Loading Camper

[AlFischer]

OK Guys, what tips do you have for loading a camper on my truck. Small 8. 5 ft Elkhorn with about 1 inch of clearance side to side. What a major pain!!. Can't see anything out of the rear window and there seems to be no reference point on the side.



Someone must have a technique that workd ????

 

[MGordon]

Practice. Practice. Practice. And than, next spring comes and you forget everything you learned last summer.

 

[WyoJim]

Comon Al... . You can see the end of your bed. Mark the middle groove at the end of the bed and mark the center of the camper at the bottom edge. A magic marker will do. Line up the marks as you back up and then back straight under it.

 

[BV]

Camper loading

Jim's idea works or you can put a mark on the front side that is visable from the side mirror then practice - practice - practice

 

[JWhitcomb]

First off I have a bigger slide in but the clearance is about the same. I leave a extra battery on each side up near the cab so I need to be on the money. I mostly use the line up the marks system but have been messing with a plumb bob type system so I can line up a straight line as I back under the camper.

 

[AlFischer]

Plumb bob system? Please explain...

 

[JWhitcomb]

Yeah, I know I didn't do well on that post. Here is what I am messing with.



1. Stick down a line of tape on the bed in the exact line you need to be centered.



2. Tape a string with a foam plumb bob ( with a small weight in the center so it will hang plumb) to the center of your cab over.



3. Do the same thing toward the back of the cab over.



4. Now, back under while keeping the bobs centered on your tape and you should be going straight in.



5. Keep going while keeping the back bob over the tape and finish backing in.



6. Remove your bobs and lower the camper and you should be on the money. Just make sure your marks are where they need to be and it should go right on. I just tape the bobs to the cabover so they remove quick.



7. All in all this works well but the job goes well without all this if you just spend the time to run through the basic loading procedure, you will get it down pat soon.



Hope this helps, practice, practice.

 

[AlFischer]

Interesting approach. Gonna try it!

 

[JWhitcomb]

The approach is a bit busy but I cannot twist my neck to look so I use this and mirrors. This is just something I am messing with as I can pretty much line it up by checking the mirrors for the clearance between the jacks and training wheel fenders. I do like the bob system for keeping a straight line. I don't want to claim this as my idea as I devised it from other posts I have seen.

 

[TowPro]

I was thinking about making a frame in the bed of the truck, in front of the wheel wells that would "center" the camper as I backed up. My jacks will allow the camper to move several inches so instead of using the messureing tape and leaning on the camper, just allow the wood frame to center it for you.

 

[JWhitcomb]

What kind of jacks allow the camper to move several inches? Rollers on the bottom?

 

[sheldon]

On my driveway I have a straight expansion joint that I align the left side tires with when I take off the camper. When I put on the camper I line up the left tires to the joint and back right under perfectly. You can always paint a line to line up to. It also helps to have flat ground to store the camper on.