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Mark Joslin, Parker, Colorado
Compact and Cheap Off-Truck Camper Stabilization
2006 Dodge Ram 3500
2005 Lance 1181
Over many years of truck camper ownership, I’ve tried various ways to stabilize the camper when it’s off the truck. Torklift’s Wobble Stoppers worked quite well. After selling the camper that was outfitted with them, I made my own. They worked, but not as well as the Torklift version.
Stable Camper makes a great stabilization system, but I don’t use my camper off the truck often enough to justify buying them. When the camper is in storage, it sits on 4x4s supported by six-ton jack stands.
I wanted a cheap, effective, easy-to-store and use stabilization system to stabilize my camper when off the truck away from home.
My solution couldn’t be more simple. I carry plastic locking-style leveling blocks. If the camper is unloaded, then I don’t need them to level the truck.
So, why not use them to stabilize the camper? Well, I don’t carry enough of them to set the camper on, but I could extend them.
I used scrap 3/4 inch plywood cut into roughly 12-inch squares. Then I cut slots into each of the four pieces of plywood to permit two of them to interlock in an X.
I simply place the plywood X into the leveling blocks, use leveling blocks flipped upside down on the top of the plywood “X”, and lower the camper onto the support; one on each front corner of the camper. The plastic leveling blocks give me adjustment in about 1-inch increments.
This has worked exactly as I hoped. They’re easy to store, easy to set up, and easy to put away. All you need are plastic square leveling blocks, scrap 3/4 inch plywood, and random stain.
It took me .5 hours to complete this modification. I had all the materials on hand, so it cost me nothing. In my opinion, the skill level of this modification is easy.
Disclaimer: The modifications above are submitted by Truck Camper Magazine readers. It is your responsibility to make sure that any do-it-yourself modification project you undertake is safe, effective, and legal for your situation.
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