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Help...Loading a camper solo!

Freeborn530
Explorer
Explorer
Any advise on loading a camper solo? I've viewed videos of using a laser, rollers attached to the bed, strings ...
What are your solutions?
41 REPLIES 41

WyoBull
Explorer
Explorer
The first time I loaded mine was at the dealership when I picked it up. They helped me a lot and it was not bad. When we got it home, taking it off was not too bad other than sitting so high on the jacks when I lifted it off the bed made me a little nervous.
Well, then came the first time to load it by myself without help. I was really nervous and it probably took me an hour but I did it and now I can load it and be ready to roll in less than 30 minutes.
With regards to advice? Take your time, take your time, take your time. There is no reason or value in rushing to get it loaded. In fact, I would rather do it myself than have somebody trying to guide me.
I also use the same process every time when I load it. The important thing being doing it the same way every time will insure you don't forget something and make a mistake.
Get out of your truck a lot to check around making sure the camper is raised high enough to clear your bed, is equidistant from side to side in your bed etc.
It takes practice and the only way to get comfortable with it is by doing it.
One recommendation I would make is to load and unload it several times at your house without planning on going anywhere. You will get a feel for what steps you will take every time to make it as safe and efficient as possible.
2017 Ford F350 XLT Premium CCSB 4x4 6.2 gas 3.73 rear end, 4226 lbs payload
2017 Northern Lite QC 8.11 SE
Torklift tie downs, Torklift Fast Guns, Torklift Upper Stableloads, Airlift 5000 Ultimate air bags, Airlift WirelessAIR onboard compressor system

welsteach
Explorer
Explorer
great ideas

Paradox123
Explorer
Explorer
Tried having my wife help me, but it was quicker and easier to do alone. I always do it alone now. Take it slow and get out and check often. I have two strips of duct tape vertically on the front of the camper that are to align with the top of the bed. That helps a little. Hardest part is getting the sides of the camper parallel to the sides of ghe bed.

mountainkowboy
Explorer
Explorer
I use this method

Chuck & Ruth with 4-legged Molly
2007 Tiffin Allegro 30DA
2011 Ford Ranger
1987 HD FLHTP

TxGearhead
Explorer II
Explorer II
dadwolf2 wrote:
TxGearhead wrote:
dadwolf2 wrote:
I measured the distance between the outside of driver side tires and the jack feet and got a measurement. I just put a straightedge, 2x4, rope, anything and make a parallel line going out. Now I just back in with my drivers side mirror looking down at the straight line and back in along that line. Works every time.

^^Sounds good, but I'm easily confused. How do you make the line parallel with the camper?


The first time the camper was loaded, I measured the distance between the outside of the tires and the jack pad on the ground. This is now a fixed measurement. So now when I want to reload the camper back on the truck I know that my line is 8.5" from jack pad to the tires and that becomes my parallel line out beyond the front. So at home I lay a couple 2x4's down and just backup along that line.

Ok I think I've got it. I have dually brackets but doing some math I could make that work.
2018 Ram 3500 CC LB DRW 4X4 Cummins Aisin Laramie Pearl White
2018 Landmark Oshkosh
2008 Bigfoot 25C9.4
2014 NauticStar 21 ShallowBay 150HP Yamaha
2016 GoDevil 18X44 35HP Surface Drive

dadwolf2
Explorer
Explorer
TxGearhead wrote:
dadwolf2 wrote:
I measured the distance between the outside of driver side tires and the jack feet and got a measurement. I just put a straightedge, 2x4, rope, anything and make a parallel line going out. Now I just back in with my drivers side mirror looking down at the straight line and back in along that line. Works every time.

^^Sounds good, but I'm easily confused. How do you make the line parallel with the camper?


