Forum Discussion

nvlaircrew's avatar
nvlaircrew
Explorer
Oct 30, 2013

Cracked the bed of my truck

So, this summer my camper spent a lot of time on the truck. Made several long trips. One to Inavale Horse Trials in Oregon and another to Kalispell, MT for The Event at Rebecca Farms. In September I made the trip up to elk camp for the opener then came back down to go to another horse show, Aspen Farms Horse Trials. Then back up to elk camp for a couple more days of hunting. Well, when I took the camper off afterwards this is what I found:



I have been to the body shop for a quote to fix it. Not worried about that part. More concerned about what caused this crack. The camper has been on two trucks and I've been hauling it since new with no problems until now. This is the first time I've taken it up to elk camp, but I have been on other roads with just as many potholes as the forest service road to camp.

Anyone else ever have the same problem? What did you do to keep it from happening again? Suggestions welcome?

Thanks
Truck Campers
  • Led_67's avatar
    Led_67
    Explorer
    Oct 30, 2013
    I noticed two things as others have said...1. you had your camper on for an extended period of time, nothing was said about wether or not you had a bed mat or anything down between the camper and bed. 2. you have a 2011 model truck and the metal is not as good as the older trucks,IMO, and I have heard from other sources about metal fatigue with some if not most truck manufacturers in recent years.
    As TusconJim said check your bed with a straight edge and be sure that your floor is straight.
    Good Luck
  • Camper_Jeff___K's avatar
    Camper_Jeff___K
    Nomad III
    Oct 30, 2013
    Saw this sort of thing before but with the heaviest TCs. A year or two ago, somebody here posted pictures of their truck bed showing how the weight of the TC had bent down or sagged both sides of the truck bed, toward the outside from each frame rail, on both sides of the bed.
  • TucsonJim's avatar
    TucsonJim
    Explorer II
    Oct 30, 2013
    Use a straight edge to see if that rib might be slightly higher than the surrounding area. This is classic metal fatigue caused by flexing. As others have said, strengthen or pad the area.
  • 69_Avion's avatar
    69_Avion
    Explorer
    Oct 30, 2013
    I would sand off the paint around it and MIG weld it up, then grind off the excess weld and repaint it. Then I would put a pink Styrofoam sheet down to spread the load under the camper. The only way that crack would occur is if it is flexing.

    Just my thoughts.
  • kohldad's avatar
    kohldad
    Explorer III
    Oct 30, 2013
    It is a fatigue crack from lots of flexing. Think the seam where the two long fore-aft pieces come together make it prone to both flexing and weak spot. Being about at the edge of the camper means any rocking of the camper is going to flex the point.

    If your body man just welds the cracks up without any re-enforcement, you are likely to have the same issue again.

    Don't think you have had this problem before because the seam may have been in a different location or not there at all.

    Rubber mat may give just enough buffer to stop the flexing though a piece of plywood would definitely distribute the load
  • The_Dung_Beetle's avatar
    The_Dung_Beetle
    Explorer
    Oct 30, 2013
    nvlaircrew

    Wow...that's impressive (in a negative sort of way). Very curious!

    I was at Aspen Farms at the spring show watching some friends compete. What a fantastic facility! Loved looooooooved their X-country course.
    .
  • nvlaircrew's avatar
    nvlaircrew
    Explorer
    Oct 30, 2013
    I don't think it could be any foreign object resting under the camper. There is no damage to the underside of the camper. I thought maybe something broke on the camper but I haven't been able to find anything. Besides I sweep the bed out real good before loading the camper. There's usually left over hay or straw in the bed.
  • Desertboy's avatar
    Desertboy
    Explorer
    Oct 30, 2013
    almost looks as if something were laying in back of truck when you lowered camper down on it and then drove it like that. Maybe a bolt or something.

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