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Design ideas for a platform to lower camper onto...

edgerelease
Explorer
Explorer
I am going to build a simple platform for my camper to rest on to take stress off the jacks when I'm not using it for longer periods. Please share any ideas. I think I'm going with cinder blocks and qty2 @ 2x6 sandwiched for the frame. Spaced maybe every 6" or so. As I type this actually maybe it could be even more simple with a bunch of cinder blocks and thick plywood on top.

Please share if you've build one. I'd love to see pictures if you have them.

Cheers,
Tom
16 REPLIES 16

bighatnohorse
Explorer II
Explorer II
They were called Budster blocks. From a 2010 post with photos:
https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/23588386/print/true.cfm
2021 Arctic Fox 1150
'15 F350 6.7 diesel dually long bed
Eagle Cap Owners
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SoonDockin
Explorer II
Explorer II
I have thought about a cart but at over 5k, it seems like a recipe for disaster. I have casters that can easily carry the weight. Fortunately I have a spot to unload in my building and leave it.
2022 Ram Laramie 5500 60" CA New pic soon
2018 Arctic Fox 1140 Dry Bath
Sold 2019 Ford F450 King Ranch (was a very nice truck)

mkirsch
Nomad II
Nomad II
If you need a visual on the concept of the plywood X's, take your hands and make the Vulcan salute with both hands. That's make a V with your ring and middle finger on one side, ring and pinky on the other.

Now take the two Vulcan salutes, point the open V's toward each other, and jam them together so they interlock. Now cut off your hands at the wrists (in your imagination, or literally, your choice) and pretend they're sheets of plywood.

Putting 10-ply tires on half ton trucks since aught-four.

MrPhelps
Explorer
Explorer
JRscooby wrote:
Never did it under a camper, but do you remember the 2 plywood X we put under waterbeds? Sheet below, another on top to spread the load. And if you wanted you could flatten it on floor of bed, load camper on top if you think might want to unload away from home.



Agree. Got this from this forum years ago: For 8 foot bed truck: 1 sheet 4x8 plywood cut into 4 sections with each center section notched so they can be "x" ed provides adequate support. Add load distributing flat surface boards on top if you wish and lower the near full weight of the camper to reduce jack load. I've been using this for 15 years. Cheap and effective.
- 2018 RAM 3500 Laramie DRW
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Geo_Boy
Explorer II
Explorer II
Rieco Titan offers a platform dolly for TCโ€™s and Torklift offers the Camper Packer kits.

JimK-NY
Explorer II
Explorer II
Stack a few pallets under the bed and lower the camper to you take most of the pressure off of the jacks.

deserteagle56
Explorer II
Explorer II
My solution was 4 - 55 gallons drums with lids that I had sitting around. An undamaged drum (no dents) can hold a lot of weight! I stand one up at each corner of the camper. On top of each drum I placed some short sections of 6x6 timbers I had, aligned with the edges of the camper. This allows me to just leave the camper at the correct height to reload it onto the truck (my electric jacks are old and struggle). To be on the safe side I do run the camper jacks down so they just rest on the ground - not holding any weight but for stability. We have a lot of earthquakes here in Nevada!
1996 Bigfoot 2500 9.5 on a 2004 Dodge/Cummins dually

srschang
Nomad
Nomad


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ticki2
Explorer
Explorer
Check out Sricky TRUCK CAMPER UNIVERSITY , second page Camper storage
'68 Avion C-11
'02 GMC DRW D/A flatbed

MORSNOW
Navigator II
Navigator II
I just use 4 stackable screw jacks with 4x4 toppers. You can pick these jacks up at Walmart or most hardware stores for around $40. Inexpensive, works on unlevel ground as you can adjust each jack and store your camper perfectly level side to side and the front cabover slightly higher.

2014 Wolf Creek 850SB
2012 GMC Sierra SLT 2500HD 7,220# Truck/10,400# Camper Fully Loaded

That's what I did, works great - and I carried them with me, and used pads beneath the jacks when I unloaded at a campground.  Very solid.  

Monkey44
Cape Cod Ma & Central Fla
Chevy 2500HD 4x4 DC-SB
2008 Lance 845
Back-country camping fanatic

StirCrazy
Navigator
Navigator
I use cinderblocks and two chunks of 4x4 and a bunch of 2x6 right now and I can tell you it's a pain in the butt.

I want to build a sawhorse tryp set up that's the same high as the bed now so there is minimal jacking to get on and off. I can't leave mine on the jacks as they are hydraulic jacks, and it will blow the seals out eventually
2014 F350 6.7 Platinum
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midnightsadie
Explorer II
Explorer II
I built a rolling cart 8ft long 4ft wide with good swivel wheel. rolls around my shop as needed. cart is made of steel.

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
Unless itโ€™s an old rickety camper, donโ€™t worry about it and leave it on the jacks.
If youโ€™re going to be using it, off the truck, and want more stability, lower it all the way down and itโ€™ll be pretty darn stable. If thatโ€™s not quite enough, something easy to set it on like a half dozen pallets or similar is what Iโ€™d be thinkin.
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