The first time the camper was loaded, I measured the distance between the outside of the tires and the jack pad on the ground. This is now a fixed measurement. So now when I want to reload the camper back on the truck I know that my line is 8.5" from jack pad to the tires and that becomes my parallel line out beyond the front. So at home I lay a couple 2x4's down and just backup along that line.
2005 Dodge Ram 2500 CTD,4X4,NV5600
2014 Adventurer 86FB

HMS_Beagle
Explorer
Explorer
I always load solo, and just do it slowly with lots of backing and filling. The problem isn't getting it centered at one particular point - just split the jacks and you've done that - the problem is more getting it straight. On mine, I have about 3/4" between the jacks and dually fenders, and about 3/4" between the camper box and tailgate. To keep the scratches off everything I have about +/- 1/4" to work with. Half way in I can't see the front anymore, 3/4 of the way in I can't see the tailgate clearance either. I've also found that loading it on flat ground, with lots of space in front so the truck can be lined up well to begin with, helps.

I haven't tried it but might with something like that backup camera: if the camera was mounted on the camper bottom just in back of the truck bed, and there was a stripe on the center line of both the truck bed and camper bottom, you'd be able to see both lines the entire time you were loading. It should be fairly simple to keep them lined up.

In the simple solutions category I like the zip ties - brilliant!
Bigfoot 10.4E, 2015 F350 6.7L DRW 2WD, Autoflex Ultra Air Ride rear suspension, Hellwig Bigwig sway bars front and rear

MORSNOW
Navigator II
Navigator II
Siletzspey wrote:
My backup kit is a few zip ties, distances marked on them with a sharpie, and some painters tape to hold them in place off the jacks and bed rail. Being orange, I can see them in the side view mirrors, and see when I bump into them.
--SiletzSpey


I really like your idea! I have been using a white line on the center of my rubber mat and a marker on the camper, but you can still get angled while following the one point. My truck box tapers so when I tried using just the mirrors I got frustrated, your zip tie idea would solve my mirror issues.
2014 Wolf Creek 850SB
2012 GMC Sierra SLT 2500HD 7,220# Truck/10,400# Camper Fully Loaded

TxGearhead
Explorer II
Explorer II
dadwolf2 wrote:
I measured the distance between the outside of driver side tires and the jack feet and got a measurement. I just put a straightedge, 2x4, rope, anything and make a parallel line going out. Now I just back in with my drivers side mirror looking down at the straight line and back in along that line. Works every time.

^^Sounds good, but I'm easily confused. How do you make the line parallel with the camper?
2018 Ram 3500 CC LB DRW 4X4 Cummins Aisin Laramie Pearl White
2018 Landmark Oshkosh
2008 Bigfoot 25C9.4
2014 NauticStar 21 ShallowBay 150HP Yamaha
2016 GoDevil 18X44 35HP Surface Drive

Siletzspey
Explorer
Explorer
My backup kit is a few zip ties, distances marked on them with a sharpie, and some painters tape to hold them in place off the jacks and bed rail. Being orange, I can see them in the side view mirrors, and see when I bump into them.





--SiletzSpey

Wo_ody
Explorer
Explorer
I love to "fiddle" with gadgets. IMHO, this is way cool.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yxf7_bRIIWw

dadwolf2
Explorer
Explorer
I measured the distance between the outside of driver side tires and the jack feet and got a measurement. I just put a straightedge, 2x4, rope, anything and make a parallel line going out. Now I just back in with my drivers side mirror looking down at the straight line and back in along that line. Works every time.
2005 Dodge Ram 2500 CTD,4X4,NV5600
2014 Adventurer 86FB

deltabravo
Nomad
Nomad
I load mine solo every time.

Here's how I do it.
2009 Silverado 3500HD Dually, D/A, CCLB 4x4 (bought new 8/30/09)
2018 Arctic Fox 992 with an Onan 2500i "quiet" model generator

joe_julie81
Explorer
Explorer
How do you use a magnetic hitch camera?
04 Dodge 3500 dually, HO CTD, 6 spd NV5600, 4.10 anti-spin rear axle; 2018 NorthStar 950sc with 320 solar, sub-zero package, compressor fridge, torklift tie downs