How To Fabricate Truck Camper Tiedowns
Updated with IMGUR pic instead of the blocked photobucket pics.
This is the second set of tie down I made so I thought I would snap some pictures and tell how I did it. You will need some fabrication tools. Metal chop saw, grinder, and welder were the tools I used. These fit both on my 2002 F250 and 2006 F350.
I started with what I had laying around.
Square tubing
Angle Iron
Flat metal
black pipe large enough for 3/8” #8 bolts to slide thru
Chain
The finished tiedowns do not extend past my tires.
I only have the finished pic of the rear tiedowns. They slid into the ends of my existing reciever on the truck. I drilled a hole through the reciever and the tiedowns and put a long 1/4x20 #8 bolt thru so the tiedowns do not slid out. You could use some type of pin if you would like to make it easy to remove. I leave mind on all the time. They do not rattle and act as a nice step to get up in the bed of the truck.
As you can see, I cut one end at an angle where the end tiedown plate is. This makes them parallel with the side on the truck.
Now you will have to take some measurements of 1)how tall your frame is, 2)how far out you need to reach from your frame to be able to attach your turn buckle system.
I made the angle iron taller than the side of my frame so that I could attach the fasteners that wrap around the frame. The fasteners are made from cut chain link and black pipe.
I then attached the length of pipe that extends out from under the truck. You measurement will vary. I cut mine so they will not stick out farther than my tires.
A brace is needed, I used a small piece of angle iron.
And put on the end plate that you will attach your turn buckle system to.
Now, I did not want to drill through my frame. Plus the fuel tank was in the way on the drivers side. So I made these hooks that wrap around the frame and fasten the tiedowns with a #8 bolt.
This is how I made them…
I cut a chain link and half and welded the two pieces to a piece of black pipe. I made sure the “hook” opening was large enough to allow the frame to hook in.
This pic shows a scrap piece of metal that is the same thickness of my frame. I used it to make sure I had enough gap in the hook.
I welded the chain link onto the black pipe and then cut the pipe to the proper length.
Here is a picture of the hooks wrapped around the inside of my frame with a #8 bolt going thru them and attached to the tie down. There is a hook on each corner of the tiedown.
More misc pictures of the hooks being made....
Picture of the tiedown mounted to the frame. On the driver side, I did disconnect the emergency brake cable and re-route it thru the tiedown.
This is a picture of the back side (inside) of the frame with the hooks coming around it and hooking the tiedown to the frame.
Pick of the tiedown coming out from under the truck. Everything was primed and painted.
This is the second set of tie down I made so I thought I would snap some pictures and tell how I did it. You will need some fabrication tools. Metal chop saw, grinder, and welder were the tools I used. These fit both on my 2002 F250 and 2006 F350.
I started with what I had laying around.
Square tubing
Angle Iron
Flat metal
black pipe large enough for 3/8” #8 bolts to slide thru
Chain
The finished tiedowns do not extend past my tires.
I only have the finished pic of the rear tiedowns. They slid into the ends of my existing reciever on the truck. I drilled a hole through the reciever and the tiedowns and put a long 1/4x20 #8 bolt thru so the tiedowns do not slid out. You could use some type of pin if you would like to make it easy to remove. I leave mind on all the time. They do not rattle and act as a nice step to get up in the bed of the truck.
As you can see, I cut one end at an angle where the end tiedown plate is. This makes them parallel with the side on the truck.
Now you will have to take some measurements of 1)how tall your frame is, 2)how far out you need to reach from your frame to be able to attach your turn buckle system.
I made the angle iron taller than the side of my frame so that I could attach the fasteners that wrap around the frame. The fasteners are made from cut chain link and black pipe.
I then attached the length of pipe that extends out from under the truck. You measurement will vary. I cut mine so they will not stick out farther than my tires.
A brace is needed, I used a small piece of angle iron.
And put on the end plate that you will attach your turn buckle system to.
Now, I did not want to drill through my frame. Plus the fuel tank was in the way on the drivers side. So I made these hooks that wrap around the frame and fasten the tiedowns with a #8 bolt.
This is how I made them…
I cut a chain link and half and welded the two pieces to a piece of black pipe. I made sure the “hook” opening was large enough to allow the frame to hook in.
This pic shows a scrap piece of metal that is the same thickness of my frame. I used it to make sure I had enough gap in the hook.
I welded the chain link onto the black pipe and then cut the pipe to the proper length.
Here is a picture of the hooks wrapped around the inside of my frame with a #8 bolt going thru them and attached to the tie down. There is a hook on each corner of the tiedown.
More misc pictures of the hooks being made....
Picture of the tiedown mounted to the frame. On the driver side, I did disconnect the emergency brake cable and re-route it thru the tiedown.
This is a picture of the back side (inside) of the frame with the hooks coming around it and hooking the tiedown to the frame.
Pick of the tiedown coming out from under the truck. Everything was primed and painted.
