The TARDIS - A Four Wheel Camper Build

[Overland Hadley]

Are Rieco Titan camper jacks the best way to go? Link

I don't want jacks on the camper, so I am looking at some kind of tripod jack.

[tnt]

I can't reply about the tripod jacks, but wanted to let you know about my experience with the customer service at Rieco Titan. A couple of months ago I was removing my FWC from our truck when one of my Rieco Titan corner jacks stopped working. I could spin the mechanism, but the leg would not raise or lower. The pin in the gear had sheered. When I called RT, the woman on the phone stated that the cost of those was so far below their minimum order, she would just send me a new pin. A couple of days later an envelope arrived with two pins, one being a spare for any future problems. No cost, no hastle. I have no experience with other manafacturers and am not saying they don't have good customer service, but RT gets my plug for their customer service.
Ted

[Stan@FourWheel]

For most customers, their best bet is to go with the 4 corner mechanical camper jacks (2000 lbs. capacity model).

Strong, simple, safe, effective, stable, and removeable.

They are easily removeable, so you DO NOT have to leave them on all the time.

The camper jacks you can buy in sets of 3 are a bit shakey. They do work OK, but not great.

The portable cable (camper) jacks are just too scarry for most customers. The old cable jacks can work well in en emergency though, if they are your only option at the moment.


The jacks you posted a link to are cheaper, and for a few reasons.

"Rieco-Titan Standard Tripod Camper Jack - 3 Pack"

There is nothing wrong with these, the quality is good, they work, but ...

1. You have only 3, so the camper is a bit more shakey when loading / unloading.

2. You have to deal with the aluminum tri-pod feet, where to put them?, what to do with them?, because they are not attached to the jacks.

3. Capacity is a bit less (1500 lbs.) but this is no big deal with the pop-up campers.

4. The mounting brackets might not fit all that well when mounted to a FWC. Our campers are built tight fitting to the truck bed, and the aluminum mounting bracket has a 45 degree brace on the side that might hit the bed rails of your truck. You could mount the brackets farther out (sticking out more) for better clearance, but then the brackets are sticking out pretty far.


Just thought I would let you know.

Spend the extra couple hundred dollars & get the nicer jacks.




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Are Rieco Titan camper jacks the best way to go? Link

I don't want jacks on the camper, so I am looking at some kind of tripod jack.

.


.


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[slooowr6]

Are Rieco Titan camper jacks the best way to go? Link

I don't want jacks on the camper, so I am looking at some kind of tripod jack.

My truck is only lifted 0.75" and combine with 32" tires. I can say from experience with the jack extended to the point it can clear the truck bed. It's pretty scary, for sure I don't want to do it with a portable jack. With the jack remove from the camper there is not much added weight other than the 4 brackets at the 4 corners. Another plus to have the jacket attached is when loading the camper on to the truck. There is not much clearance on each side to slide in the camper. I am really bad at loading the camper so every now and then I bump into the camper lightly when try to align the truck. Not sure what will happen if camper is on a portable tripod jack.

[Overland Hadley]

Thanks for the information guys.

Trying to watch cost as much as possible.

Does the Gen 2 Tacoma with a Finch/Eagle need the swing-out brackets for the front jacks?

[slooowr6]

Thanks for the information guys.

Trying to watch cost as much as possible.

Does the Gen 2 Tacoma with a Finch/Eagle need the swing-out brackets for the front jacks?

Mine does not have swing-out. The front jack clears the wheel well with about ~2" space on each side.

[Overland Hadley]

Mine does not have swing-out. The front jack clears the wheel well with about ~2" space on each side.

I think your ATC is 4" wider than a Finch.

[slooowr6]

I think your ATC is 4" wider than a Finch.

I see, I thought Bobcat has the same width as Eagle.

[pods8]

I see, I thought Bobcat has the same width as Eagle.

Generally speaking they are but if you look at the specs on ATC verse FWC, ATC makes their campers 84" wide verse FWC at 80" (if I'm recalling the numbers correctly off the top of my head). So an ATC will be a little bulkier on the truck but in turn offers more sleeping length in the top bunk when perpendicular to the truck and more interior space in the main camper. Weight your priorities accordingly.

[slooowr6]

Generally speaking they are but if you look at the specs on ATC verse FWC, ATC makes their campers 84" wide verse FWC at 80" (if I'm recalling the numbers correctly off the top of my head). So an ATC will be a little bulkier on the truck but in turn offers more sleeping length in the top bunk when perpendicular to the truck and more interior space in the main camper. Weight your priorities accordingly.

Ah, I remember that now. Thanks.
Looks like Finch will need the swing out to clear the rear wheel fender.