BradW
Mayor of Flat Rock
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Joined: 10/29/2001
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FolsomBrad wrote:My Happijacs have bent my rear bumper ever so slightly. Most people wouldn't notice it but I do!
Furd trucks have very weak rear bumpers. The fix is to add the two HJ bumper support struts. They cost about $25 and take 5 minutes to install with simple tools. You can straighten your bent Furd bumper back out and then add the struts ........... no more bent bumper. 
Brad
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1996 Lance 500 and 2006 F-350 PSD 4X4 DRW
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FolsomBrad
El Dorado Hills, CA
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Joined: 02/23/2010
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BradW wrote:FolsomBrad wrote:My Happijacs have bent my rear bumper ever so slightly. Most people wouldn't notice it but I do!
Furd trucks have very weak rear bumpers. The fix is to add the two HJ bumper support struts. They cost about $25 and take 5 minutes to install with simple tools. You can straighten your bent Furd bumper back out and then add the struts ........... no more bent bumper.
Brad
Thanks Brad...the Happijac bumper struts were installed when I got the camper and the Happijacs. It's not a bad bend, but looking at the bumper from the side you can see the bottom edge is now closer to the truck then the top edge -- not an even gap like it's supposed to be.
I'm curious about straightening my bent bumper. Do you know how big of job (i.e. expensive) it is? I haven't looked into it so was wondering if it's feasible. Thought I might have to replace it (and go to Torklifts).
2010 Ford F-250 4X4 Diesel with 2009 Lance 845
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BradW
Mayor of Flat Rock
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Joined: 10/29/2001
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On our last Furd, I noticed that one side of the bumper was bent down slightly before we ever put the camper on the truck. I just used an 8’ 2x4 as a lever and bent it back up. I think I put a shop rag between the wood and bumper. Those OEM Furd bumpers are purely ornamental, but with the HJ strut, they are become pretty rigid.
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StewB
Smithers BC
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Joined: 08/17/2006
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When I ordered my happi jac mounts it did not come with the rear bumper supports just the buttons and tie points. When I phoned Happijac and asked about them they said it was opional as there engineeres said the bumper was strong enough without the supports. I told him maby a 1950 ford but not my 2006F350. So I bought them and installed. Very easy and works great.
Does anyone else have problems with the bent plate that slips over the rear buttons bending? Mine bends then won't slip off the button. I have to use a cresent wrench to tweak it to come off.
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BradW
Mayor of Flat Rock
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Joined: 10/29/2001
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StewB wrote:When I ordered my happi jac mounts it did not come with the rear bumper supports just the buttons and tie points. When I phoned Happijac and asked about them they said it was opional as there engineeres said the bumper was strong enough without the supports. I told him maby a 1950 ford but not my 2006F350. So I bought them and installed. Very easy and works great.
Does anyone else have problems with the bent plate that slips over the rear buttons bending? Mine bends then won't slip off the button. I have to use a cresent wrench to tweak it to come off.
I agree. Those bumper support brackets should be included in their tie down kit and not require the customer to buy them separately.
I bent one of those rear tie down plates years ago. I think I had gotten the rear tie downs tighter than I usually do and then hit some big frost heaves in Montana and bent that plate and also broke two bolts on my upper airbag bracket.
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AnEv942
CA
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Joined: 10/10/2003
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StewB wrote:...Does anyone else have problems with the bent plate that slips over the rear buttons bending? ...
Several times had to rebend that lil plate,usually drivers side. Eventually as it becomes weaker with each bend, bends more easily, it will need replacing. I always thought I would replace the button/plate with a forged flanged stainless eyebolt (lifting lug) just never did.
I figured it was because it was attached at extreme end of frame/bed twist, when tie down tightend to get tension normal driving on flexible bumper (no supports), just isnt enough travle, pulls the lil plate flat.
01 Ford 250 4x4 DRW Diesel, 01 Elkhorn 9U
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FolsomBrad
El Dorado Hills, CA
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Yes, my plates bent and I had to bang it off. I think this is also the same time it tweaked my bumper. I had been driving in some pretty high winds on the east side of the Sierra. I ordered new plates. Those have ended up bending a little too. They usually go on ok, but much of the time I whack them with the turnbuckle or have to get a persuasion hammer to get them off.
Maybe I'm rough on the camper and hold-downs because I drive through it a lot of winter storms in the mountains, but the Happijacs seem a little too delicate for me.
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DonCurley
La Sal, Utah
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Joined: 12/27/2006
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While I am a fan of the Happijac system for challenging off-road use, those rear plates are a joke. I have gone with new plates a couple of times but sooner or later, they get bent straight again. I have rebent them with the same results. I have just given up and use them in their straightened condition (which means that I can't remove them from the bumper buttons). They clearly should have been made out of a thicker gauge steel or perhaps should have been gusseted at the bend.
-'07 Dodge 3500/QC/SB/SRW/4x4/6.7L CTD/6-spd auto/35" Toyo MT's/Ride-Rite air bags/RS9000XL shocks
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kcabpilot
CA
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Joined: 04/07/2008
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Maybe the older ones are stronger? Fourteen years, two different trucks, 4000 lb Lance 990 and I've never seen anything bend. I did have to install braces on the '97 bumper - I just made them myself out of one inch angle iron.
1994 Lance 990 on 1997 F350 PSD Dually "Rhino Haunches"
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stevenal
Newport, OR, USA
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Joined: 03/16/2004
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StewB wrote:
Does anyone else have problems with the bent plate that slips over the rear buttons bending? Mine bends then won't slip off the button. I have to use a cresent wrench to tweak it to come off.
Yes. One of the reasons I now have Torklifts.
'98 Bigfoot 1500
with low loss control on the Fantastic, Dino board on the Dometic.
Torklifts and Fastguns
'04 F350 V10 Crew SRW SB 4X4 6 speed
with tow hook replacement, dual rate charging, Line-X, Timbrens.
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