As part of re-trucking, I can revisit the hold downs as well. On my old F350, I started with Happijac. When I got the larger camper I reworked the front ones to stiffen and reinforce them a lot. I abandon the rear ones (which are pretty much a joke anyway) and got the Torklift hitch mounted ones. I'm fairly happy with the Torklift rear ones. I don't much like the front Torklift for the Ford. I'm thinking more of something like the Happijac which exits between the cab and bed so the angle of pull is more forward and doesn't block the filler cap. I could do the same thing as I did before, start with Happijac, or just fab some from scratch. Has anyone else done their own front hold downs, or seen something different/better than the Happijac or Torklift offerings?

Since I made my own, I was able to custom fit them so the tiedown would not go in front of the fuel tank filler.http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28551626.cfmBen

There are people here who have built their own, but I didn't. It didn't seem worth the effort or risk for my heavy camper. There have been other threads, but as noted in those, blocking the gas cap isn't that big of a deal unless you go through an awful lot of fuel. I usually buy fuel about once per trip at most, so it isn't a problem for me.

I have frame mounts, but they are NOT Torklift; a local company made them (which I would not refer you today, they are out of the truck camper business).They totally clear the fuel cap, and I've had zero problems with them.If your ever in Pinole area, stop by and you can look at them - the truck is always parked in front of the house during the week day.

Ben, thanks for that link. I have the equipment and skills to fabricate something, just trying to get ideas. Tad, do yours come out from the frame underneath the bed like the Torklift ones? Or something more novel. I like the angle the Happijacs pull at rather than mostly down, its just that the Happijacs are a bit floppy. There isn't a lot of room between the cab and bed sheet metal to fit something more substantial, but there is a little.

Anybody made their own hold downs? | Good Sam Community

HMS_Beagle
Explorer
Jan 25, 2016
Thanks, some interesting ideas in those links. I liked the one that put a socket right through the bumper. I will crawl under the truck when it dries a little more here and see what there is to work with.
sabconsulting
Explorer
Jan 25, 2016
Try looking in here - there is a section related to tiedowns etc:

Camper modification sticky

Also, this is what I evolved myself - but you'd have to go through several pages to find the final system I ended up with - note that this is for a very light camper:

My tiedowns

Steve.
tad94564
Explorer
Jan 24, 2016
HMS Beagle wrote:
Ben, thanks for that link. I have the equipment and skills to fabricate something, just trying to get ideas.

Tad, do yours come out from the frame underneath the bed like the Torklift ones? Or something more novel. I like the angle the Happijacs pull at rather than mostly down, its just that the Happijacs are a bit floppy. There isn't a lot of room between the cab and bed sheet metal to fit something more substantial, but there is a little.

It's a torklift style, and they come out near the bed front. I'll try and get some pics of what they look like.
HMS_Beagle
Explorer
Jan 23, 2016
Hadn't thought of that, will look into it. The Torklift pn is different for the 99 and 2015 for the steel ones, but not for the Talons.

It looks like the passenger side will be right in front of the exhaust. Does this interfere or melt?
hedge
Explorer
Jan 22, 2016
you could just sleeve them, the torklift mounts actually come with sleeves/shims to fit the 2.5 receivers.
HMS_Beagle
Explorer
Jan 22, 2016
I've decided to order Torklifts for the back and fabricate my own for the front which will be something like the reinforced Happijacs that I ended up with . One problem with these new trucks is what used to be empty space under the bed and between the frame rails is now pretty packed with stuff. I can't use the old Torklifts from the rear of the '99 because the hitch on the '15 is 2.5" tubing, not 2". A lot of stuff on this truck seems bigger and tougher. The sway bars are still the spindly little things though - I guess that'll be next on my list.
BamaBen
Explorer
Jan 22, 2016
I am a little over on my payload but with Timbrens and Bilsteins 4600 I feel very comfortable. I do plan on adding some helper springs in the future.
jimh406
Explorer III
Jan 22, 2016
BamaBen, I'm assuming your camper is pretty light since you have a F150.
BamaBen
Explorer
Jan 22, 2016
Yes it is 2" receiver tubes and insert with "D" rings from Harbor Freight. The problem I had was that there are no "off the shelf" tie downs for a step side. I have made 2 trips in the past 2 months and have not had a problem.
HMS_Beagle
Explorer
Jan 22, 2016
^^ I like it. Looks like a trailer receiver? Plenty strong, that.