In-Bed Tie Downs
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LandCruiserPhil
Expedition Leader
Turnbuckles stretch and break. CLevis yokes (pictured) are much strong and do not stretch.
On our Alaskan it looks pretty easy. The Alaskan has an issue that the normal tie down attachment points are not up to the load and the brackets can start bending easily. I’m looking at doing similar to the Overland Explorer Camp X model. Basically use my Torqlift tie downs inside the bed. I already have the tie downs and they have some shock damping. I’m planning on installing brackets, with backing plates, on the horizontal flare out and using round marine deckplates (vertically installed) for Tie-down access. I willl probably use forged eye-bolts with appropriate backing plates inside the bed.
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1stDeuce
Explorer
My hallmark is set up that way now for the forward tie downs. Getting to the driver's side forward tie down would not be easy for someone of larger build, but I manage... The rear tie downs go to my rear bumper, as there's no good way to get into the tighter space where the camper is wider behind the wheel wells.
I also use a ratchet strap on the front tie downs now, as I find they loosen less than turn buckles, and are more forgiving of the camper moving a little. I run them in an upside down "V", with both hook ends going to tie downs I've added to the truck bed.
I still use turnbuckles and chains on the back, as they're easy to get to, but I added a wing nut to each turnbuckle so I can "lock" them from loosening further if the camper moves a bit and slacks the chain up.
Pics in build threads in my sig...
I also use a ratchet strap on the front tie downs now, as I find they loosen less than turn buckles, and are more forgiving of the camper moving a little. I run them in an upside down "V", with both hook ends going to tie downs I've added to the truck bed.
I still use turnbuckles and chains on the back, as they're easy to get to, but I added a wing nut to each turnbuckle so I can "lock" them from loosening further if the camper moves a bit and slacks the chain up.
Pics in build threads in my sig...
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1stDeuce
Explorer
My Phoenix is also set up this way now that I'm looking. I think putting the eye bolts in vertically like I did is probably much better than how Phoenix did it, through the side... They're all bent down.
This setup does require a camper layout that allows access to these points of the camper... My hallmark wouldn't allow this for the rear tie downs even if I wanted to do it this way... The Phoenix layout makes three of the four easy with a hatch like above, but the left rear tie down is accessed through a narrow door on the back into a storage box that opens toward the front, and is all cut up on my camper... Probably becasue it was a pain to get to this one through the 4" wide door...
I'll use the internal front attachments, but keep my external setup on the back when I get this camper fixed up. I'll probably redo the front attachments too, using a U-bolt or something like that. Don't like pulling sideways on an eye bolt mounted to plywood...
This setup does require a camper layout that allows access to these points of the camper... My hallmark wouldn't allow this for the rear tie downs even if I wanted to do it this way... The Phoenix layout makes three of the four easy with a hatch like above, but the left rear tie down is accessed through a narrow door on the back into a storage box that opens toward the front, and is all cut up on my camper... Probably becasue it was a pain to get to this one through the 4" wide door...
I'll use the internal front attachments, but keep my external setup on the back when I get this camper fixed up. I'll probably redo the front attachments too, using a U-bolt or something like that. Don't like pulling sideways on an eye bolt mounted to plywood...
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Was considering this, could you not get the levers to close? I have a gen 3 tacoma with a fleet camper.
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