Camper shifting in pickup box.

[hedgehopper]

My camper is secured to the pickup by four sets of chains and turnbuckles, one set at each corner of the camper. As I drive down the road, the camper gradually shifts toward the passenger side of the vehicle. As the camper shifts, the chains on the drivers side get loose, especially the one nearest the driver's seat.

So I tighten the loose chain(s). But tightening the chain exerts additional force, which tends to shift the camper further toward the passenger side.

Have you had this problem? What did you do about it?

[duststrom]

Thank you for the advice, I had gotten a horse mat and solved the problem.

[pcoplin]

pcoplin wrote:

I wanted to update this. I got a new camper. They are both Lance 9.5s, but the tie downs on the newer one were at a more severe angle.

I also added a 3/8 DeeZee bed mat. For the price and weight (lack of compared to 100 lbs of horse matting), I am not getting any movement. Even after trekking down some crappy roads with washboard.

I'm happy. 🙂

[ab257]

I put 2" wide anti skid tape along the bottom outside edge of the bottom of the camper basement, and bolted the horse mat down to the bed. A little expensive but it helped a lot.

[hedgehopper]

hedgehopper wrote:
This is an additional post from the OP:

Having concluded that the tie downs are designed to secure the camper front to back and not side to side, I designed and built a jig to secure my camper side to side. The jig permits maybe 1/8 inch total movement side to side. I will know better after our next trip. The camper is in place on the truck. So I know it fits. Whew! I wasn't sure it would fit until it was in place.

When I figure out again how to post pictures, I will do that.

Here is a picture of the jig I built:



After four trips, I have concluded that the camper moves no more than a fraction of an inch side to side. Front to back was never a problem.

[Crumm]

Guides will stop all movement.

Back in 07' I built some centering guides for my 96'. They are posted in this TCU University thread

This year I built a new set for my 2015 F350. Rather than going with steel I switched to aluminum and rather than welding they are all bolt together. Going this route anyone should be able to build a set.

Pictures will basically explain the construction.

The front are Happijac FM-GL9 centering guide locks mounted on a piece of aluminum channel. I have Torklift tie downs so didn't have a crossbar to mount the guides on. The channel is bolted to the front of the bed with five 5/16 rivet-nuts. I used the rivet-nuts as there is no room between truck bed and cab for your hand and the rivet-nuts make for quick removal/installation of the guide. The tool and rivets can be found at Amazon link.





For the rear I used 3/16x1-1/2 aluminum flat bar. Once again I used the 5/16 rivet-nuts for installation. The bar can easily be bent by heating with a standard propane soldering torch or whatever you have. Doesn't take much heat. Wrapped the guides with 1/4" UHMW using stainless countersunk bolts.

[SlideInDad]

duststrom wrote:
Do you all think that I should buy a thicker mat or would a 1/4" mat on plywood work. I've thought putting some 3/4" plywood that would support the bottom when it's on the stand in the garage and I thought I would have the wood extend out from the front camper sides for a loading guide to center it at the wheel wells.
What is a safe clearance between the camper and the top sides of the truck bed? I would think keeping the camper as low on the bed as possible would be best.
Thanks

I'd get a nice thick bed mat. Personally the stall mats are overkill, I have 3 in my garage and they weigh a ton. Here in New England so much******gets in the bed with spring and fall that I pull the heavy mat out twice a year to clean the bed out, I wouldn't be pulling a stall mat in and out I'll tell you that, Ridiculously heavy.

[duststrom]

Do you all think that I should buy a thicker mat or would a 1/4" mat on plywood work. I've thought putting some 3/4" plywood that would support the bottom when it's on the stand in the garage and I thought I would have the wood extend out from the front camper sides for a loading guide to center it at the wheel wells.
What is a safe clearance between the camper and the top sides of the truck bed? I would think keeping the camper as low on the bed as possible would be best.
Thanks

[trailgranny50]

Our camper doesn't move around using the HJ front and rear, old Chevy with way heavier rear bumper than newer trucks, on top of 11 year old Rhino liner. It also is not a super heavy unit, we weigh in at little over 11,000 fully loaded. We drive the speed limits everywhere, slowing down some in heavy wind. So far over 12,000 miles with this set up and one emergency stop hitting a deer, no movement. Those front bumper centering guides keep it straight. Angle allowed with your truck might be a part of the problem. Just that is system works real well wherever we travel. But we travel as cautiously as possible too.

[SlideInDad]

I noticed some movement on my old camper/truck which had torklift tie downs with chains and spring loaded turnbuckles. Truck had rhino liner with a bed mat and nothing at the front of the bed. My current setup doesn't seem to move. I have Herculiner bed liner plus a heavy bed mat and a 2x8 spanning the front of the bed that the camper sits against as the front of the bed isn't very strong and the first time I loaded it without the 2x8 it bowed forward toward the cab! I also use torklift tie downs on this truck but with fastguns instead of the chains. Not nearly as much movement or rocking.

[MORSNOW]

duststrom wrote:
I'm having a problem with my camper moving rearward over time while driving. I have the same camper as Pocplin and the same angle of my HJ tie downs with a spray in bed liner. I do drive a bit fast on the highway, approx 70 and over time the front will just about bottom the springs out on the turnbuckles. Is there any way to stop this other then slowing down?
Thanks

You need a rubber mat, bedliner does not hold as well.

[Buzzcut1]

duststrom wrote:
I'm having a problem with my camper moving rearward over time while driving. I have the same camper as Pocplin and the same angle of my HJ tie downs with a spray in bed liner. I do drive a bit fast on the highway, approx 70 and over time the front will just about bottom the springs out on the turnbuckles. Is there any way to stop this other then slowing down?
Thanks

Horse stall mats, take two and cut them to exactly fit your bed (long side of the stall mat cut to fit short side of bed) including the areas before and after the wheel wells. My TC used to slide all over until I did that 4 years ago. It hasn't moved since and I have gone over Mountains, washboard dirt roads you name it.

[duststrom]

I'm having a problem with my camper moving rearward over time while driving. I have the same camper as Pocplin and the same angle of my HJ tie downs with a spray in bed liner. I do drive a bit fast on the highway, approx 70 and over time the front will just about bottom the springs out on the turnbuckles. Is there any way to stop this other then slowing down?
Thanks

[Reddog1]

The Mad Norsky wrote:

Reddog1 wrote:
EDIT: I see it is a shadow. I do not think there is enough angle on your rear tie downs. Slanted more forward would reduce the amount your TC could move.

While I do agree with your assessment here, the picture seems to show the tie downs already in the holes farthest apart.

So, in other words, no place to move them to in order to increase the slant. ...

There may not be an existing place to move the tie downs, but that does not mean it is not needed. Depending on determination, tools, and skills, you can move the tie down points.

[The_Mad_Norsky]

Reddog1 wrote:
EDIT: I see it is a shadow. I do not think there is enough angle on your rear tie downs. Slanted more forward would reduce the amount your TC could move.

While I do agree with your assessment here, the picture seems to show the tie downs already in the holes farthest apart.

So, in other words, no place to move them to in order to increase the slant.

Perhaps, as others have suggested, it is more of a side to side shift than front to back.

Then the solution would seem to be some sort of device(s) alongside the camper taking up the space between the camper and wheel wells inside the box to prevent this side to side movement.