111 replies to this topic

[PaulT]

Some truck cabs are mounted to frame with rubber mounts as are engines. Some exhaust systems are mounted with something like a section of a tire with fibers for strength and rubber for resilience. Some here put rubber horse stall mats between the camper and the truck bed.

Why not use a similar approach for mounting the 8020 to the jack brackets?

Paul

[Yubaman]

Good question and good on ya for thinking about it. If the rails were very rigidly connected to the brackets, and a lot stiffer than the aluminum frame, then it would stiffen up that part of the camper. That could fail the brackets or the camper frame where the brackets attach over time, especially if a fatigue crack starts. However, I'd guess that the 8020 attachments are kinda "soft", but haven't really looked at it carefully. You could avoid the whole problem by using rails that are not too macho, and attaching them in such a way that they are somewhat flexible.

 

I am not sure I understand why this is an issue, but the superstrut is pretty darn flexible. 

[ntsqd]

There's a range of things that could go wrong with a rigid connection between the brackets. Thermal expansion/contraction, flex in the camper's frame, flex in the connecting parts, etc., etc., etc.

 

I'm not to inclined to worry about it, the whole of the system is flexible enough that some considerable distortion, enough so that you've probably got other problems by that point, would need to happen before it would be a concern.

 

That said, it is easy enough to fix one end of the strut(s) rigidly to a jack bracket and allow the other end to have some float. The floating end could be simply that there is a spacer such that, it the case of 80/20 extrusions, the bolt into the t-nut can't completely clamp the extrusion when run down tight. That would allow the extrusion to slide on the t-nut at one end only.

[Yubaman]

There's a range of things that could go wrong with a rigid connection between the brackets. Thermal expansion/contraction, flex in the camper's frame, flex in the connecting parts, etc., etc., etc.

 

I'm not to inclined to worry about it, the whole of the system is flexible enough that some considerable distortion, enough so that you've probably got other problems by that point, would need to happen before it would be a concern.

 

That said, it is easy enough to fix one end of the strut(s) rigidly to a jack bracket and allow the other end to have some float. The floating end could be simply that there is a spacer such that, it the case of 80/20 extrusions, the bolt into the t-nut can't completely clamp the extrusion when run down tight. That would allow the extrusion to slide on the t-nut at one end only.

 

I see now. 

[Taku]

This is just a simple one, but I bolt on two "U" hangers on the bottom hole of each rear bracket. It works great to hang packs, hunting and fishing vests, jackets, etc. while in camp. I do like the table idea.

[rando]

There's a range of things that could go wrong with a rigid connection between the brackets. Thermal expansion/contraction, flex in the camper's frame, flex in the connecting parts, etc., etc., etc.

 

I'm not to inclined to worry about it, the whole of the system is flexible enough that some considerable distortion, enough so that you've probably got other problems by that point, would need to happen before it would be a concern.

 

That said, it is easy enough to fix one end of the strut(s) rigidly to a jack bracket and allow the other end to have some float. The floating end could be simply that there is a spacer such that, it the case of 80/20 extrusions, the bolt into the t-nut can't completely clamp the extrusion when run down tight. That would allow the extrusion to slide on the t-nut at one end only.

 

We have 2 ~6' lengths of 80/20 running between our rear jack brackets, with both ends secured tightly.   No issues in the 3 years it has been on there, so I agree that this is likely nothing to worry about. 

[jimjxsn]

This is just a simple one, but I bolt on two "U" hangers on the bottom hole of each rear bracket. It works great to hang packs, hunting and fishing vests, jackets, etc. while in camp. I do like the table idea.

 

Yeah, I like hanging things from the brackets when camping.  Here are the eye bolts and awning brackets I'm using currently...

 

 

[kmacafee]

On my flatbed, I utilized the jack brackets to store a number of things since the jacks are always left at home.

 

 

 

Bikes will go up there as well.

 

 

[Scott81621]

Rando -

 

Are you using the 1' or the 1.5" 8/20?  I like what you have done!

[kmacafee]

If that is directed to me, it's 1 inch by 3 wide.