Eye bolt installation

[cannuk]

I finally found my Hawk and I am prepping to pick it up this Saturday. I picked up some eye bolts from Orchard. However I got 1/2 inch instead of 3/8. Is this ok? I figured these have a higher load rating anyways but I want to make sure they wont be harder on the bed of the truck or something. Should I get the 3/8 instead?

Thanks,
Sean

 

[BILL98388]

Cannuck:

Welcome to WTW.

The larger than required eye bolts should be fine. Most discussion here at WTW are about the turnbuckles being the "weak" point where, under stress, they MAY break before the camper attachment points break, which may be good or bad depending on the situation.

Many owners carry extra turnbuckles, but not extra eye bolts.

Bill

 

[Seth]

Seems like larger eyebolts may require larger hooks on the turnbuckles?


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[cannuk]

Seems like larger eyebolts may require larger hooks on the turnbuckles?


Sent from my iPad using Wander The West

I was playing around with this in Orchard Hardware and there really isn't that much difference in the size (1/8th to be exact ). I tried with several of the turnbuckles that they have in the store and only the extremely small ones had any trouble. I was more concerned with what stress it might put on the bed itself. Plus I'd hate to drill the holes and find out it wouldn't work...

 

[Seth]

Fender washer on the top, fender washer on the bottom, nylock nut. At least that would get you home.

For my install kit I was given all the above (in 3/8"), with nicely forged shoulder eyebolts, along with an aluminum pad about 3.5 x 6", maybe 3/32" thick, to serve as an additional huge washer/stress relief on the bottom, pre-drilled with a 3/8 hole.

In my unexpert opinion, a 1/2" eyebolt with corresponding larger fender washer would be the same or maybe a bit better than 3/8" for stress on the bed's sheet metal.

You do want to be sure that the hook on the turnbuckle is in proper contact as deep as it should be to the eyebolt. If it doesn't fully contact they eye, the hook will tend to open when stressed.

Quick links come in handy in case of too-short turnbuckles. I used a set of 1/4" on the camper side.


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[cannuk]

Thanks for the tips everyone! I ended up going with the 3/8 (mostly due to the fact that it was 12 am the night before I was supposed to pick it up when I realized I didnt have a 1/2 inch drill bit...) I am putting together my first post of the rig now!