3 replies to this topic

[Lobster]

Been reading WTW for a couple years now. Built out my 2017 Grandby shell with lots of help from these pages. I’m NOT planning on permanently bolting down my rig to the truck for a couple more years but..
There’s been much discussion on the need for a platform to place the camper on when removed from the truck. I built a 4x8 skateboard to roll mine into the garage during the winter fishing season when I need my truck. The premise of the platform seems to be support for the floor and your advised not to walk into a camper without the floor supported.
My question is if the floor is not attached well enough to support your weight (200lbs), then how would bolting the floor of the camper to the truck bed maintain control of the camper weight (1500 lbs) when off-roading? Do people fabricate L brackets attached to the vertical sides? Or utilize the standard turnbuckle supports in addition to bolting down?
Just curious...probably missing something obvious...enlighten me.
Thanks, Jim

[DavidGraves]

Hello Jim

 

That is a very important question and kind of hard to get ones brain around.

 

I have front thru bolted my Hawk while using turnbuckles at the rear and here are some observations.

 

I first needed to know what I was bolting to underneath the truck bed and frame.

 

I was very lucky to find a factory bed fastener location underneath that corresponded nicely to a forward area of the floorpak very close to the sidewall.

 

In short , I removed the bed mount bolts, and then aligned a drill upward thru the truck frame, the bed mount holes and drilled up thru the bed, the wood spacers and then the floorpak itself.

 

Then I thru bolted with 3" heavy washers down thru everything and lock nutted below...7/16 class 8 bolts.

 

The camper floorpak shows no sign of flex or breakage after two years...BUT I do very little serious off roading....lots of gravel and some washboard along with bumpy rural asphalt.  

 

The design and inherent strength of the floorpak and aluminum upper frame are very hard to "see" much less understand.

 

Over all, I did this in an ongoing quest for more space in the fender wells.

Take note that this truck is a dedicated camper rig for us and we have no need to remove the camper seasonally.

 

Thru bolting the camper took the better part of a week of fiddling, exchanging hardware, getting the dirt out of my eyes and other stuff but I am very pleased with the results...hope to house battery and water tanks in the forward fender wells.

 

David Graves

[iowahiker]

If I understand your question correctly, then the issue is how strong is the the weak link: the attachment between the aluminum frame and the wood box.  The jacks attach to the aluminum frame and the wood box weight (includes: cabinets, water tank, propane, batteries, and especially for me - beer under the coach) is "hanging". Do you really want to add your weight on the joint between the aluminum frame and the wood box? The aluminum "superstructure" is a small fraction of total weight versus a large "hanging" weight.  

 

The wood box weight is normally supported by the truck bed while in use.

 

Bolting the wood box to the truck would attach the vast majority of the camper weight to the truck. 

Edited by iowahiker, 03 March 2019 - 08:27 PM.

[DavidGraves]

Good point your last.

 

David Graves