40 replies to this topic

[keith]

If you can lock 1 side, that should be more than enough. I'm going with happijac and that's what they use. I'll bet I have 10,000 miles off road with a full size truck camper and have never had a turn buckle come loose. I've hade to tighten them as the camper set in. I also have a trailer with a refueling tank that I use turn buckels on and have never had them loosen in 2 years.

[ScottBailey]

Keith,

Searching for Happijac and damage, I find a few examples where the camper moves and the ears damage the truck bed/body.

Is your off road experience with Happijac? Or?

When do you get your camper? Looking forward to seeing your mounting pictures.

[keith]

Scott

Where did you do the search on damage?

I hope to pick up the hawk next week. week of the 8th. I've been dealing with Tom at FWC and he's been great to work with. The idea we came up with is using the brackets the jacks mount to.This should put the eye bolts far enough out not to be a problem. At least that's the hope. I had a FWC on a Ranger in the 90's and used regular turn buckle's outside the bed with no problems. Then moved up to a full sized long bed with an Alpinlite 9'6" cabover. I towed a Jeep TJ when I wanted to go where the camper wouldn't. The happijac's were never a problem. The best thing to do IMO is add a rubber mat. Before I did this, I had trouble with the camper moving comming off rocks and big side loads.

[ScottBailey]

Google. Maybe it was: body damage Happijac tie down.

Not a lot of hits, but enough to make me want more info.

[keith]

I tried the search but couldn't find anything. I'll post with pic's and info after I pick up the camper. I'm going for it as far as happijac's are concerned and am hoping for the best.

[ScottBailey]

Keith,

I honestly don't know what I searched for, and I didn't find much, just enough to make me wary. I intend to spend lots of time off-pavement. I was thinking seriously about Happijac; so much that I sent their customer service a request for information about guarantees against body damage.

No response, yet...

If they can't respond, I can't justify the expense. So, I guess I'm either reinforcing and/or bolting through...

SB

[keith]

Scott

I will be off road a lot also. I will keep you posted on how my setup works. I just got off the phone with Chicali @ FWC and my camper should be finished mid next week. I think then we'll be heading to Death Valley NP the week of the 22nd. Planning on putting things to the washboard test.

[Sam]

I ditched the factory turn-buckles for the front & bought "real" ones from a local hardware/farm store. They are beefy & have no open ends, I have had no problems & if they ever did come loose they can never come off so I don't worry.

[camelracer]

After having the turnbuckles loosen and one come off on our Death Valley racetrack adventure I added a locknut to each of them when I got home. Last month I tested the system on the road from Puertocitos to Laguna Chapala. This road makes the racetrack road look like a freeway. After 2000 miles of Baja's finest caminos everything was tight and in place.

[John D]

How about big cable ties to replace the turn buckles, or small cable ties to keep them from loosening. Again, this is really not rocket science, and I know because I live in Huntsville.

Aircraft safety wire should be arranged to keep the hooks from bouncing off when the truck bed or camper flexes. If you are going to the trouble of using safety wire, why not illiminate turn buckles and use wire alltogether. A few loops 1/8" wire should do it.

In my opinion, several folks are missing the concept that the truck and camper must flex. Turn buckles should not be under a great deal of tension, just snug. They CAN come off! Therefore, any attachment system that has no open hooks to fall out of the eyes will be an improvement.