NavigatorC130A
Western NY
Full Member
Joined: 06/08/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
 Offline
|
We have a 24' Class C Tioga Monterra, but with the price of gas we have been looking for a bit less expensive way to get away with the boat to do some fishing.
We found a 1996 Jayco Sportsman 8 pop-up in great shape (stored inside for past 4 years with no use). We will probably want to off load the camper while camping so we can launch and pull the boat without having to tear down camp every time.
My question and worry is all about balance. I have read extensively on this and other forums and have seen no reference to it so it probably has never happened, but I have to ask.....do campers ever tip nose down because of people being in the overhead bunk when the camper is unattached to the truck?
The Bradford's
Western NY
24'Class C TIoga Montera
1996 Jayco pop-up TC
|
Eycom
32043
Senior Member
Joined: 09/12/2004
View Profile
|
Been asked before, so others have had the same concern. Keep the camper relatively level or the front elevated slightly to provide drainage. With that in mind, it would take catastrophic jack failure on one of the front jacks for the camper to tip over.
RVn Full-time
|
halibutman214
Oregon
Senior Member
Joined: 09/06/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
NavigatorC130A wrote:do campers ever tip nose down because of people being in the overhead bunk when the camper is unattached to the truck? Because of people being in the overhead bunk.... no, unless it was a lot of people or they were REALLY big people.
2008 Dodge Ram 6.7 Laramie SRW SB
2012 Keystone Passport 26BHWE
2009 Lance 830 with Tent foldout
20' North River Seahawk Boat
2005 Honda VTX1300
|
dbrojr
upstate ny
Senior Member
Joined: 11/01/2010
View Profile
Offline
|
i use an adjustable load bar under front of mine while off the truck,dont think it would ever tip,but gives a little reassurance.
2002 f-150/jayco pop
|
SoCalDesertRider
SanDiego, CA, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 12/14/2003
View Profile
|
Unless you party with an NFL team in the overcab bunk, NO, the camper is not going to tip over forward from using the overcab bunk off the truck.
05E350 6.0PSD
97F350DRW 7.3PSD 4x4 4.10 11' flatbed
98Ranger
69Bronco ATC250R CR500
20' BigTex flatbed carhauler
Callen Camper
92F350 CrewCab 4x4 351/C6
B&W TurnoverBall, Curt Magnum V
HD Springs Bilsteins,
285/75-16E BFG AT on 16x8 Stocktons
4.56's & LockRite rear
|
|
|
GoinThisAway
middle TN
Senior Member
Joined: 04/13/2009
View Profile
|
If a TC were to tip forward it would do so with the front jack as the pivot point. Stand to the side of your camper while offloaded. Draw a vertical line through the front jack. Look at how there is several times more camper to the rear of that line than to the front of it. Also, all of the batteries, propane tanks, appliances, water tanks, and waste tanks will be to the rear of that line. Thus, I doubt you could get enough weight into the overcab to tip it over as long as you keep the TC level enough to be used comfortably. You'll need to keep the TC slightly nose high but that is more to keep from putting too much weight on the front jacks than to prevent tipping over. Make sure the jacks are sitting on firm level ground and use jack pads to spread the weight out a little.
However, some TC are not made to be used off the truck, not because of tipping but because the floor is not strong enough to support a lot of weight (your weight and/or weight of fluid in tanks) without the support of the truck bed. You should check your owner's manual or, if no owner's manual, ask folks with same camper here.
Welcome to truck camping! Looks like you've got yourself a handy little rig there.
2008 Dodge 3500 DRW 4x4
2008 Bigfoot 25C10.4
Torklift/Fastguns/Hellwig/StableLoads
|
recycler
michigan
Senior Member
Joined: 02/15/2012
View Profile
 Online
|
if it has four jacks you should be alright if you walk on the floor of the camper off of truck and it moves a bunch may not be strong enough to do it 
1968 franklin 11fk
back to my 93 cummins
|
dbrojr
upstate ny
Senior Member
Joined: 11/01/2010
View Profile
Offline
|
my jayco isn't designed for use without floor support....manufacturer does not recommend usage off the truck without proper floor support.
|
mkirsch
Rochester, NY
Senior Member
Joined: 04/09/2004
View Profile
|
You'll collapse the front jacks or tear the cabover section off the camper long before it will tip over.
2002 Chevy 3500 DRW 8.1L/Allison
2000 Palomino B1500
...and the reason why I need a DRW to haul a Palomino:
2004 United 7x14 tandem axle enclosed toy trailer
2011 PJ 8x20 7-ton deckover equipment trailer
|
whizbang
Kenmore, WA
Senior Member
Joined: 08/20/2003
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
The camper won't fall forward. Instead, the floor will drop out. That Jayco has flimsy floor support and it really isn't the right camper to use off the truck. Don't believe me. Ask Google.
Whizbang
2010 F150 with 1994 Jayco Sportster 7ft Pop-up
http://www.raincityhome.com/RAWH/index.htm
|
|
|
