When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Helping a friend with camper set up and tie down brackets
Camper: 2003 S&S Ponderosa 9.5. Dry weight 2800#.
Truck has Happijac tie downs set up from original owner back in 1992 (but no stabilizer cross bar for front tie downs.... only end brackets). Maybe the front stabilizer bar was not yet available back in that era? Rear button head bolts anchors are mounted to truck bed behind wheel well (most I have seen are mounted to bumper ends).
Truck: 1992 F-350; Crew Cab; 4X2; 460/E40D; Long Bed; Factory Hitch; Aftermarket Tube Side Steps (under cab only-not under bed)
Considering Torklift and Happijac.
HJ are simple tie downs...front are brackets connected to bed with stabilizer bar between brackets and two L brackets mounted from stabilizer to frame. Rears are bolts head anchors mounted to rear bumper ends. Appears like an old school system for truck campers of 70s through 90s.
TL are frame mounted at all four points. Much more work to install vs HJ....many frame holes to drill.
Which is preferred between these two and why?
Are there other mounts he should be considering?
NOTE: Checked TL website.....unable to find the rear tie downs for his truck...seems odd?
Thanks SoCal.
It is the HJ and I too do not have the stabilizer bar on the front ones. Just the backing plates. I have the spring loaded turnbuckles but I have used the same set up with regular turnbuckles and chain. I’ve never used frame mounts so really don’t have that to compare. It’s not tippy even with the lift on the truck.
Still interested in other’s comments though!
I took this setup off because I installed a Curt #15300 hitch that is rated for 16,000lbs.
I still have the setup but in Alaska. I tried to sell it for $125 and no one wanted it.
The OBS pickup beds had more metal in them than modern trucks. This was the way all the time back then. GM 73-87 square bodies were the same. Time was folks used the over-the rail clamp-on tie downs that "secured" themselves higher up the bed wall, closer to the rail. Now the modern trucks all need the camper tied to the frame.
The Brophy Stake Pocket tie downs were about all there was "in the beginning" Still have some around here someplace.
These are pickups and campers we have had over the years. We used the Brophy Stake Pocket tie downs up to and including the 1997 Lance Legends 880. We were several years into the 96 F250 (which we still have) before I had the frame mount Tork Lift's put on. We were using the spring loaded turn buckles with the frame mounts up until we got the Alpenlite Santa Fe. The previous owner left a set of fast guns in it and we've been using those ever since. We only had the Alpenlite for a couple of years. It was a "fill the gap" camper we picked up after our Lance Legends 880 was burned up in an arson fire. It took about two years for the court cases to wind up, perps off to prison and court ordered restitution to kick in. And it took us that long to decide we weren't going to find a decent camper we really wanted and ended up buying new.
While the 96 has hauled the Lance 1062 a few times, the F350 CC King Ranch DRW is the normal hauler for the heavy 1062.
I have the Tork Lift frame mounts on both my 96 F250 and my F350 DRW. I also use the Fast Guns.
Jim, thanks for all of the pics showing where tie downs are mounted. Awesome rig(s) you have set up!
I've been sharing with my buddy all of the pics of people's rigs that are being shared on this thread....he's excited and pleased to see that his rig may one day, look as nice as those being shared.
Install:
It appears....
Fronts require two holes drilled through frame per side. And one upper both uses a hook that wraps around top edge of frame. Three bolts in total per side. Does this sound correct?
Rears are bolted directly to side of hitch OR slide into side of square hitch tube. A flat area of approx 4"x4" would be needed to drill the 4 holes on each side of hitch for that type of application. Sound correct?
It appears yours is the model where the rear tie downs slide directly into side of square hitch tube, correct? How did you find this slide in model? What is your year/model? When I enter my buddy's year and model, it directs me to bolt on side of hitch style.
If you have the Happi Jack side brackets by themselves bolted to the front inside edge of the box at the sides, I think you could get a piece of 1" square tube for the cross brace. across the front of the bed, the HJ brackets I had in a Chev has a piece bolted to the front piece and had a 90* that bolted thru the front floor of the bed to the frame so they could call it a frame mount.
Or get some Torklift frame mounts and be done with it. Fastguns are easy to use.
Good luck
Jim, thanks for all of the pics showing where tie downs are mounted. Awesome rig(s) you have set up!
I've been sharing with my buddy all of the pics of people's rigs that are being shared on this thread....he's excited and pleased to see that his rig may one day, look as nice as those being shared.
Install:
It appears....
Fronts require two holes drilled through frame per side. And one upper both uses a hook that wraps around top edge of frame. Three bolts in total per side. Does this sound correct?
Rears are bolted directly to side of hitch OR slide into side of square hitch tube. A flat area of approx 4"x4" would be needed to drill the 4 holes on each side of hitch for that type of application. Sound correct?
It appears yours is the model where the rear tie downs slide directly into side of square hitch tube, correct? How did you find this slide in model? What is your year/model? When I enter my buddy's year and model, it directs me to bolt on side of hitch style.
For Torklift frame mounts it is going to depend on which year of pickup you have. The pictures of the frame mounts above are all no drill. It looks like they are drilled, but they aren't. I should clarify that there are bolts but they are designed to use existing factory drilled holes already in the frame.
On the 2011 F350 DRW King Ranch (pictured previously) they are "no drill" installation using Ford OEM frame holes.
For my 1996, they are drilled and there was no option at the time we put them on.
Here are a couple of pics of the 1996 F250 Ext Cab (155" WB) F250 XLT Passenger Rear
This Hennessey Takes the Expedition Tremor's Off-Roading Capability to the Next Level
Slideshow: The VelociRaptor Expedition gains a lift, upgraded suspension, Brembo brakes, and trail-ready equipment while retaining the stock 440-horsepower EcoBoost V6.
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Slideshow: Called the Fortress, the 850-horsepower pickup combines Raptor underpinnings with military-inspired features, survival equipment, and a starting price of $285,000.
