Add additional lower jack brackets to rear

Though a finish detail, in my opinion to rebuilding our camper skirts I split this off as a separate project. Finishing rebuilding the camper skirts one of the things I wanted to do was add additional jack brackets. On our camper the lower bracket is pretty high. Since adding the stabilizers to front the back seems to wiggle more side to side. That and when I did the skirts I added a lot more attachment between skirts and bumper. Though mostly just simply more secure when 3' in the air, jacks will be tied to each other thru bumper instead of push/pulling independently on corner mounts. Lastly giving a bit more support for the bumper, and also to not work the new bolts in skirts. Some campers come with tabs welded on bumper for lower jack mount attachment.

Seemed simple enough. Having eye balled this when I did drivers side skirt. Was going to add a vertical piece of angle to bumper, add 2 clamps each side. However when I actually started I looked at the passenger side to verify will be same on that side. Good thing, plan wont work. I've run into this before rear of camper isn't quite symmetrical. Right rear jack sets closer to bumper. Due to angles to utilize vertical bracket would set at an odd angle. or more specifically the angles leg wont be pointing at jack. Too bad would have added a lot to bumper and jacks.

Closer inspection for options it was obvious because of the hose door on the one end and the rubber plug on other, fabricating a bracket to offset the connection hole, just isn't room. I want this in direct push/pull to bumper, and also make it at right angle to the factory mounts (which offers very little side to side resistance).

So I just added short piece of angel to bottom of bumper with a single clamp. Doesn't do as much for bumper. Not exactly what I envisioned but it ties jacks to bumper, gives needed sided to side resistance, primary goal but minimal additional support to bumper.

Brackets

Material: 1x1x 5 9/16" aluminum angle, 2 3/8" fence panel clamp, 5/16" carriage bolt. zinc nylocks, galv washers.
Utilizing existing bolt & bracket that holds rear back up lights. They happen to be in line with jacks. Once bracket installed, and clamped to jack Ill drill thru the angle and bumper and install another bolt out at bumper edge.

Length of angle..I had precut before finding wouldn't work on passenger side. 5 9/16" is height of bumper face, however the length worked so wasn't wasted. The galvanized fence clamps as noted are 2 3/8" ID, the jack tubes, Atwood, are 2 1/4" OD, but they do clamp tight enough for a push/pull. Actual Atwood jack clamps (p/n 85580 for elec/ball manual jack, p/n 85324 for 2" for small acme screw jack) ~$18 a pair. Fence clamps $3. If your application has a lot of rotational pull then the Atwood clamps would be better, however the fence clamps are malleable easy to rework and again do clamp fairly tight.

Install

Bolted on the light and its bracket to ensure could rotate light. Clamped to jack.
Drilled thru angle & bumper added the second outboard 5/16" bolt.
Though I think looks dorkey, having the angle mounted underneath places bumper attachment further out.. It also is in direct line with bumper and opposite jack. Functionally a lot better placement. Had I done what I planned the clamp would have been pointed further inboard or perpendicular to bumper end face. Would have looked better but this just accidentally better design for intended purpose. In this case using the factory single clamp with more tube contact would give more vertical support...oh well. Hindsight
Took it all off and painted, Reassembled, masked and painted again in place.
Looks better painted, Im sure after a while I wont notice.
And passenger side, comparing to other side you can see the difference in how much closer jack is to bumper.

I did raise camper -all I can say is wow. I had to double check it was clear of the camper stands. I only raised an inch so I may get some movement when fully extended but hokey smoke! Effort worthwhile. I didn't expect zero with all my weight trying to wiggle. Obvious with the original lower bracket as designed its primarily only going to offer resistance front to back. But amazed. Enough so that I might add another on top of the bumper but placed against wall and cut/reweld to point at jack. If I get really bored-or I see some twisting, maybe.

But for now move on, remove the trim piece across/above bumper to re caulk, and call this project done.

Bumper/wall trim

No idea what it covers but needs re caulking, screw heads rusting- just ugly.
Well-didn't expect that. No putty tape under the trim piece and the trim piece doesn't cover the seam. The lower longer leg of trim actually went in between?

Water getting passed broken top external caulk or thru un caulked screws would have to go inside between bumper flange that s bolted to camper floor. Unfortunately I can't move down to cover seam, though that might not be a good idea if I could, might be problem as bumper does flex a tad. With the large screws thru filon above and to reach past bumper seam would need to be wider. What I do find odd no putty tape but more is they just didn't simply use the self stick vinyl seam cover. The filon is screwed-so the additional screws to hold on trim don't do anything? If I had removed this before I ordered the seam cover for the passenger skirt I would have ordered enough to cover this. Writing this though I realized the ridged trim does serve function. As lower edge of filon is screwed directly to aluminum frame, it probably would have come loose long ago. It also keeps the filon flat. Still I am puzzled this wasn't sealed.

My simple fix is caulk the gap before installing the trim. Its not really a gap, its the rolled edge of flange that goes under camper. Ill leave the bottom of trim un caulked-so any water has a place to run out. I preapplied caulking to top inside of trim to bed the edge so it has something other than surface caulking. After a while Ill recaulk externally. Caulked the existing filon to frame screw heads.For the trim screws I used cad plated screws to replace the painted screws. Spray painted them white. After starting I applied a large blob of caulk, that hopefully will seal back side of trim to filon at the screw. Also placed a small blob under screw head.
Cleaned up all the caulking, as noted Ill recaulk the top edge again later. I then caulked all the screws, including the phillips slot. Spraying paint into lid, letting solvent evaporate a few second, painted all the screw heads. Don't want to see them-its never coming off (well famous last words but easy enough to dig out if needed)
Done.

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