Why not store camper on jacks?

[ajcal225]

I frequently see people say not to store campers on the jacks.

I also frequently see people actually doing it.. (which includes a friend of mine who has stored and used his camper on the jacks for 10 years now).


What is the reasoning for not storing it on the jacks? Is it fear of the jacks breaking? Jack mounts ripping off? Jacks leaking down (hydraulics)?

With my old hydraulic jacks, my camper was super unstable on the jacks. I've replaced them with Rieco screw jacks and some custom made mounts, and it is rocks solid when on the jacks now (assuming it is lowered mostly down).


What is the failure mode with storing it on the jacks? Is it a serious problem, or a problem some people have had due to just the right circumstances?

[kylekai]

My popup TC weighs about 2,000 pounds. What if I set it on three 1,000 pound load saw horses to reduce any strain on the jacks. I was thinking of these saw horses. See any problems with this setup?

[jefe_4x4]

"Why not store camper on jacks?"
Three worries:
1. Wind
2. Earthquake
3. Snow load
It's not just the holding up of the TC you worry about, but the stability: the undue leverage.
This summer when working underneath the camper It was supported by the jacks as high as they would go and on dirt to boot. This put a lot of leverage on those spindly jacks. In addition, I used four dry wall jacks at an angle to support the camper for those two weeks, so the chance of wobbling from side to side or falling over were diminished. If storing the camper at the lowest ebb of the jacks, the jack leverage is greatly reduced.
In the past I used specially made saw horses and jack stands that reduced the camper ground clearance down to 36 inches but still maintaining some lift from the camper jacks. That way it was easier to get to the camper door after a 3 foot snowfall.
jefe

[finaddict]

I added 4 8 foot 2x6"s screwed into the bottom of the floor (to raise the old Alpenlite to clear the higher cab height of my 2008 f350. I ALWAYS store this 15 year old wood framed camper on saw horses resting under the full length 2x6's. Yes, the jacks are also down, but more so I would not trust going into the camper with no floor support. If I drop the camper while on the road, I always support it with two mini saw horses (about 1 foot high)

[wintersun]

restlessways wrote:

wintersun wrote:
Lance recommends not using camper stands but to use only the jacks when storing the camper. RV parks are required by law in most states to allow only the use of the jack stands and to have the camper no more than 12 inches above the ground level when it is off the truck.

Several RV parks I've been to specifically state you are not allowed to remove truck campers, period.

I was mentioning the legal restrictions. A private RV park can be more restrictive if they choose to do so.

[kerry4951]

kylekai wrote:

BillL1356 wrote:
I have a Northstar Arrow U. Both dealer and Northstar told me to store on jacks. I keep the front slightly high and as low to ground as jacks allow. Store on or off jacks is camper specific. Contact mfr for a recommendation.

Isn't it also camper jack specific? While it may be OK with the camper mfg, maybe it's not OK with the jack mfg?

Anyone know what is the simplest and cheapest way to support the camper off the truck if the jack mfg says not to store the camper on the jacks? Build a wooden crate?

I carry a few 2X4s and aluminum screw jacks. I support the belly at both ends and one in the middle. I do it mostly to stabilize the TC. Everything stores in the wheel wells.

[billyray50]

Also i think would not buy a TC that manufacturer states not to store or camp with only camper jacks..

[Monaco_Montclai]

I use mine when we camp months at a time,caint see much dif there.two and three months at a time. now its all happy-camping

[billyray50]

restlessways wrote:

wintersun wrote:
Lance recommends not using camper stands but to use only the jacks when storing the camper. RV parks are required by law in most states to allow only the use of the jack stands and to have the camper no more than 12 inches above the ground level when it is off the truck.

Several RV parks I've been to specifically state you are not allowed to remove truck campers, period.

I have never experienced a campgrounds forbidding me to take camper off the truck. Far as storage for my Lance i just use the jacks. Just make sure front is a little higher than rear and as low to the ground as possible. If for some reason anything happens to the TC thats what insurance is for....

[kylekai]

BillL1356 wrote:
I have a Northstar Arrow U. Both dealer and Northstar told me to store on jacks. I keep the front slightly high and as low to ground as jacks allow. Store on or off jacks is camper specific. Contact mfr for a recommendation.

Isn't it also camper jack specific? While it may be OK with the camper mfg, maybe it's not OK with the jack mfg?

Anyone know what is the simplest and cheapest way to support the camper off the truck if the jack mfg says not to store the camper on the jacks? Build a wooden crate?

[bobndot]

Might be a California code thing for specialty parks ? ( sometimes CA. can be a little confusing ) as I understand things RV's are not in that category. Heath and Safety Codes .

There was an rvnet post about that some time ago. ill see if I can find what I AM talking about .

Here is a post with the health and safety code, maybe this is the post I was remembering.
https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/24136271/print/true.cfm

[billtex]

languiduck wrote:

wintersun wrote:
RV parks are required by law in most states to allow only the use of the jack stands and to have the camper no more than 12 inches above the ground level when it is off the truck.

Please prove that statement because I'm throwing the BS flag on this.

Yep...the troll strikes again...

[DWeikert]

Gripnriprod wrote:

DWeikert wrote:
Like the Arctic Fox example Gripnriprod posted, some campers are not designed to be used off the truck. I don't know which campers are or aren't like this but I do know my Northstar is meant to be used whether on the truck or on the jacks. So I store on the jacks with the camper lowered as close to ground as the jacks allow, with the front a little high for runoff.

Arctic Fox does not say not to use the camper off of the truck. The post was regarding storage recommendations. We take the 1140 off all the time - launching the boat, sightseeing, etc. Sorry for the confusion.

Oops. Not your fault. You clearly stated it was under "outdoor winter storage"

Sorry about that chief.

[languiduck]

wintersun wrote:
RV parks are required by law in most states to allow only the use of the jack stands and to have the camper no more than 12 inches above the ground level when it is off the truck.

Please prove that statement because I'm throwing the BS flag on this.

[BillL1356]

I have a Northstar Arrow U. Both dealer and Northstar told me to store on jacks. I keep the front slightly high and as low to ground as jacks allow. Store on or off jacks is camper specific. Contact mfr for a recommendation.