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> leveling out your TC

CumminsTurbo22
post May 11 2010, 11:17 AM
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Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: Dodge Ram 3500, crew cab, long bed dually 4x4 lariat
Type of Tiedowns used: torklift
Truck and Camper Setup: Dodge ram, full billet trans, programers, 1976 Apeco camper, 11 footer



I have a question,
when you are parked for the night/weekend and you want to level out your TC, do you leave your turnbuckles on and level out the TC? or do you loosen them up, level out your TC then tighting your turnbuckles back down? or do you just take em off and level it out.
Thanks
Nick
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FolsomBrad
post May 11 2010, 12:06 PM
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Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: Ford F-250 4X4 Diesel Crew Cab
Type of Tiedowns used: Happijac
Truck and Camper Setup: Lance 845, Airbags



QUOTE(CumminsTurbo22 @ May 11 2010, 08:17 AM)
I have a question,
when you are parked for the night/weekend and you want to level out your TC, do you leave your turnbuckles on and level out the TC? or do you loosen them up, level out your TC then tighting your turnbuckles back down? or do you just take em off and level it out.
Thanks
Nick
*



I loosen them before I level...I have Happijacks and was told you can mess them up and/or bend your bumper if you don't. One other thing, watch that you don't raise the rear end too much and lower your cabover onto the roof of your truck. Don't ask me how I figured this out.
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CumminsTurbo22
post May 11 2010, 12:09 PM
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Group: Members
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Member No.: 4,165
Favorite Truck Camper(s): first one so i cant say
Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: Dodge Ram 3500, crew cab, long bed dually 4x4 lariat
Type of Tiedowns used: torklift
Truck and Camper Setup: Dodge ram, full billet trans, programers, 1976 Apeco camper, 11 footer



QUOTE(FolsomBrad @ May 11 2010, 05:06 PM)
I loosen them before I level...I have Happijacks and was told you can mess them up and/or bend your bumper if you don't.  One other thing, watch that you don't raise the rear end too much and lower your cabover onto the roof of your truck.  Don't ask me how I figured this out.
*


thanks for the advice, i have the torklift setup, front and rear, but yeah i ran into that problem lowering the TC on to the truck and almost scratching the roof of the cab. lol
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Neverhome
post Jun 9 2010, 08:38 PM
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Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: Ford F350, V10 4 X 4, 8'bed, Super Cab
Type of Tiedowns used: Torklift
Truck and Camper Setup: 2010 Ford F 350, V10 , 4 X 4 , Super Cab. Lance 1999, 2011 with air and genny. Happijac Tiedowns.



QUOTE(CumminsTurbo22 @ May 11 2010, 06:09 PM)
thanks for the advice, i have the torklift setup, front and rear, but yeah i ran into that problem lowering the TC on to the truck and almost scratching the roof of the cab. lol
*



Walmart sells leveling interlocking poly blocks that look like giant lego's. You can stack as many as needed to level your truck without having to adjust the camper jacks. I have used them and they work well. Simply drive the truck up on them and add or remove blocks until the truck is level. wink.gif

Neverhome.
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FolsomBrad
post Jun 9 2010, 09:56 PM
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Favorite Truck Camper(s): Lance
Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: Ford F-250 4X4 Diesel Crew Cab
Type of Tiedowns used: Happijac
Truck and Camper Setup: Lance 845, Airbags



QUOTE(CumminsTurbo22 @ May 11 2010, 09:09 AM)
thanks for the advice, i have the torklift setup, front and rear, but yeah i ran into that problem lowering the TC on to the truck and almost scratching the roof of the cab. lol
*



I'd be interested what others say about whether you have to loosen Torquelifts before you level, as you do Happijacks. I'm not sure whether I'm happy with my Happijacks (pun intended). I've already broken one of the front guides and the removable brackets that attach the rear tie downs to the bumper have become deformed -- so they now don't remove easily. I think it happened from driving in high wind.
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aqualung
post Jun 10 2010, 07:34 AM
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Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: Dodge 3500 Dually Quadcab 4x4 6.7L Cummins
Type of Tiedowns used: Torklift
Truck and Camper Setup: 2008 Adventurer 90FWS Torklift Tiedowns with SuperHitch and SuperTruss Firestone Air Bags Torklift Load Stabilizers Fastgun Turnbuckles



