Hey everyone. Tom in Portland, Oregon here. New small truck camper and novice with most things involved but figuring it out as we work on our recently purchased 1983 Perris Valley truck camper. Getting new shocks and airbags installed in my truck this week but I’m wondering if anyone has a 2009 Tacoma four door short bed recommendations for securing the camper properly in the back. We drive it home with heavy duty tie downs but it did shift a little bit in transport, and looking for other options, as it will stay in my truck all summer for some family adventures. Thanks so much!

so how is the camper actualy held down? I have never seen the happy jack setup myself.

The front brackets have bolts through the front of the box, and then an angle bracket the bolts down through the box to the frame. The rear bracket buttons mount through the bumper and then there is a long steal bar that bolts from the bumper up and forward to the trucks frame (most have not idea this frame brace exists they assume its just the bumper buttons). The camper then is attached from the camper's factory tie down points to the truck with spring loaded tie downs or turnbuckles. I use TorkLift Fastguns for their quick and easy use.

Ha. I always wondered about the Happijac on newer trucks with tin can bumpers. Used to be straight to the bumper when bumpers were real. Both my squarebodys had direct to bumper only rear camper mounts. Heck at one point Ford F150s had 2 piece rear “bumpers” lol. Like the early 2010s years. You could “adjust” them just by jumping on, pulling on, or a swift kick with a steel toe boot!Those bumpers wouldn’t anchor a tie down for a small carton of styrofoam egg crates without bending!

Hey, all. Thank you for replying, and apologies for going silent this week. Bogged down with work. Very new to this, so appreciate the guidance and advice. I've attached some photos of the camper tie down points (one on each corner of the camper) and the bed of my truck. It's on jacks in my driveway at the moment while I wait to get some suspension upgrades in my truck next week. Once the airbags are in, it will go in my truck for summer adventures, but again, very new to this, so looking for advice from people more in the know. Thanks again!

Great info. Thank you for replying! My question with TorkLift is where they would mount. I have a four door with limited space between the rear door and the bed and there is not much frame showing. Again, forgive my newness to this, but this forum is more helpful than Google. Attached a photo for reference. Thanks again!

Securing small camper with short bed ‘09 Tacoma

16 Replies

Tmonterosso
Explorer II
May 09, 2026
Hey, all. Thank you for replying, and apologies for going silent this week. Bogged down with work. Very new to this, so appreciate the guidance and advice. I've attached some photos of the camper tie down points (one on each corner of the camper) and the bed of my truck. It's on jacks in my driveway at the moment while I wait to get some suspension upgrades in my truck next week. Once the airbags are in, it will go in my truck for summer adventures, but again, very new to this, so looking for advice from people more in the know. Thanks again!
- Grit_dog
  Trailblazer
  May 11, 2026
  Is the camper/tie downs wide enough to clear the bedsides?
  If so then maybe happijac mounts would work?
  If too narrow, I don’t see any decent tie downs in the plastic Taco Swiss army bed sides.
  First see if/who makes any mounts for a super short box Taco and go from there.
  - Tmonterosso
    Explorer II
    May 11, 2026
    Everything is currently pointing toward Tork Lifts installed front and rear and tying it down from there. The camper is just wide enough to clear the bedsides but I went in to a trailer/RV shop this weekend and they were pretty certain that Tork Lift is the best option. Bummer since it's so expensive but it is what it is.
- MORSNOW
  Navigator III
  May 09, 2026
  I don't see any stake pockets on your truck box, so Brophy stake pocket anchors are probably out of the question. HappiJac may be available depending on the year of your truck and if they are available for it. TorkLift frame mount brackets should be available but cost more than you probably paid for your camper.
  - Tmonterosso
    Explorer II
    May 09, 2026
    Great info. Thank you for replying! My question with TorkLift is where they would mount. I have a four door with limited space between the rear door and the bed and there is not much frame showing. Again, forgive my newness to this, but this forum is more helpful than Google. Attached a photo for reference. Thanks again!
Grit_dog
Trailblazer
May 08, 2026
Guessin the OP Figgered it out….
StirCrazy
Moderator
May 07, 2026
do you have a picture of the camper on the truck that will show where the tie down spats are. ratchet straps are not the best way, I also got mine home with them but then changed over to a proper setup. what you want is something that is spring loaded so it has a bit of give. in the old days when we used to just use chains and turn buckels it was quite comon to rip the tie down eyes out of the campers.

you can start out here torklift tiedowns

they do make stuff for your truck, then you can go with something like this to save a bit of money like I did. there are the fancy fastguns but I can't aford them yet 🤣
Grit_dog
Trailblazer
May 05, 2026
You might wanna include a pic of the tie down spots on the camper. Slim chance anyone has a visual of the what a 1983 Perris Valley camper even is, much less know where the tie downs are on it.
MORSNOW
Navigator III
May 05, 2026
How is it currently secured in the truck? Turnbuckles in the bed, Brophy bed brackets, HappiJac system, or Torklift? Do you have a rubber truck bed mat? A spray in truck bed liner isn't enough, a rubber mat is needed and required by most camper manufacturers. My camper can't slide around as I use the HappiJac system with centering guides up front and I use a Camper Cradle in the rear with a rubber mat on the bottom.
- StirCrazy
  Moderator
  May 07, 2026
  so how is the camper actualy held down? I have never seen the happy jack setup myself.
  - MORSNOW
    Navigator III
    May 07, 2026
    The front brackets have bolts through the front of the box, and then an angle bracket the bolts down through the box to the frame. The rear bracket buttons mount through the bumper and then there is a long steal bar that bolts from the bumper up and forward to the trucks frame (most have not idea this frame brace exists they assume its just the bumper buttons).
    The camper then is attached from the camper's factory tie down points to the truck with spring loaded tie downs or turnbuckles. I use TorkLift Fastguns for their quick and easy use.