53 replies to this topic

[Tomas Tierra]

My first FWC was a '84 fleet, soo many memories.

Regarding attaching to truck, have you considered bolting through the floor and truck bed? That was my M O on my old Fleet Model only because that's the way the previous owner mounted it..honestly way back then I didn't know any better! There was no WTW to soundboard off of. We bombed pretty hard back then (no kids and a lust to get to the remote Baja surf spots), it was a great option.. A pain to line up the holes when mounting but certainly doable.

Also, a half an inch clearance per side when mounting is pretty standard for a good fit.. My '05 Tundra and '01 Hawk have about that..

Looking at your frame repair in above post it looks great! However, you do know the frame needs to flex to operate properly correct?guessing the rivet not welded scenario will allow for enough flex..

Ambitious project Amigo! Looking forward to seeing the finish.

TT

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

I post my pictures from desktop at a medium/large size depending on how many I post at a time.

Frank

[Living The Dream]

As I thought about your project more it occurred to me whatever FWC is doing to secure flatbeds campers to flatbed trucks could possibly work for your perfect fit base.  Might give them or a dealer a call to see what is going on. I never see any chains and brackets hanging off those flatbed campers, so my guess it is bolted through the floor?  Surly a solvable problem. 

[lostwon]

My first FWC was a '84 fleet, soo many memories.

Regarding attaching to truck, have you considered bolting through the floor and truck bed? That was my M O on my old Fleet Model only because that's the way the previous owner mounted it..honestly way back then I didn't know any better! There was no WTW to soundboard off of. We bombed pretty hard back then (no kids and a lust to get to the remote Baja surf spots), it was a great option.. A pain to line up the holes when mounting but certainly doable.

Also, a half an inch clearance per side when mounting is pretty standard for a good fit.. My '05 Tundra and '01 Hawk have about that..

Looking at your frame repair in above post it looks great! However, you do know the frame needs to flex to operate properly correct?guessing the rivet not welded scenario will allow for enough flex..

Ambitious project Amigo! Looking forward to seeing the finish.

TT

For the frame repairs I used 0.060" aluminum which will still allow for some flex.

Bolting straight to the box could work. Will have to see how things like when I finish the rest of new floor pack.

[DLN]

Please excuse the highjack.

Thomas, it's nice to see another of the old timers still hanging around the site.

All the Best.

 

DLN

[DavidGraves]

Howdy

 

I have always wanted to get rid of the turnbuckles.

 

They seem to be used primarily to allow quick mounting of the camper to truck bed. 

 

They work fine but I would like them gone in order to better use the space they occupy.

 

Regarding fastening the camper down thru the floor of the floor pak.....I have seen an FWC camper mounted that way but had no first hand experience of the owners use.....all depends on how much rough driving you have to your destination.

 

It is hard to conceptualize the structural integrity of the floorpack...the turnbuckles compress the sidewalls of the floorpak as well as secure the whole mass.  

 

I can't quite imagine how thru bolting the floor only would mimic this...perhaps some vertical L brackets from floor to sides of the floorpak in the area of the thru bolts.

 

It seems if one does thru bolt the floor it should be as far forward and aft as possible AND very close the side walls of the floorpak.

 

LOSTWON has the best chance to understand the structure with his camper dis-assembled.

Thanks for sharing and the photos.

 

David Graves

 

North Oregon coast

[Tomas Tierra]

Please excuse the highjack.
Thomas, it's nice to see another of the old timers still hanging around the site.
All the Best.
 
DLN

Thanks DLN! It's been a while.... Been lurking here and there. Still getting after it!

Cheers! TT

[Tomas Tierra]

Re through bolting through floor.

I ran around with reckless abandon in Baja for ten years through bolted, no problems.. My holes were pre set when I bought the camper, so the holes through the truck were not ideal position wise, but it worked.. To be able to choose the position on the truck would be key as you would be able to go not just go through the bed but possibly the bed frame as well..

TT

[DavidGraves]

Hola Tomas

 

Absolutely ! ....many if not most truck beds have crossways stiffeners under the bed often in concert with the bolts holding the bed to the frame.

 

This is the best area to thru bolt .

 

My concern is how much the superstructure where joined to the floor could take before that joint fails....I am pretty sure the side wall to floor joint on our 2012 Hawk shell is only stapled...perhaps with adhesive not sure.

 

We also go to Baja Sur and even driving slowly there are some jolts, whoops and general turmoil for the truck and passengers.

 

David Graves  

[Squatch]

What a great project. I'll be watching this. I'm using an Eagle in a Tundra. I have toyed with building a new floor pack that fits the truck bed. It would be nice to have the extra room.

 

I thought I had read somewhere that originally FWC bolted all the campers through the floor and bed.