Rieco-Titan has a new camper dolly designed to be lighter, stronger, and fit nearly any truck camper. Introducing the new aluminum Universal Camper Dolly. Can one person roll a camper around? You bet!
Truck campers loaded on trucks are easy to move. Simply drive the truck and voila, the camper comes with it! Using this concept, we moved our camper from Port Charlotte, Florida to Los Angeles, California and back this summer. I know, amazing, right?
Truck campers off trucks are a different matter. Resting on four corner jacks, truck campers don’t budge. This can be frustrating when you need to move them around a driveway, storage lot, or garage. The trick is to unload a camper exactly where you want it, but what if that’s not possible? What if the place where you can unload the camper isn’t exactly where you need it stored?
The answer is a camper dolly. Once a camper is unloaded from a truck, it can be lowered onto a wheeled dolly. With the camper jacks raised, the dolly can be moved via human power on level cement or pavement to a designated storage spot. Upon arrival, lock the dolly wheels or put the jacks down and remove the dolly. Good night, truck camper. Until the next adventure!
Rieco-Titan has offered camper dollies for years. They were made from steel, relatively expensive to ship, and didn’t fit every truck camper.
Rieco-Titan’s new Universal Camper Dolly solves these problems by utilizing heavy-duty (but much lighter) aluminum and making the design capable of adjusting to nearly any demountable truck camper ever made. By being lighter, the Universal Camper Dolly is significantly less expensive to ship and easier to assemble.
To learn more about the new Universal Camper Dolly, we talked to Bill Pavin and Rachel Alvizu of Rieco-Titan.
Above: The new Rieco-Titan Universal Camper Dolly
What’s the origin story behind the new Rieco-Titan Universal Camper Dolly?
Rachel: There are some very important reasons we developed the new aluminum Universal Camper Dolly. First, the length and weight of our old steel camper dolly created crazy prices for shipping. It was often hundreds of dollars to ship to the West Coast. The new aluminum Universal Camper Dolly is not only significantly lighter, but the boxes are less than 4-feet, dramatically cutting the shipping cost. Our distributors can also place the new dolly on a pallet. That was key.
Bill: Another reason we developed the Universal Camper Dolly was improved camper compatibility. The old steel dolly didn’t fit around some external basement features. The older design also didn’t accommodate for basements that weren’t the same width down the length of the camper. We ran into these issues with our own truck camper. That’s why we turned the angles sideways. The new dolly will fit nearly every camper on the market.
Rachel: Some campers were a half-inch too wide for our older dolly design. Our customers created spacers to make their campers fit. We wanted a dolly that would offer a more universal fit.
Above: The Universal Camper Dolly uses 3 inch 6061 aluminum angle iron
What aluminum is the new Universal Camper Dolly made from?
Bill: We went with the 6061 aircraft grade aluminum alloy with an exceptionally high strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance. It’s commonly used in aerospace structural applications, including fuselages and critical wing components. For additional strength and weight capacity, we increased the angle iron from 2.5 inches to 3 inches.
Rieco-Titan has long offered a 6’ and an 8’ steel camper dollies. Moving forward, will these remain available?
Rachel: Yes, but our goal is to replace them with the new Universal Camper Dolly. The new dolly is superior in terms of shipping cost, ease of assembly, and camper fitment.
What is the weight capacity of the new Universal Dolly?
Bill: It has a weight rating of 5,000 pounds. We actually weight tested the product in-house to 6,500 pounds.
Above: Using concrete blocks to test the weight capacity of the Universal Camper Dolly
How did you conduct your weight test?
Bill: We used concrete blocks. Knowing the weight of the individual concrete blocks, we were able to stress test the Universal Camper Dolly to 6,500 pounds. We created a pallet with a similar base to a truck camper, and loaded it up. Then we rolled the dolly around our parking lot, dragged it around with a forklift, and left it outside for months under load. All that time, we monitored the flex points from low angles. We’re very happy with the results of those tests.
That’s quite the test. Is the Universal Camper Dolly truly universal for all truck campers—mid-size, no-frills pop-ups to full-size triple-slide slide-in beasts?
Bill: As long as the campers are under 5,000 pounds. That was our goal. The Universal Camper Dolly is available in 15 inch and 20 inch heights at the same price. Both are adjustable in length and width. For campers that fit a Toyota Tacoma, the Universal Camper Dolly has extra holes to hit the necessary width requirement.
Rachel: For width, the dolly is adjustable from 40 to 45 inches in 2.5-inch increments. The length is 70 to 88 inches in 2-inch increments.
Another feature we added to the new Universal Camper Dolly was ratchet straps. It comes with four ratchets and connection holes. The straps connect to the tie-down holes on your camper for peace of mind.
