Turnbuckles

I consider a good mat essential to our set up. Without it the camper will slide around in the bed. The mat adds friction to keep things in place. Without it the camper can actually slide around in the bed. NOT good.

Maker sure the camper has swing out jack brackets on the front to clear the dually fenders. These can be added to the camper if they aren't there but you will not be able to load the camper without them.

The other mod to the truck/camper will be to make sure you have the correct wiring harness. I think Lance has their own plug style into the camper. Make sure you get that cord with the camper and make sure it's long enough to reach the 7 pin trailer plug at the back bumper. Many of us install a new 7 pin plug in the bed near the front. In any case you can buy a 7 pin extension cord if you need the added length to get to the back of the truck from the front of the camper.

As others have mentioned you may want to budget for installing suspension upgrades but I would load the camper first and see if the truck sits level first and how much if any the overload springs engage. Could be that your ford dually has enough suspension stock. I would however consider adding a sway bar and possible better/new shocks such as Bilstiens.

This is just a weird thread!

cooldavidt wrote:
Might want to install airbags.

A mat is not necessary, but can we used. But why? It adds weight.

Yes u can mix takedown systems, but again why?

Lol
Never had anything slide around a truck bed?

I would check your rear brake lines for rust and corrosion.
I blew mine on 2002 f250 on my first truck camper trip.

I believe that adding overload leaves to make your overloads contact sooner would be the best solution. On my F350 Dually I am just running the factory overload and air bags with about 45psi in them. The setup works okay, but the front end is slightly high when loaded because the way I described above makes it so that the front bumper of the overload is just contacting and the rear not at all. There is a chance that this is wearing my tires faster when I'm towing with the camper on the truck. Torklift makes a product if you don't want to add a leaf. It makes the overloads engage sooner. You could make air bags alone work fine. Especially if you have overloads and a rear sway bar.

I just finally found a rubber bed mat for my 350. I've run the camper in it for a year and a half and it was always moving around. Especially that one time a deer decided to cross in front of me at the last second. The brake application caused a bit of a shift that left the front turn buckles a little loose.

You can mix the types of turn buckles if youd like. As long as they are long enough. I believe that mine are spring loaded in the front, but not sure about the rear.

A rubber mat can be had for well under a hundred bucks and keeps any shifting to a minimum. Also keeps the bed from scratching the camper bottom (my bed gets used for many other things and is likely to be rough). I found my mat at Tractor Supply.

AnEv942 wrote:

YES mats help. After market (DeeZee, Duraliner etc) Pre fit mat for your truck 80-120 bucks in my opinion a good investment. Save your bed but also gives more uniform support, seriously helps plant camper.

Agreed.
Wouldn't be without my DeeZee rubber mat.

riajane wrote:
I have 2001 F350 XLT long bed, crew cab diesel. My unit will be a 2004 Lance 1121.

Do I need to make any other modifications to the truck?

Also, do I need to put a rubber mat in the bed?

I am getting the torklift tiedown on both front and rear. My question, can I use torklift fastgun turnbuckles on front and happy jack quick connect turnbuckles on the rear or visi-versa?

Thanks for helping the newbie with all the questions.

According to the RV. net campers guide on page 751 article two the turnbuckles have to match

Length adjusting would be only issue as far as swapping. Likely use the FastGuns in front for fuel door access. The HJ QuikLoads I assume attached to some type spring load (manual) turn buckle? If chain or rigid I'd use a pair of T/L spring load cans that bolt to the tubes. Then again think I'd just get a pair of standard spring load (T/L Xls) turn buckles, can always be up graded later with Quikload or Derringers for quick release.
But no reason you cant mix match if you have.

YES mats help. After market (DeeZee, Duraliner etc) Pre fit mat for your truck 80-120 bucks in my opinion a good investment. Save your bed but also gives more uniform support, seriously helps plant camper.

cooldavidt wrote:
Might want to install airbags.

A mat is not necessary, but can we used. But why? It adds weight.

Yes u can mix takedown systems, but again why?

I thought the mat will help keep it stable

Forklift cost a lot more. I have 2 fastgun already but HJ are much less expensive