Hey guys. My Arctic Fox seems to be sliding around a lot in the back of the truck. It has the quality, stainless frame mounted tie downs. 4 stainless FastGun ones. However, it keeps slipping back due to the awesome power of my Cummins Turbo diesel with Edge performance enhancement and custom exhaust. Instead of sitting tight up against the rear of the cab, it slips back about a foot. And it's a short bed truck so it's concerning me a bit. It has the rubber mat under it and the the tie downs are about as tight as I can get them but it still slips back. (doesn't slip forward again... Stays back). Is this something I should be worrying about?It's in constant use. I've been touring the country full time for a year.

Your short bed camper slips back a foot? And it concerns you just a bit? LOL Best laugh of today! How far back can it slip before you'd be really concerned? Two feet?

Your tie downs should be at the greatest angle possible, The front ones should angle from the camper to the front of the truck The back should angle from the camper to the back of the truck

It slips back a foot?! I would worry.That is a problem. If your tie downs check out (something has to be amiss) I would go with a LineX spray in bed liner with your rubber mat on top of that. I have a FWC camper that I use on a lot sorta serious 4wd roads and my camper has never moved an inch in five years.

tattoobob wrote:Your tie downs should be at the greatest angle possible, The front ones should angle from the camper to the front of the truck The back should angle from the camper to the back of the truckThat's exactly the way they are set up, but the problem is there isn't really much of an angle. They are nearly vertical until the thing slides back a bit. Based on the unanimous responses, I'm going to pull over right now and move the thing forward. I'm also going to take it really easy driving and not accelerate as hard.Also I have to look into this and figure out what's going on. I bought this thing used. This is how it was always set up. Nothing new. I've already traveled around the United States for a year straight.

tattoobob wrote:Your tie downs should be at the greatest angle possible, The front ones should angle from the camper to the front of the truck The back should angle from the camper to the back of the truckThey'll both angle forward a bit on an AF/short bed Dodge combo.

TC Sliding Around in the Bed of Truck | Good Sam Community

HadEnough
Explorer
Sep 11, 2017
I can take a picture later after the Hurricane is over.
Kayteg1
Explorer II
Sep 11, 2017
GeoBoy wrote:
Do you have a picture of your setup? My AF 990 weighs over 4500 lbs. and doesn't move an inch!

Mine is 6500 lb and when older Fleetwood did stay put, the Lance did "walk" over rubber mat about 1/2" on 2000 miles trip.
I increased front ties stretch from 1/4 to 1/2" and it seem to hold.
At some point I was considering flipping torklift tie-downs so the 2-nd hole would move forward 2" but Torklift never responded to the question, so I guess they don't approve it.
SidecarFlip
Explorer III
Sep 11, 2017
All simple geometry.
GeoBoy
Explorer
Sep 11, 2017
Do you have a picture of your setup? My AF 990 weighs over 4500 lbs. and doesn't move an inch!
HadEnough
Explorer
Sep 11, 2017
It still slid around a bit. You can't always be slow about things. Merging onto highways is something that comes to mind. What I did instead now as I tied a couple of ropes to the thing. And to the frame of the vehicle. Those have kept it from moving even an inch. I post this so that if other people are having the same problem the thread has a solution.
HadEnough
Explorer
Jul 28, 2017
I think I've learned this art to the tie downs with the help of this forum.

Been traveling this whole time and all it did was settle 2 inches back and stay there. Seems to be fixed by better tie down usage and not being an idiot while driving. All user error. Ha ha ha.
jimh406
Explorer III
Jul 28, 2017
Front tiedowns will help with the front, but let's think about this for a moment. What has more force on a tiedown and tiedown point? 4000 divided by 2 or divided by 4? I think TCs have 4 tiedown points for a reason. You are likely better off having all tiedowns properly tightened which I'd say is a bit of an art.

I have noticed that there is some settling sometimes because I apparently don't load perfectly center every time. When I stop, I check the tighteness and readjust as necessary. Sometimes that means I loosen some and tighten others.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Jul 28, 2017
^ That makes sense, to reduce stress on the camper tie downs, however in my experience I haven't seen the camper/truck get that twisted up where it would be an issue.
But I have a heavy camper too and as such shy away from most off camber situations that would try to pretzel the frame.
Plus that's why the tiedowns should have a spring attachment of some sort, to soften those types of unexpected stress.
todsme
Explorer
Jul 28, 2017
Front tie downs should be secure. Rear tie downs not so much. Frame of truck has least flex on front turn buckle points.rear anchors of truck twist like frame of truck does.campers have less structural integrity in back. You stress and can pull camper back over tightening rear turn buckles. If your truck can roll coal. Then try 3m spray glue,or VHT track bite maybe on rubber bedliner.
HadEnough
Explorer
Jul 13, 2017
Grit Dog:. Thanks for the advice on making a more "sticky" liner/tc interface.

I'll do that next time she's off or I'm at a campground. That's a great idea.

Yes, it's a rubber bed mat on metal.

I've definitely learned not to have fun driving the truck with the 2 ton TC back there. I think I just loved the acceleration so much I was rolling through the gears fast for fun. Now that I stopped doing that, the tc hasn't moved. And I'm bored. Ha ha ha.

Seriously, I guess I'll save play time for when the TC is off the truck.