Another Newbie Question--Bringing Camper Home?

[coffdvm]

I have sound a used camper that I like---3 hours away. But, I haven't actually touched it or "inspected" it. I don't have any tie-downs on my truck. I'm reluctant to install Torklifts until I actually see and buy the camper. So, how do I get it home.

1. One trip to look it over and close the deal then another to bring it home after I've got the tie-down hardware installed.

2. Put it on a big Utility Trailer for the trip home?

3. Pay the seller to deliver it (and send him back if it's been leaking for months)?

4. Just bite the bullet and install the tie-downs in hopes that I eventually buy a camper.

Specs: Truck is Dodge 2500 with 6.5 bed; camper is a 2001 Sunvalley Eagle SB @ ~ 1200#.

Thanks ahead of time......

MTC

 

[Sock Puppet]

I didn't have tie-downs when I bought mine. I installed a rubber mat ($40 from Tractor Supply) which stuck like glue to the spray-in bed liner of my Ram truck. I still use the same mat, and most TC owners use a rubber mat of some kind to keep the camper from sliding. I then used ratchet straps and ran them to the rear most step-bar brackets on the truck, put chamois cloths between the strap and truck body to prevent chafing/scratching, and snugged them down. They don't need to be super tight. There wasn't a great place on the rear with my particular camper, so I looped two straps together and ran them under my receiver hitch. Again, I just snugged them; you don't need to crank them down. I stopped periodically to make sure everything was OK, and it never moved a centimeter (I attribute most of that to the rubber mat). Some will frown on this method, but it worked for me. YMMV, use your best judgment, user assumes all risk, etc...

The utility trailer is a good idea as well, many people do it.

You really need to go look at the camper in person and at least set it on YOUR truck to make sure you are happy with the fit. Confirm you have good clearances everywhere, and that you like the way it rides on your wagon. There are a lot of fitment issues you can't see until you put it in your bed.

Good luck!

 

[UHAULER]

When I bought my camper I didn't have tie downs. It was only an hour away. I went and looked at it, bought it, and was going to come back a week or two later to pick it up after I got my truck set up with tiedowns but the seller offered to deliver it for me.

So I would say either way, buy it and return later when you are ready or see if they will deliver it for gas money.

 

[rayct77]

You could always use tie down straps from the camper to the stock bed tie down cleats/rings if your bed has them. They would be fine for the trip home.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[coffdvm]

Hey--thanks y'all!! Yep, I do have the cleats! I think I can make that work along with the rubber mat (my bed is Rhino-lined).

I feel like I can tie it to those cleats and drive carefully home.

thanks again

 

[docdave]

I used ratchet straps around the bottom of the box to the frame for the trip home.... no worries.

 

[Scoutman]

See if you can get a measurement from the bottom of the camper to the bottom of the overhead. You may want to take a few 2x6's with you in case that measurement is questionable just to raise it up enough to get it home. I would also recommend leaving your tailgate at home just for simplicity's sake. If you had to ratchet strap to the bumper it'll be easier to do with the tailgate absent.

 

[coffdvm]

Great tips...I was going to leave the tail gate at home anyway. The truck has a shell on it, so plan on taking that off, putting the rubber mat in it, detaching tail gate, put some 2 x 6's in the bed along with some ratchet straps, etc. Alas, the seller hasn't called me back nor emailed me since I contacted him, so he may have backed out or sold it ????

Thanks again...good info...will report....MTC

 

[Bucky]

We're talking pop-up camper, right?

When I got my 2004 FWC Hawk delivered and installed on my 2003 GMC Sierra, the FWC driver did the standard install with four eyebolts through the box bed and sidewall plug for the 12v.

Fast forward to Dec. 2011 and the new 2012 GMC Sierra. I've only ever cinched the camper down on the OEM tiedown loops (and rubber mat) with the original aluminum turnbuckles FWC supplied. Also, instead of drilling the hole in the sidewall for the 12v plug, I rigged an 8-foot 7-way cable with the same type plug receptacle (trolling motor) to receive the Hawk's pigtail.

The camper has done a good 7,000 miles on the truck using the GM OEM tiedown loops in the corners, with no incidents. Really didn't like the idea of drilling the 2012's box like was done on the 2003.

Bucky

 

[1stDeuce]

I used the factory tie downs in the front corners, and a long ratchet strap under the hitch on the back, but my camper was longer. Even if you only were able to tie down the front for the trip home, it's not going anywhere unless you roll the truck, and then the camper is the least of your worries!

And the factory tie-down points in your truck are far stronger than the wood that the camper eye bolts are screwed into, so don't go cinching it down like it's a car on a car hauler... If you hear wood creaking and crunching, you've gone too far!

 

[Paredneck]

I bought my Phoenix camper 6 hours away from home, like mentioned before get detailed measurements of the height of the overhang as well as the height of the sides where they go over the bed rails. I have a 3013 f-150 and the camper was designed for an early 2000ish GMC so I had to bulid a 6" riser to clear the rails and roof (well actually 4" but the PO gave me crappy measurements). I also bought one of the tractor supply horse stall mats. I secured my platform to the bed of my truck using some steel square tubing and then running the bed bolts through the tubing. I then bolted the camper to my riser platform. for extra security I used heavy ratchet traps from the jack mounts to tie downs I welded to the square tubing. I planed on redoing it all but ended up going on a 1500 mi trip with it like that with out a hiccup.

 

[goodtimes]

I did pretty much the same as everyone else - ran a couple ratchet straps to the jack mounts & hit the road. It was good enough to get me home where I installed the normal eye bolts through the bed.