How to mount a camper onto a Fuso?

[Jr_Explorer]

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Is it just me or is the upper spring in the first photo above a complete waste. It would need to be ABOVE the upper mount like in the second photo. I guess he saw two springs on another installation and just thought "More is better".

 

[pugslyyy]

Is it just me or is the upper spring in the first photo above a complete waste. It would need to be ABOVE the upper mount like in the second photo. I guess he saw two springs on another installation and just thought "More is better".

I agree, don't see the point of the upper spring.

 

[NeverEnough]

I've found several images of spring mounts, but no source - are these locally fabbed or is there an OEM somewhere? And if you fab - what would the rule of thumb be for construction, especially spring rate?

Here's a possible source: http://www.watertrucks.com/prod_details.asp?id=UTETANKMTKIT

The upfitter that did my chassis stretch and subframe fabrication made the mounts for my rig. They do a lot of water and dynamite trucks (no kidding), and they'd ditto the "rest on the rails" approach. The bolts allow for the "twist" factor nicely. They also put 1" rubber shims the length of the rails to add a smidge of cushion.

 

[haven]

"They also put 1" rubber shims the length of the rails to add a smidge of cushion"

I think shims are used to reduce the noise and friction that can result when the metal subframe rests directly on the chassis rail. You find the same setup between the leaves of many leaf spring packs. In the past, the material used between the subframe and chassis was wood, often oak. These days, the material can be rubber, urethane or another tough plastic.

Another feature to consider is the shape of the end of the subframe. The Fuso body builders' guide recommends a fish mouth V shape, rather than a 90 degree angle at the end of the subframe.

 

[pugslyyy]

Here's a possible source: http://www.watertrucks.com/prod_details.asp?id=UTETANKMTKIT

The upfitter that did my chassis stretch and subframe fabrication made the mounts for my rig. They do a lot of water and dynamite trucks (no kidding), and they'd ditto the "rest on the rails" approach. The bolts allow for the "twist" factor nicely. They also put 1" rubber shims the length of the rails to add a smidge of cushion.

Excellent, nice to have a commercially available (v. fab your own) example.

What type of rubber do they use?

 

[NeverEnough]

Excellent, nice to have a commercially available (v. fab your own) example.

What type of rubber do they use?

I don't know, but it's pretty high density stuff- but definitely not HDPE or other type of plastic- akin to thick transmission belt material, if you know what that is. Haven's right, a lot of upfitters still use wood spacers betweent the rails and bodies, but most bodies are u-bolted to the rails. My shop uses the rubber in combination with the spring mounts because it evidently handles the movement better. I've put less than 8,000 miles on the setup, so only time will tell how it does over the long haul.

 

[garybo]

Considering putting a ready made camper on a Fuso, like a Bigfoot, my question is about a sub frame mount. To prevent lateral and front/rear movement, it seems that four sub frame rails must be custom made and welded to the camper bottom in a rectangle so they match up to the two truck chassis rails laterally and two truck chassis cross members? Am I correct that this is the basic idea or am I off base? The spring bolts and guides would then fit around this rail rectangle. What if there's not an area under the camper to "mate" with the truck chassis cross members? Gary