I've been reading this form for about 4 years but never got around to posting before. Anyway after reading some of the recent posts about true 4x4 TC and trip reports like the White Rim Trail, I thought I would ask a question.
I have a 2005 Outfitter Caribou 8 and haul it on a 2006 F250 6.0 4x4. On a recent trip to Death Valley, I completely tore out the rear anchor points for the rear tie downs. Most of the damage has been repaired, but this got me to thinking about the proper way to connect this thing to the truck.
My current tie downs are as follows, Front Happijac and attach to the camper on a stud on the front jacks. This only leaves 16" so there is no room for a spring loaded turnbuckle and the tie down is almost vertical. Rear Torklift with non spring loaded turnbuckle. The old mounting point was directly above so once again the tie down was almost vertical. The new mount point in the rear moves in about 10" so now the rear tie down angles to the rear.
So now to the questions. For off-road use what is the best way to tie the camper to the truck. From my experience most of the damage takes place on long stretches of washboard gravel roads when trying to maintain some speed 30-40 mph to stay on top of the washboard. This is where I destroyed the old tie down points. For those familiar with Death Valley, it was on the Saline Valley road, west side of the park, about 100 miles of bone jarring washboard. On true 4-wheel drive sections, it's easier to control the forces on the camper because of slower speeds and (generally) being able to read the trail.
According to Happijac, spring loads should be used on the front and the tie downs angle quite a bit towards the rear and no spring loads on the rear.
So after all of that, do I need to move the camper tie downs on the front so I can add spring loads and get angled to the rear?. I don't know that I will find a more solid anchor point than the stud on the front jack.
Do spring loads help or hurt on the rear?
Thanks, David
If anyone is interested, below is a photo of the camper tie down point that failed.
I have a 2005 Outfitter Caribou 8 and haul it on a 2006 F250 6.0 4x4. On a recent trip to Death Valley, I completely tore out the rear anchor points for the rear tie downs.
My current tie downs are as follows, Front Happijac and attach to the camper on a stud on the front jacks. This only leaves 16" so there is no room for a spring loaded turnbuckle and the tie down is almost vertical. Rear Torklift with non spring loaded turnbuckle.
Do spring loads help or hurt on the rear?
I think you perfectly described the problem. Torklit REQUIRES spring loads. (Outfitter does too, with torklift) 16" is plenty of room for the basic spring loads.
Use cushioned tie downs front and rear, both angled to provide both downward and fore/aft locating of the camper. Also, back side reinforcement of the tie down anchor points on the camper may be needed. A bolt and nut with regular flat washer through plywood isn't sufficient area to spread the load and can result in pulling through.
Bolting the camper to the pickup bed floor is probly the best way to anchor the camper to reduce damage to it.
If you can get some Fast Guns that might save the day. Tork Lift also makes another product that can be used with Happijac. I don't remember what they are called but they are short.
I re-measured my Happijac spring loaded turnbuckles they come out to 18" (including the Happijac Quick-Loads, the non spring loaded Happijac turnbuckles are 1 1/2" shorter) may have left that detail out in the original post. So when you say "required", is this for both front and back? After getting home from picking up the camper from Outfitter, they had installed one spring load and one non-spring load on the front (and the same on the back). Didn't notice this for about six months (when I switched sides on the front tie downs).
When you say standard spring loads, is there another brand I should be looking at?
I really would like to have a look INSIDE the fixing points.... My Adventurer has 4 straight plates with holes in it. I always ask me the following: how are the Happijacks fixed at the corners of the camper. I suppose that the corners are the strongest points of the cabine. I am very close to make some mount points directly at the Happijacks, so nothin can happen in my opinion.
Any comments ???? A photo follows.
* This post was
edited 05/17/08 11:37am by flaxi *
darmes wrote: So when you say "required", is this for both front and back? After getting home from picking up the camper from Outfitter, they had installed one spring load and one non-spring load on the front (and the same on the back). Didn't notice this for about six months (when I switched sides on the front tie downs).
When you say standard spring loads, is there another brand I should be looking at?
Torklift requires the use of some type of spring load -- you can't buy tiedowns from then without buying a spring load. There are two kinds of torklift spring loads, standard and springloadXL, which are turnbuckles with built-in spring loads.
There is Extremely strange (probably a mistake) to install a spring load on one side, but not the other.
I don't believe Happijac requires spring loads.
You should always use spring loaded tie downs on both front & read. Many manufacturers will not warranty against tiedown pullout unless you do. Either happijac or torklift will do the trick. Unfortunately, you have some serious structural damage there that may require repair at a dealer. Since Fleetwood no longer makes TCs, that may be an issue. I do not think the tiedown point failed, the joint between the the rear vertical stud & the horizontal under the hangover failed, but you are fortunate it is a wood framed camper. Regardless, it was likely caused by not using a springload, especially if the rear tiedown was loose & you hit a bad bump. This may have been caused by the camper sliding back in the bed a bit (do you have a plastic liner) The Filon may still have to be removed but maybe you can jack up the sag from the outside, then get at the area from the inside reinforce it with steel angle iron, that may save you from having to replace the wood joists or remove the outer skin.
The picture really doesn't show what actually failed. Do you have any others? Are you talking about the eye-bolt pulling through the t-nut or that the entire tie-done point (t-nut and all) pulled through the campers frame?
Is the split seam from your repair or the initial damage?
The previously mentioned lack of spring-loaded turn-buckles would have definitely contributed to whatever failure there was. Also, how tight do you keep the tie-downs? They are supposed to be snug but not drum tight during on-road use and slightly looser when off-road. Having driven washboard roads myself I can sympathize with your urge to try to smooth out the ride but a sudden meeting with any previously unseen whoop-de-dos on said washboard road WILL place incredible amounts of stress on ANY campers tie-down points. Hitting those whoops repeatedly is a sure way to get this result...spring-loads or not.
Have you contacted Bob about this or tried posting it to the Owners Group?
On another subject. What is that compartment door for? I haven't seen an Apex with one there before.
2007 F350,SC,LB,4x4,6.0/Auto,35" tires,16.5 Warn,Buckstop bumpers
2007 Outfitter Apex9.5,270W solar,SolarBoost2000e,2 H2K's,2KW inverter,2 20lb LP on slide out tray,4 Lifeline AGM bats,Tundra fridge
95 Bounder 28' ClassA sold
91 Jamboree 21' ClassC sold
Oops I read Cariboo & assumed Fleetwood. Outfitter is certainly still in business. You may be well advised to take it to CO and have it looked at by the factory.
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