Pretty sure the odds of ripping a rear jack off on a tight trail are higher than the camper falling out of the back especially with a pop-up.
4 Wheeling with Jacks On Camper
- Thread starter canyonrover
- Start date
Pretty sure the odds of ripping a rear jack off on a tight trail are higher than the camper falling out of the back especially with a pop-up.
subterran
Adventurer
One thing to consider - or at least try it first. If you take your jacks off and leave them behind, be sure you have tools to reach your spare tire. If your camper extends out beyond the truck bed / out onto the tailgate, you want to be sure that you have tools long enough to reach the spare tire lowering assembly (assuming your vehicle has that style)
There's nothing like that sinking feeling you'll get in the middle of nowhere with a flat, and you can't get to your spare.
There's nothing like that sinking feeling you'll get in the middle of nowhere with a flat, and you can't get to your spare.
kylekai
Observer
No only that, but make sure your jack can lift the truck and camper. I had a rear tire go flat in the desert, on soft sand. Jack couldn't lift the truck and camper, so I lifted the camper up about a foot using the camper jacks, and only then could I lift the truck to change the tire.
canyonrover
New member
All good stuff. Things I never considered since I don't have a camper yet. Keep 'em coming.
canyonrover
New member
I assume that most who remove their jacks have manual jacks. Do the electric jacks have quick connectors to allow removal or would a connector need to be added as an earlier post stated. I know these are simple questions but where I live there are only two sellers of campers and I am looking for a broader range of information.
olsen_karl
Adventurer
I have manual crank Happijac jacks on my Northstar camper. The crank part that fits into the jack is a square drive -- IIRC, it's a 3/8" socket square. Whatever it is, I had a bit in my toolbox that that fit it exactly, and it cranks up/down fast with a cordless drill. The gearing in the manual jacks is very low, so the drill motor can turn it easily.
The bit driver that I have looks essentially like this:
I removed my jacks for the clearance, and for the weight, and just leave them in the shed. The camper lives on my truck all the time.
subterran
Adventurer
@ canyonrover: I think I see where you're going here. The jacks that come with these campers are NOT anything like trailer hitch or trailer pop-up jacks. They are very easy to crank, and thus I would think that no one would have need for an 'electric' one. This is one of those things that you'll just have to see for yourself, instead of pre-planning. I am perfectly happy using my manual jacks on my slide-in, but I'd give my right arm for an electric jack for the hitch jack on my trailer camper. The drill adaptor should work great for what I suspect you want (as would the manual jack handles, really), whereas, there's not the battery-drill made that could spin my hitch jack, it takes too much torque. Does that make sense?
canyonrover
New member
Subterran-Yup that all makes sense. I guess I was thinking back to my old pop up camper where the jacks were needed for support while camping.
seeNik48
Adventurer
2013 Hallmark Ute, 8.5' long. We took jacks off after we returned home from picking camper up and 4 weeks of travel. Reasons are less weight and not getting hung up on narrow USFS roads here in Western Washington. I think they weigh 50 pounds each but at least 25. It all adds up.
ETAV8R
Founder of D.E.R.P.
I take mine off when the camper is on the truck. I have seen a guy in the far off reaches of Death Valley who on multiple occasions had his FWC on the jacks with the truck out from under it. One time he had saw horses supporting the camper. Why do you want to keep the jacks on? They reduce road visibility when attached to the camper.
Scoutman
Explorer
I had a trip when the roofing of my camper had a RUD (Rapid Unscheduled Dissassembly). We had to leave the camper at a campsite while we went drove out to get supplies in order to get it ready for a 4 hour drive home. Most of our trips are weekend trips and aren't too extreme so we have never removed ours. If the terrain you plan to do or the vehicle would only be used for this purpose then sure, take them off.
Regcabguy
Oil eater.
My jacks are like new as they've spent their whole life in the garage. My Happijac's must be geared higher as my cordless drill won't lift the camper up too well. I work with a neighbor who using the supplied cranks helps me mount it. Dismounting it,I team up with my wife. 20 minutes. Mine's on the truck 95% of the time. My truck looks naked without it.I have manual crank Happijac jacks on my Northstar camper. The crank part that fits into the jack is a square drive -- IIRC, it's a 3/8" socket square. Whatever it is, I had a bit in my toolbox that that fit it exactly, and it cranks up/down fast with a cordless drill. The gearing in the manual jacks is very low, so the drill motor can turn it easily.
The bit driver that I have looks essentially like this:
I removed my jacks for the clearance, and for the weight, and just leave them in the shed. The camper lives on my truck all the time.