Loose turnbuckles on Eagle

[Shadyapex]

Hi all, wondering if anybody else is having trouble keeping the mounting turnbuckles tight on their FWC. I just upgraded from a '97 Tacoma to a '14 Tacoma and now have to tighten the turnbuckles at least once a day, more if driving on bumpy roads. This wasn't a problem with the '97 but the mounting set up is pretty different on the '14 as it has a composite bed and requires the use of some big brackets bolted through the bed to the truck frame. Any suggestions are most welcome. Thanks,,,,,,

 

[MarkBC]

Add a nut as a jam nut, screwed up against the turnbuckle.
I haven't done this yet...but wise folk have done this with great success, and I need to before my next camper outing.

 

[Fred Stevens]

A less elegant solution would be a couple drops of "Locktite" on the threads. Having said that, it's a bit surprising that 4Wheel doesn't include a jam nut with their turn-buckles for Tacoma installations. Will be picking up a Fleet in June for my 2014 Prerunner. Thanks for the heads-up on the turn-buckles.

Fred

 

[NorCalSteve]

It has been a while since I have used it but I think there is a Locktite Blue and Red (could even be others). And I think the red is the tighter of the two. If you decided to use Locktite, you might start with the blue. Out of my three four turn-buckles, I do have one that loosens. And this thread reminds me to check it. Of course it is in the hardest to get location.

Steve

 

[craig333]

Daily loosening? Thats unusual. I try and check mine every six months (more if I've done a lot of washboard roads) and normally find them at least somewhat tight.

If you're going to try loctite remember theres two types, one you need to put on the threads and another that has a wicking action though I've tried that kind personally.

 

[Shadyapex]

Thanks guys, I don't think I'll use the locktite as the camper comes on and off pretty regularly. I thought of a jam nut but was just being lazy. It turns out, of course, that taking the extra effort to tighten a jam nut will be far less work, and annoyance, than having to stop periodically to tighten the rattling camper. I wonder if anyone makes a turn buckle with nylock inserts.

 

[idahoron]

I am using jam nuts.
After I picked up my camper I drove from Jackson Hole to Victor. I got to the top of the hill and they were not only loose but one had came off. I don't remember the distance but it isn't far like 10 miles of pavement but it was a curvy road. I wanted to stop at Victor and find nuts but I didn't and decided to do it at home. I was checking them about every 50 miles. It took a long time to get back to Twin Falls Id. After I put on the jam nuts I haven't had a loose turnbuckle since. It is worth the effort and a buck to do it.

 

[Shadyapex]

I am using jam nuts.
After I picked up my camper I drove from Jackson Hole to Victor. I got to the top of the hill and they were not only loose but one had came off. I don't remember the distance but it isn't far like 10 miles of pavement but it was a curvy road. I wanted to stop at Victor and find nuts but I didn't and decided to do it at home. I was checking them about every 50 miles. It took a long time to get back to Twin Falls Id. After I put on the jam nuts I haven't had a loose turnbuckle since. It is worth the effort and a buck to do it.

Thanks Ida, I know the road between Victor and Jackson Hole. Same kind of experience here. Are you in a late Taco, or similar, with the big plates for pick up points?

 

[takesiteasy]

I put jam nuts on both ends of the turnbuckles (need left-hand threads on 4 of them). Overkill, but my turnbuckles stay tight- don't have to think about them. Total cost less than $5 plus a little extra effort when loading and unloading the camper. Worth it to me.

 

[ETAV8R]

Good thread. Mine loosen on each trip. Both going out and coming back. I put wingnuts on the top portion and at first they helped but now it is as they don't exist. I wouldn't go the locktite route since it is semi-permanent.

 

[idahoron]

Thanks Ida, I know the road between Victor and Jackson Hole. Same kind of experience here. Are you in a late Taco, or similar, with the big plates for pick up points?

I have a 05 tundra.

 

[Bosque Bill]

I have a Tacoma with composite bed and the FWC brackets. I need to retighten once after installation once the camper settles in, but then they stay tight the entire rest of the season. I do check periodically.

Are you just hand-tightening? I use a small wrench or screwdriver shaft through the center of the turnbuckle as a lever once I get them hand tight.

 

[Shadyapex]

Are you just hand-tightening? I use a small wrench or screwdriver shaft through the center of the turnbuckle as a lever once I get them hand tight.

Thanks Bill, at first I was just hand tightening as I had on my '97 but then I started using a screw driver through the buckle. Maybe I'm just not tightening them enough? Things started to creak and groan a little so I stopped well short of cranking down hard.

 

[Bosque Bill]

Maybe I'm just not tightening them enough? Things started to creak and groan a little so I stopped well short of cranking down hard.

The turnbuckles and brackets are designed to hold well over a thousand pounds of camper rocking back and forth on a 4X4 truck on rough roads, so I don't see how I can over-tighten the turnbuckles when I can only snake one hand into that confined space. With the brackets on a composite bed, the camper is sitting on a rubber mat, so I figure you got to tighten enough to get any compliance out of the system.

 

[jha6av8r]

The turnbuckles and brackets are designed to hold well over a thousand pounds of camper rocking back and forth on a 4X4 truck on rough roads, so I don't see how I can over-tighten the turnbuckles when I can only snake one hand into that confined space. With the brackets on a composite bed, the camper is sitting on a rubber mat, so I figure you got to tighten enough to get any compliance out of the system.

I guess there might be a little forgiveness in the newer Tacoma beds. I hand tighten and then stick a stubby screw driver in the turnbuckle and tighten another 1/2 to 1 turn. I've never found them loose except after the camper was first installed. Then I was told to check the turnbuckles after 25 or 30 miles because the camper will settle into the bed.

 

[Shadyapex]

Good point Bill, now I feel a little silly of course for worrying about it. When I got the camper I was told "hand tight is fine" and it was on my '97. But I'm going to try tightening much harder.

 

[rotti]

Do you have a rubber bed mat?

On my Chevy I have a LineX spray in liner with a rubber bed mat on top of that. In 9,000 miles I only had to snug em up once at the 100 mile mark. I second the hand tight and a half turn with a stubby screw driver.

 

[Shadyapex]

Thanks Rotti, I have the FWC brackets and the 3/8' mat that they sell, but I'm not sure that the mat does much. I'm thinking of adding a 1/2' bed pad left over from my '97. Maybe it will provide the compression necessary to put enough tension on the turnbuckles.
Thanks guys, I really appreciate all the thoughtful responses.

 

[ntsqd]

I'm pretty sure that the rubber bed mat does something. We started out without one. One trip and I put one in. Made a huge difference in a lot of small ways. Loose turn-buckles wasn't one of them though, I safety-wire the fronts and use red lock-tite on the rears (permanent install).

"Wicking" grade Lock-tite is what is called for with already assembled threads. Comes in a couple different retaining strengths.

 

[riz]

Just a note.... I noticed once my camper looked like it was bouncing around too much, but when I checked the turnbuckles, they were fine. I checked under the truck (2000 Tacoma) and of the four bolts holding the bed on the truck, one was missing, and two were loose. Now I like to check them once or twice a year in addition to the turnbuckles.