TC and real off-roading
Who has taken a full-height TC down some nasty roads, or Jeep roads where the truck leans and is at the limits of tipping the camper off or something of the sort? I searched internet (never google)...
Forum Discussion
ajriding wrote:Kayteg1 wrote:
I experienced it myself and other members posted as well that weak point on the set are 1" square tubings on tie-down.
I was thinking about reinforcing them, but I figure it is much better to bend the tubing, than pull camper bracket out.
I'm glad I got the Torklift's then. One inch sounds scary, but could a camper actually bend it?
The Torklifts use heavy gauge 1.5 inch tubing for the inserts, which poke out about 10 inches. A camper that could bend this would be impressive.
At some point it seems you need a weak link or either the camper tie-down point will rip out, or the truck frame will get bent. Seems better to replace an insert piece than the former.
In such a situation wouldn't the steel insert bend quite a ways before it broke? Im interested to see these HJ that are broken. pics?
Being the resourceful person you portray yourself as, I'm sure you can come up with a 'redneck' video of someone destroying camper running off road....
What gets my attention with the TL set up is the way the inner brackets mount to the frame rails. Unlike large trucks where the rails are heat treated steel, PU truck frames are hydroformed mild steel and as such, can be bent easily with lateral force such as the force exhibited by hooking the outboard TL extension on a rock, or log or some object in the trail. While the outboard extension may fail (bend), it could also bend the mounting point on the frame rail. The square tubing that the TL tie down sets are fabbed from is schedule 60 mild steel btw (unless you order the even higher buck stainless ones (not sure they are even available anymore).
We could argue the pro's and con's of HJ versus TL forever, much like the Honda generator versus all other's debate.
In summation, I'll run what works for me and you run what works for you. You captain your own ship as I captain mine. I've got at least 25 years experience running off road under my belt and I know what works for me and what works for me, may not work for you.
Forums like this one are more about opinions and less about hands on experience, why I heavily discount comments like yours.