You should always loosen off the tiedowns. In the case of Torklift tie downs, they're strong enough to carry the weight but are the anchor points on your camper strong enough?? Probably not. If you leave the tiedowns tight then you can also start to pick up the weight of the truck as you level, not just the camper. I suppose if you don't have much leveling to do then the truck's springs will be holding the load but at what point do the tiedowns and anchors pick up the load? Better safe than sorry and loosen off the tiedowns.
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Waynedeer
post Jun 12 2010, 07:28 PM
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Favorite Truck Camper(s): Lance
Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: 2004 Lance 921 Chevy 2500 Diesel 4x4 SRW
Type of Tiedowns used: Happijac
Truck and Camper Setup: 19.5 Rickson wheels, 245 H load tires, supersprings, Firestone airbags



QUOTE(FolsomBrad @ Jun 9 2010, 10:56 PM)
I'd be interested what others say about whether you have to loosen Torquelifts before you level, as you do Happijacks.  I'm not sure whether I'm happy with my Happijacks (pun intended). I've already broken one of the front guides and the removable brackets that attach the rear tie downs to the bumper have become deformed -- so they now don't remove easily. I think it happened from driving in high wind.
*



I just made a trip from NH to Wyoming (widny) and while everything was fine; the "Happijacs" moved my rear bumper. I did not over-tighten them; so I think the bumper idea is a poor way to go
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FolsomBrad
post Jun 12 2010, 07:41 PM
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Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: Ford F-250 4X4 Diesel Crew Cab
Type of Tiedowns used: Happijac
Truck and Camper Setup: Lance 845, Airbags



QUOTE(Waynedeer @ Jun 12 2010, 04:28 PM)
I just made a trip from NH to Wyoming (widny) and while everything was fine; the "Happijacs" moved my rear bumper. I did not over-tighten them; so I think the bumper idea is a poor way to go
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I suppose your not real "happy" about that. Did it bend the bumper or just move it on the mounts?
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JYothers
post Jun 21 2010, 11:46 AM
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Favorite Truck Camper(s): Lance
Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: Chevy 2500HD 4x4 Extended Cab
Type of Tiedowns used: Custom
Truck and Camper Setup: 03 Chevy 2500HD 4x4, air bags, StableLoads, Custom Tiedowns, Class V Hitch with a 97 Lance 980 (11-3) Fully loaded



I level the truck as much as possible 1st.
park on level ground
use blocks, etc...
Block The Wheels
I loosen to the point of almost removing my turnbuckles (which are for traveling anyway) I use mount springs on my welded frame attached mounts, then run chains and manual turnbuckles to the camper.
Then jack as needed to level.

Typically I level the rear a bit low and get the left to right 1st, then bring the front up when possible.

Wrong or right, its what I've done for a long long time...
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BobC
post Jun 30 2010, 08:03 PM
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QUOTE(Neverhome @ Jun 9 2010, 09:38 PM)
Walmart sells leveling interlocking poly blocks that look like giant lego's. You can stack as  many as needed to level your truck without having to adjust the camper jacks.  I have used them and they work well. Simply drive the truck up on them and add or remove blocks until the truck is level. wink.gif

Neverhome.
*


I agree the Lynx Leveling Blocks work very well.
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CumminsTurbo22
post Jul 5 2010, 10:41 PM
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Favorite Truck Camper(s): first one so i cant say
Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: Dodge Ram 3500, crew cab, long bed dually 4x4 lariat
Type of Tiedowns used: torklift
Truck and Camper Setup: Dodge ram, full billet trans, programers, 1976 Apeco camper, 11 footer



Thanks Everyone!
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Jorgy
post Aug 6 2010, 11:06 AM
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Favorite Truck Camper(s): Northern Light
Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: 06 F350 Crewcab 7.3 Diesel
Type of Tiedowns used: Torklift Happijac
Truck and Camper Setup: F-350: Air Bags, Happijac Tiedowns



QUOTE(BobC @ Jul 1 2010, 01:03 AM)
I agree the Lynx Leveling Blocks work very well.
*



We also have the leveling blocks but found out they do not work very good in loose dirt. They will sink into the ground and may also crack in half. I made two set of blocks out of 2x10's. Three different lengths so I can stack them on top of each other each cut at a a 45 angle so the truck can drive up on them easy. Of course if space is a premium then the plastic blocks are nice but just beware of the soft dirt.
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