uses Happijac jacks and dually brackets. Possibly those are not the best jacks?

He said to get a 1 ton SRW. That a dually is unnecessary. That a 1 ton SRW has enough carrying capacity. But what I read is the next thing people with a SRW do is a $2,000 upgrade to 19.5 tires. Where the dually option is (if I recall) around $1,500. And (at least in the specs for the latest model trucks) you get more payload from a dually than a SRW. Also the recent thread people saying duallys drive better loaded with a camper. But if I can't camp off the truck with dually extension brackets that is a killer problem.

[3_tons]

bobbolotune wrote:
When I thought I had it figured out, now this...

Everyone is saying to get the biggest truck you can. Because even if you don't need it now you may want to upgrade to a heavier truck camper in the future, or add a tow (which is my case, that I want the ability to add a tow in the future).

Which means a dually.

This is the decision that Truck Camper Magazine came to with for their new truck (within the past year I think), and the opinion expressed repeatedly in this forum.

Now someone told me, don't get a dually. And this wasn't just anyone. It someone with extensive truck camper industry experience. What he said:

They are a problem for fitting into parking spaces. This one I already knew and accepted.

Duallys are terrible on snow and ice. This I didn't know. I would assume with 4 rather than 2 tires on the ground that a dually would be that much better for snow and ice. Not so? Although I didn't tell him that I am planning on a 4x4 dually, and possibly that makes a difference.

Then the big one. You shouldn't camp in a truck camper with dually extension brackets. The extension is a hinge that swings in and out. It isn't stable. It is ok for storing the camper off the truck, but you shouldn't camp off the truck in a camper with dually brackets.

I hope those with actual experience can please express an opinion about these topics. About the snow / ice issue, and especially about the dually brackets.

Specifically the camper being discussed uses Happijac jacks and dually brackets. Possibly those are not the best jacks?

He said to get a 1 ton SRW. That a dually is unnecessary. That a 1 ton SRW has enough carrying capacity. But what I read is the next thing people with a SRW do is a $2,000 upgrade to 19.5 tires. Where the dually option is (if I recall) around $1,500. And (at least in the specs for the latest model trucks) you get more payload from a dually than a SRW. Also the recent thread people saying duallys drive better loaded with a camper. But if I can't camp off the truck with dually extension brackets that is a killer problem.

"He said to (she said)..." LOL, Boggiemans followed by bias compounded by even more bias, objectivity (and potentially the wrong choice) the final causality... In my view over-thinking folks have gotten too smart for their own good - admittedly, JMH seasoned opinion...

[bobbolotune]

mkirsch wrote:
I think the OP is looking at this truck as his daily driver in addition to being his camper hauler.

I ran 300lbs of concrete in my old 2WD trucks...

Yes, that is the case. One of the reasons why I am looking towards a truck camper rather than Class C is so that I can use the truck as the second car, including in Chicago winters. (Although the longer term plan is to use the truck and camper to get out of Chicago winters).

I assumed with a 4x4 pickup truck that I would rule the streets in winter. That cars would be looking at me with envy as I speed around them, plowing through snow drifts. Maybe not so, but it sounds like I can still get around in winter with a dually.

Some bags of concrete in the back for dead weight wouldn't be hard if ends up being necessary.

805gregg wrote:
One of my swing out brackets failed and caused the camper to fall on the side and land on my wife's car

This story is of more concern than the winter driving issue...

Super_Dave wrote:
Swing out or no swing out, you will likely be looking for some form of stabilizer to reduce camper shake anyway. There are devices called Wobble Stops or just some good old fashioned blocking.

I found the Torklift Wobble Stops website and video. Sounds like a good idea.

Or maybe just a board supported by a couple jacks under the camper wouldn't hurt? That is what the Happijack manual that stevenal linked to seems to be saying: "When living in camper, the floor should be firmly supported."

[JoeChiOhki]

WyoTraveler wrote:
All PUs years ago were bad on ice and snow. The gas tank was in the cab and very little weight in the rear. Now the gas tanks are in the rear and they handle much better. Parking a dually is a PITA. The spaces in shopping centers are getting a lot smaller. I went way out in back of the lot and had no problem. I wouldn't worry about parking. I park my MH in shopping centers. Lots of other large vehicles park there. Probably more difficult to park up close to a store in the small spaces.

I've never really had that problem, I just use my mirrors to watch where the rear tires hit on the lines, if its too tight, I use more than one parking spot a little further out in the lot.

[mkirsch]

Reddog1 wrote:
I get a chuckle out of some posts. Usually because someone makes a very short statement and it is not clear. I have read many posts that a DRW is not as good as a SRW in the snow. I read the DRW needs more weight in the rear. I would think a 4,000 pound plus TC would be enough weight.

Except when that 4000 pound plus TC is sitting in the driveway on its "dangerous" swing-out brackets!!!

