Another Turnbuckle Question, or Two

[PJorgen]

After reading some great posts here I decided to add lock nuts to the turnbuckles on my FWC. They would usually loosen up after long drives on rough dirt roads and I spent a lot of time re-tightening them.

I hope this will take care of the issue but I'll probably continue to check them until I learn to trust the lock nuts.

OK, the questions:

How tight do you tighten your turnbuckles? I've got the basic stock turnbuckles supplied with the camper by FWC. I usually tighten them as tight as I can get them. Disclaimer - I'm not a particularly big strong guy. How do I know what's tight enough?

What do you use to tighten them? I stick a regular screw driver in between the legs of the buckle and use that as a lever. Is there a better way?

Thanks!

 

[MarkBC]

...How tight do you tighten your turnbuckles? ...

What do you use to tighten them? I stick a regular screw driver in between the legs of the buckle and use that as a lever. Is there a better way?

I tighten them as tight as I can...without going crazy.
I usually use a screw driver, too. But sometimes Vice Grips to grip it instead of a screwdriver to skewer it.

 

[todgru]

I found that in the tight confines of the Fleet and Toyota Tacoma pickup bed, that I had to use a small stubby screwdriver to get those turn buckles tight.

I tighten them almost a full turn past hand tight. Some corners take a bit more, some less.

I also find that one particular corner always loosens up. I check the buckles before heading out on long drives and after having driven on bumpy roads.

 

[PaulT]

Read The Fine Manual. Located here:

From the Four Wheel Camper Owner's manual for 2012-2016 campers.
"Each turnbuckle must be checked periodically to ensure the proper tension is applied. There are two front turnbuckles, and two rear. The driver’s side access panels(port holes)are visible beneath the kitchen galley, or under the front dinette seating area (depending on the camper floorplan). The passenger side access port holes are located beneath the couch seat cushions or the lower passenger side floor areas. Twist/Turn the aluminum turnbuckles to either tighten or loosen theconnection between the eyebolts on the camper, and the eyebolts in the bed of your truck.Each turnbuckle needs to be tightened hand tight first, and then a half turn to a full turn tighter using a lever, such as a screwdriver. The first few times you travel with your camper, and especially on the first trip, the turnbuckles will loosen. After about the first 25-50miles, check the tension on all four turnbuckles, then check again frequently as needed.If you find they are loose, tighten them up as needed.If you find a turnbuckle loose, check to ensure the camper is still square onthe bed of your truck. Once the camper is square,tighten the front turnbuckles first, and then tighten the rear set. "

Paul

 

[CougarCouple]

Hi Pj
I only have the experience with this our first and only popup. We were given pretty much the same above instructions from ATC, with the exception of, haveing one particular end of the turbuckle always to be upright. I marked them for location and which end up, and have always used them in the same location. Following above instructions hardly ever seem to find one to be loose anymore.
With the same end up seems like you are always tightening the same direction, and loosening the same way.

Hope this helps, sorry can't say what determines the end to be up our turnbuckles if I remember correctly had three lines on the up end.

Russ

 

[takesiteasy]

We do the half turn past hand tight (use a stubby screwdriver) and use lock nuts. This has worked well for us- no issues with loosening.

 

[MidAtlantic]

I was told by ATC that using a lever to aggressively could actually cause damage and only hand tighten. But half a turn with a screwdriver sounds more sensible to me.

 

[ski3pin]

I think it best tighten all four corners by hand and then, with a stubby screwdriver as a lever, do a half turn on all four corners and then set the lock nut. As Russ says, it is a convenience to place each turnbuckle so they all turn the same direction to tighten and loosen. In all our varied and rough driving, finding a turnbuckle loose is a big surprise. It just doesn't seem to happen. That doesn't mean we don't still check!

 

[PJorgen]

Great info, thanks everyone.

 

[Andy Douglass]

Hi Pj
I only have the experience with this our first and only popup. We were given pretty much the same above instructions from ATC, with the exception of, haveing one particular end of the turbuckle always to be upright. I marked them for location and which end up, and have always used them in the same location. Following above instructions hardly ever seem to find one to be loose anymore.
With the same end up seems like you are always tightening the same direction, and loosening the same way.

