To Dump The Fresh Water Tank ... Or Not?

[Zircon]

New to this forum ... and new to RV-ing. My wife and I just purchased a new truck camper last Thursday ... an ALP Adventurer 86SBS. Believe it or not, we got the bare minimum of a walk through, so I have a ton of questions ... some of which I hope to find answers to by searching this forum. This is one I'd like a more immediate answer to, though:

??? The manual that came with the camper has a WARNING:Filling the fresh water tank should ONLY be done if the camper is on the truck, or if the floor is supported. Failure to do so may result in damage to the unit.

Does this mean that I should dump the fresh water tank before I remove the camper from the truck? If I take it off the truck while the tank still has water in it (the tank holds 45 gallons, by the way), that would be the same as filling it before loading it on the camper ... and the possibility of damage as stated above, wouldn't it? Here's the thing, there are going to be times when I want to take the camper off the truck and park it so that I could take the 4x4 into some rough terrain to do some fishing. If I've got to be dumping water before removing it from the truck, finding some support for the floor, then filling the tank again ... assuming I can even find a source of water in a remote location ...it's going to be a royal pain in the butt. What do folks do?

Maybe I could ask another question while I'm here ... seeing as it's sort of related to the first one? For winter storage in the backyard, I'm planning on pouring a concrete platform (ground level, of course) with ring bolts or chains set in the concrete that I can attach my fastguns to. This would make it pretty stable as far as wind is concerned ... and we do get some pretty high wind in this area. How high off the concrete platform should I set the camper with the jacks and should I also support it some way with blocking, saw-horses or some other thing instead of just leaving it up on the jacks?

[Super_Dave]

I would also refuse to have a camper that had to remain on the truck ALL the time. If the water tank could survive the 5 minutes it takes to off from the truck, floor support options would be easy enough to come by. I've recently taken to using a couple short bottle jacks and a 2 X 6 to support the belly as it reduces camper wobble but could be utilized to support the camper belly at the water tank.

[bobndot]

I go fishing into remote spots often and use decent enough dirt roads to bring the camper along. Im a little limited as to tell you what to do because my personal experience would be to leave it on the truck. Just have a backup plan in case somekind of truck or 'camper jack' malfunction would prevent you from getting back to the camper or getting the camper back onto the truck.
I fish alone in remote places with no cell service, so im a little cautious about taking the camper off.

Look at the plywood "X" support. http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/25917893.cfm

The problem might be refilling it with water once you unload it .
I assume you will drop it off at a CG with water avail.
Make sure ahead of time that dropping the camper off the truck is allowed. Some places DO NOT allow you to do that.

Bob

[mkirsch]

Boatycall wrote:
Campers are supposed to be able to be used on or off the truck. I boat and jeep, and for boating, I would take the camper off and use the truck to launch the boat. I have NEVER had a problem.

...and just because it's worked for you and the campers you've chosen over the years, it should work for EVERY person and EVERY camper? Bad logic, my friend.

You've either made good/lucky choices in buying campers that are usable off the truck, or you've just plain been lucky that nothing bad has happened while using your camper.

Believe it or not, there are campers that are not designed to be used off the truck. Lots of them.

For some (many?) people, the main versatility of a truck camper is being able to unload the camper and have a useful vehicle the rest of the time. A pickup truck is a good daily driver, a good work vehicle, and has a million and one uses for the average homeowner. A class C motorhome is good for... camping.

The OP's bad luck is in buying one of those campers that can't be used off the truck.

Choices for the OP are:
1. Ignore the warnings, use it, and take his chances.
2. Try and take it back, and have the dealer tell him "It'll be Just Fine(tm)" if he uses the camper off the truck with the tank unsupported.

[Ski_Pro_3]

You disagree with what, exactly, Boatycall? That the camper manufacturer isn't correct in it's assertion that it's camper won't be harmed by holding water while off the truck?

I don't think anyone disagrees with you that a camper SHOULD be able to be used off and on the truck. Well, except for the manufacturer, ALP and their model Adventurer 86SBS.

As a NEW camper, modifications, such as the reinforced floor as you suggested, is going to void the warranty and no guarantee even then that the support will even then be enough.