Above: Punching connection holes in the Universal Camper Dolly
Does the Universal Dolly offer locking brakes on the casters?
Rachel: Yes, it has two rear stationary casters and two front swivel casters with locks. To engage the locks, press the brake firmly into the top of the wheel. Before lowering the camper onto the dolly, the front caster wheels must be locked. Once the camper is loaded and you’re ready to move it, those casters should be unlocked. After rolling the dolly to its storage position, the locks are engaged again to secure the camper in place.
Above: One person can move a camper with the Universal Camper Dolly
Can someone push their camper around by themselves with the Universal Camper Dolly?
Bill: Yes. I took videos of my son pushing our camper around in our garage. He pushed it straight and then sideways. He was pushing approximately 3,000 pounds around by himself. If you want your camper in an exact spot, one can push and one can steer.
We also offer an add-on hitch that works with our old and new dolly designs. With the hitch, you can hook the dolly to a garden tractor and pull your camper around.
Above: Rieco-Titan offers a hitch to move a loaded Universal Camper Dolly
What does the Universal Camper Dolly weigh?
Rachel: The Universal Camper Dolly comes in two boxes. The 15-inch version is 94 pounds, and the 20-inch is 101 pounds. That’s the shipping weight. Both versions are approximately 90 pounds when assembled.
How is it assembled once it arrives?
Bill: We include assembly instructions with your Universal Camper Dolly. The dolly is assembled using a 9/16” wrench. It helps to have a ratchet, and a cordless drill with an adapter can speed things up.
Because aluminum is lighter than steel, it’s easy to assemble by yourself. That’s another reason we went with aluminum.
When it comes to assembly, the first thing I tell folks is to lay everything out on the ground in the shape of the dolly. Make sure the holes in the rails are facing inward so you know you’ve got the orientation right.
From there, it’s about sizing the dolly to your camper. The width adjusts between 40 and 45 inches, and the length goes from 70 to 88 inches. Once you know your measurements, attach the legs to the cross rails, then add the side rails. The two-hole end goes to the leg, and the three-hole end is left open for the center rail.
With the frame in place, connect the center side rails using the holes that best match your camper length. Just remember not to fully tighten things until the dolly is flipped upright. At every joint, the order is bolt, washer, rail, washer, lock washer, nut. That keeps everything locked in solid.
Finally, mount the casters. Swivels with locks go on the front where the camper meets the truck cab. Rigids go on the back. Flip the whole thing upright, check for any bowing, and tighten until the rails sit straight. At that point, the dolly is built and ready to roll.
What is the MSRP of the Universal Camper Dolly?
Rachel: It is $1,425, plus shipping.
Above: Cutting 3 inch 6061 aluminum angle iron for the Universal Camper Dolly
Where is your new Universal Camper Dolly manufactured?
Rachel: Here at Rieco-Titan in Frankfort, Illinois.
How does someone buy a Rieco-Titan Universal Dolly?
Rachel: We sell the new Universal Camper Dolly direct from our website at RiecoTitan.com. We’re also working to offer the product through our distributors. If you’re buying the product now, you can order it directly through us. In the future, we will offer it through dealers and OEMs.
What is the warranty on the new Universal Dolly?
Rachel: The Universal Camper Dolly has a one year warranty.
Above: Rieco-Titan’s Halloween Contest gives you a chance to win a Universal Camper Dolly
Tell us about your Halloween Universal Camper Dolly contest this month.
Rachel: We’re running a raffle for a Universal Camper Dolly, and entering is simple. All you need to do is decorate your camper for Halloween and send us pictures. It could be pumpkins, lights, cobwebs, or whatever fits the season. We want people to have fun with it. You have from now until Saturday, November 1st to enter.
The Monday after Halloween, we’ll draw a name from everyone who submitted photos. There’s a form on our website to upload your entries, and there’s no limit on how many photos you can send—as long as each one is different and shows a little creativity.
Bill: It’s a raffle. In order to submit, all you have to do is send in a photo of your camper decorated for Halloween.
Click here to enter Rieco-Titan’s Halloween Contest
That’s a great idea. Where will we get to see these Halloween decorated campers?
Rachel: We will post entries on our social media.
Bill: The first prize winner will get a new Rieco-Titan Universal Camper Dolly. The second prize winner gets a set of Rieco-Titan Powerhead Sleeve Covers. The third prize is a set of Rieco-Titan koozies (see above flyer). Decorate your camper, send us a photo, and you could win!
Click here for more information about the Rieco-Titan Universal Dolly. Click here to request a free Rieco-Titan brochure.
