Remove fast guns to level camper?

[thealexdexter]

Y'all remove your fast guns to level up? I was with a guy who didn't. He just torqued up the suspension until level. Didn't seem right to me so I removed mine on the maiden voyage. Thoughts?

[mkasner]

Buzzcut1 wrote:

jimh425 wrote:
I rarely put my jacks down and never to just level. I use blocks for that. I've put my jacks down a few times to stabilize the camper in strong winds, but that's really rare.

X2

X3

[deltabravo]

thealexdexter wrote:
Y'all remove your fast guns to level up?

The one time I used the jacks to stabilize the camper, I removed the fast guns. I didn't use the jacks to "level" the camper though, I used blocks for that.

The time only time I used the jacks to steady the camper was the first trip I took, May of 2010. I've never done it again. Since it's just me in the camper, I didn't see a need to steady it. I still use block under the tires to level it.

[brholt]

gitpicker2009 wrote:
"I'm one who doesn't always remove the fastguns. The jacks can be deployed and lift, especially the rear, a fair amount and all that is happening is you are unloading the camper weight from the truck. There is no additional stress in the fastguns."

Wait a minute, I'm not sure I agree with that. Aren't you essentially stretching the fastguns out no matter what? And in doing so aren't you putting additional torque and stress on the camper frame attachment points??

It seems to me that the fast guns are attached to the truck FRAME not the bed, and by raising the bed or camper, you are stretching them out and pulling much harder.

Maybe I'm seeing this wrong, but I would never raise the camper without releasing the fast guns.

No, Truck and camper rise together as you raise. All that happens is some of the camper weight is shifted from the springs to the jacks and the truck rises with the camper as the truck springs unload - just the opposite of what happens when you drive under the camper and then lower the camper on the truck. As the jacks lower the camper the truck starts to sink as the weight shifts from the jacks to the truck.

You can try it yourself. See what your fast gun setting is (I run 1/2 of the hole before the tension starts). Lower the rear jacks and raise the back end a bit with or without your fast guns. Then check the fast guns. They will still engage at that same point as long as you don't go to far and start trying to raise the truck too.

[mkirsch]

Until the suspension of the truck is fully unloaded at at empty ride height, you are not "stretching the fastguns" or putting any undue stress on anything.

As stated earlier, all you are doing is removing weight from the truck. It's when you start lifting the truck above ride height, is when you can get into trouble.

[rider997]

thealexdexter wrote:
Y'all remove your fast guns to level up? I was with a guy who didn't. He just torqued up the suspension until level. Didn't seem right to me so I removed mine on the maiden voyage. Thoughts?

I use leveling blocks the vast majority of the time. If I'm in a really high wind situation, I'll use the camper jacks, but I do open the fastgun handles to ensure the camper jacks are never going to carry any part of the truck's weight.

[d3500ram]

Buzzcut1 wrote:

jimh425 wrote:
I rarely put my jacks down and never to just level. I use blocks for that. I've put my jacks down a few times to stabilize the camper in strong winds, but that's really rare.

X2

x3

[thealexdexter]

Seems a controversial topic. I suspect you could watch the o ring on the fast gun. If set up properly it should be 1/4" from body. As long as it doesn't move more you are not putting any additional load on the fast gun by leveling the camper with them on.

I thought about using leveling block under tires but it more weight to carry and more stuff to do. I was looking to simplify when I bought the camper. Less is more for me right now.

[gitpicker2009]

"I'm one who doesn't always remove the fastguns. The jacks can be deployed and lift, especially the rear, a fair amount and all that is happening is you are unloading the camper weight from the truck. There is no additional stress in the fastguns."

Wait a minute, I'm not sure I agree with that. Aren't you essentially stretching the fastguns out no matter what? And in doing so aren't you putting additional torque and stress on the camper frame attachment points??

It seems to me that the fast guns are attached to the truck FRAME not the bed, and by raising the bed or camper, you are stretching them out and pulling much harder.

Maybe I'm seeing this wrong, but I would never raise the camper without releasing the fast guns.

[joe123]

just level the truck not the camper,then no problems.

[Bedlam]

My suspension is heavy enough that I no longer drop the jacks for stability, but will use them for slight leveling. As others pointed out, you can safely unload the truck suspension while the TC is secured and not put any more stress on your tie downs, turnbuckles or camper anchors.

[jmckelvy]

brholt wrote:
I'm one who doesn't always remove the fastguns. The jacks can be deployed and lift, especially the rear, a fair amount and all that is happening is you are unloading the camper weight from the truck. There is no additional stress in the fastguns. .....

This is what I do if only a slight amount of leveling is needed. I watch the truck suspension very carefully while doing this. I have on occasion disconnected the jacks. I try to position the truck so no leveling is needed but sometimes that doesn't get close enough.

If we need more leveling than I feel can be done by truck position or with the jacks, I leave them alone and use the stack of boards I carry on the camper bumper.

[Rettrooper]

Absolutely or you'll bend or break something.

[noteven]

We never use the camper jacks to level by lifting part of the truck's weight ...

We deflate the rear air suspension, then drive on leveling lego if necessary.

We used to fiddle around touching the jack legs down to stop the bit of movement that occured after parking but mostly don't bother any more - figure a little movement of the rig is good for the fridge

If we are being extra fussy or parked in a windy location we would touch the jacks down...

[brholt]

I'm one who doesn't always remove the fastguns. The jacks can be deployed and lift, especially the rear, a fair amount and all that is happening is you are unloading the camper weight from the truck. There is no additional stress in the fastguns. What I do:

Site close to level: lower the jacks with the fastguns attached to stabilize and provide some leveling. I can tell either just by just "pulling" on the hooked up Fastgun and feeling their spring tension or just looking at the rear suspension to see if the overload spring is about to disengage from the Stableloads. While learning how far I could go with the jacks I would unlatch the fastguns and then relatch them checking to see if they were at the same tension (tension starting at the point where 1/2 of the whole was covered). Now I have a pretty good sense of how far I can go.

Site unlevel: I'll use the "Lego" blocks and drive up on them. Final stabilization and leveling done like above.

Site really bad: Use Leveling blocks as well as the jacks with the fast guns removed. It's surprising how level you can get things when you use both the blocks and jacks.