Back to the OP;
A couple things;
1. That warning mentioned the act of filling the tank while on the truck. It technically doesn't say a thing about unloading the camper with a filled tank that was filled while on the truck. Sure, it's pretty obvious that there might be consequences, but you should contact the manufacturer directly and ask them.
2. Nothing says that the tank needs to be empty when off the truck either. 45 gallons is a lot of water. Ask the manufacturer if the tank can be partly full off the truck. My Lance is a 30 gallon tank. Maybe you can use 30 gallons without problem.

[Boatycall]

Uh Boy... this looks like this will be that time again where I'm the oddball that disagrees.

Now granted, I know nothing pertaining to your specific brand of camper. I have had Eagle Cap, a couple of Arctic Fox's, Real-Lite, and the oldest was a '70s Caveman.

but....

I've never drained my tanks(for the purposes of loading/unloading). I've used my campers, unsupported, off the truck many times over my 25 years of TC'ing. The entire purpose of a camper is it's versatility. Otherwise why would you get a TC and not just a Class C motorhome?

Campers are supposed to be able to be used on or off the truck. I boat and jeep, and for boating, I would take the camper off and use the truck to launch the boat. I have NEVER had a problem.

If your tank is simply sitting on the basement floor, what you could do is reinforce your floor with an additional full sheet of 1" plywood, screwed securely to the sidewall frame. This is only my suggestion, do your due diligence to see how it's mounted first.

But I just find it hard to believe a TC maker would build a TC that can't be fully utilized on or off the truck.

[Ski_Pro_3]

Bummer your camper can not support a full water tank while off the truck, hanging in the air from the jacks. Now you are STUCK with the camper on the truck in order to use it. If you decided to off load your camper and take a drive, for example, you can't. Well, not without draining all your water, then having to refill it after you get back and load it back on your truck. My camper can support full water tank while suspended from the jacks, so I can unload the camper and take daily trips to various sites while home-basing the camper in a campground.

Regarding your second question; I wouldn't strap down my camper to the ground. If it's that windy, find a safer place to put the camper than that to begin with. Also, consider planting a wind screen of trees to protect the camper from high winds. If you lower your camper as low as possible, the wind isn't gonna tip it over.

[69_Avion]

Some campers are made to allow the camper to be removed with a full fresh water tank. These are usually basement models. My old Avion. Can't be removed with a full fresh water tank either.

[Reddog1]

Welcome to the Forum.

No question, dump the tanks before unloading, or risk the floor being damaged, probably beyond repair. If the water tank must be supported, it is probably true of the gray and black tanks. My bet is you are not supposed to even use the TC if the floor is not supported. So, if you take the TC off the truck, you must sit it on the ground with floor supported.

"What do folks do?" A few options.

1. If only a week old, take it back and get a TC that better suits your needs.
2. Leave the TC on the truck.
3. Empty water from TC, and carry in five gallon containers. Set TC (floor) on the ground add water to tank. For a couple of days, you probably can make do with 10 to 20 gallons of water.
4. Find out is the water tank is the only issue, and if so can it be reinforced to allow its use off the truck.
5. Leave the TC on the truck, and tow a small 4x4 Jeep or similar.
6. Get motor cycles, and tow a trailer.

For storage, I suggest no less than 4 to 6 inches off the ground. The closer the better. I would use four pallets, stacked two high, and leave the jacks down with just a little pressure to help stabilize.

Wayne

[deltabravo]

Zircon wrote:
... and should I also support it some way with blocking, saw-horses or some other thing instead of just leaving it up on the jacks?

Saw horses - no. They aren't sturdy enough.

With my Arctic Fox, there's a recommendation in the manual on where to support the camper, so that's what I do. I use a stack of 4' wide 2x8s It's supported just a little bit higher than the lowest the jacks will go.

Check with the manufacturer and see if they ave specific recommendations on where to support the camper when it's off the truck long term.

[midnightsadie]

mines a MH ,but I empty the tanks each time it comes home. freash water fill when it goes out. keep your camper off the ground ,it,ll not draw moisture if its up some. and mouse proof your tie downs. tarp the unit , I,m for keeping the weather off the rv,s less chance of water damage.

[shutdown]

Yes. the tank must be drained before leaving the bed of your truck. It is only lightly secured to the bottom of the camper, likely with two straps. those straps will not support the weight of the tank full of water.

I can't help your other question...