Hope this helps, sorry can't say what determines the end to be up our turnbuckles if I remember correctly had three lines on the up end.

Russ

That is what we were told at FWC as well; there are ridges on one end of the turnbuckle. The problem I found with putting the ridges upwards is that it is counter intuitive for me. With the ridges up, if you imagine yourself looking down at the turnbuckle like it is a bolt, turning it counter-clockwise tightens it. So I just make sure the ridged ends are all facing down, and then turning the buckle clockwise tightens it.

 

[rubberlegs]

I also use the half-turn-past-hand-tight method. But instead of a screwdriver, which I used to use, now I use an open-end wrench that's for the jam nut. It fits well in the turnbuckle, and then I can also use it on the nut. I put the wrench in about half way, and can turn the extra 1/2 turn by twisting on each side of the wrench. It clears the camper and truck fairly well. One of them I have to tilt the wrench so instead of 90 degrees to the turnbuckle, it's more like 45 degrees, but it's still easy for this wimp to do the half-turn.

I've had the turnbuckles almost completely fall off once, and get very loose another couple times. But the jam nut has almost eliminated any problems. Almost. Once one of them came loose about halfway across the Mojave Road, a several day trip. But the other three were still holdin' great. The jam nut (which didn't come with the installation) has worked quite well, in general.

I flipped the turnbuckles so it's easiest to get to the jam nut. To me it's obvious if it's righty-tighty or lefty-loosey-backwards-I'm-cornfused because one way is obviously tightening.

 

[hebegebe]

I finally went with the derringers. They are spendy and a pita to set up but 1 an done! Only had a turnbuckle come off once in a lot of miles but nearly lost my whole rig on a dirt road g-out when the drivers rear lifted and sent me too close to a cliff! They are robust, positive and should be standard equipment from the factory IMHO

 

[klahanie]

After reading some great posts here I decided to add lock nuts to the turnbuckles on my FWC.
....
How do I know what's tight enough?

Good call on the locknuts.

Mounted camper today and noticed I had added a lock washer and flat washer with the locknut, years back. I think these aid in locking down the nut (with less torque transferred to the turnbuckle body) and in holding it tight.

I have been tightening by "feel", but because our set up gives good access and at a comfortable position, it was easy to measure the turns. So, what I do is ... turn by hand until the first bit of resistance - indicating the slack is taken up -, hand turn 1/4 revolution, then lock down the nut - holding the turnbuckle still either by hand or with a small lever.

I'll check for turnbuckle looseness and camper movement during the first off highway trip. Might tighten another 1/4 turn but might not need to if there is no looseness or movement.

So I guess I'm on the light side of tightening, prob not much more than I could comfortably tighten with my bare hand (my "hand tight" might be first resistance + 1/3 turn). Can't see adding a full turn beyond that - my camper would creak and groan when tightening even with the 5/8 HD rubber fatigue mat compressing underneath (off cuts displayed in pic). And haven't felt the need to go that tight.

 

[Bill D]

In my opinion any tighter than just staying on, is pointless. There are plenty of ways of secure them so they don't back off. You're adding potential energy to the turnbuckles/mounting points, in turn, lowering the amount of kinetic energy the turnbuckle/mounting points will be able to withstand when you go over bumps etc.

 

[MidAtlantic]

In my opinion any tighter than just staying on, is pointless. There are plenty of ways of secure them so they don't back off. You're adding potential energy to the turnbuckles/mounting points, in turn, lowering the amount of kinetic energy the turnbuckle/mounting points will be able to withstand when you go over bumps etc.

Are you suggesting that tightening such a connection will lower it's strength (resistance to failure)?

 

[Vic Harder]

In my opinion any tighter than just staying on, is pointless. There are plenty of ways of secure them so they don't back off. You're adding potential energy to the turnbuckles/mounting points, in turn, lowering the amount of kinetic energy the turnbuckle/mounting points will be able to withstand when you go over bumps etc.

