Front Frame Mount Tie Downs Not Working!

[HadEnough]

I have gone through so many sets of Torklift frame mounts I want to fix the problem permanently.

Why aren’t there bars run across the whole truck like for the rear tie downs? Those last.

My truck camper is sliding off to the passenger side now and both front frame mounts are broken. Again.

The camper is used on normal tarred roads only and never off road.

What’s are these things so defective/fragile?

Has anyone just run a piece of square tubing across the entire underside bolted to the frame with spacers and square u bolts to make a better frame mount?

[Grit_dog]

^ deltabravo, nice summary of the events, but refer to my post above. Crazy I tell ya, just crazy...lol

[deltabravo]

HadEnough wrote:
I’m going to make it strong, so the only way this can fail now is for it to bend the cross beam of the bed, bend the square tubing of the Torklift mount, or rip the bolts out of the frame.

Sounds like the above should happen in short order since your camper seems to go sideways in the bed (shifting 11" to the passenger side at the front), or "go to space" as you said earlier.

I've still never heard of a Torklift mount failing.

HadEnough wrote:
It’s bumps sending it into space, I’m sure.

If you are hitting bumps that cause the truck camper to launch to space (lift off the bed) enough that it shifts 11" to the passenger side at the front, SLOW DOWN.

The items below that you said still baffle us:

HadEnough wrote:
Yes, I have a rubber mat in the bed to keep the TC gripping and in place. Trouble is, there isn’t enough downward pressure to hold it on the mat since both frame mounts are now broken.

How can a 3500lb camper not exert enough downward pressure to keep it from moving, unless you apply more "pressure" with the tiedowns?

HadEnough wrote:
It doesn’t move until the frame mounts fall apart leaving it floating.

Explain this "floating".

HadEnough wrote:
I took some measurements. The back of the camper hasn’t really moved. The front has moved 11 inches off center to the passenger side.

Also explain how the front can shift 11" to one side. My 811 fits in my truck bed such that I only have 2.75" of clearance between the camper and the side of the truck bed. There's only about 1" or less at the back, at the tailgate opening.


I've had my truck and 811 since fall of 2009. The truck hit 68k miles this summer. It's not my daily driver.
A conservative estimate is that 40k miles have been with the camper on the truck, while towing one of several cargo trailers I have / have had. The camper has NEVER shifted in the bed. I run Fastguns, and have them adjust a little on the loose side. Even then, the camper has never moved in 10 years of traveling.

[Grit_dog]

I remember that thread from last year!
What makes anyone think torklift is going to go to bat for a guy with a messed up truck.
This thread was like the blind leading the dumb!
Uhhh, I blasted a speed bump that launched my camper, ripped the bottom out of my truck bed and the stupid camper mount broke! Stupid camper mount.....(in my best Homer Simpson voice).

[HadEnough]

Kayteg1 wrote:

Bert the Welder wrote:

wnjj wrote:

jimh425 wrote:
OP needs to find out why he has so much upward pressure.

It could have been the 2 different occasions where he hit large speed bumps, with “frame damage” from one of them. Somehow this didn’t make the “tie downs not working” thread.

https://forums.trailerlife.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/29976845.cfm

Well that's interesting...

I'd call it extremely interesting.
People who create problems very often spend the time pointing fingers and checking who they could sue.
Unfortunately that is how our society grows.

Karma will take care of anyone.

[HadEnough]

Bringing this thread to a conclusion.

I’m going to install a 100% vertical upright support where the angled bar stock is (was) welded to the frame mount.

The vertical upright will terminate right on the cross beam of the bed, locking everything in place for good.

Instead of using a flimsy weld and bar stock, I’m going to use 1/4” wall square tubing that will slip over the frame mount tubing and over the truck bed cross beam.



It’ll replace the uppermost piece of the mount in this pic. The part that’s gone on both of my mounts.

Honestly, I do think this product is junk. It’s cheap. It’s not strong.

I’m going to make it strong, so the only way this can fail now is for it to bend the cross beam of the bed, bend the square tubing of the Torklift mount, or rip the bolts out of the frame.

No other modes of failure possible.

That’s how Torklift should have been building these things. They’re cheaply done and the geometry is all wrong. The stock design Creates excessive shear forces when it only needs to be an upright in compression taking the load. Bad design.

[Kayteg1]

Bert the Welder wrote:

wnjj wrote:

jimh425 wrote:
OP needs to find out why he has so much upward pressure.

It could have been the 2 different occasions where he hit large speed bumps, with “frame damage” from one of them. Somehow this didn’t make the “tie downs not working” thread.

https://forums.trailerlife.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/29976845.cfm

Well that's interesting...

I'd call it extremely interesting.
People who create problems very often spend the time pointing fingers and checking who they could sue.
Unfortunately that is how our society grows.

[Bert_the_Welder]

wnjj wrote:

jimh425 wrote:
OP needs to find out why he has so much upward pressure.

