Happijac tiedown system and the new Ford Aluminum beds

[nycsteve]

I called Happijac directly with this question and got an ambiguous answer. The new Ford F series now have aluminum truck beds. I guess to save weight. I have a Happijac tie down, the type that bolts through the bed bulkhead. I'de like to switch it over but wonder if theres a difference if the bulkhead is aluminum rather than sheetmetal in strength? Im picturing the bolts ripping through the aluminum like it was a soda can. I've been somewhat out of touch latly so if theres already opinions out there on this I missed them. It seems the 2017 F series is a redesign, there arn't even the bolts in the rear bumpers any more that used to secure the rear turnbuckles. Any input?

[mbloof]

Personally I went with the frame mount TL system for my 2017 F250SD.

[NGaMountains]

My opinion, the OP has already answered his own question. Happijac won't take a stance. Bed material has changed with the redesign. Chrome bumpers aren't outfitted by the OEM to accept tie-downs...and has anyone looked lately at what a flimsy, non-structural piece an OEM chrome bumper is on a pickup lately? When you're already in doubt, and you've got these additional data points, if it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck...spend the $600 and do the truck right, after you've already spent $40K+ on the truck itself.

Me, I put frame-mounted tiedowns on my 2017 F-350. That said, my opinion is worth what I've been paid for it. It's absolutely comical how one piece of input without factual justification is utter nonsense, while another is touted as gospel.

[languiduck]

NGaMountains wrote:
My favorite was the post criticizing others who post while citing 'I heard somewhere...' yet, the post itself begins with "Exactly" as a reply to another's post that started "In my opinion..."

Classic. Who cares what facts anything is/isn't founded on as long as it agrees with your own personal stance, rooted in decades of obsolete 'experience' relative to the specific situation inquired on by the OP. LOL.

Interesting. So what is your experience? I have used both TL and HJ tie downs, and have experience with the F150 aluminum bed and my current Superduty steel bed. So yeah, I do have an opinion on the matter. Maybe I should have said in my experience to satisfy your personal stance.

Also, I tried looking for someone in this thread that mentioned, accused, or debated a steel bed not being stronger than aluminum and, nope, can't find where that happened. I guess if no one is debating anything some folks will start something for amusement purposes.

[NGaMountains]

My favorite was the post criticizing others who post while citing 'I heard somewhere...' yet, the post itself begins with "Exactly" as a reply to another's post that started "In my opinion..."

Classic. Who cares what facts anything is/isn't founded on as long as it agrees with your own personal stance, rooted in decades of obsolete 'experience' relative to the specific situation inquired on by the OP. LOL.

[54suds]

SidecarFlip wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:
From what I heard bed-mounted brackets have been judged inadequate, even some Happijacd come with rod extending to frame.
For my new Ford I spend $350 for front tie downs and manufacture hitch-mounted rears myself.

Thats phooey. I've had mine with 2 TC's over 18 years now, no issues.

Not sure about the aluminum bed situation but I do know that the metal in new trucks is thinner than in older trucks.

I do like the HJ Qwik Loads. About 1/2 the cost of the TL Fast Guns. Do the same thing for much less cost and the handles are removable and can be used without attaching them to the cam action mechanism.

It's HappiJac btw, not Happijacd...duh.

Tell us, where did you 'hear ' that bit of phooey or was it made up for the moment?

Kayteg is correct, NO PHOOEY!!!!! hj is more commonly known as ( crappi jac) BTW a nickname their history has earned them. They have often had to add bracing and many other,repair changes to their products because of inaduqate design ⊂ grade quality of their products

ps years ago I posted here pix of crapi jac tie downs failing because of poor welding Close up pix were shown to prove the cause

now back to the ops ? the use of aluminum in the bed will almost certainly require modifications to hj original designs because of aluminums poor performance under repeated stress and flexing

[Vinsil]

Kayteg1 wrote:

Vinsil wrote:

One thing a person can come to the conclusion though, OP....is that the steel frame is stronger than your aluminum bed. Anyone debating that fact is a loon.

