How to control a squirming camper!
BY STEVE YORKE
A truck camper is a great unit for those who wish to travel 4x4 trails in comfort. However rough gravel roads, inclines and acceleration
always cause the camper to move about on the truck bed. Evidence of this movement is that tie-down chains on only one side becomes loose. T is happens when the camper moves, perhaps by as little as half an inch. Tightening down the chains to remove the slack results in over-tightening the chains on both sides, while at the same time inadvertently positioning the camper off -center…obviously not a good idea! If you want to learn more about the incredible range of
forces acting on a camper, Google up the paper by Spencer P. Magleby (2002) An Analysis of the Restraint Suffi ciency of the Happijac Tie-Down System for Truck-Mounted Slide-In Campers. Placing a rubber mat under the camper might reduce
movement, although a thick bed mat weighing perhaps 60 lbs is not an attractive solution when one is always trying to minimize weight. T inner lighter mats are probably available. Over the years I have tried rubber mats, carpet and plywood – all without much success. I now place my camper directly on the Line-X coating of my truck bed. However, in my experience, unless the action described below is taken, the vibration of the truck on rough roads always causes the camper to move. I sometimes experience another type of camper movement
on steep inclines, especially when accelerating; a small gap appears between the camper and the front wall of the truck bed. I worry that the camper might slide right out of the truck bed; particularly on the type of mountain slope that requires low-range 4x4. T is has neither happened to me nor have I heard of it happening, but I have wondered: what if one tie- down chain were to break under stress, thus causing the other chains to become so stressed that they also break? T e thought of the camper siding out of the back of the truck and rolling back down a steep hill on a remote trail is the stuff of nightmares. With the above thoughts in mind, I have managed to control
the movement of my camper by installing camper guides and horizontal ties. Let me explain!
Camper Guides To stop the camper moving sideways, it should be set down
between guides. According to the web, metal guides bolted to the truck bed used to be sold by Lance campers, but some chat forums suggest that they are not longer available.
2. With the camper off the truck, fi t pairs of guides around the front and rear of the camper base, using pieces of wood that would temporarily hold the guides at exactly the width of the camper base plus one quarter of an inch. So you have the guides at the exact width required to hold the camper.
3. Mark out the midline of the truck bed.
4. Place the guides and temporary bars on the midline of the truck bed and fi t short pieces of board snugly against walls of the truck bed. Screw these boards on to the guides. T ese boards may have to be raised or shaped to fi t the contours of the walls of the truck bed.
5. Label each guide: front leſt , front right, etc. Each guide will be shaped to fi t a specifi c location.
6. Remove the temporary boards.
7. With the guides and spreaders in place load the camper… gently. (T e guides do not have to be screwed down to the truck bed.)
T e camper should now sit between the guides exactly on
the midline of the truck bed. T e tie-downs will now require tensioning.
Horizontal tie-downs
1. Drill holes through of the front wall of the truck bed near the sidewalls and insert and eyebolts. 2. Run a suitably strong steel cable or strap attached to a tie-down-turnbuckle, from the eyebolt to the rear tie-down brackets of the camper. T us providing tension to pull the camper against the front of the truck bed. T ese horizontal ties are an emergency measure and do not
have to be cinched too tightly. I have been so impressed with the success of the procedures
described here that I am tempted to suggest that camper guides should be essential equipment for every camper – in fact every camper should be sold with guides. T e horizontal ties, while not essential, make me less paranoid about the possibility of the camper slipping off the truck! Proof that the guides and horizontal ties are eff ective will
be that the guides will require negligible adjustment aſt er the initial tightening, even aſt er a long trip. k
My solution is as follows.
1. Make four guides as shown. I used 2x6 inch board and pieces of a nylon cutting board from a thriſt store for the sliding surfaces.
Guide.
Front guides.
Eyebolt installed.
Horizontal tie under camper. RVT 148 • JULY/AUGUST 2012 35
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