My truck camper/RV experiences begin - Frame/Jack failure

So far after over 1000 miles traveled and 15 nights in the camper I have found a few small issues to fix but nothing that impedes me from using the camper all summer! I did have my Air Lift Sureset airbag compressor/controller go out this week :-(. I think that the exhaust valve stuck and I have it repaired now with the tap of a hammer. This is good because Air Lift is apparently no longer supporting this product with parts. Here are two pictures from our last trip to the beach for razor clams!

Awesome work man! \m/

A week on the road with my wife and 4 kids put the camper through it's first 600 mile adventure. We started from home in the Columbia Gorge and hit Beaverton in Oregon then Longview, Olympia, Aberdeen, Grayland, Raymond and Ilwaco in Washington before hitting the Bouy Beer Co. in Astoria on our way home.

Everything functioned as expected though there were about 2 places that I am going to have to reinforce the bonding between fiberglass/aluminum and aluminum/aluminum seams.

Here is a picture or two of the camper on the pickup.

finaddict: Here are a few more interior pictures...

HJGyswyt: Good to see another WW camper! I have really enjoyed the Side kitchen layout of mine though I would have liked to have the Extended Cab option for the North-South facing bed...

Bricetribe, I know all too well about structural failure. This was my pride and joy before I bought the Western Wilderness. It was even newer than my WW, it was a 91 model.

It went on a long trip to the Grand Canyon and on the way home it started to fall apart. It had rot in it everywhere. The ceiling fell in and the bunk area dropped, even though the aluminum framed walls hung together.

When I tore into I realized it would be cheaper and easier to buy another camper. I did sell all the components for more than I paid for the camper, then turned around and bought the camper seen below for $1200 in Wenatchee.

Sorry to hijack your thread, can't wait to see your truck camper painted and loaded on your truck. I hope to have mine out to Spokane in a couple weeks while visiting my sisters. All the best, Hans

OK... Quick update with the pictures that you always want.

Masking started to come off revealing the shiny black powder coated smooth and diamond plate aluminum sheet.







New LED bulbs and covers for the porch lights





Now working on installing the new door trim pieces....

HJGyswyt-- Thanks for the post and it is great to see another WW project. The jack collapse happened literally the day that I brought the camper home. I fixed the structural issues within a few weeks of the collapse but waited through last summers camping season prior to tackling the cosmetic improvement and weatherizing of the exterior. I think that I actually looked at sharkbite but ended up using PEX fittings for the repairs.

I haven't had any sensor issues yet (knock on wood) but will check out their location now that you mention it. I need to upload a few more pictures...

Brice Tribe, if you ever have issues with the old plumbing in your camper, remember "Sharkbite" fittings and pipe can be bought at your local Home Depot and they fit the old gray pipe you have in your camper. Pictured above is how I fixed a leaking sink fixture in my Western Wilderness. Hans

BriceTribe, I sure like how you are fixing the old WW. I've been working towards a first trip with my 87 WW 11' for almost a year now. I was and still am very concerned about the strength of the front of my jack mounts. I copied LessStuff's idea for a little more bracing on the front jacks, although mine isn't near as elegant as his, but still I hope it buys some time.

I can't really justify buying electric jacks because they cost more than I paid for the camper, but I know the uneven lifting as a direct result of always being by myself when it's time to load creates a lot of stress on the corners even though I go up just an inch or so at a time from side to side.

I tied my rear jacks to the steel step bumper, again it doesn't look real pretty because I replaced the two rear jacks that already had a bracket welded on them from a previous camper I owned, but the brackets were just a bit to high to catch the bumper.

As you can see, I still have to brush paint some Rustoleum where I made the mods, and the flat stock leading to the front jacks will be black so as to not be so visible. That front modification wouldn't work with a dually, but since I'm single wheeled it will be fine. I did save the original swing out dually brackets that came with the camper if I sell it at a later date.





BriceTribe, it's been two years since the collapse, when will be the new maiden voyage?


Pictured above is the gray tank on my 87 Western Wilderness, and the tank sensor wires are real vulnerable (I think our modern trucks are much narrower at the tailgate), I sheared mine off backing under it, so I put a real thin piece of clear plexiglass I had in the garage to keep those sensor wires from getting scraped or shorting out against the truck. I have zero room between the tank and the bed opening when it's loaded straight in the truck.

Please update us with a final picture, all the best. Hans