I think you are confusing some members with the facts. 😉
They have their long-term experience already.
Some of us can adapt to life changing, some of us don't

That's the darn truth brother. 😉

[Kayteg1]

Vinsil wrote:

One thing a person can come to the conclusion though, OP....is that the steel frame is stronger than your aluminum bed. Anyone debating that fact is a loon.

I think you are confusing some members with the facts. 😉
They have their long-term experience already.
Some of us can adapt to life changing, some of us don't

[Vinsil]

Used happy jack bed mounted tie downs on my '95 F350. The steel bed was pretty heavy gauged and didn't have any issues. My '07 Ram and now my '17 aluminum Ford have significantly thinner bed materials. Having said that, I personally would not use it on my Ford, especially if the company making the product not only didn't outright endorse the use, but doesn't list it as a proper application per their website. Want to be the test bed for both Ford and happy jack? 🙂

BTW! Both my running boards and exhaust hang lower than my TL tie downs and I live in the wooded NW, but I don't go wheeling in my huge diesel truck and camper, but I don't camp in campgrounds much either.

One thing a person can come to the conclusion though, OP....is that the steel frame is stronger than your aluminum bed. Anyone debating that fact is a loon.


Oh and happy jack is spelled wrong on purpose. Lol

[GeoBoy]

wnjj wrote:

~DJ~ wrote:

realter wrote:
I find a product called anti seize, but nothing called anti sieze that you refer to. Evidently it's not always I before e, except after c.

Good one Realter. Nothing like handing it back to the spelling police!!!

Also for the new guy ~ as far as TL having to stay at KOA....BS!!!

X2. If you're hitting your TL mounts on stuff you're not a good driver and likely doing body damage.

Awesome picture, DJ.

X3. My TL’s are so close to the body that something else would get damaged before the TL’s got damaged. You also wouldn’t have to worry about dissimilar metals with steel frame mounts.

[ticki2]

SidecarFlip wrote:

realter wrote:

SidecarFlip wrote:

Bubtoofat wrote:
Can stainless bolts be used on the bed or is there a risk of galvanic corrosion?

Mike

Of course but you'll still need to coat them with anti-sieze.

What's anti-sieze? Is that something made by happijacd?

Comes in a plastic bottle with a brush in the cap or a tube and you put it on the threads so you can get them apart at some future date..if you need to. It also ******* galvanic corrosion from dissimilar metals.

Anti-seize is not the best thing for this application , it has an aluminum base and will conduct current , which is what you are trying to avoid . There are compounds specifically for this purpose . You will have to look them up , I don't recall the names at the moment . Personally I would use a plastic or nylon sleeve to isolate the bolts for a permenate installation .

[wnjj]

languiduck wrote:
Why does this place always turn a simple question in to a who’s got the biggest ***** debate? The OP simply asked about HJ on the new Ford, not for a comparison between brands or what someone’s brother’s cousin’s sister’s uncle read on the internet.

The OP also mentioned frame mounts so some pros and cons followed in the discussion.

[Rustofer]

Ford has issued instructions on fastening to aluminum here: https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas/non-html/Q-222R1.pdf

[languiduck]

Why does this place always turn a simple question in to a who’s got the biggest ***** debate? The OP simply asked about HJ on the new Ford, not for a comparison between brands or what someone’s brother’s cousin’s sister’s uncle read on the internet.

[SidecarFlip]

wnjj wrote:

~DJ~ wrote:

realter wrote:
I find a product called anti seize, but nothing called anti sieze that you refer to. Evidently it's not always I before e, except after c.

Good one Realter. Nothing like handing it back to the spelling police!!!

Also for the new guy ~ as far as TL having to stay at KOA....BS!!!

X2. If you're hitting your TL mounts on stuff you're not a good driver and likely doing body damage.

Awesome picture, DJ.

My terrain and yours are different. I off road in the north woods not on the desert. We have trees and logs and stream crossings, not shelf rocks and lizards...lol