I dunno Bill. I use the Fasgun derringers, and they are SUPER tight going on. I'm sure there are quite a few pounds of tension on them and the mounting hardware. And to add to that, on our first time ever of dismounting the camper, we forgot to take off the derringers... and ended up picking up the truck with the camper jacks before we clued in... those supports/jacks are plenty strong!

 

[craig333]

I"m with bill. More than minimal tension on the turnbuckles just puts unneeded stress on the wood.

 

[solinski]

Hey Vic, I currently don't have a truck but pre-planning the installation of my 2005 FWC Eagle on a Tacoma. How much length do you have between your trucks bed eye bolt and the camper eye bolt for the fastguns? I am considering the torklift 9000 spring-loaded barrels with the shortest turnbuckle I can find for the interior bed mount, but I'm not sure there is enough length between the Tacoma truck bed eye bolt and the eagle camper eye bolt. I really like the idea of the Fastguns but even the short model, 14 1/2" to 21 1/2", will probably be too long. My last 2 truck campers I used the Torklift 9000 spring loaded barrels with turnbuckles and exterior truck frame mounted Torklift camper brackets.( Tacoma wtih Six Pac T100 hard sided cabover and later 2005 FWC Eagle) I was pleased with the holding ability plus ease of tension adjustment. I really like the stress relief and shock absorption that the Torklift Fastguns and Torklift 9000 barrels offer. With all the issues that interior mount non spring loaded turnbuckles seem to have, I'm ready to reconsider the exterior mount Torklift camper brackets with Torklift 9000 spring barrels. A major negative aspect of the exterior mount tie downs is they increase the chance of snagging an object. The inside truck bed mounting system removes the snagging concerns but such a hassle! Has anyone tried a very small amount of low strength blue Loctite on the turnbuckles to keep them from loosening? I am definitely open to suggestions on FWC mounting systems.
best to all, solinski
ps.I no longer own the Tacoma and Six Pac camper shown with me in photo.

 

[Adventurer]

My turnbuckles have always loosened significantly, to the point at least one has fallen off. This has happened every time I've used the camper offroad, except the last time. I torqued the ever-loving-sh*t out of it the last time and they were still tight when I took the camper off. It's the only time they've stayed tight. I'll add a lock-washer/nut next time.

 

[Vic Harder]

Hey Vic, I currently don't have a truck but pre-planning the installation of my 2005 FWC Eagle on a Tacoma. How much length do you have between your trucks bed eye bolt and the camper eye bolt for the fastguns? I am considering the torklift 9000 spring-loaded barrels with the shortest turnbuckle I can find for the interior bed mount, but I'm not sure there is enough length between the Tacoma truck bed eye bolt and the eagle camper eye bolt. I really like the idea of the Fastguns but even the short model, 14 1/2" to 21 1/2", will probably be too long. My last 2 truck campers I used the Torklift 9000 spring loaded barrels with turnbuckles and exterior truck frame mounted Torklift camper brackets.( Tacoma wtih Six Pac T100 hard sided cabover and later 2005 FWC Eagle) I was pleased with the holding ability plus ease of tension adjustment. I really like the stress relief and shock absorption that the Torklift Fastguns and Torklift 9000 barrels offer. With all the issues that interior mount non spring loaded turnbuckles seem to have, I'm ready to reconsider the exterior mount Torklift camper brackets with Torklift 9000 spring barrels. A major negative aspect of the exterior mount tie downs is they increase the chance of snagging an object. The inside truck bed mounting system removes the snagging concerns but such a hassle! Has anyone tried a very small amount of low strength blue Loctite on the turnbuckles to keep them from loosening? I am definitely open to suggestions on FWC mounting systems.
best to all, solinski
ps.I no longer own the Tacoma and Six Pac camper shown with me in photo.

The distance between the bed eyebolt and the camper varies, front to rear and also camper to camper, and probably from truck to truck. I bought a bunch of 1/2 threaded eyebolts and cut them to length after a bunch of trial and error. Also sometimes use beefy caribiners to make them longer.

Also, blue loctite on the threads once I am sure of the length required. They don't loosen, they don't tear out the eyebolts, and that;s after some pretty rough roads and big dips at speed. Plus, putting them back on is super easy, as they are all exactly the right length.