Greetings. Sorry for the long post.....I have started getting material together for building my own camper tie downs. I have been looking at the products on the market to get ideas. I have all the equipment and am an experienced Boilermaker Welder so no issues there. I haven’t bought the camper yet but am looking at models around 2500# dry weight. My plan is to buy spring loaded turn buckles (fast guns) so all I’ll be doing is building the frame mounted, bolt on, no drilling hardware and rear extension tubes for the rear hitch already in place. I’m not going to pay someone over 1000$ for what I do everyday! So a couple questions:The extensions with the bullet plate where the turn bucket hooks in, why do some of the manufactures have a “cut” from the outer edge into the holes? I found the same question and an answer on etrailer and it makes no sense whatsoever....... (artifacts left over from the plasm”. Sounds like poor CNC programming to me if that’s true.Those of you that have built your own, any ideas, or thoughts of what you wish you had done, or changes you made to improve. Once built I will be having all the parts powder coated. I have a 2002 F350 8’ bed dually and from pictures I’ve seen I thought something like the fast guns would be better than chains—don’t want anything hitting or rubbing on the truck. Am I correct on this or being overly cautious? Camper won’t be on a lot.....vacations, fishing/hunting trips.Best Regards! Glenn

“Am I correct on this or being overly cautious? Camper won’t be on a lot..”Being an experienced boiler/welder maker doesn’t necessarily qualify you to make TC tie downs.

My comment won't be very useful to you...but I am wondering if you could tell me the specs for the tubing you plan to use in the hitch. Thanks in advance.

Think that “cut” might be to hook a chain into?We don’t use the camper often either and I just had chains with simple turnbuckles and the spring loaded eyes that bolt to the brackets. No issues with hitting the truck. Don’t use enough that I saw value in the fastguns.

Far as the lead in cut to slot, I noticed that on the newer units. I assumed just continous cutting, I certainly wouldnt add if your making.The quick release are nice but the chains work (with some type of spring load). They shouldnt hit or rub if angles set up right, buuttt they are more prone when installing/taking off to swing into body.

ykphil wrote:My comment won't be very useful to you...but I am wondering if you could tell me the specs for the tubing you plan to use in the hitch. Thanks in advance.My receiver hitch has the tubes exposed on the ends and 2” square tubing slides perfectly inside of it. I will use heavy wall (.250) tube and a hydraulic bender for the appropriate angle.I am planning on a fairly short T/C like the Palomino HS 8801 so only a very short hitch extension would be needed if any for my boat/trailer (3500# max)If I thought I would ever put a bigger camper on the truck I would swap my hitch out for a super hitch and the truss extension— but don’t think I’ll ever need it.

Ideas from those of you who built your own hold downs

41 Replies

GAR2
Explorer
May 11, 2020
In my case the load is applied mostly to the tube as a side pull (cantilevered structural rating) as it telescopes inside the frame. A fastener prevents it from telescoping in or out.
jimh406
Explorer III
May 11, 2020
GAR2 wrote:
jimh425 wrote:
Looks good. How do you have them attached?

My 10K Hitch frame was open on the ends. The 2” square tube telescopes perfectly inside. On the front I made frame mounted receivers.

Bolted or welded to the hitch?
GAR2
Explorer
May 11, 2020
jimh425 wrote:
Looks good. How do you have them attached?

My 10K Hitch frame was open on the ends. The 2” square tube telescopes perfectly inside. On the front I made frame mounted receivers.
jimh406
Explorer III
May 10, 2020
Looks good. How do you have them attached?
GAR2
Explorer
May 10, 2020
GAR2
Explorer
May 10, 2020
Sorry for the elapsed time guys... I did finish the hold downs. Here’s a picture of the rear ones after having powder coated and attaching the mud flaps. I put buying the T/C on hold due to the Covid 19 and waiting to make sure the economy rebounds and that I remain gainfully employed. Best regards — Glenn

Post edit: I have the hold down adjusted to their fully outward position, they are adjustable and will each move inward another 2-1/2” slightly narrower than the dually fenders. I did leave the wheel well flares their original black plastic color and ended up liking them that way
GAR2
Explorer
Jan 26, 2020
ykphil wrote:
My comment won't be very useful to you...but I am wondering if you could tell me the specs for the tubing you plan to use in the hitch. Thanks in advance.

Sorry for the delay to your question, lots going on - Lol. Anyway, I ended up using 2” square tubing with a .125 wall thickness for the removable extensions. At 24” long they have a structural load rating of 5,300 lbs. with acceptable deflection figured in. This gives them a higher load rating from what material I am seeing offered in a factory offer— but I believe the small addition in weight is worth what I gained and satisfaction of DIY. I work closely with our engineering department at my place of employment and know that most engineering firms look at minimum specifications and cutting costs by less material which equals big $ when your mass producing. Not the case for us DIY’s.
GAR2
Explorer
Jan 19, 2020
No need to drill holes, at least on the ‘02.
GAR2
Explorer
Jan 19, 2020
I’ve already got the front frame brackets done, only thing in the way on the 2002 is the parking brake cable. Only one bolt needed fished through the frame and I welded a keeper to the bolt head so it can’t spin—as for getting the nut started a set of long handled forceps works great to keep fingers out of the way while starting the nut. Sounds like the newer trucks have more interference with the brackets. I’m happy with the hold down extension bars- I made them out of 2” square tube...... I can stand on them and rock the whole truck with no obvious deflection—I read on line that my fast guns are made for putting 300 pounds of tension on each one.
covered_wagon
Explorer
Jan 19, 2020
JimK-NY wrote:
With my first truck and TC, the RV dealer installed the Torklift tie down brackets. I replaced that truck last year and did my own install. The rear brackets for my 2018 Ram are pretty simple and anyone with the proper equipment and fabrication skills should be able to come up with a workable solution.

The front brackets are way more complicated at least for my 2018 Ram model. It took serious engineering design to build a bracket that fit the tight space. Even with a well designed bracket it took me way over an hour to install it. As I remember it the issue was the placement of a fuel line that made it difficult to design and install a bracket. Due to the complexities, I would guess it would be all but essential to copy the Torklift parts and also to reroute the fuel line (or a brake line, if my memory is incorrect).

For that reason I never liked bolting to the side of the frame. Too many things in the way and then having to slide a nut down a wire and try getting it to spin onto the bolt threads. What a pain it was.

These days I would think about a belly type bar instead for the front, at least, to go under the frame. I think I would figure out a way to clamp or hook that to the 'C' channel frame rather than drilling holes and damage the frame.