Cabover Struts Rekindled

Yes, the struts are removed when the plunger travel exceeds the limits. The horizontal placement of the underside aluminum bracket on the camper varies on every application. It all depends on which truck you have. Fords, at least 10 yrs ago, had the most frame flex allowing the limit to get there quickly. Short bed trucks in general have less twist to the frame compared to long beds. I can see the limit on my Dodge/Lance through the window and keep an eye open when off-road. It has to be pretty rough to make me remove the struts.The biggest woe I have had with the struts is not understanding that there TWO, 2 allen set screws in the aluminum housing sliding bracket, stacked, one on top of the other that attaches to the underside of the overhang of the camper. Only once (it's like kissing the toaster) did I exceed the limit of travel of the strut on the pass side and pulled the underside bracket off. After that I tightened the screw holes into the wood frame with wooden matchsticks and later with perforated metal lath screw hole mender and bigger screws.
I feel naked without the struts on the highway. If i was not used to them, I'm not sure I would go out and buy a set. My little Lance has the north/south queen bed so the overhang is very long. I think the struts do help control and codify everything with my setup.
jefe

When I bought my Lance 820 the guy gave
me the struts but I needed the truck brackets
because of he had a chevy me a Ford so I
drove it home without them hooked up
and all I can say is once I hooked them up
it was much nicer ride :)

I wouldn't add any thing to a new truck till you load it up and make a trip. Then make your decision.
Camper struts were common years back ('60s-'70s) when truck campers far out numbered the all other RVs. I don't believe the new TC are any stronger in this area than some of those old units nor do they lead to less movement.
Most common was pickup bed stake hole mounts with turnbuckles or just bolted through the floor into the beds frame (not the trucks frame). This caused lots of truck camper movement as the truck bed floated around on the trucks frame.

Now .... the new trucks may have more of a ridged bed mount system over those old trucks.

Much depends on how the TC is attached to the truck.

Christi,

My upgrades to my suspension were Rancho shocks, set on 6 for the front & 9 for the rear. Also upper Stableloads & homemade Lower stable loads on the rear.

Big Rig (John)

My camper is total about 20' long, but with aluminium frame and I am fine without the struts even when I pass 80% of the cars.
Than dually is having beefed up suspension.