Eyebolts and backing plate question
#1
Posted 20 September 2021 - 03:15 AM
#3
Posted 20 September 2021 - 01:45 PM
I cant think of any harm in doing that. Basically you are sandwiching the bed material with load dispersing plates. I don't see much use for the upper plate but I don't see a drawback either. As a related note. Last fall I bought my new Grandby and had the factory put in the mounting hardware. My last trip back from baja showed one of the turnbuckles gone and the truck bed where the eyebolt penetrates the bed is deformed into a 1/2 inch high dimple around the eyebolt. I think the camper tried to jump out of the bed, deformed the sheet metal of the bed. That deformation provided some slack in the turnbuckle which fell off and rattled out the back of the truck.
Steve
2012 F350 4x4
2020 Grandby
#4
Posted 20 September 2021 - 02:10 PM
Sounds like a good plan. I would also encourage you to radius all the square corners and edges of the plates to prevent a can opener effect if/when they are pulled off angle. Prime any holes you drill before installing plates.
Edited by Beach, 20 September 2021 - 02:11 PM.
#5
Posted 20 September 2021 - 10:35 PM
The upper plate helps spread out the loads from the shoulder of the eyebolt that arise from lateral load. How much difference it makes depends on the angle and tension on the turnbuckles. I used a 1.5x2x1/8 inch top plate that fit nicely in the bed groove where the eyebolt is. This is a big improvement over no plate, where the edge of the eyebolt shoulder is pressing only about 1/8 inch from the hole. With less than a 30 degree turnbuckle angle from vertical, a large bottom plate and a small top plate should be fine as long as the eyebolt is tight, maintaining the clamping force.
Just remember that anything you do that increases the height of the eye above the bed increases the cantilever length and increases the bending forces for a given lateral load, so minimize your stackup if you add a top plate.
Edited by Jon R, 20 September 2021 - 10:51 PM.
Jon R
2021 Grandby Slide-in Front Dinette
2021 GMC 3500HD CC LB SRW Gas
1993 Chevrolet K2500 Ext Cab LB
#6
Posted 21 September 2021 - 02:43 AM
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