Camper Jacks: Hydraulic versus Electric

It's a topic that comes up among truck camper folks: What's better--hydraulic jacks or electrics? Sometimes you wonder if this is one of those perennial "Ford versus Dodge" discussions. In our humble viewpoint, and after having used both over the years, there are some differences to be considered.

Ease of Use: If you are "single handed" loader, we think the electric jacks are a top choice. It's oh-so-much easier moving between two jacks to load up, as opposed to running around in circles. How so? The typical electric jack system has switches to operate the jacks--a pair of switches on two jacks to operate all four jacks. It's a simple matter to walk from the front jack to the rear jack on the same side of the rig and actuate the switches. On our old hydraulic system, it was a run back and forth matter. The electrics are a whole lot less strenuous: Simply push the button one way or the other to raise or lower the rig, rather than pumping your heart out.

Reliability: We've had more than one hydraulic jack "blow" and leave us with hydraulic fluid everywhere, and in a difficult position. Yes, electric jacks can "go haywire" too. However, if you have a backup crank to operate the electrics, if your camper battery gives up the ghost, at least you can still load up. Mind you, you will spend plenty of time running around the camper--but it's doable.

Expense: Hydraulics are less expensive, particularly if you're dealing with a camper that's not "prewired" for the use of electric jacks. If one does fail irreparably, it's a less expensive fix. Some electric jack manufacturers won't sell you parts, but because of the "complexity" of the jack require it be sent back in for repair.

All in all, it's a "you pays your money and you takes your choice," situation. For us, though, the electrics are a better proposition. When loading up at home base we make sure we're hooked up to shore power to take less of a draw on the camper battery. When unloading or loading on site, where possible we hook the charge cable up from the truck and run the truck engine for this same reason.