Slide In Camper Jacks And Hold Downs?

[RSeymon]

Hi Everyone,



Need The Groups Advice On Which Brand Slide In Camper Jacks People Are Using And Also What Type Of Hold Downs To The Truck, I Have A 11 1/2 Foot Coachman Unit About 13 Years Old. Need To Replace The Jacks In The Front Of The Camper And Also Looking For A Better Hold Down System . Btw Way I Just Returned From A 400 Mile Trip To The Mountains This Weekend Mild Up And Downs Went From 2300 Feet Elev. To About 7200 Feet Got 10 Mpg Is This About Normal For My Truck , Also On The Return Fought A 40 Mph Head Wind And Got 9 Mpg



Thanks In Advance

 

[Utah Willie]

Slide-in camper jacks and hold downs?

My 8. 6 Lance extended cab that I use when not in the fiver, has Atwood electrics that I put on, replacing the hand crankers. I don't have the remote, however. I just do front/back/front/back, etc. They have given me good service but I do wish they had a free-fall feature like the hand jobs wherein one could depress a lever and with a foot, zip the jack down to the ground. For cranking up, I fabricated a connection to fit a cordless drill and used that to retract them after the weight was released by hand. I got the electrics only because I use the camper by myself and the electrics are much safer as all four jacks are in contact with the ground all the time I am extending or retracting them.



For hold-downs, I have the dreaded (by some folks) bed mounted front and bumper mounted rear springers. I have yet to have a problem with them and I do a bit of travel over rutted, washboard roads and put some good twists on the truck. So far... . so good.

 

[GFritsch]

My 8. 6 Lance extended cab that I use when not in the fiver, has Atwood electrics that I put on, replacing the hand crankers. I don't have the remote, however. I just do front/back/front/back, etc. They have given me good service but I do wish they had a free-fall feature like the hand jobs wherein one could depress a lever and with a foot, zip the jack down to the ground. For cranking up, I fabricated a connection to fit a cordless drill and used that to retract them after the weight was released by hand. I got the electrics only because I use the camper by myself and the electrics are much safer as all four jacks are in contact with the ground all the time I am extending or retracting them.



For hold-downs, I have the dreaded (by some folks) bed mounted front and bumper mounted rear springers. I have yet to have a problem with them and I do a bit of travel over rutted, washboard roads and put some good twists on the truck. So far... . so good.

I agree with Utah Willie as far as the electric jacks. For one person they are certainly worth the many laps around the camper trying to keep all legs on the ground.



As far as hold downs I used the bed and bumper mounted set up on my last truck and damaged the trucks bed badly. I would most certainly reccomend the frame mounted systems. I use the torq lift which is relatively inexpensive and easy to install. A few pics in readers rigs of the camper.



Happy trails-

Greg

 

[jmtandem]

camper tie downs

The Torklifts are frame mounted, a little more work getting installed but very strong. You might want to get a turn down for the exhaust as the torklift on the passenger rear is in the stream of the exhaust. It doesn't hurt anything but the chains and strut do get exhaust on them.

 

[Nigel]

Check out stablelift.com. I was considering it when I had my truck camper.

 

[Rman]

I've got happijakcs on the front and tork lift's on the rear. I suggest tork lifts. An excellent mounting system. The fast gun tie downs are definitly worth looking into as well. I'm tired of my happi jacks.