It could have been the 2 different occasions where he hit large speed bumps, with “frame damage” from one of them. Somehow this didn’t make the “tie downs not working” thread.

https://forums.trailerlife.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/29976845.cfm

Well that's interesting...

[AnEv942]

The 'speed bump' thread is where I got 1st picture of his truck from.
The damaged towers, current condition of them and improper bolting was already present. I don't think that was source. Once brace became unbolted though did add to damage.
Op was unaware of what things should look like. Mounts failed and simply assumed by the result it was mounts design at fault. Cant say about installer, if- as I think, towers were already as shown they just tried to make what he had work. Little surprised nothing was said but who knows. Going out on a limb just from what info available- I dont think excessive force is being applied, just what is supposed to resist isn't there.
All mute & I could be all wet- the OP has some project time ahead..

[wnjj]

jimh425 wrote:
OP needs to find out why he has so much upward pressure.

It could have been the 2 different occasions where he hit large speed bumps, with “frame damage” from one of them. Somehow this didn’t make the “tie downs not working” thread.

https://forums.trailerlife.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/29976845.cfm

[jimh406]

Bert the Welder wrote:
I guess it's a bit of chicken or egg. Did the TL mounts break, causing the tearing of the metal towers or were the towers damaged previously and the TL's failed due to this damage.

Torklift may pm, but I’ve never seen them respond directly on an RV.NET thread. I don’t think manufacturers are even allowed to respond on RV.NET.

I don’t think it’s possible for the TL mounts to break the truck. Torklift mounts have been used a couple of decades by thousands of people. They fully warranty their product as others have noted over and over.

Early in this thread, it was noted that something was “special” about the OPs setup. It just took a large number of posts for the OP to give enough info to point out a significant issue.

Still waiting for the zoomed out picture of the TC on the truck. I doubt we’ve seen all of what’s wrong with the truck setup. Something caused the extreme upward pressure, and that wasn’t the TL mounts.

I don’t have a problem with the OP bandaiding his setup, but I think he’s just changing the point of failure by making a different tiedown mount which could make a more expensive problem to fix. That is, OP could cause the TC mount points to pull out next. I don’t think what would be a good solution and could be extremely costly.

OP needs to find out why he has so much upward pressure.

[Bert_the_Welder]

Was waiting for this to go sideways......
I guess it's a bit of chicken or egg. Did the TL mounts break, causing the tearing of the metal towers or were the towers damaged previously and the TL's failed due to this damage. Minor structure failure could very easily have not been seen by the OP, so when seeing the broken TL, could be easily taken as a faulty TL and the TL breaking to have caused the tower damage. Again, chicken first or egg.
Like I said before, it's the internet. Easy to see something/someone as dodgy, especially when it's a unicorn problem. But care and consideration is still due, until otherwise proven to be dodgy.
And I'm not surprised TL hasn't chimed in. This seems like an issue they'd prefer to handle one on one, without the peanut gallery. That's what I'd do if it was my client. Particularly on here as threads go south at the drop of a hat.
Irregardless, that's some nasty damage and I feel for you OP. Hope it's something that can be repair and possibly make the TL's work and last as they should. 🙂

[JimK-NY]

HadEnough wrote:

.....someone with broken Torklift frame mounts and repeated issues from them breaking after Torklift certified installers seem to have destroyed my truck. ....

I misunderstood and I think some others did also. This is not about an issue with Torklift tiedowns breaking. The problem seems to be with the frame of your truck.

[HadEnough]

Kayteg1 wrote:
Somehow I've got a feeling that you deliberately delayed posting the pictures.
If that was honest mistake, I am sorry about my accusation.
But at this point looks like your problem belongs to truck forum.
You have a problem with truck, where failed camper tie-downs are the result of towers failure.

Yes, it’s a giant conspiracy. I came on here to ask for help but no, it was a ruse to trick you into voting a communist into office. That’s what it was. Just a scam. Obviously it’s not someone with broken Torklift frame mounts and repeated issues from them breaking after Torklift certified installers seem to have destroyed my truck. Nah, it’s not that. It’s just an elaborate scam to trick you because you’re soooo important.

I didn’t even make a mistake posting pics. YOU are the one bItching and complaining in my thread where I’m trying to find alternate methods of holding my TC down. Because now I called you out for your last out of line post you are now going to say I’m just a big ruse delaying posting pics?

What exactly is wrong with you, anyway?

You know what? If you don’t like this thread, don’t read it.

[JimK-NY]

I have no idea what specific problems the OP has had with installation. There does appear to be some issues that have nothing to do with the tiedowns including a missing nut and torn metal on the truck.

I can say my Torqlift tiedowns were very heavy duty and if anything overbuilt. I suspect the frame of the truck would be damaged before the tiedowns would fail.

[Kayteg1]

Somehow I've got a feeling that you deliberately delayed posting the pictures.
If that was honest mistake, I am sorry about my accusation.
But at this point looks like your problem belongs to truck forum.
You have a problem with truck, where failed camper tie-downs are the result of towers failure.