I think the OP is looking at this truck as his daily driver in addition to being his camper hauler.

Nothing improves winter handling in ANY pickup truck like some dead weight between the wheel wells. I ran 300lbs of concrete in my old 2WD trucks, and with good snow tires I could skate circles around most 4x4s when the roads got slick.

[KD4UPL]

My 4wd dually with locking rear goes great in the snow. I camp with the camper off the truck and the dually brackets swung out. I haven't had in problems in over 4 years so far.

[Reddog1]

sky_free, what tires are you running?

Wayne

[Bedlam]

I only have a couple snow trips on my DRW. It does tend to float more than my SRW and I would not like the drive if I did not either have the TC on the rear or 4wd engaged. My SRW had many snow trips and also was not that good in 2wd when empty due to the heavy diesel up front and light bed over the drive wheels. Once I started taking the TC skiing, I used 4wd much less than I used to in previous years. Where I live much of the snow is right at the freezing point, so it gets slick in hurry once you apply pressure or heat from the tires to it. My DRW has traction control where my SRW did not - I'm still getting used to that in slick situations and how it reacts verses having to control spin myself.

[HMS_Beagle]

It is not the jack extension brackets, it is the attachment to the camper that is suspect. Dually extension brackets put a fair amount of torque on them. Our first camper (Bigfoot 9.6 from 1998) required a 2" extension on the extensions to clear the Superduty fenders, I ended up fabricating a steel frame across the front of the brackets to brace them because it was clearly going to lead to problems. Bigfoot seems to have addressed this, because my current Bigfoot 10.4 from 2008 does not need the extensions, and the attachments are considerably more robust. I assume most camper manufacturers would have addressed this over time. So it might be a valid concern if you are pairing the new pickup with an old camper.

[sky_free]

No problem for me driving my DRW in sierra snow unloaded. Engage 4WD and go. Tires are the key for decent traction in snow as long as you have 4WD. If you plan on running worn all-season radials it won't be much fun.

[Bedlam]

The jack extension brackets do allow the camper to wobble a little more than without them. Blocking the TC underside or using WobbleStoppers from Torklift will reduce that movement. I have no worries about the brackets being of adequate strength to hold TC and occupants in regular off-truck use.

The DRW is not any wider than your TC sitting on the back. When driving unloaded you do need swing right turns slightly wider than a SRW, but nothing different than when you carry your TC. The biggest obstacle I have found with my DRW is overall length fitting into a spot rather than width. I went from a SRW extended cab short bed to a DRW crew cab with 9' deck and no longer fit in the 20' deep spots in my area.

[Big_Rig1]

I have a 4X2 dually. It is NOT good on snow & ice, a 4X4 would be much better. That said, I would not be without a dually unless I had a very light camper. The stability of the dual wheels is awesome. I have been in some high wind conditions where semis were being overturned & I never once felt like I was in any danger. Never have had any white knuckle driving because of the wind.
As for the swing out jacks, I have camped in the camper off the truck & never had a problem. The wife has also slept in the camper off the jacks here at the house with the grandkids. The grandkids would also like to eat their lunch in the camper.

Big Rig (John)

[Kayteg1]

I spend 1/2 of my life in 4-seasons and common knowledge is that narrow tires cut better in fresh snow, so dually will be in disadvantage as you have to push twice as wide path, but when come to black ice, I don't think size matters, where quality of rubber plays main role.
I do have hinged jacks and have been camping off the truck just fine.
Noticed some problems with floor separation as my camper had dryrot damage, but after fixing that no more problems.
My hinges locks in the position, so give no play, while wider footing should add to stability.

[Reddog1]

I get a chuckle out of some posts. Usually because someone makes a very short statement and it is not clear. I have read many posts that a DRW is not as good as a SRW in the snow. I read the DRW needs more weight in the rear. I would think a 4,000 pound plus TC would be enough weight.

Fortunately, I have very little experience driving in snow with a DRW or SRW. But I don't see many Caltrans snow removal trucks with SRW. I wonder why, maybe I am just not looking close enough.

I used to have the jack extensions on my TC. I saw no more issues with them than I did without extensions. I also seldom camped with my TC off the truck.

Wayne

[stevenal]

Happijac wrote:
Camper should be supported on a sturdy base during storage to prevent damage to camper floor and the wing walls. When living in camper, the floor should be firmly supported.

owner's manual

With no mention of duallies or brackets, Happijac does not advise using the jacks in this manner.

[Dave_Pete]

I read to op but not the dialogue. Here's a thought. Get your dually if that's what you want. Then just get some under camper supports for off truck camping. Remember those sets of four aluminum camper trailer removable and stackable Jacks we all used to use on our camper trailers? A couple well placed pads under and over Jacks and your set. Size matters. Sometimes smaller is better. Sometimes not. But, I always heard to buy a larger trailer too and maybe that 20' deck over is overkill for my ATV?