Help in securing camper

[JoeKan]

Hey all, my first post! I just purchased an Alaskan. It's 8 ft. long and is not a cab over. I'm picking it up tomorrow morning and I don't know how to secure it to the truck bed. I did a search and the only thing came up was someone asking the same question without any response. So if you could please help, I would certainly appreciate it.
I was wondering if I could drill holes on the top of the bed rails?
Thanks so much, I really appreciate it.
I bought this after looking for an Alaskan for over a year. I was about to get a tow behind and this came up on Craigslist less than an hour from my house. I bought it based on his description and pictures. Saw it for the first time last night to pay for it, hauling it home tomorrow. I'll post pictures. The PO thought it was a 1970.
Thanks for any help,
Joe

 

[ski3pin]

Can't help with your question but I can welcome you to Wander the West and say congrats on your new camper!

 

[JoeKan]

Here's a picture of it.
Thanks ski3pin!

 

[ski3pin]

Pretty cool! Enjoy the adventure!

 

[CougarCouple]

Hello JoeKan
I googled this older alaskan camper tie down points

And saw some are external, while others don't have any visible anchor system. I'm sure one of the AK owners will post up, or you could call the factory for assistance.

Enjoy the Alaskan, and welcome to WtW.

Russ

 

[wagoneer]

I just use regular tiedowns/turnbuckles you will need to get these from Reico Titan

 

[wagoneer]

One part like a HD "L" shape angle iron attaches to the camper the other side attaches to the bumper and an adjustable spring loaded rod connects them. They are commonly called tie-downs.

 

[wagoneer]

excuse the condition/rust living on the west coast I tend to go "rustblind" You can find these on Craigs or Ebay/Amazon. I find the Reico website has great prices, Welcome aboard! I have a 8' cabover because I live in a big city and like my tailgate in the closed position.

 

[Denver Alaskan]

Hi JoeKan:

Congratulations on your purchase of a vintage Alaskan camper, and welcome to Wander the West.

Don't drill holes in the top rail of your pickup bed. Instead, to get your camper home (assuming you have a pickup truck), just load it into the bed and close the tailgate to keep it there. You might put a thick piece of foam between the rear of the Alaskan and the tailgate to steady it fore-and-aft for the one hour ride home.

After you get it home, if you are going to permanently mount in in your pickup truck, drill four holes from inside your Alaskan (near the 4 corners of your Alaskan's floor inside the side cabinets) through the Alaskan's floor and through your pickup bed's floor and use bolts, nuts and large washers to hold the Alaskan in place. Using large washers will spread the load over a slightly wider area of the plywood floor of your Alaskan.

If you are not going to permanently mount the Alaskan in your pickup bed, then get some mounts as suggested by Wagoneer, These mounts usually bolt to the underside of the "side wings" of your Alaskan. Ask others for details on installing these angled mounts.

Have fun with your Alaskan camper!

 

[JoeKan]

 

[JoeKan]

Here she is! Made it back safely and want to thank all of you with the great advice. I'm loving it, she is immaculate on the inside
.

 

[CougarCouple]

Awesome congrats.

Russ

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Welcome to the cult JoeKan.
Nice camper enjoy your new toy.
Frank

 

[wagoneer]

back bumper secure

 

[JoeKan]

Thanks! Wagoneer, I don't have the brackets attached to mine. Did you install yours or are they factory?

 

[Rdy2Roam]

welcome aboard!

 

[JoeKan]

I bought a 8ft, 3/4 ton truck bed trailer today. I'm going to use that to haul my AK. Doing it this way frees up a lot of space for me and I can haul my tool box in the back of my truck. And I can unhook it and make trips back to KC when I need to.

 

[JoeKan]

Can someone give me information on what size bolt to use when bolting the camper down? I'm thinking 1/2"
Another thought is wouldn't a strong enough wind rip the flooring right off the camper even when it's bolted down? ?
It's 3/4" plywood.
Thanks for any help,
Joe

 

[noteven]

Big warshers to spread the load...

Someone will chime in I’m sure.

Mine is held by tie downs to the jack brackets like the picture ^ but I know through the floor to the truck bed was a common mounting as well.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Big washers to spread the load...


If you have access to a drill press, I'd forgo the washers and get a piece of 1/4" flat steel at a home center, hacksaw it into something like 3"x3" or 4"x4" squares, drill the right size hole in the center, and put THAT under the bed to tie it down. (Washers would be ok for the bolt head, in the camper.)