Pop-Top Warps and Twists When Loaded in Truck Bed

[wtwnnil]

Hi everyone! In my current camper re-build (a 2004 Palomino Bronco 1500 pop-top), I'm stuck at the very beginning -- establishing a balanced foundation. Basically, I can't seem to get the camper to sit square in the bed of my truck, the frame of the camper warps and leans to the right. This is to such an extreme that the deadlock on the door no longer engages (see the attached photo).

Any thoughts?

Currently, I've been using wooden pallets (about 4 inches thick) to raise the camper off the bed (because otherwise the camper hits the walls of the truck's box and the cabover). I've tried a few orientations of the pallets, and even switched out to a new set of high-end and identically-sized pallets (thanks to my friend who drives a freighter), and I still can't get the camper to sit square. When I jack the camper up, the camper goes square (and I can tell by the seam of the door fitting perfectly), but as soon as I lower the camper back down onto the bed of my truck, it warps to one side.

I read Jefe's article (and referencing this thread) about using a hard foam liner, so that's my next plan -- picking up some 1inch foam to place either on top of, or below, the pallets (or maybe I should opt for entirely foam as Jefe does?). A little part of me wonders though why it's not sitting right in the first place?

It's loaded into a 2009 F150, and the Bronco sticks out the backend so I've also got the tailgate down and the camper is resting on the tailgate (which I wonder if that might have something to do with it?).

Does anyone have any thoughts on what might help? Or have you experienced a similar circumstance? Thank you all, and take care!

 

[Roger M.]

The premium you pay for a dedicated off-road camper buys you frame construction methods that aren't present in a Palamino.
It's been my experience that older campers with these kinds of issues simply have twisted (or loose) frames.

 

[wtwnnil]

Thanks, klahanie, billiebob, and Roger. (Resized, thanks for the suggestion)

The pallets don't currently extend to the sides. However, I'd figured that was fine -- there's a 1" metal tubular framing that runs along the underside, and this makes the walls sit about 1" above the ground. So I'd figured the lack of support on the sides was what would happen regardless. I'll look into this!

And that's a great idea to test the camper on a flat surface. One issue is I don't think the jacks will lower enough for me to actually put it down onto a surface -- I'll need some sort of stand to raise it up on... However, I could test this by using the very same pallets, stacked on top of each other on the ground. This might help to identify if the camper still sits level.
(As I recall, when I've had it sitting on some pallets on the ground before, I believe it did in fact sit square!)

Yes, the camper is somewhat soft enough that if I push on the sides it'll adjust: I'd thought perhaps the camper was just stuck in that warped position, so I tried to 'pull' the upper portion of the camper (using a 5-to-1 rope system off the upper side of the camper and onto a tree!), which straightened/squared it up when it was under tension, but as soon as I let go of the tension it twisted again.

And when the camper is jacked up it sits fine/square. I've also tried shimming both the left and then right side of the camper (right around the tailgate), and interestingly neither seemed to work.

I was thinking the moderately compressible foam would help to even out any of the slight variations in height between the pallets and the truck bed?

I'm getting a real good arm workout from raising and lowering those jacks, and my watch tells me I've hit my 10k daily steps...?

 

[Ozarker]

Looked like the front passenger corner of the camper was held up by the fight rear wheel well in the bed.

Get rid of the palletts and build a frame, 2" angle iron, bolt it in.

 

[wtwnnil]

Haha, thanks Ozarker!

Rebooting this thread if that’s alright.

I’m just getting my frame rebuild underway. And before I start, I’m wondering: has anyone tried under-camper storage?
Basically, I’m thinking of building a frame for the camper to sit on top of (to establish the necessary clearance). And while I’m at it, I thought it could be useful to make this a deliberate storage space.

Does anyone have experience with placing some form of storage in between your camper and the bed of your truck? Any likely problems or benefits?

 

[jchasse]

can you put your pallet on flat ground and put the camper on it to see if it's still got the same "issues" then? If it does, that could eliminate the truck bed as the problem. If not, it probably rules out the pallet situation as the problem.

 

[mkish]

Back in 2012 when Fords were taller than the others, I bought a Northstar. They had a cheap option that screwed on a platform on the base of the camper for use in a Ford. Basically, you attach the platform to the camper, NOT just have it sitting in the truck. It beefs up the camper floor and keeps it square. In theory. Definitely will make your life easier!

Sounds like you're doing that. The storage I'd most want in that base is a gray water tank. I've seen guys do a network of PVC pipes to serve as a tank. Looks like you have space on the sides as well?

And leave the tailgate at home! It'll get all yucky.

 

[wtwnnil]

Thanks for all your feedback folks! So what I’ve done is this:

I made a rigid foam base using two layers of 2” (25 PSI) foam. Then I used a piece of 3/4” plywood on top to distribute the weight — this was a 4’x8’ piece of plywood which I cut into four strips of 2’x4’, put a 3/4” groove halfway through each piece, and now I can also use it as a camper stand.

Then I made a wooden box that exactly fit the gap left between the tailgate and the rear of the camper. I decided to keep the tailgate on (re mkish) as it still provides a lot of support and there’s a huge overhang otherwise. I turned this into a storage box, using 3/4” ply and 2x4s, added a door hinge, handle, and lock on the side.

This partially solved the problem of the camper warping. However, I’ve realized the top was warping too! Because of the soft-canvas and the poptop-style, the only portion that was providing support for the walls was the rear folding wall — and this had rotted and torn out of its bolts! So I made a new wall (sacrificing the option to have a window/door in the middle), used a ratchet strap to pull the top-portion of the sides together, and put the folding-top-wall back in place — and it held the tension! I painted it with an waterproofing marine paint (only options being blue or red, so I opted for blue).

Now the base seems stable, and the walls are staying vertical!

 

[mkish]

Nice! The extra storage will be good to have.

So this is (was) one of those poptops with the full-size door? I don't think anyone makes them like that anymore due to the structural issues.