tanglefoot
ExPoseur
This poor trucklet had been lugging this camper around since I found it about 5 years ago, but I finally figured out a way to take it off!
This camper was, let's just say, significantly under $1k, so I couldn't justify buying jacks, and the ones on Craigslist seemed to keep getting snatched up.
So, I started collecting some pieces of chain, angle-iron, a pair of cheap chain hoists and hardware bits and went to work in the outbuilding. A three-foot length of angle-iron was bolted under each side-shelf of the camper. I did my best to guess the balance point but ended up moving the holes around a little bit. Four grade-8 bolts connect the short chains to the angle iron "brackets" and the chain hoists hook onto those. I figured the hoist closest to the exterior wall would have enough support but I added a vertical support (sandwiched 2x8s) just past the second chain hoist.
It felt a little precarious once the truck came out from under the swinging camper, but it seemed to balance alright. There were bolts through the short chains on either side of the hoist hooks to prevent the chains from sliding through the hooks and standing the camper on end :Wow1:
Ain't she purty? (Next time, spray-foam will not be used!)
Then, one side at a time, it lowered right down onto some 2x4s on the slab (try that with your camper jacks!) and my blood pressure came down with it.
The 4runner looks like it wants to jump around like a grasshopper now. I can't wait to drive it. It'll take some tinkering to put things back (like the tailgate strikers), clean it up, and stretch the soft top over it, but I imagine it'll be quite a bit more nimble and spirited again. :wings:
This camper was, let's just say, significantly under $1k, so I couldn't justify buying jacks, and the ones on Craigslist seemed to keep getting snatched up.
So, I started collecting some pieces of chain, angle-iron, a pair of cheap chain hoists and hardware bits and went to work in the outbuilding. A three-foot length of angle-iron was bolted under each side-shelf of the camper. I did my best to guess the balance point but ended up moving the holes around a little bit. Four grade-8 bolts connect the short chains to the angle iron "brackets" and the chain hoists hook onto those. I figured the hoist closest to the exterior wall would have enough support but I added a vertical support (sandwiched 2x8s) just past the second chain hoist.
It felt a little precarious once the truck came out from under the swinging camper, but it seemed to balance alright. There were bolts through the short chains on either side of the hoist hooks to prevent the chains from sliding through the hooks and standing the camper on end :Wow1:
Ain't she purty? (Next time, spray-foam will not be used!)
Then, one side at a time, it lowered right down onto some 2x4s on the slab (try that with your camper jacks!) and my blood pressure came down with it.
The 4runner looks like it wants to jump around like a grasshopper now. I can't wait to drive it. It'll take some tinkering to put things back (like the tailgate strikers), clean it up, and stretch the soft top over it, but I imagine it'll be quite a bit more nimble and spirited again. :wings:
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