Some hawk dimensions (esp. superduty models)?

[Riggs]

All I have done is enlarged the plates beyond what FWC offers for folks with a superduty, what I have done is far more robust imho. Also ya gotta keep in mind this will be for a HIGHLY modified 1982 FWC.


I had a mail order service make them up (these ones were xometry with a coupon code, otherwise send cut send tends to be cheaper). If you want a copy of the files I can send them to you.

Thanks for the offer. I ordered some aluminum blanks to cut myself, not quite as big as yours. I like the idea of spanning to the bed support beam though, so will do that. I agree that the little FWC plates seem too small. What's your thinking on the 3 holes? Wasn't sure what the other 2 were for.

 

[pods8]

Thanks for the offer. I ordered some aluminum blanks to cut myself, not quite as big as yours. I like the idea of spanning to the bed support beam though, so will do that. I agree that the little FWC plates seem too small. What's your thinking on the 3 holes? Wasn't sure what the other 2 were for.

Rather than an eyebolt with a single bolt through the bed I was gonna use the same bracket on the truck bed as the camper, like the new ones FWC offers, to spread out the load.

 

[Riggs]

Nice idea, that should work really well. The aluminum bed probably isn't much stronger than the plywood the camper anchor is mounted in, so makes sense to use the same system.

 

[Vic Harder]

Since some folks have torn their aluminum beds, I would say the plywood is stronger than the aluminum bed. Reinforcement is absolutely necessary.

 

[SlowernOlder]

All I have done is enlarged the plates beyond what FWC offers for folks with a superduty, what I have done is far more robust imho. Also ya gotta keep in mind this will be for a HIGHLY modified 1982 FWC.


I had a mail order service make them up (these ones were xometry with a coupon code, otherwise send cut send tends to be cheaper). If you want a copy of the files I can send them to you.

PM sent.

 

[SlowernOlder]

Since some folks have torn their aluminum beds, I would say the plywood is stronger than the aluminum bed. Reinforcement is absolutely necessary.

Agree, the small plates the FWC installs don't impress me.

 

[pods8]

PM sent.

Sent ya an email with the files and some photos.

For other's reference I sized the plate to span side to side across three channels (holes centered on the middle one) and front to back to overlap the flanges of the bed crossmembers.

 

[Riggs]

Looks pretty good pods. I ended up just doing rectangular ones for the front, and one hole. One thing I did was use a router and grinder to cut the thickness where the ends go on those bed rails. Otherwise I think the bed would get pulled down, and you'd have much less surface contact. At least on mine, when they spot welded the bed rails they pulled up some on the edges, so the gap would've been maybe 1/16"- 3/32" or so. I did notice on the old Chevy I had the camper on, even with a steel bed, the front plates from FWC had pulled the bed up. Maybe I overtightened the turnbuckles, but the rear ones didn't do that.

 

[Riggs]

Another thing I did was add ratchet straps to the the front cleat that's in the stock bed. As our son said when he was little and was asked if he wanted pie or cake... why not both?

I've seen a couple pictures of campers that slid out, gotta be a worst nightmare. I even welded up some brackets that bolted up on my old Chevy where the tailgate hinges go that prevented it from ever sliding out. If a rough enough 4wd road and things bouncing around. Hopefully the ratchet straps are enough to not need that.